Rajasthan is a desert state in north western India where color and folk art are an integral part of the towns, the homes and the clothing...the men strikingly handsome in white with bright turbans and the women respndent in their elaborately decorated costumes and their welath in their jewelry.
The tour focuses on folk art, architecture, textiles, Rajput painting and the fort-palaces of yesteryear as well as Indian cuisine in all its diverse flavors. It is led by Carol Summers, a California artist who's had a long-time love affair with Indian Folk Art and has led tours to north India since 1996.
January 1-2
Leave Newark, NJ at 8:50 pm and arrive 9:15 pm, January 2 in New Delhi. Our hotel, the Imperial, is a restored memento of colonial India with large grounds and is centrally located in New Delhi.
January 3, New Delhi
We'll visit the National Museum, by any standard a world class musum, offering general coverage of the panoply of Indian art from ancient times. Superb Rajput painting, Tantric, Mogul and Tribal folk art exhibits. Afternoon visit to the Crafts Museum and Sunder Nagar, an antique market (silk, antiques, silver, tribal art, jewelry, etc)
January 4, New Delhi - Agra
We drive to Agra, stopping at the Qutab Minar, India's first mosque and we'll visit the Agra Fort.
January 5, Agra - Keoladi Sanctuary
A morning look at the Taj Mahal, South Indian lunch and visit Fatepur Sikri, the beautiful 16th century red sandstone royal city of Akbar and the Keoladi Wildlife Sanctuary.
January 6, Keolado - Keslroli
We drive to Kesroli where we stay at a delightfully remote, restored hill fort in quiet farm country.
January 7, Kesroli - Mandawa
After breakfast we leave Kesroli for Mandawa, perhaps the most charming of the painted villages of Shekawati, an area famous for the elaborately painted havelis (mansions) of the wealthy merchants. Our hotel, Mandawa Castle dates from 1755 and is operated by the original
family owners.
January 8, Mandawa - Jaipur
After lunch visit the City Palace and Jantar Mantar - a park of giant astronomical constructions.
January 9, Jaipur
Visit the Amber Palace by elephant.
January 10, Jaipur - Jodhpur
Drive to Jodhpur. We stay at the first designated Heritage Hotel, a former lodge whose original owners have built a group of bungalows, each with its own folk theme in a whimsical, parklike setting. It's quiet and informal, a welcome retreat. We'll explore the old center of Jodhpur, the Sardar Market and maze of alleys and bazaars. Jodhpur is justly famous for its antique shops and markets (antique furniture and architectural devices, crafts, etc).
January 11-12, Jodhpur - Jaisalmer
We'll leave early to give us time when we reach Jaisalmer to take a quick visit to the weaver's cooperative, Kadi Bundar, before our traditional margaritas at sunset on the roof of our hotel, a converted caravansary with the rustic charm of the tribal people of this area. Jaisalmer is the quintessential desert citadel, carved by man and wind in golden sandstone from the Thar desert. The Hill of King Jaisal became wealthy as a stop for the trading caravans passing through from the coast, but the development of a railway system and the port of Bombay made it a ghost town. We may be grateful that events left us this medieval gem in such pristine condition. We'll visit the Citadel, Royal Palace and a Jain temple. Camel ride to the dunes at sunset and a village dinner with local musicians (weaving, tribal textiles and arts, antiques and much more).
January 13, Jaisalmer - Jodhpur
Visit antiquaries, dinner at On the Rocks
January 14, Jodhpur - Rohetgarth
We'll visit the Mehrangarth Fort, Rajasthan's largest, that dominates the city. To Rohet for lunch. Rohet House is a pleasant country house whose owners were big landowners in former days. Now they take visitors out in jeeps to visit the villages and family compounds of a group of people called the Bishnois, which in Hindi means 29, the number of precepts in their long-dead founding guru's list of commandments. They are vegetarians and the world's earliest conservationists. One of their precepts is to protect animal life and they live surrounded by the blackbuck who, though wild, lack the fear of man. The safari returns to the house for supper before dark, having visited weavers and potters in their beautiful homes built of the earth of the desert and painted with simple designs, and participating, if you like, in a welcome ritual called the opium ceremony.
January 15, Rohet - Ranakpur
We're off in the morning to Ranakpur, a Jain temple complex set in remote and beautiful country in the Aravalli mountain range. The temple was built in 1439 and boasts 1444 pillars, no two alike. We lunch nearby at a lovely rural, outdoor restaurant and then continue through the wooded hill country to the Aranyawas Hotel.
January 16, Ranakpur - Dungarpur
In the morning we drive to Dungarpur and visit the old castle that claims some of the best preserved wall paintings in Rajasthan.
January 17, Dungarpur - Ahmadabad
A morning drive to Ahmadabad where we'll have lunch across from the Sidi Saiyad Mosque with its famous carved stone windows. Afternoon to the Shreyes Folk Art Museum.
January 18, Ahmadabad - Udaipur
Visit the Calico Textile Museum, a mecca for those with an interest in the Indian textile arts. Afternoon drive to Udaipur.
January 19, Udaipur
We'll visit the City Palace with its various collections, architectural wonders and labyrinthine passageways and have a boat ride on Lake Pichola to have lunch at the Lake Palace. There will be plenty of time to wander this most charming town and take advantage of the splendid shopping opportunities (puppets, antiques, jewelry, clothing, paintings etc).
January 20, Udaipur to Pushkar
On our way we will visit a colorful and lively Siva temple in Eklingi. Pushkar is a city sacred to Hindus, built around a pretty lake. We stay at the Pushkar Palace on the lake. Many shops and fun wandering.
January 21, Pushkar - Samode
Lunch and tour of the Palace. Spectacular Durbar Hall. We stay in tents in the Palace Gardens with marble bathrooms.
January 22, Samode - New Delhi
Four hour drive to New Delhi. Depart from New Delhi at 11:45 pm.
January 23, Newark, NJ
Arrive 5:05 am
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