A World Apart
South India Kaleidoscope
February 4 – 20, 2010
A CELEBRATION OF THE UNIVERSE
The world view of South Indians is essentially
one celebrating the eternal universe. Reverence for the beauty of the
body and motherhood
is exemplified through dance, clothing, and sculpture. The Hindu
religion is the most prevalent, and the massive temple complexes
in the south are India’s heart and soul. One shrine in Kerala
attracts more pilgrims than Mecca!
South India is one of the most relaxed and congenial parts of Asia
to explore. Accommodations are clean, and freshly cooked, nutritious
food is readily available.
The widespread use of English makes communication relatively easy. South Indians
are the most garrulous and inquisitive of travelers, and public encounters
are always enlivened by questions about where you are traveling and where you
come from.
Our journey begins in the Tamil Nadu state, whose
capital is Chennai (formerly Madras). Tamil Nadu is known as the cradle of
Dravidian culture, and the icons
of this unique civilization are everywhere – huge temples, intricate
rock carvings, evocative music and complex classical dance. We work our way
south along the coast, exploring historic temples along the way,
then gradually turn inland to the beautiful highlands with their colorful tea
plantations as we cross into Kerala. A highlight of the tour will be a night
spent aboard
a houseboat in the beautiful backwaters of Kerala.
This tour features the best
of Southern India’s cities, beaches, culture,
flora and fauna. Come with Toto Tours to experience a world apart. Our own
will never be the same again.
ITINERARY
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Departure from the U.S.
Depart your home city today on an overnight
international flight to Chennai, the capital of the Tamil Nadu
State in India. The Chennai
Madras International Airport has the three-letter code: MAA. Use
this code when researching flights from your home city. Tour services
begin
in Chennai with overnight accommodations on February 6, 2010. If
your flight arrives in Chennai late at night on February 5, or very
early
in the morning on February 6, you need to book an extra night on
February 5 in order to have a room immediately available upon arrival
at the
hotel.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Travel Day
Most flights from the US require two travel days to reach
Chennai. Because of the long travel time, we recommend that you
consider arriving
today, and we will make your arrangements for an additional night
at our group hotel upon request.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Welcome to South India
You are greeted at the International Airport
when you arrive, and transferred to our hotel in Chennai. Rest, enjoy
an Ayurvedic Massage, or explore
the environs of the hotel. Gather in the hotel’s bar at about
6:30pm for cocktails and a get-acquainted party, followed by a Welcome
Dinner. (Dinner included)
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Touring in Chennai
Chennai, widely known as Madras until 1996, has a
rich tradition and civilization with a blend of the old and the new,
vibrating ceaselessly
to keep pace with the rest of India, as the capital city of the third
most industrialized State.
Spend the day seeing the most important sites in Chennai. In George
Town we see the High Court Building, constructed in 1892 and said to
be the largest judicial building in the world after the Courts of London.
St. Mary’s Church is the oldest Anglican Church in India, built
in 1680, and the tombstones in its courtyard are the oldest British
tombstones in India. Explore Fort St. George, named after the patron
saint of England and built in 1640 by the British East India Company.
The flag staff at Fort St. George is still the tallest in India. South
of the Fort is the War Memorial, a graceful monument built in 1939
in memory of those who sacrificed their lives during the First World
War.
The tour continues to South Chennai, where we visit the San Thome Cathedral
at the southern end of the Marina. The Cathedral derives its name from
St Thomas, the “doubting” apostle of Christ, who is believed
to have come to Madras sometime around 52 AD. He was killed in 78 AD
on St Thomas Mount just outside the city, and was interred in San Thome
beach where a church was built. In 1606 the church was rebuilt as a
cathedral and in 1896 it was made a basilica. (All meals)
Monday, February 8, 2010
Mamallapuram
After breakfast travel south of Chennai to Mamallapuram
(old Mahabalipuram). This place has retained its fame in stone, thanks
to the great artisans
of the Pallava kings, who were at the height of their power and artistic
creativity from the fifth to eighth centuries AD. These stone carvings
are among the most outstanding examples of Dravidian art and architecture,
have been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and are considered
a glittering jewel in the crown of Tamil Nadu. In a land liberally
strewn with excellent temple art, Mamallapuram stands as a silent witness
to the glory of its creators. Our sightseeing today includes nine rock-cut
cave temples, the Krishna Mandapam, the Five Rathas, the world’s
largest bas-relief called Arjuna’s Penance, and the Shore Temple.
(All meals)
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
At Leisure in Mamallapuram
Today is free to luxuriate and enjoy the
amenities of our wonderful beach resort, including the services
offered at their excellent spa.
Optional tours can be arranged for those who would like to see more
of the landmarks in this historic area. Enjoy dinner and a cultural
show at the resort this evening. (All meals)
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Pondicherry / Kumbakonam
We get an early start for an exciting
day of touring as we drive south along the coast. Our first stop
will be Auroville, an experiment in
utopian living. This surreal place is populated by expatriates and
Europeans eager to find inner peace. Nearby is the former capital of
French India, Pondicherry, where some French is still spoken. We’ll
see the highlights and stop for lunch in a French café.
We turn inland towards Kumbakonam, where we stay
for two nights at a traditional and eco-friendly
resort on the banks of a river, surrounded by nature. The Ayudvedic
massage offered at the Mantra Resort is the best in the area, and you should
ask us to book your appointment well in advance if you want to enjoy this excellent
treatment during our time here.
This evening we enjoy a traditional
cultural
entertainment program
followed by dinner.
(All meals)
Thursday, February 11, 2010
The Great Chola Temples
Today we visit the village of Gangaikondacholapuram to
see one of the most extraordinary archeological sites of South India.
The great temple of Shiva here is one of only a handful of buildings
in India that has been granted World Heritage status.
Just outside Kumbakonam, in the village of Darasuram,
is another spectacular
vestige of the Cholas’ golden age – the World Heritage Airavateshwara
Temple. While the Temple we have just seen is more grandiose, emphasizing heroism
and conquest, this temple is far smaller, exquisite in proportion and detail,
and is said to have been decorated with “perpetual entertainment” in
mind. Return to our hotel in Kumbakonam for dinner and overnight. (All
meals)
Friday, February 12, 2010
Thanjavur / Chettinad Region
Today we visit Thanjavur, the site of the third and most impressive
Chola Temple on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites – the
Brihadishwara Temple. It is the crowning glory of Chola Temple architecture
and is
set in spacious grounds with several pillared halls and shrines. The
215-ft tower above the sanctum dominates the skyline.
The Royal Palace was constructed around 1550, and
features huge corridors, spacious halls, observation and arsenal towers, and
shady courtyards in a vast, labyrinthine building. Spend time exploring the site,
with its Royal Palace Museum, Durbar Hall, Art Gallery and Saraswati Mahal Library.
Continue
south to the Chettinad region, once the homeland of the Nattukottai Chettiars,
a prosperous banking and business
community. These families
built enormous mansions, which have now been repurposed into hotels.
We have the pleasure of staying in one of these unique properties
this evening, and will use it as our base for exploring some of the
many
places of interest in this colorful region, such as the village market
at Chandor to purchase local handicrafts, other mansions in the area,
nine major Saivite Temples, a Pandyan-era fort, statues at the rock
cut caves at Sittannavasal, to name just a few. Enjoy dinner and
overnight in our very own Chettiar mansion. (All
meals)
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Madurai and the Sri Meenakshi Temple
We journey to Madurai today, an
animated city packed with pilgrims, beggars, businesspeople, bullock
carts and underemployed rickshaw drivers.
It is one of South India’s oldest cities, and has been a center
of learning and pilgrimage for centuries.
The famous Sri Meenakshi Temple, in the heart of the old town, is a
riotously baroque example of Dravidian architecture, covered top to
bottom in a breathtaking profusion of multicolored images of gods,
goddesses, animals and mythical creatures. The temple seethes with
activity from dawn to dusk, attracting as many as 10,000 visitors per
day.
One of the charms of the place is its
location in a bustling section of town where a stop at a coffee shop
affords endlessly entertaining
people-watching opportunities. Time permitting we can visit the Madurai
Market just north of the Temple. (All
meals)
Sunday, February 14, 2010 – Valentine’s Day
Highlands of Kerala
Munnar is a romantic hill station in the center
of Kerala’s main
tea-growing region. The surrounding mountains are carpeted with lush
tea gardens and dotted with quaint old colonial bungalows in the lower
slopes, and all are overshadowed by the grassy ridges and crags of
the High Range – including India’s highest peak: Ana Mundi.
Munnar, at over 5,000 feet above sea
level, was once the summer resort of the British government in South
India. Sprawling tea plantations,
picture book towns, winding lanes, lakes, cool weather, wildlife sanctuaries
and holiday facilities make this popular tourist destination. There
can be no better place to celebrate Valentine’s Day, as we settle
in for a two-night stay at a lovely resort beside a lake with gorgeous
mountain views. (Breakfast / Dinner)
Monday, February 15, 2010
Highlands of Kerala
We spend a second day enjoying the natural beauty
of Kerala’s
mountains. In addition to visiting a plantation, we can purchase tea
directly from local growers in the markets and visit a tea museum and
a tea factory. At some point during our stay in Munnar we will visit
the Eravikulam Wildlife Sanctuary. (Breakfast / Dinner)
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Kumarakom, Gateway to Kerala’s Backwaters
We leave the highlands
today and descend to sea level at Kumarakom, which is spread over
a cluster of islands on Vembanad Lake. It is surrounded
by a tangle of lush tropical waterways and low-lying paddy fields
which are at the center of a boom in backwater tourism. We settle in
for
two nights at a lovely resort on a peaceful lagoon, where we enjoy
the excellent cuisine of Kerala and can indulge in the best Ayurvedic
spa treatments. (All meals)
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Kumarakom Bird Sanctuary
British missionary Henry Baker founded a rubber
and fruit plantation in the 1820s. After independence, the estate
and its main house were
ceded to the government, and the core area abutting the lake was designated
a nature reserve. A bird sanctuary occupies the westernmost island
of Baker’s former estate, and it is best visited early in the
morning to view migratory birds, some from as far away as Siberia,
who make this their winter home. Species include the darter or snake
bird, little cormorant, night heron, golden-backed woodpecker, crow
pheasant, white-breasted water hen and tree pie, to name a few.
After lunch relax at our resort or visit
other attractions in the vicinity, such as the lovely Krishna temple
in the nearby village of Aranmula,
also known for maintaining the dying art of metal mirror making. Another
possibility is a visit to the Mahadeva temple at Ettumanur, known to
devotees as the home of a wrathful Shiva and to art lovers as a sublime
example of temple architecture, adorned with wood-carvings and murals
which are viewable (for once) by non-Hindus. (All meals)
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Houseboating in the Backwaters
Named as one of the “ten paradises
of the world” and “50
places of a lifetime” by the National Geographic Traveler magazine,
Kerala is especially known for its ecotourism. Alleppey (Alappuzha)
is the hub for backwater tourism in Kerala. Houseboats, locally called “Kettuvallam,” take
visitors on the old waterways. These houseboats generally have 2 bedrooms
with attached bath rooms.
No visit to this region would be complete
without an overnight trip on one of these houseboats – frequently
rated by tourists as their favorite experience in India. Leave civilization
and your cares
behind, as you glide on quiet canals through a natural paradise. Our
leisurely cruise features delicious food cooked on board in the traditional
Kuttanad style, plus incomparable views of the water, land, birds and
human habitations. The group will be divided to occupy several traditional
boats rather than one of the larger boats designed for groups, as the
large boats cannot navigate the smaller canals. Our tour draws to a
close with one more heavenly night in nature! (All
meals)
Friday, February 19, 2010
Kochi / Farewell to Kerala
The venerable city of Kochi (long known as
Cochin) is Kerala’s
prime tourist destination, spreading across islands and promontories
in a stunning location between the Arabian Sea and the backwaters.
It is here that our adventures conclude with a final day of sightseeing.
One of the highlights of today’s tour will be a visit to the
Mattancherry Palace, built by the Portuguese in 1555. It was taken
over by the Dutch in 1663 and renovated. The astonishing murals in
the side galleries are some of the best to be seen in India. The ladies’ bedchamber
downstairs features a cheerful Krishna using his six hands and two
feet to engage in foreplay with eight happy milkmaids!
Massive cantilevered Chinese fishing
nets silhouetted in the setting sun off the north end of the Fort Cochin
promontory will provide yet
another memorable image of this incredible journey to a faraway, exotic
land. We celebrate this evening with a festive Farewell Dinner. (All
meals)
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Departure
The tour concludes after breakfast this morning. You can arrange
your return flight at any convenient time today. The airport code
for Kochi
is: COK.
Toto Tours provides two group transfers
to the Kochi airport. The first is arranged for those who are continuing
to Delhi with our
tour extension,
and any tour participant is welcome to join this transfer. The second
will be timed to accommodate the greatest number of remaining passengers
who are departing today. If you are staying on in Kochi (we will
be happy to assist with hotel arrangements), or if your flight does
not
fit the timing of the previous two departures, we can arrange a private
transfer to the airport at a cost of $25. (Breakfast)
Please click on the link above
to read the full details of this exciting tour extension to Delhi,
Agra to see the Taj Mahal, and Jaipur to
see the Amber Fort.
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