Eastern Marvels Unveiled!!
Embark on an enchanting exploration of East India’s cultural diversity, commencing with the artistic
charm of Kolkata. Traverse through the cultural gems of Odisha tribes, ensuring an immersive odyssey
through India’s abundant tapestry of cultural treasures and indigenous communities.
Eastern Marvels Unveiled!!
Embark on an enchanting exploration of East India’s cultural diversity, commencing with the artistic charm of Kolkata. Traverse through the cultural gems of Odisha tribes, ensuring an immersive odyssey through India’s abundant tapestry of cultural treasures and indigenous communities.
Day 01: Arrival / Delhi
Welcome to India, or as we say ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’ (The guest is an incarnation of God). Thank you for giving us the opportunity to serve you!!
Late night arrival, meeting and assistance upon arrival as our representatives welcome you and escort you to your car.
Whilst the room keys and check-in is organized, our representative would introduce the tour to you and hand over the documents to you.
Overnight at Claridges, Delhi (Claridges Cabana Room)(No Meals)
Day 02 (Sat): Delhi / Kolkata (6E 6182 - 1355 / 1610 Hrs)
After a leisurely morning, we will transfer to the Delhi airport to board the flight to Kolkata. Meeting and assistance upon arrival as our representative will welcome you and transfer to hotel, ITC Royal Bengal.
Overnight at ITC Royal Bengal, Kolkata (Tower Exclusive) (B)
Day 03 (Sun): Kolkata
After breakfast, we will proceed on a special tour of Kolkata that will highlight the cultural potpourri of this city that is affectionately known as “City Of Joy”. We will start our tour with a visit to the Dalhousie Square from where once the British ruled the roost. The red building reminds us of a time of a colonial era which is very present even now. We will then visit the Mausoleum of Job Charnock situated in St. John’s Church where you will have an insight into the life & times of this Englishman. Job Charnock was widely known as the founder of Kolkata, but, the 2003 ruling of Calcutta High Court deniedhim the legacy. However, history will remember him with its own observation. Then, we will have a Bazaar Tour where you get to feel the warmth of the people, the passion, and, the love for their city. First, we will visit the Flower Market, beneath the east end of Howrah Bridge; this is eastern India’s largest flower market with hundreds of stalls and people sitting on the ground. Then, we will visit the Burra Bazar area, which is a world in itself. The Marwaris from Rajasthan migrated here a long time ago, and made it their home. Actually, you would notice a unique ecosystem where their business and, dwellings coexist in a colorful harmony. These unique bleeding’s have indeed contributed to Kolkata’s thrilling cultural legacy.
Following our Bazzar tour, we will be visiting the Synagogues of Kolkata including the Maghen David Synagogue. Built in 1884, Maghen David literally means the Shield of David. The entrance sees the Star of David, one of the three synagogues which have the most beautiful interiors. Marble floor, shiny chandeliers, and Belgium stained glass windows give this place its exotic look. Later, we will also visit the St. Paul’s Cathedral, known as the first Episcopal Church of the eastern world. It is an Anglican cathedral of the Church of North India. Besides, being a religious site, the cathedral is also an architectural marvel. St. Paul‘s Cathedral is 247 feet in length, 81 feet in width and 114 feet at transept. The flagstaff rises to a height of 175 feet above ground level. Next, we will be visiting the The Park Street cemetery. It is one of the first non-church cemeteries in the world. In the 19th century, it was known as the ‘Great Christian Burial ground’ in Asia. The cemetery was named after “Park Street” after the private deer park built by Sir Elijah Impey around Vansittart’s garden house. The cemetery served as a burial ground for the European expatriates who were settled in Calcutta during the colonial period. The cemetery houses the graves of many notable European figures of the regal era. Most distinguished tombs are those of ‘Rose Aymler’, beloved of the poet Walter Savage Langdor, Henry Louis Vivian Derozio, the initiator of the Young Bengal Movement who lived an eventful life for a short period of just 22 years; Charles Dickens’ son, Sir William Jones, founder of the Asiatic Society, Calcutta in 1796, David Drummond, C. F. Andrews and Michael Madhusudan Dutta, the illustrious and anglicized poet of Bengal.
We will also be visiting the Victoria Memorial, the exquisite marble building of Victoria Memorial stands tall in all its glory. As beautifully it is designed as carefully it has been curated and looks picturesque during the dusk as well as in the sunrise. Also, the Victoria Memorial Hall exhibits some of the finest collections of paintings from the colonial era. From portraits of eminent colonial administrators to paintings of Indians princes and rulers, the collection exhibits a diverse range of themes and mediums. Later, following our tour, we will also visit Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity. Kolkata, apart from housing several worship places, also houses the sacred sanctum of social work, called Missionaries of Charity& It is essentially a Roman Catholic religious order, founded in 1950, by Mother Teresa in Kolkata (then Calcutta), which works for the poor and destitute. Started with just 12 volunteers, this order has now spread to 133 nations of the world, with about 4,500 permanent women volunteers called Sisters ‘Missionaries of Charity’ in Kolkata works for the real needy and deprived section of society. It helps the sick, orphans, lepers, AIDS victims, abandoned elderly, mentally challenged people, refugees and ex- prostitutes. The charity has 19 homes in Kolkata; each of them working for a specific cause, e.g. Nirmal Hriday – the home for pure heart, working for the sick, dying and destitute in the city of Kolkata. Other homes include Shanti Nagar – the city of peace, meant for leprosy patients and Nirmala Shishu Bhawan, meant for orphaned kids. The Missionary also works for educating the street children of Kolkata.
Overnight at ITC Royal Bengal, Kolkata (Tower Exclusive) (B)
Day 04 (Mon): Kolkata
Following a leisurely breakfast, we will visit Kumartuli. This unique artisan village dates back 400 years, making it perhaps the oldest of its kind in the world. It is the lifeblood of Bengal‘s biggest festival and keeps the Puja fervor alive among Bengali communities in other countries. Around 250 artists work to produce 40,000 idols a year, including 3500 images of Durga. With more than a thousand workers assisting the artisans, Kumartuli is a mini industry. It exports 50 Durgaidolsto virtually all corners of the world, including UK, USA, Canada, Germany and Switzerland. We will then visit the College Street Book Market, Kolkatans are well-known for their passion for books and this area is a treasure for the book lovers of the city – you can find of them every day spending hours browsing through the loads of new books or bargaining for buying a second hand one. Some of the Kolkata‘s most renowned academic institutions like Kolkata University, Presidency College, Kolkata Medical College and Sanskrit College are also located in this street. We will then visit the Indian Coffee house and get engaged in an informal chat session with university students. Also known as Albert Hall, this is the most favourite gathering place for the writers, intellectuals, artists and students for many decades. Casual chatting for hours about any issue is the most favourite social activity of any Bengali and here in this large historical and legendary café, entire day you can find hundreds of Kolkatans are busy discussing about their favourite issue over a cup of coffee. Following our engaging session at Coffee House, we will now take a Tram ride from College Street to Bhim Chandra Nag sweet shop, deboard the tram and savour traditional Bengali sweets at this heritage sweet shop. They specialize in a mouth-watering sweet called Ledikeni, a light reddish-brown fried sweet ball made of chena and flour and soaked in sugar syrup. The sweet was first prepared by Bhim Chandra Nag for Lady Canning, the wife of Charles Canning – the Governor-General of India during 1856-62. Ledikeni, a unique variation of gulabjamun (North Indian Delicacy), originated in the mid-19th century.
Overnight at ITC Royal Bengal, Kolkata (Tower Exclusive) (B)
Day 05 (Tue): Kolkata / Bhubaneshwar (6E 6214 - 1010 / 1135 Hrs)
Morning, we will transfer to the Kolkata airport to board the flight to Bhubaneshwar. Meeting and assistance upon arrival, as our representative will welcome you and transfer to, WelcomHeritage by ITC Hotel.
(Though check in time is 2pm, every effort would be made to ensure an as early as possible check in – subject to availability)
Being the seat of Tribhubaneswar or Lord Lingaraj, Bhubaneswar is an important Hindu pilgrimage centre. Hundreds of temples dot the landscape of the Old Town, which once boasted of more than 2000 temples. It is the temple city Bhubaneswar that calls for attention, dotted as it is with temples — big, small, ancient and in clusters. After rest and relaxation, we will visit the temple city of Bhubaneswar and the one and only KalBhoomi Museum. Among the finest of its 600 temples is the Lingaraj Temple of Shiva built in the 11th century, it is also the biggest in Bhubaneswar. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, also known as ‘Lingaraj’. It is adorned with beautiful sculptures, which have been carved on the spire. Bindusagar Lake lying to the north of the LingarajaTemple, is one of the popular tourist attractions of Bhubaneswar. Lingaraj Temple (Non Hindu are not allowed inside the temple. To be viewed from a platform outside).
Mukteshwar Temple, is one of the most prominent temples of Bhubaneswar and has been constructed in the style that is quite similar to the one used in the Kalinga School of Temple Architecture. Rajarani Temple is one of the most renowned temples in Bhubaneswar, the capital city of Odisha. It is made from the wonderful red and gold sandstone, which is locally known as Rajarani and this is what gives the temple its name of ‘Raja Rani’. Kal Bhoomi Museum– The crafts museum, spanning across 13 acres is divided into two blocks –handicrafts and handloom. The handicraft section exhibits unique artworks of Odisha craftsmen; the handloom section exhibits traditional textiles and weaves. Items such as terracotta, paintings, dhokra and bell metal work, Pattachitra, wood carvings, household objects, ornaments, mythology/folklore depictions, palm-leaf paintings, etching, appliqué work, stone and wood carving and tribal art are also displayed in separate galleries.
Overnight at Welcome Heritage by ITC Hotels, Bhubaneswar (Deluxe Room) (B)
Day 06 (Wed): Bhubaneswar
After breakfast, we will proceed to visit the ancient rock edict of Emperor Ashoka, Hirapur 64 Yogini temple and the Jain caves of Khandagiri – Udaigiri. Dhauli – Ashoka(reign ca. 272-231 BC) was the most illustrious king of the Maurya dynasty. After his conquest of the kingdom of Kalinga in modern day Odisha, struck with remorse at the suffering he caused, Ashoka converted to Buddhism and spent the rest of his life propagating his dharma (law). In order to achieve this, he had numerous edicts inscribed on rocks, pillars and caves, throughout his vast empire. These are written in various vernaculars and represent the earliest written document from the Indic regions. From these edicts it would appear clear that Ashoka was an extremely tolerant and benevolent monarch. Near Dhauli, south of Bhubaneshwar, there is a rock inscribed with the edicts of the emperor Ashoka. The front of the rock is sculpted as the head, trunk and front legs of an elephant. The Shanti Stupa at Dhauli Hills is a significant symbol of love and peace. The pilgrimage is significant because here King Ashoka resigned from violent wars. After witnessing the devastating sight of blood filled land and the Daya River that obtained red color because of the merciless slaughter of around 1,50,000 warriors, King Ashoka was filled with sheer grief and therefore decided to renounce wars completely all through the rest of his life.
Hirapur 64 Yogini Temple – Hirapur –Onthe outskirts of Bhubaneswar, 15 km south-east of the city, is a small, circular temple, the Yogini Temple, dating to the early ninth century. It is hypaethral (open to the sky), and belongs to a genre of architecture completely apart from the major Odishan school. Although it seems that temples of this type existed throughout India at one time, today only four remain. Two of them are in Odisha; the shrine at Hirapur, and one in the far western reaches of the state, at Ranipur-Jharial. Afternoon, we will visit the ancient caves of Khandagiri and Udaygiri which were carved and tunneled, to create this multi- storied ancient apartment residence for Jain monks. They were the work of the first known Odishan ruler, King Kharavela, and probably begun in the first century BC. Kharavela was a king of the Mahameghavahana dynasty, who is known for expansion of the Kalingaempire and his installation of public improvements, such as canal systems. His queen was evidently quite a patron of the arts, and probably had much to do with the impressive sculptural decoration of the caves.
Overnight at Welcom Heritage by ITC Hotels, Bhubaneswar (Deluxe Room) (B)
Day 07 (Thu): Bhubaneswar / Dhenkanal (60 Kms) (02 Hrs Drive)
Following a leisurely breakfast, drive to Dhenkanal with your guide. On the way, you have the option for stopping and exploring Ratnagiri, Lalitgiri or Udaigiri. See how you feel. Dhenkanal which is the gateway to one of the most ancient forest covers of Orissa, which shelters the elephants, tigers and numerous species of birds and beasts. The broad plains of the river Bramhani were the dwelling place of early homo-sapiens who lived on the berries and wild fruits before the advent of rice on these heavily watered expanses. The surrounding Sal forests come ablaze with the changing seasons making this district headquarters town focal point of trips to beautiful interiors.Dhenkanal District is situated on the Cuttack SambalpurRoad( NH 55) and the Cuttack Sambalpur S.E. Railway line. It is bounded by the Keonjhar District in north, Cuttack district in south, Jajpur in the east and Angul in the west.It is commonly believed that it owes its name to a Savara chief called Dhenka who formerly ruled over in this tract. Upon arrival in Dhenkanal, check into Dhenkanal Palace –A heritage home Stay Experience, but not be taken as deluxe or luxury standard as in Rajasthan Palaces. Rest of the day is at leisure to explore the palace surroundings and interact with the Royal family – subject to their presence.
Overnight at Dhenkanal Palace (B & D)
Day 08 (Fri): Dhenkanal
Day free for independent activities, your guide and driver are available for any possible activities or visits that you may fancy.
Overnight at Dhenkanal Palace (B & D)
Day 09 (Sat): Dhenkanal/ Pipli / Puri (125 Kms) (03 Hrs Drive)
After breakfast, we will drive to Puri en route visiting the Pipli appliqué center. Pipli – It’s a centre for appliqué work, which depicts the essence of Oriya culture. It is also known for colorful and original awnings, canopies, garden and beach umbrellas, shoulder and handbags etc. The cocktail effect of the colors is certainly a feast for the eyes. Pipli, Odisha’s appliqué capital, announces itself with loud colourful splashes of bright colour in the shop fronts. Later, we will continue our drive to Puri. Upon arrival in Puri, check into hotel, Pride Ananya Resort. For centuries now, the beach at Puri has been the venue of countless pilgrims taking the traditional purifying dip. However, for decades now, both Indian and foreign beach lovers have made it their special haunt. The fine golden sands of Puri beach and the roar of the breakers rolling in from the Bay of Bengal have fascinated visitors throughout the ages. As it is with all the beaches of Odisha, overcrowding is never a problem and the sight of holiday-makers having entire stretch of the beach to them is not uncommon. The local fishermen, with their catamarans and wide brimmed cane hats are welcomed by tourists.
Later in the afternoon, we will visit the Jagannath Temple at Puri which is one of the most sacred pilgrimage spots in India. This 12th century temple is dedicated to Lord Jagannath –“The Lord of the Universe”. The wooden figures of the three deities, Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra stand in the sanctorum garlanded and decorated by the high priests. The extraordinary form that Jagannath takes, according to the legend, is the unfinished work of the craftsman god Viswakarma, who in anger left this portrayal of Lord Vishnu incomplete. This majestic temple and its chronicles allure devotees from all over the world. The wide BadaDanda, the road which leads up to the majestic temple, provides a view of the grandness of scale and proportion that typifies Puri. This is also the path to Nirvana, where the chariots of the much-loved divine siblings, Jagannath, Subhadra and Balabhadra, roll down in the famous annual RathYatra, which inspires awe and draws tumultuous crowds. In Puri, everything has to be big. The main road is called BadaDanda, or Grand Road; the sea is Mahodadhi, or the widest ocean; the bhog is called Mahaprasad, or the great prasad.
(Non Hindus are not allowed inside the Jagannath temple and to be viewed from Raghunathan library platform. Sunday and all local holidays this platform is closed but one can view from outside and walk along the streets and interact with the local community)
Overnight at Pride Ananya Resort, Puri (Deluxe Room) (B)
Day 10 (Sun): Puri / Konarak / Raghurajpur / Puri(120 Kms) (02 ½ Hrs Drive)
After breakfast, we will proceed to visit the famous Sun Temple at Konarak and Raghurajpur heritage crafts village. The third link in the Odishan Golden Triangle, Konark is the site of one of the most spectacular examples of religious architecture in the world. The Sun Temple at Konark conceived as a massive chariot hauling the Sun God across the heavens by the might of seven splendidly carved horses, standing aloft on 24 chariot wheels-intricately carved – symbolizing the march of time, lies in solitary splendor surrounded by drifting sand three kilometres from the sea, but originally it was reported to be closer for which it was used as a navigational point by European sailors, who referred to it as the & Black Pagoda. This 13th century architectural marvel is one of the most magnificent monuments of the World and also a UNESCO World Heritage site. Nobel Laureate & Poet Rabindranath Tagore said, & here the language of stone surpasses the language of man. It is true that the experience of Konark is impossible to translate into words. Also visit the local Fisherman’s village and interact with the local community. Afternoon, we will proceed for Folk Dance & Craft Demonstration at Raghurajpur crafts and nearby pottery village with interaction of the local community.
The big attraction at Raghurajpur and nearby villages is that the whole village community is involved in making some kind of handicraft. Many have even won national awards for their work. There are just over 100 households and 300 artisans in the village. The economic, social and cultural life of this village revolves around arts and crafts with at least one member from almost every family involved in the arts. There is an informal division of work in the family and every member is engaged in doing something or the other related to paintings. While the men folk and the boys work on the paintings, the women are busy preparing the canvas, boiling the gum or powdering the pigments in a mortar. You can wander around, check out the beautiful painted murals on the houses, chat to the friendly artisans and see them in action — and of course shop! Pattachitra traditional cloth paintings are a specialty in the village, but the artisans make a wide variety of items including the palm leaf engravings, stone carvings, wood carvings, and wooden toys. Interact with the Chitrakars as they demonstrate their craftsmanship. Interact with the Chitrakars as they demonstrate their craftsmanship and witness the Gotipua dance Gotipua Dance–Anopportunity to witness the Gotipua dance – In Oriya language, “Goti” means “single” and “Pua” means “boy”.For centuries, the Gotipua dance has been performed in Orissa by young boys who dress up as female to praise Lord Jagannath and Lord Krishna.The actual form of the dance is executed by a group of boys who perform acrobatic figures inspired by the life of Radha & Krishna. The boys start to learn the dance at an early age until the adolescence, when their androgynous look is fading.It is also the native place of Late Guru KelucharanMohapatra, the famed Odissi dancer. Even today, under the tutelage of renowned Guru’s, young boys can be seen practicing the Gotipua dance here
Overnight at Pride Ananya Resort, Puri (Deluxe Room) (B)
Day 11 (Mon): Puri / Chilika Lake / Daringbadi (260 Kms) (06 Hrs Drive)
After breakfast, we will drive to Daringbadi enroute visiting Chilika Lake (Mangalajodi community village) Avast lake along the eastern cost of Odisha with beautiful islands, migratory birdses wading in the shallow waters and the air echoing with the chirping of birds from as far as the Caspian Sea, Aral Sea and other parts of Mongolia, Central and South-East Asia, that’s the breath-taking beauty of Chilika-Asia’s largest brackish water estuarine lake. Chilika sprawls over an area of 1100 sq.km covering parts of three districts of Odisha i.e. Puri on the east, Khurdha on the North and Ganjam on the South. It’s a haven for bird-watchers / nature lovers. Abounding in unique flora and fauna, Chilika supports the livelihood of more than hundred thousand families living in and around it. Winter is the best time to visit Chilika as over 160 species of migratory birds flock the islands during this time of the year. A community owned and managed wildlife conservation venture, Mangalajodi Ecotourism is your destination to get a peep into Mother Nature. Mangalajodi is a village located on the northern banks of Chilika Lake in Odisha, ‘The Bird’s Paradise’ hosts more than 3,00,000 birds in its marshy waters, especially in winters. Mangalajodi also represents one of its kind ecosystems, whose protection is epitomized by a sustainable lifestyle that is at a brink of extinction in urban settings. Later, we will enjoy a country boat ride at Mangalajodi. Also visit the Mangalajodi village and interact with the fishing families. Following, we will continue our drive to Daringbadi enroute visiting traditional farming village. We arrive in the evening and check into hotel, Snow View.
Overnight at Hotel Snow View (Presidential Suite – Upgraded) (B & D)
Day 12 (Tue): Daringbadi / Rayagada(225 Kms) (05 ½ Hrs Drive)
After breakfast, we will drive to Rayagada enroute visiting Kutia Kondh Tribe & Tuesday weekly tribal market and their local village. The Kondhs are one of the well known tribes of Odisha who were famous in history for their Meriah–Human Sacrifice.They are found almost in all the districts of Orissa but mostly concentrated in large numbers in Phulbani, Koraput and Ganjam districts. Kondh’s life is full of festivities. The important festivals are at the time of sowing and harvesting. During festivals, feast is accompanied by singing, dancing and drinking.At the time of sowing seeds they worship Dharani Deota and make animal sacrifice to ensure good crop. The village women sing and dance joining hands and the boys standing around also sing and the entire atmosphere becomes joyous. During Sarupenu festival they resort to worship on the hills and enjoy the day with feasting and dancing. Their weapon is bow and arrow by which they defend themselves from wild animals. Following, we will continue our drive to Rayada. We arrive in the evening and check into Hotel Sai International or Similar. Rayagada is a district of meadows, forests, waterfalls and terraced valleys, thickly inhabited by colorful ethnic and tribal groups. The scenic beauty and heritage on the land is an unexplored paradise. The systematic relationship between men and nature is a feast to the eyes of an outsider.
Overnight at Hotel Sai International or Similar (B & D)
Day 13 (Wed): Rayagada / Chatikona / Jeypore (225 Kms) (05 ½ Hrs Drive)
After breakfast, we will visit the weekly Wednesday market of the Dongriya Kondhas at Chatikona. Here the Dongariya Kondhas trek down from their villages up the Hill with forest produce to sell or barter with non-tribals. Dongariya Kondhas are one of the original ethnic tribal groups of Orissa who have retained their culture and tradition till date. The Dongria family is often nuclear, although extended families are found. Female family members are considered assets because of their contribution inside and outside the household and women are on equal footing with the male members in constructing a house to cultivation. Women do all the work for
household ranging from fetching water from the distant streams, cooking, serving food to each member of the household to cultivating, harvesting and marketing of produce in the market. Due to this, the bride price is paid to her parents when she gets married which is a striking feature of the Dongrias. After lunch, we will drive to Jeypore enroute visiting Desia Kondh tribe and village. Upon arrival check into Hotel Bal Krishna.
Overnight at Hotel Bal Krishna (B, L & D)
Day 14 (Thu): Jeypore / Onukudelli / Jeypore (185 Kms) (03 ½ Hrs Drive)
After breakfast, we will visit the weekly Thursday market of the Bondas at Onkudelli and also spend some time at the nearby Duduma waterfall and enjoy the spectacular view of the mountains and valleys close to the nature. Nature has showered its bounty on the undivided Koraput district replete with meadows, forests, waterfalls, terraced valleys and darting springs. This land of abundance is home to Odisha’s vast tribal population. A real paradise for the nature-lover, Jeypore offers an additional benefit to the visitor of first hand meeting with its ancient civilization. Next, we will visit the home of the approximately 6000 members of the famed Bonda Tribes–one of the most fascinating tribes of the Country. They live in the remote hills and keep themselves isolated. They grow rice by shifting cultivation and keep domesticated cows and goats. They can only be seen when they come to trade at the local weekly Thursday market.
The Bonda women are noticeable by the chunks of beaded necklaces that cover their upper body, striking brass and silver necklace and their shaved heads decorated with colorful beads. In Bonda society, the women enjoy a privileged position. They are the primary workers and providers of food for the community. Bonda girls largely marry boys who are at least five to ten years younger than them. Thus the girl looks after her husband as he grows up and in turn he cares for his elder wife. In contrast with many other populations in India, the number of women among the Bondas greatly exceeds the number of men. Later, we will visit another ethnic tribal group of the Gadabbas. Both men and women tie their long hairs with linseed oil and decorate it with forestry flowers and different ornaments. The women wear a long strip of cloth tied around the waist and a second piece of cloth is worn across the breasts and tied over one shoulder.
Overnight at Hotel Bal Krishna (B, L & D)
Day 15 (Fri): Jeypore / Kunduli / Vishakapatnam (225 Kms) (05 ½ Hrs Drive)
After breakfast, we will visit another interesting Paraja tribe assembles at Kunduli every Friday and the Korpaut temple. The Parajas are divided into different sub-groups viz., Sodia, Jadia and Parenga; each of them seems to be a separate ethnic group. The Parajas have a number of totemisticsepts like Bagh-tiger, Bokda-goat, Netam-Dog, Pandki-Dove, and the like, and harming or eating the totem animal is forbidden. Instead such animals should be respected. They also worship various gods and goddesses residing in hills or forests. Following, we will drive to Vishakapatnam en route visiting typical Andhra village and temples As you drive past the last scenic stretch of Odisha you subconsciously dwell and try to ascertain the life of a tribal who in spite of being diametrically opposite to the urban man is more adept in upholding the ethos of society by protecting Mother Nature and its bounty. The sheer prominence of women and the tremendous respect they garner in their community is a right they are entitled to and not one to be struggled for as in the Cosmopolis city.
Simhachalam Temple–Thehill of the lion is located at a distance of 18 km from Vishakapatanam refers to the 11th century temple of Lord Narasimha – an incarnation of Vishnu. Millions of devotees from round the world visit this temple every year. The presiding deity here is VarahaLakshminarasimha, combining the iconographic features of Varaha and Narasimha. The image resembles a Shivalingam covered with sandal paste. It is only once a year, during the Chandana Visarjana that the sandal paste is removed, and the image is seen by pilgrims. The artwork here has elements of similarity with that of Konark. Elephants, flowers and plants are portrayed in plenty. The outer walls of the sanctum depict images of a royal personality (said to be King Narasimha) in various postures. The Kalyana Mandapa within the temple has 16 pillars with bas relief depicting the incarnations of Vishnu. Following our visit we will continue our drive to Vishakhapatnam. Upon arrival, check into hotel, Welcomhotel By ITC Hotels, Devee Grand Bay.
Overnight at Welcomhotel By ITC Hotels, Devee Grand Bay, Vishakhapatnam (Deluxe Room) (B)
Day 16 (Sat): Vishakhapatnam / Delhi (AI 486 – 1235 / 1455 Hrs) Delhi / Departure
Though the check out time is 12 noon, every effort would be made to retain rooms till as late as possible without additional charges – subject to availability.
Following a leisurely morning, we will transfer to the Vishakhapatnam airport to board the flight to Delhi. Meeting and assistance upon arrival and transfer to the international airport to board your onward flight.
NO HOTEL QUOTED FOR THIS DAY (B)
END OF SERVICES
We do hope the flavor of India will remain on your taste buds for all times to come and
hopefully would kindle an indelible fondness for the country and her people; Thank you for being our guest, and as we say in India ‘Please come back soon”
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to serve you!!
COST INCLUDES:
– Accommodation based on Double Occupancy Basis
– Meals as per the itinerary only (B – Breakfast, L – Lunch & D – Dinner)
– Raghurajpur folk dance / crafts demonstration
– A country boat ride at Mangalajodi (Chilika Lake)
– Tribal expenses in Orrisa
– All journeys as per itinerary in a fine air conditioned Toyota Crysta
– Inner India airfares as per the itinerary based on current schedule (subject to change
and 100% cancellation charge)
– Local English speaking guides at all places except Odisha
– Accompanying English speaking guide during the tribal tour of Odisha
– Entrance fees as per the itinerary
– GST Levy, Toll, and Parking
– All driver expenses
– Bottled drinking water for road journeys
COST DOES NOT INCLUDE:
– Camera & video fee to monuments
– Meals other than mention above
– Expenses of personal nature such as laundry, drinks, tips, telephone calls etc
– Credit Card Transaction Fees