SOUTH INDIA: THE GRAND TOUR

8 January – 3 February 2010 with Richard Hunt

Southern India offers a delightful variety of experiences. It is a green and beautiful land, with lush vegetation, brilliant green rice paddy, waterways lined with coconut palms, contrasting with dramatic hills growing spices or tea and coffee. The Dravidian people, tracing their origins from very ancient times, are hospitable, gentle and devout. They preserve their Hindu faith through traditional worship, music and dance, painting and sculpture. They are devoted to their deities residing in the many magnificent temples that frequently dominate the skyline. In the towns and cities the pace of life is slower and more relaxed than in the north, and often the main activities seem to be preparation for festivals or just selling flowers to offer the God or for ladies to wear in their hair.

During this tour we explore something of the diversity of this region and culture. We visit temples and beaches, music and dance, palaces and princely states, ancient monuments and the more recent history of the British Raj [in Madras - established in the 17th century - and the hill stations of Coonoor and Ootacamund, high in the Nilgiri Hills]. We visit during the rice harvest at the time of the Pongal (harvest) Festival and can observe patterns of agriculture in the varied landscapes of our journey. Moreover, our contacts will enable us to to see something of "real India" - the India of people today - their homes, work, education and culture. We travel at a comparatively leisurely pace, allowing time to explore alone or simply relax at some very comfortable hotels. Many of the journeys are through very beautiful scenery and we have time to stop to look at the many fascinating scenes and activities along the way.

OUR TOUR HAS SEVERAL BROAD AIMS:
We visit some of the great monuments of Indian history and culture, hoping to provide insights to art, architecture and the decorative and folk arts of some of the great civilisations of India. The great temples of Tamil Nadu and the simply wonderful site of Hampi (capital of the Vijayanagar Empire) in Karnatica are wonders of the world.
It caters for those who wish to understand something of the 'REAL INDIA' - the India of people who live in towns and villages. We hope to look at their domestic lives, their work, religions, and cultural traditions (including their houses and farm buildings; costume; music and dance); together with some advances aimed at improving their lives - the education of adults and children, the technical achievements in water supply, medicine, irrigation and farming. We have time to stop and look!
This is a holiday! There is so much to see, but we cannot see everything! So the itinerary is selective, yet offers great variety with some time to explore alone, go shopping or just relax beside a swimming pool. When we are not in transit you are perfectly free to include or omit any of the day’s activities. We stay in hotels chosen for their location, interest and personal attention rather than every western 5* luxury although the hotels on this tour are often the best available! We do our utmost to plan carefully, but frustrations can occur with flights or hotels, which may involve changes in our programme. Indians are most hospitable, friendly and helpful and any difficulties can easily be overcome if we are tolerant and adaptable.
We hope to offer very good value for money: this is not the cheapest tour to India as we use convenient scheduled flights, good ground services and appropriate hotels. The tour is rather longer, more varied and, dare we say, more interesting and better planned than some that are much more expensive!

MADRAS The tour starts with a direct flight to Bombay and a connecting flight to MADRAS (now called CHENNAI), and we immediately drive on to our hotel on a beach on the way to MAHABALIPURAM. Mahabalipuram was the second capital and sea port of the Pallava Kings of Kanchipuram, who reached their peak of power and artistic patronage from 5th – 8th centuries. A variety of monolithic rock-cut temples, bas-reliefs and a famous shore temple provide a wonderful introduction to Indian art and religion, while present day craftsmen carving temple deities, a fine beach, fish restaurants all provide a fascinating and relaxing place to stay. Not far away is the bustling city of MADRAS. Once the most important of the East India Company's Presidencies (before the rise of Bombay and Calcutta), Madras was founded in 1639. Fort St George was begun in 1641, and St Mary's church was the first English church in India. There are other Raj buildings - administration, law courts, colleges, railway stations. As the modern capital of the state of Tamil Nadu (the land of the Tamil speakers), the region once ruled by the ancient Pallava, Chola and Pandya dynasties. We may also choose to drive inland to KANCHIPURAM, capital of the Pallava dynasty – one of the sacred cities, famous for temples and hand-woven silk.
3 nights at the Ideal Beach Resort. Cottages and rooms with direct access to the beach. A friendly and hospitable hotel, with swimming pool, outdoor restaurant.

PONDICHERRY, CHIDAMBARAM AND TANJORE. A long but interesting drive takes us south along the coast. First we drive through Pondicherry, a French colony until 1954 (coffee and baguettes?). We drive on to Chidambaram, which was capital of the Chola Dynasty from AD 907 to 1310 and is one of the most important holy towns of Tamil Nadu. Here is the magnificent Nataraja Temple, reputed to date from the 6th century, but mostly belonging to the 11th to 13th century; the place in Hindu mythology where Lord Shiva as Nataraja - Lord of the Dance - performed his cosmic dance and which is regarded as the centre of the cosmos. We pay a morning visit to the World Heritage site of Tanjore’s  outstandingly beautiful 10th century ‘Big Temple’  built in golden sandstone. A leisurely afternoon with time to swim and relax before driving next morning to Trichy  and Madurai–  famous for their wonderful temples.
2 nights at the Ideal River View, Tanjore. A lovely situation on the river.  Good food, pool and garden. Our visit should coincide with the Pongal [Harvest] Festival, when animals are decorated and people celebrate at temples.

MADURAI On our drive we first visit TIRUCHIRAPALLI and the fascinating Vishnu Srirangam temple on an island in the Cauvery River.  Nearby is the area where pilgrims bathe in the river and many rituals are performed. After lunch we drive on to Madurai - an important centre of Hindu pilgrimage, over 2000 years old, with the vast and fascinating Shri Meenakshi Temple (16th century). Here is Hinduism at its most intense. As well as exploring the temple architecture and religious activities by day, we plan an evening visit to the ceremony when the image of Lord Shiva, husband of Meenakshi, is carried to her shrine in a frantic procession. Madurai also has the Tirumala Nayak Palace, now partly in ruins, but with impressive stucco work on the domes and arches. We have time to explore this small city or visit a nearby sari weaving village by cycle rickshaw, or simply relax in the pleasant garden and pool.
2 nights at the Taj Gateway Hotel.  A hotel of character and considerable charm perched on a hill a few kilometres from the city. Swimming pool and delightful gardens.

PERYAR & THE CARDAMOM HILLS: From Madurai we climb into the Hills, leaving TAMIL NADU and crossing into the state of KERALA.  We stay in the hills, within the PERYAR wildlife sanctuary, which we visit by boat across the enormous lake. The scenery and vegetation on this drive are marvellous!
1 night at Aranya Niwas Hotel. A simple hotel in the sanctuary beside the lake. Swimming pool and possibly elephant rides (but the elephants are sometimes ‘out of station’!)

BACKWATERS TO ALLEPEY & COCHIN (now called Kochi) Leaving Peryar we first visit a fascinating small spice plantation, before starting a delightful descent through the hills. Passing tea gardens and rubber forests we arrive at KOTTAYAM, where we board a boat along the MALABAR BACKWATERS to ALLEPEY, slowly passing waterway villages, with the brilliant green rice paddy on either side. A short coach journey takes us to COCHIN (now called KOCHI), a thrilling city on the Arabian Sea. Settled by Jews, Portuguese, Dutch, and British, as well as various Indian rulers, it is built on a series of islands connected by bridges and ferries. Shipping, fishing, coconut processing and religious festivals seem the main activities. We visit the harbour by boat, and see a variety of monuments including the old city, the rajah's palace (built by the Dutch as a gift, with excellent Indian murals), the Jewish synagogue, Chinese fishing nets, and St Francis church. An evening visit to the spectacular Khatakali dance-drama of Kerala.
3 nights at the Fort House Hotel. A simple hotel conveniently located in Fort Cochin with an excellent outdoor restaurant on a jetty overlooking Cochin harbour.

NILGIRI HILLS Leaving Cochin, we climb into the spectacular scenery of the NILGIRI HILLS, arriving at the small hill station of COONOR for a night halt. We may walk through the fine Botanical gardens or  make the final ascent by tiny toy train to "OOTY" - the "Snooty Ooty" of the British Raj. Created in the 1830's, it became the summer HQ of the Madras Government, with all the trappings of a classic hill station - club (where army officers invented snooker), library, race-course, golf, boarding schools and bungalows. Now rather run down!
1 night at the Taj Gateway, Coonor, a former British Guesthouse - lovely garden and views.

NAGARHOLE WILD LIFE RESERVE We descend through more spectacular scenery to the Jungles on the Tamil Nadu/ Kerala / Karnataka border to stay in the reserve for jungle visits by elephant & jeep. There are large herds of deer, wild elephants and Indian Gaur (wild cattle) and many species of birds. Last year our group saw several leopard, tigers and crocodiles. Shall we be lucky again?
2 nights at Kabini River Lodge in the sanctuary. Comfortable & well organised for game viewing.

MYSORE We drive down through beautiful scenery to the plain and through the jungles and game reserves of MADUMALAI before arriving at the lovely city of MYSORE, capital of the princely state until 1947. The palaces, temples and markets are delightful - a city well worth exploring alone or in small groups. We plan an orientation tour of the city [with a wonderful vegetable and flower market] and city palace.  Nearby is SERINGAPATAM where Tipu Sultan was finally defeated by the British in 1799. Tipu's painted wooden summer palace survives intact. Nearby, too, is the beautiful Hoysola temple of SOMNATHPUR, with some of the finest stone carving in South India [the Hoysolas were a ruling dynasty of  12th & 13th centuries].
3 nights at the LALITA MAHAL PALACE HOTEL, the magnificent former palace guest house of the Maharajah of Mysore - a spectacular white marble and stucco wedding cake in spacious grounds with a pool. Magnificent dining room with classical Indian music. Service does not always match up to the surroundings!

BELUR AND HALEBID We drive north east to visit the sites of BELUR and HALEBID, magnificent temples dating from the 12th and 13th centuries, representing the climax of Hoysola art. The architecture is breathtaking and the temples are encrusted with wonderful carvings. If time permits we may visit the 17 metre Jain monolithic statue of Lord Bahubali, dating from 981 AD, the centre of a Jain pilgrimage centre.
2 nights at the Taj Gateway, CHIKMAGALUR. This small hotel is set in the hills, close to coffee gardens and a game reserve, and within easy reach of Belur and Halebid

HOSPET & HAMPI A long but interesting drive north takes us to one of the major highlights of our tour at HAMPI - the ancient capital city of Vijayanagar - one of the greatest of the Hindu empires, which controlled almost all of South India by the early 16th century. European visitors described Hampi in the early 16th century, with its great colonnaded and paved streets, palaces and temples, as larger and more magnificent than Rome!  The wealth of the Vijayanagar Empire and its great capital was based on the spice and cotton trades of South India (as well as booty from the wars with neighbours). Successive rulers used their wealth to build magnificent temples and palaces and, in the later stages, to hire mercenaries, including Moslem mounted archers, to defend it against Moslem Sultans from the Deccan. The Empire was finally defeated in 1565 and the city was abandoned and fell in ruins. The Vittala Temple is a World Heritage site, but other temples and the magnificent Royal Palace complex, including the Lotus Palace and Elephant stables are superb, as is the dramatic setting for the ruined capital. A sunset walk through the site, along the river, is magical.
2 nights at the Krishna Palace Hotel in Hospet. A new hotel with swimming pool and outdoor restaurant.

BADAMI Leaving the Hampi area we first visit the fascinating rock-cut caves of Badami - once the capital city of the Chalukyan Empire, rulers of the central Deccan from 4th - 8th centuries AD. Set in a ravine, the site is surrounded by fortifications, but most famous of all are the carved and inscribed temples cut from the solid rock. We drive on to Hubli for
1 night at the NAVEEN HOTEL - a modern comfortable hotel overlooking a lake, with pool.

GOA The next morning we drive down to the coast for a few days relaxation. The journey is very beautiful as we descend through the forests and the Western Ghats. Goa is the former Portuguese Colony that is now India’s foremost beach resort. It is an excellent place to rest after a long but rewarding tour of the main delights that South India has to offer.
3 nights (more if you wish) at the TAJ HOLIDAY VILLAGE, located on a beach, swimming pool, indoor and outdoor restaurants and personal service. This is a 5* hotel with cottages set in a lovely tropical garden. If you wish we can arrange excursions to visit some of the Portuguese Baroque churches or a boat trip to the local markets. A farewell dinner at one of the beach restaurants.

We fly from GOA to BOMBAY for the onward non-stop flight to London arriving London on the same day.