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Day 1 :
Arrival / New Delhi
Late night arrival, Meeting and assistance upon arrival as our
representatives welcome you and escort you to your van. Whilst
the room keys and check-in is organized, our representative
would introduce the tour to you and hand over the documents to
you. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to serve
you!
Overnight Stay in Hotel
Day 2 : Delhi to Agra
Visit beautiful Taj Mahal, Agra fort, night stay at Agra.
TAJ MAHAL- Built by Shah Jahan, the Taj is a white marble
memorial to his beautiful wife Mumtaz Mahal. This monument took
22 years to be completed and was designed, and planned by
Persian architect Ustad Isa. Apart from its stunning design
balance and perfect symmetry, the Taj is also noted particularly
for its elegant domes, intricately carved screens and some of
the best inlay work ever seen.
AGRA FORT- Fort built in red sandstone with its magnificent
palaces, halls of public and private audience and the beautiful
gardens. This is where Emperor Shah Jahan was kept under house
arrest by his third son Aurangzeb and spent the last year of his
life viewing the Taj Mahal from across the river Jamuna.
Afternoon drive to Jaipur enroute visiting FATEHPUR SIKRI -the
deserted red Sandstone City, Emperor Akbar built that as his
capital and palace in the late 16th century is an exhilarating
experience. Overnight stay in Hotel
Day 3 : Agra / Varanasi
Full Day Sightseeing Agra and after lunch drive to the
Agra Cant station to board an
overnight train to Varanasi.
Overnight : 1st Air-Conditioned Sleeper Accommodation
Day 4 : Arrival / Varanasi
Meeting and assistance upon arrival and transfer to Hotel
After breakfast we proceed for the sightseeing tour. First stop would
be the Bharat Mata (temple of Mother India). Inaugurated by Mahatma
Gandhi, it features a huge marble map of India on the ground floor.
Next up, the Durga Temple. Known for its bright red color and the
playful, if sometimes aggressive, monkeys that run amok there, the
Durga Temple is one of the most imposing architectural monuments in
Varanasi.
The university, which occupies a large piece of land at the southern
end of town, is also home to the New Vishwanatha Temple. The New
Temple is modern in design and open to Hindus and non-Hindus alike.
Surrounded by palm trees, it is a splendid white marble structure that
shines in the afternoon sun against a pale blue sky. Inside, the
temple is spacious and airy. The interior walls are covered with Vedic
art above inscriptions from the Bhagavad Gita and Upanishads. In the
center of the first floor is the Shiva linga.
Overnight Stay in Hotel
Day 5
: Varanasi - Sarnath
Arrive Varanasi early in the morning. On arrival check-in at
hotel and refresh for a visit to Sarnath - the place where
Buddha preached his first Sermon in 590 BC. Afternoon
sightseeing tour of Varanasi. Overnight at hotel.
Day 6: Varanasi- Bodhgaya
Early morning boat-ride on the River Ganges. Thereafter, leave
Varanasi by road for Bodhgaya - one of the holiest Buddhist
pilgrimage centers in the state of Bihar. It was here that
Gautama attained enlightenment and became Buddha under the "Bodhi"
tree Satabodhi Temple. Overnight at hotel.
Day 7 : Bodhgaya
Morning visit temples in Bodhgaya. Afternoon at lesiure.
Overnight at hotel.
Day 8 : Bodhgaya - Rajgir- Nalanda- Patna
Morning we drive to Patna en-route we visit Rajgir & Nalanda.
Rajgir is a verdant valley surrounded by rocky hills. Here on
Griddhakuta or Vultures Peak the Buddha set in motion his second Wheel
of Law and for three months every year during the rainy season
preached many inspiring sermons to his disciples. The Buddha Sangha of
Japan have constructed a massive modern stupa, the Shanti (peace)
stupa at the top of the hill in commemoration. The view from the top
is breathtaking. One can climb up to the top along a bridle path.
However, the aerial chairlift is far more exciting.
Twelve kilometres from Rajgir is Nalanda which was in Buddha's time a
lovely resort of Saints and ascetics. Lord Buddha visited Nalanda
several times and delivered some important sermons. It emerged as a
university in the 5th century A.D. and remained the greatest seat of
learning for 7 years. Great thinkers like Nagarjuna, the Mahayana
Buddhist Philosopher. Dharmapala the Brahman scholar, Aryadeva, and
Padmasambhava taught here.
Overnight at hotel.
Day 9 : Patna- Vaishali - Kushinagar
Morning leave Patna for Kushinagar en-route visiting Vaishali -
located 60 kms from Patna and holds special significance for
Buddhist devotees. Kushinagar is the place where Buddha passed
into Maha-Parinirvana. Afternoon visit Kushinagar the various
stupas and temples. Overnight at hotel.
Day 10 : Kushinagar - Lumbini - Balarampur
Leave Kushinagar by road for Lumbini - the birthplace of Buddha
and is located just a few kilometres inside Nepal. Sightseeing
tour of Lumbini and thereafter leave for Balarampur by road. On
arrival transfer to hotel and overnight stay.
Day 11 : Balarampur - Sravasti - Lucknow - Delhi
Morning visit to Sravasti - 15 kms from Balrampur and the
capital of the ancient Kingdom of Kosala. Sravasti has the
honour for sheltering Buddha for 24 rainy seasons in the Jetvana
Vihar and has the famous Anand Bodhi tree, age-old stupas,
majestic monasteries and several temples. Buddha is said to have
performed some miracles here. After sightseeing leave for
Lucknow by road. Commence from Lucknow to Delhi by air or train.
On arrival check-in at hotel and overnight stay.
Day 12 : Delhi
Day at leisure. Transfer to international airport for flight to
onward destination.
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