Discover the most pristine of southern India’s spectacular archaeological sites and architecture, marvelous traditional cuisine and handicrafts; plus a variety of splendid landscapes. See the most important and spectacular Hindu, Jain, Buddhist, and Islamic monuments that represent southern India’s fascinating history. Among the many world renowned sites we will visit are six UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the monuments at Hampi and Mahabalipuram; the Brihadeshwara Temple in Thanjavur; and the renowned Ajanta, Ellora and Elephanta Caves.

Days 1 - 3: Monday - Wednesday, February 28 - March 2, 2011: USA / Bangalore, INDIA
Fly to Bangalore, where you will be met at the airport and transferred to our deluxe hotel upon arrival late the evening of March 1 or the morning of March 2. March 2 is a full day at leisure to rest after the long flight. Overnight at the Taj Residency for three nights.

Day 4: Thursday, March 3: Bangalore
This morning, enjoy your first lecture. After lunch, enjoy a city tour of Bangalore. Pass by the Vidhan Soudha, elaborate Neo-Dravidian buildings that house the State government; then visit one of the great gardens in all of South Asia at Lalbagh, begun in 1740 and boasting a grand, 19th century glass greenhouse. Then visit a cave containing the 16th century Bull Temple, featuring four splendid granite columns; and end the day with the haunting 16th century Tipu’s Summer Palace. Enjoy a welcome dinner this evening. (B,L,D)

Day 5: Friday, March 4: Bangalore / Hampi
This morning we take a lengthy drive to Hampi, the fabled capital of the Vijayanagara kings, who ruled for more than 200 years. This spectacular site covers some eight square miles, and represents the high point of Vijayanagara art and architecture. Because Hampi has many Shiva temples, the town seems like one gigantic temple as devotees bathe in the river and worship the innumerable lingas carved as graffiti on rocks and in small shrines. Overnight at the Krishna Palace for two nights. (B,L,D)

Day 6: Saturday, March 5: Hampi
Spend the day exploring Hampi. The Vijayanagara city ruins at Hampi, a World Heritage Site, is one of the most interesting historical sites in southern India. Once the capital of the greatest kingship in medieval India, the city was the center of international commerce and attracted Portuguese, Arab, Chinese, and Russian explorers and traders. The complex is spread over a vast, hilly area, through which runs the majestic Tungabhadra River. The ruins are divided into four significant urban zones that contain temples, mosques, palaces, and other monumental architecture. (B,L,D)

Day 7: Sunday, March 6: Hampi / Chikmagalur
This morning is at leisure. We transfer by motorcoach this afternoon to the train station, where we board the first-class compartment of a day train to Chikmagalur. On arrival we transfer to our hotel. Overnight at The Gateway KM Road Chikmagalur for two nights. (B,L,D)

Day 8: Monday, March 7: Chikmagalur / Belur / Halebid / Chikmagalur
Spend a full day exploring the temples of Belur and Halebid. These 12th and 13th century temples were built by kings and nobles of the Hoysala dynasty, and are magnificent examples of an architectural style unique to the region. Abundantly covered with sculptures made of soft, black chloritic schist, and representing gods, celestial beings, and humans, the temples are unique in their intricate design and intimacy of scale. The temples also provide a unique opportunity to study temple patronage, construction, and renovation of a time when large shifts in power were occurring in southern India. (B,L,D)

Day 9: Tuesday, March 8: Chikmagalur / Sravanabelagola / Mysore
After breakfast, depart by motorcoach for Mysore, stopping en route at Sravanabelagola, one of the oldest and most important Jain pilgrimage centers in all of India. It consists of two hills that rise prominently above a valley. On the smaller hill is a perfectly-proportioned temple that was built by a local general. On the larger hill, the same general erected a fifty-five foot high monolithic granite statue of the Jain enlightened being and renunciate warrior Bahubali (Gomateshwara). Sravanabelagola was an important center for the jewel trade, and housed many important monastic institutions. We arrive in Mysore late this afternoon and check in to the Hotel Lalitha Mahal Palace, built as the guest palace of the Maharajas. The remainder of the afternoon is at leisure. This evening you may join an optional excursion to the local fruit and vegetable market. Overnight at the Hotel Lalitha Mahal Palace for two nights. (B,L,D)

Day 10: Wednesday, March 9: Mysore
Once the seat of the Maharaja of Mysore, the city is located near a rocky hill named after the goddess Chamundi. Mysore’s City Palace was designed in a passionately florid Indo-Saracenic style by British architect Henry Irwin to house the Wodeyar royal family. Today there is a museum within the palace, and its numerous carved wooden and silver doors, stained glass mirrors, and historical paintings attest to the wealth and prestige attained by the Wodeyar family during their long rule. We will also visit Srirangapatnam, an island fortress in the Kaveri River, to see the fabulous Tipu Sultan’s palace and mosque. Tipu Sultan, once the ruler of Mysore, was a diplomat, soldier, scholar, and poet who died fighting against the British in 1799. This evening enjoy a special folk dance performance. (B,L,D)

Day 11: Thursday, March 10: Mysore / Bangalore / Chennai (Madras)
Transfer to Bangalore by motorcoach this morning and fly to Chennai (Madras). The gateway to the south and the capital of Tamil Nadu, Chennai is also the seat of ancient civilization in India, with a rich heritage of fine arts, sculpture, and architecture. During colonial rule it became the capital of the Madras Presidency, one of the largest areas of India under British control. It was at this time that the city began its evolution into a great metropolitan center. Today, Chennai is a beguiling mix of colonial remnants and post-Independence modernity. There is time to relax before dinner this evening. Overnight at the Hotel Taj Coromandel for three nights. (B,L,D)

Day 12: Friday, March 11: Chennai
Visit the National Art Gallery and Museum, built in 1909 in the Neo-classical style, and containing south Indian stone sculptures and the famous Bronze Gallery, with 12th century Chola bronze masterpieces. The afternoon is at leisure to relax and explore Chennai on your own. (B,L,D)

Day 13: Saturday, March 12: Chennai / Mahabalipuram
Travel via motorcoach to Mahabalipuram, which was an ancient port and important center for the Pallava kings during the 7th and 8th centuries, and its monuments are now a World Heritage Site. It is famous for its shore temples and rock carvings, which stand on a beach where ocean waves and the sun add romance and intensity to the site. Mahabalipuram has some of the most important buildings in Indian architectural history, and its tradition of carving continues today with the presence of stone sculptors at the site. Continue on to Dakshina Chithra, a museum showcasing the art, architecture, lifestyles, crafts, and performing arts of southern India. After dinner this evening, attend a private, classical Indian dance performance. (B,L,D)

Day 14: Sunday, March 13: Chennai / Thanjavur
Travel to Thanjavur by train, where we transfer to the Hotel Parisutham upon arrival. The remainder of the day is at leisure. Overnight at the Hotel Parisutham for two nights. (B,L,D)

Day 15: Monday, March 14: Thanjavur
Spend a full day in Thanjavur, the 11th century capital of the Chola Empire. We visit the Bridhadeshwara temple and fort, the crowning glory of Chola temple architecture and a World Heritage Site. Set on spacious grounds and built of granite, it is an impressive structure that was the world’s tallest building at the time it was built. After the 15th century it became part of the Vijayanagara kingdom, and later passed into the hands of the Marathas and the British. Afterward we will admire the small but impressive Bronze Museum with the world’s finest Chola bronzes, then visit a bronze factory and the Saraswati Mahal Library, which displays rare palm leaf manuscripts. (B,L,D)

Day 16: Tuesday, March 15: Thanjavur / Madurai
Today we drive from Thanjavur to Madurai. Along the way we visit the land of the Chettiars, a merchant caste with a long history of trading in southeast Asia and India. We then travel through the village of Kadiyapatti to visit the local Raja’s mansion with its deeply carved, awe-inspiring doors, and massive support columns with interlocking brackets to support a second and third floor; as well as Puddukothai, with its sacred Aiyanyar grove full of large clay horses and riders. Arriving in Madurai, we check into our hotel and have the remainder of the afternoon at leisure. Overnight at The Gateway Pasumalai Madurai for two nights. (B,L,D)

Day 17: Wednesday, March 16: Madurai
One of India’s oldest cities, Madurai sits on the Vaigai River. The city was the seat of many important Tamil and Sultanate rulers, and later became an important political center during the British ruled Madras Presidency. The main attraction and focus of Madurai is the temple dedicated to the goddess Meenakshi. Built over the course of a millennium or more, the main shrine stands at the center of a multi-enclosure complex with four gateways that open to the cardinal directions. The complex is perhaps the most important example of the Hindu temple as a city and fortress. The city features other attractions as well, including the Nayaka King’s Palace, partially restored in the 19th century and whose remains demonstrate the power and wealth of the Nayakas. The city is full of bazaars, shops, and restaurants, and continues to be an important handloom textile center. This evening you may choose to revisit the temple to see the evening ritual of the goddess being escorted to the god’s chamber. (B,L,D)

Day 18: Thursday, March 17: Madurai / Aurangabad
Transfer to the airport this morning for our flight to Aurangabad via Mumbai (Bombay). Aurangabad is a center for important textile traditions, including the renowned Paithani saris. Upon arrival, we transfer to the Hotel Taj Residency, where the remainder of the afternoon is at leisure. Overnight at the Hotel Taj Residency for two nights. (B,L,D)

Day 19: Friday, March 18: Aurangabad / Ajanta / Aurangabad
Depart this morning for a two-hour drive to the Buddhist and Jain caves at Ajanta. Under the patronage of local kings, the caves at Ajanta, which are now a World Heritage Site, were carved near an important trade route and housed Buddhist institutions and their monks, especially during monsoon season. There are lovely painted scenes of Buddha’s life, as well as carefully-rendered images of contemporaneous Buddhist Mahayana precepts. We return to the hotel for a late lunch, followed by the remainder of the day at leisure. (B,L,D)

Day 20: Saturday, March 19: Aurangabad / Daulatabad / Ellora / Mumbai (Bombay)
This morning we visit Daulatabad, located approximately ten miles northwest of Aurangabad. Daulatabad is an historic center that was the seat of many Deccani rulers. Pre-13th century it was known as Devagiri, “the Mountain Apex of the Gods,” and after its Yadava rulers fell to the Delhi Sultanate armies the city was renamed Daulatabad, or “the City of Wealth.” Throughout its thousand-year history, the city has been a place where many languages and political and religious movements flourished. Important monuments include an early 14th century fort, mosques, tombs, and a palace built by Shah Jahan, the Mughal emperor who commissioned the Taj Mahal. Continue on to Ellora, a World Heritage complex of Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain shrines and patronage. The most magnificent of these is the Kailasanatha temple dating from the 8th century. Dedicated to the god Shiva, the 100-foot high, two-storied temple was carved out of living rock to stand as the sign of the power, wealth, and devotion of the ruling Rashtrakuta king. This evening we fly to Mumbai (Bombay). Overnight at the Hotel Taj Mahal for two nights. (B,L,D)

Day 21: Sunday, March 20: Mumbai / Elephanta / Mumbai
This morning we visit the Elephanta Caves, a World Heritage Site located on a small island a few miles from Mumbai harbor. The island features a fine cluster of 6th to 8th century rock-cut caves carved in a style first developed by artists approximately two hundred years earlier, in the Gangetic Valley, when the region was part of the great Gupta imperial formation. Carved from living rock, the sculptures in the most majestic cave depict aspects of the god Shiva. Return to Mumbai for lunch, and later in the afternoon enjoy a short tour of Mumbai. The commercial capital of India, Mumbai is an exciting city full of bazaars and Victorian buildings. Besides being a major Indian port, Mumbai is also a great industrial center. Its major sites are the Gateway of India, the city’s most famous landmark; the Prince of Wales Museum, especially renowned for its sculptures and miniature paintings; and Dhobi Ghat. Enjoy an elegant and festive farewell dinner this evening. (B,L,D)

Day 22: Monday, March 21: Mumbai / USA
Transfer to the airport this morning for our flights back to the USA. (B)