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Reading India
March 6 - March 28, 2010 |
|
23 days/22 nights
|
| Location |
Nights |
| Mumbai (Bombay) |
2 nights |
| Fort Cochin |
3 nights |
| Backwaters of Kerala |
1 night |
| Chennai (Madras) |
3 nights |
| Varanasi (Banaras) |
2 nights
|
| Magadh Express |
1 night
|
| Agra |
2 nights
|
| Delhi |
4 nights
|
| Shimla |
3 nights |
|
 Backwaters of Kerala
|
|
 Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus
|
|
|
 |
| |
|
Reading India
March 6 - March 28, 2010 |
|
23 days/22 nights
|
| Location |
Nights |
| Mumbai (Bombay) |
2 nights |
| Fort Cochin |
3 nights |
| Backwaters of Kerala |
1 night |
| Chennai (Madras) |
3 nights |
| Varanasi (Banaras) |
2 nights
|
| Magadh Express |
1 night
|
| Agra |
2 nights
|
| Delhi |
4 nights
|
| Shimla |
3 nights |
|
Backwaters of Kerala
|
|
Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Itinerary
|
Day 01 Saturday March 6 Depart Canada
Day 02 Sunday March 7 Arrive Mumbai
Arrive in Mumbai by night. Warm greetings and private transfer to your hotel overlooking the Arabian Sea.
Meals Included: All meals in flight
Overnight: Ramada Plaza Palm Grove
Day 03 Monday March 8 Mumbai
Following breakfast travel into the heart of Suketu Metha's Maximum City visiting the Hanging Gardens and Marine Drive, the thieves market of Chor Bazaar, Jehangir Art Gallery and the Art Deco splendor of Liberty Cinema.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: Ramada Plaza Palm Grove
Day 04 Tuesday March 9 Mumbai / Cochin
Sleep late or enjoy a refreshing walk along famed Juhu Beach. Just before noon fly south to the palm groves of Fort Cochin, a narrow peninsula of the Malabar Coast. As an important centre of the spice trade, Cochin has seen the settlement of Jewish and Arab traders, as well as European merchants. The winding streets of Fort Cochin remember the many centuries of this trade with 500-year-old Portuguese houses standing shoulder to shoulder with British and Dutch bungalows. Afternoon is at leisure in this pedestrian friendly city.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight: The Brunton Boatyard
Day 05 Wednesday March 10 Cochin
This morning your local guide offers a formal introduction to the history of Fort Cochin. Departing by foot from your lovely boutique hotel, walk past 16th century St. Francis Church, cantilevered Chinese fishing nets, and a local market while en route to Mattancherry Palace and Pardesi Synagogue. Afternoon is at leisure to relax by the pool or continue to explore. This evening attend the Kathakali drama, a theatre of dance which retells the great Hindu epics.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: The Brunton Boatyard
Day 06 Thursday March 11 Cochin
Morning is at leisure in this pedestrian friendly city. Your mid-day arrival at the home of a local chef and food writer marks the beginning of an introduction to the delights of traditional Kerala cuisine.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight: The Brunton Boatyard
Day 07 Friday March 12 Cochin / Alleppey
A day like no other begins as you travel by coach through the coastal towns and villages of southern Kerala. At Aymanam, the village setting of Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things, break for lunch at the Taj Garden Retreat where the History House of Roy’s novel still stands. Following lunch board your luxury houseboat, called a Kettuvallam, and begin an overnight journey of breathtaking peace and staggering beauty.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: Pulickattil Houseboat
Day 08 Saturday March 13 Alleppey / Cochin / Chennai (Madras)
Morning breaks on the backwaters. Sip hot tea and watch as the world awakes and begins it’s day. This beautiful journey by Kettuvallam concludes in the historic port of Alleppey where you are welcomed into the home of a local family. Following lunch, join your local host for a walking tour of their community. Late afternoon, connect with your onward flight to Chennai. On arrival in Chennai a private transfer to your hotel. Evening is at leisure.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight: Hotel Park Chennai
Day 09 Sunday March 14 Chennai
Chennai, more famously known as Madras, is the cultural capital of Southern India and the setting of David Davidar’s epic family narrative, The House of Blue Mangoes. Where traditional fishing villages and palm groves once defined the landscape of this stretch of the Coromandel Coast, the arrival of the East India Company gave birth to this great city on the Bay of Bengal. This morning following breakfast, join our local guide for a visit to the colourful Kapaleeshwarar Temple, the exquisite Bronze Gallery of the Government Museum, and the Development Centre for Musical Instruments. Evening is at leisure.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: Hotel Park Chennai
Day 10 Monday March 15 Chennai
Today we visit the 7th century Shore Temple and monolithic shrines of Mamallapuram.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Overnight: Hotel Park Chennai
Day 11 Tuesday March 16 Chennai / Varanasi
An early flight this morning brings you India’s most sacred Hindu city on the banks of the holy river Ganges. Welcome on arrival and transfer to your hotel. Afternoon at leisure. Before dinner, travel by rickshaw into the heart of this fascinating city. Pass through colourful crowded lanes and bazaars, to the stepped sandstone ghats from where we watch the sun sink into the horizon. Varanasi is a city of more than 700 temples where saints, poets, and the faithful have come for 3,000 years.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: Radisson Hotel Varanasi
Day 12 Thursday March 17 Varanasi
At dawn, many residents of Varanasi’s narrow streets visit the river to wash clothes and to worship. This morning, join the peaceful life of the river on a sunrise boat ride followed by a walking tour of the temples and ghats that line the banks of the Ganges. After returning to the hotel for breakfast, join your local guide for a visit to the Bharat Kala Bhavan Museum before exploring a local cooperative engaged in the production of Banaras silk. Your afternoon is at leisure to sit by the pool or return to the markets and bazaars.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: Radisson Hotel Varanasi
Day 13 Friday March 18 Varanasi / Agra
Not far from the outskirts of Agra is a beautiful historic site sacred to the world’s Buddhist community. Buddha is said to have delivered his first sermon in Sarnath just 5 weeks after his enlightenment. Explore the gardens that hold the ancient ‘stupta’ monuments. In the evening transfer to the Varanasi railway station to board your train bound for Agra. Traveling by night aboard the famous Indian National Railway is a completely unique experience and one of the best ways for visitors to meet Indian people as you travel. As night falls, day compartments convert to sleeping berths on this journey towards Agra and the Taj Mahal.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: “Magadh Express” Indian Railways
Day 14 Saturday March 19 Agra
Welcome and private transfer to your hotel, just steps from the wondrous Taj Mahal. In the afternoon your introduction to this centre of Muhgal culture begins with a guided visit to the Agra Fort on the west bank of the river Yamuna. Red sandstone ramparts tower along the riverfront and surround three centuries of palaces and gardens. As shadows grow long, arrive at the grounds of the Taj Mahal and watch this white marble tomb change colour with the setting sun.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: Hotel Jaypee Palace
Day 15 Sunday March 20 Agra
This morning join your local guide for a visit to the imperial palace complex of Fatephur Sikri. Once the world’s most famous centre of art and cultural where Emperor Akbar held court, today’s Fatephur Sikri is a haunting forgotten city, and a delight for the imagination. Evening in Agra at leisure.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: Hotel Jaypee Palace
Day 16 Monday March 21 Agra / Delhi
A morning commute by train carries you from the ancient capital of the Mughal empire to the new capital of a new India. On arrival in Delhi transfer to your boutique hotel in the heart of residential Karol Bagh Market. A city of small distinct districts, we begin our afternoon exploration in Old Delhi, a city of Persian poetry, dark market streets, and imposing 16th century monuments. The Jama Masjid, India’s largest mosque, towers over Old Delhi. Close at hand we visit Delhi’s Red Fort and Shahjahanabad which figure centrally in William Dalrymple’s City of Djinns. Your afternoon tour concludes with a visit to Rajghat, the quite memorial to Mahatma Gandhi.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: Bajaj Indian Homestay
Day 17 Tuesday March 22 Delhi / Shimla
This morning, just before dawn, Delhi fades into the distance as you travel by rail to the world's most famous mountain range aboard the Himalayan Queen. At Kalka, transfer to the narrow-gage "toy train" which passes through 103 tunnels as it makes the scenic climb towards Shimla. This pedestrian friendly city was once the summer capital of the British in India and signs of this presence abound: from The Mall to Scandal Point, from the Gaiety Theatre to Christ Church on the Ridge. Enjoy an evening at leisure.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: Hotel Willow Banks
Day 18 Wednesday March 23 Shimla
One of India’s famed Hill Stations, retreats located in mountain ranges across the country, Shimla promises beautiful air, wonderful architecture, stunning scenery, and is the site of Madhur Jaffrey’s family picnics remembered in Climbing the Mango Trees. Today join your local guide for a walking tour of Shimla with lunch taken at Wildflower Hall. Clear days bring great views of the Himalaya’s snow capped mountains.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: Hotel Willow Banks
Day 19 Thursday March 24 Shimla
Today is at leisure. Brave the climb to Jakhoo Hill, a kingdom of monkeys high above Shimla, or while away the hours with a good book at the India Coffee House, a meeting point for local writers.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: Hotel Willow Banks |
|
Itinerary
|
Day 01 Saturday March 6 Depart Canada
Day 02 Sunday March 7 Arrive Mumbai
Arrive in Mumbai by night. Warm greetings and private transfer to your hotel overlooking the Arabian Sea.
Meals Included: All meals in flight
Overnight: Ramada Plaza Palm Grove
Day 03 Monday March 8 Mumbai
Following breakfast travel into the heart of Suketu Metha's Maximum City visiting the Hanging Gardens and Marine Drive, the thieves market of Chor Bazaar, Jehangir Art Gallery and the Art Deco splendor of Liberty Cinema.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: Ramada Plaza Palm Grove
Day 04 Tuesday March 9 Mumbai / Cochin
Sleep late or enjoy a refreshing walk along famed Juhu Beach. Just before noon fly south to the palm groves of Fort Cochin, a narrow peninsula of the Malabar Coast. As an important centre of the spice trade, Cochin has seen the settlement of Jewish and Arab traders, as well as European merchants. The winding streets of Fort Cochin remember the many centuries of this trade with 500-year-old Portuguese houses standing shoulder to shoulder with British and Dutch bungalows. Afternoon is at leisure in this pedestrian friendly city.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight: The Brunton Boatyard
Day 05 Wednesday March 10 Cochin
This morning your local guide offers a formal introduction to the history of Fort Cochin. Departing by foot from your lovely boutique hotel, walk past 16th century St. Francis Church, cantilevered Chinese fishing nets, and a local market while en route to Mattancherry Palace and Pardesi Synagogue. Afternoon is at leisure to relax by the pool or continue to explore. This evening attend the Kathakali drama, a theatre of dance which retells the great Hindu epics.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: The Brunton Boatyard
Day 06 Thursday March 11 Cochin
Morning is at leisure in this pedestrian friendly city. Your mid-day arrival at the home of a local chef and food writer marks the beginning of an introduction to the delights of traditional Kerala cuisine.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight: The Brunton Boatyard
Day 07 Friday March 12 Cochin / Alleppey
A day like no other begins as you travel by coach through the coastal towns and villages of southern Kerala. At Aymanam, the village setting of Arundhati Roy’s The God of Small Things, break for lunch at the Taj Garden Retreat where the History House of Roy’s novel still stands. Following lunch board your luxury houseboat, called a Kettuvallam, and begin an overnight journey of breathtaking peace and staggering beauty.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: Pulickattil Houseboat
Day 08 Saturday March 13 Alleppey / Cochin / Chennai (Madras)
Morning breaks on the backwaters. Sip hot tea and watch as the world awakes and begins it’s day. This beautiful journey by Kettuvallam concludes in the historic port of Alleppey where you are welcomed into the home of a local family. Following lunch, join your local host for a walking tour of their community. Late afternoon, connect with your onward flight to Chennai. On arrival in Chennai a private transfer to your hotel. Evening is at leisure.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight: Hotel Park Chennai
Day 09 Sunday March 14 Chennai
Chennai, more famously known as Madras, is the cultural capital of Southern India and the setting of David Davidar’s epic family narrative, The House of Blue Mangoes. Where traditional fishing villages and palm groves once defined the landscape of this stretch of the Coromandel Coast, the arrival of the East India Company gave birth to this great city on the Bay of Bengal. This morning following breakfast, join our local guide for a visit to the colourful Kapaleeshwarar Temple, the exquisite Bronze Gallery of the Government Museum, and the Development Centre for Musical Instruments. Evening is at leisure.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: Hotel Park Chennai
Day 10 Monday March 15 Chennai
Today we visit the 7th century Shore Temple and monolithic shrines of Mamallapuram.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Overnight: Hotel Park Chennai
Day 11 Tuesday March 16 Chennai / Varanasi
An early flight this morning brings you India’s most sacred Hindu city on the banks of the holy river Ganges. Welcome on arrival and transfer to your hotel. Afternoon at leisure. Before dinner, travel by rickshaw into the heart of this fascinating city. Pass through colourful crowded lanes and bazaars, to the stepped sandstone ghats from where we watch the sun sink into the horizon. Varanasi is a city of more than 700 temples where saints, poets, and the faithful have come for 3,000 years.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: Radisson Hotel Varanasi
Day 12 Thursday March 17 Varanasi
At dawn, many residents of Varanasi’s narrow streets visit the river to wash clothes and to worship. This morning, join the peaceful life of the river on a sunrise boat ride followed by a walking tour of the temples and ghats that line the banks of the Ganges. After returning to the hotel for breakfast, join your local guide for a visit to the Bharat Kala Bhavan Museum before exploring a local cooperative engaged in the production of Banaras silk. Your afternoon is at leisure to sit by the pool or return to the markets and bazaars.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: Radisson Hotel Varanasi
Day 13 Friday March 18 Varanasi / Agra
Not far from the outskirts of Agra is a beautiful historic site sacred to the world’s Buddhist community. Buddha is said to have delivered his first sermon in Sarnath just 5 weeks after his enlightenment. Explore the gardens that hold the ancient ‘stupta’ monuments. In the evening transfer to the Varanasi railway station to board your train bound for Agra. Traveling by night aboard the famous Indian National Railway is a completely unique experience and one of the best ways for visitors to meet Indian people as you travel. As night falls, day compartments convert to sleeping berths on this journey towards Agra and the Taj Mahal.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: “Magadh Express” Indian Railways
Day 14 Saturday March 19 Agra
Welcome and private transfer to your hotel, just steps from the wondrous Taj Mahal. In the afternoon your introduction to this centre of Muhgal culture begins with a guided visit to the Agra Fort on the west bank of the river Yamuna. Red sandstone ramparts tower along the riverfront and surround three centuries of palaces and gardens. As shadows grow long, arrive at the grounds of the Taj Mahal and watch this white marble tomb change colour with the setting sun.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: Hotel Jaypee Palace
Day 15 Sunday March 20 Agra
This morning join your local guide for a visit to the imperial palace complex of Fatephur Sikri. Once the world’s most famous centre of art and cultural where Emperor Akbar held court, today’s Fatephur Sikri is a haunting forgotten city, and a delight for the imagination. Evening in Agra at leisure.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: Hotel Jaypee Palace
Day 16 Monday March 21 Agra / Delhi
A morning commute by train carries you from the ancient capital of the Mughal empire to the new capital of a new India. On arrival in Delhi transfer to your boutique hotel in the heart of residential Karol Bagh Market. A city of small distinct districts, we begin our afternoon exploration in Old Delhi, a city of Persian poetry, dark market streets, and imposing 16th century monuments. The Jama Masjid, India’s largest mosque, towers over Old Delhi. Close at hand we visit Delhi’s Red Fort and Shahjahanabad which figure centrally in William Dalrymple’s City of Djinns. Your afternoon tour concludes with a visit to Rajghat, the quite memorial to Mahatma Gandhi.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: Bajaj Indian Homestay
Day 17 Tuesday March 22 Delhi / Shimla
This morning, just before dawn, Delhi fades into the distance as you travel by rail to the world's most famous mountain range aboard the Himalayan Queen. At Kalka, transfer to the narrow-gage "toy train" which passes through 103 tunnels as it makes the scenic climb towards Shimla. This pedestrian friendly city was once the summer capital of the British in India and signs of this presence abound: from The Mall to Scandal Point, from the Gaiety Theatre to Christ Church on the Ridge. Enjoy an evening at leisure.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: Hotel Willow Banks
Day 18 Wednesday March 23 Shimla
One of India’s famed Hill Stations, retreats located in mountain ranges across the country, Shimla promises beautiful air, wonderful architecture, stunning scenery, and is the site of Madhur Jaffrey’s family picnics remembered in Climbing the Mango Trees. Today join your local guide for a walking tour of Shimla with lunch taken at Wildflower Hall. Clear days bring great views of the Himalaya’s snow capped mountains.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: Hotel Willow Banks
Day 19 Thursday March 24 Shimla
Today is at leisure. Brave the climb to Jakhoo Hill, a kingdom of monkeys high above Shimla, or while away the hours with a good book at the India Coffee House, a meeting point for local writers.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: Hotel Willow Banks |
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| Information Night |
July 7, 2009 |
| |
|
|
The House of Blue Mangoes
by David Davidar
|
Discussion:
Tuesady, October 13, 2009
|
|
The God of Small Things
by Arundhati Roy
|
Discussion:
Tuesday, November 10, 2009 |
Maximum City
by Suketu Mehta |
Discussion:
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
|
Midnight’s Children
by Salman Rushdie |
Discussion:
Tuesady, January 12, 2010 |
|
Climbing the Mango Trees
by Madhur Jaffrey
|
Discussion:
Tuesday, February 9, 2010 |
City of Djinns
by William Dalrymple |
Discussion:
Tuesday, March 3, 2010
|
| |
|
|
Tour departure:
Tour return:
|
March 6, 2010
March 28, 2010
|
| |
|
|
Reading India discussions take place at Nicholas Hoare, Toronto, the second Tuesday of each month from 7:00pm until 9:00pm.
If you are unable to join us - whether you're in Ottawa, Montreal, or on the other side of the world - you can still participate by joining our Readers Forum.
|
| Information Night |
July 7, 2009 |
| |
|
|
The House of Blue Mangoes
by David Davidar
|
Discussion:
Tuesady, October 13, 2009
|
|
The God of Small Things
by Arundhati Roy
|
Discussion:
Tuesday, November 10, 2009 |
Maximum City
by Suketu Mehta |
Discussion:
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
|
Midnight’s Children
by Salman Rushdie |
Discussion:
Tuesady, January 12, 2010 |
|
Climbing the Mango Trees
by Madhur Jaffrey
|
Discussion:
Tuesday, February 9, 2010 |
City of Djinns
by William Dalrymple |
Discussion:
Tuesday, March 3, 2010
|
| |
|
|
Tour departure:
Tour return:
|
March 6, 2010
March 28, 2010
|
| |
|
|
Reading India discussions take place at Nicholas Hoare, Toronto, the second Tuesday of each month from 7:00pm until 9:00pm.
If you are unable to join us - whether you're in Ottawa, Montreal, or on the other side of the world - you can still participate by joining our Readers Forum.
|
|
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|
|
|
|
Twin
|
*Single Supplement
|
Deposit
|
|
CAD $7850.00
|
CAD $2800.00
|
**CAD $995.00
|
*Twin accommodation is available to all participants.
Ask us how! |
|
**Deposit is non-refundable
Price may be subject to change.
Changes in Airport Tax may require pricing adjustment.
3% discount to those paying by cash or cheque.
|
|
|
|
|
Twin
|
*Single Supplement
|
Deposit
|
|
CAD $7850.00
|
CAD $2800.00
|
**CAD $995.00
|
*Twin accommodation is available to all participants.
Ask us how! |
|
**Deposit is non-refundable
Price may be subject to change.
Changes in Airport Tax may require pricing adjustment.
3% discount to those paying by cash or cheque.
|
|
|
|
|
Inclusions in the above prices:
- Return airfare with Jet Airways from Toronto/Brussels/Mumbai/Delhi/Toronto
- Domestic airfare with Jet Airways Cochin/Chennai
- Domestic airfare with Kingfisher Airways Chennai/Delhi/Varanasi
- All railway transportation
- Superior Class (4 to 5 Star) hotel accommodation
- All transfers and transportation by private, luxury air-conditioned coach with driver/guide
- Arrival Meet & Greet guide assistance, Departure guide assistance
- Professional English Speaking Local Guide in each respective city
- Sightseeing and admissions as per the itinerary
- Meals as indicated on itinerary
Exclusions in the above prices
- Personal items
- Meals not listed in itinerary
- Porters and tips at hotels (may be included prior to departure by request)
- Still / video camera fees at monuments
- Travel Insurance
- Visa/passport handling fees
Inclusions in the above prices:
- Return airfare with Jet Airways from Toronto/Brussels/Mumbai/Delhi/Toronto
- Domestic airfare with Jet Airways Cochin/Chennai
- Domestic airfare with Kingfisher Airways Chennai/Delhi/Varanasi
- All railway transportation
- Superior Class (4 to 5 Star) hotel accommodation
- All transfers and transportation by private, luxury air-conditioned coach with driver/guide
- Arrival Meet & Greet guide assistance, Departure guide assistance
- Professional English Speaking Local Guide in each respective city
- Sightseeing and admissions as per the itinerary
- Meals as indicated on itinerary
Exclusions in the above prices
- Personal items
- Meals not listed in itinerary
- Porters and tips at hotels (may be included prior to departure by request)
- Still / video camera fees at monuments
- Travel Insurance
- Visa/passport handling fees
|
|
|
| Reading |
 |
The House of Blue Mangoes - David Davidar
In 1899, in the south Indian village of Chevathar, Solomon Dorai is contemplating the imminent destruction of his world and everything he holds dear. As the thalaivar, or headman, of Chevathar, he seeks to preserve the village from both catastrophe and change, and the decisions he makes will mark his family for generations to come. A gripping family chronicle, The House of Blue Mangoes spans nearly half a century and three generations of the Dorai family as they search for their place in a rapidly changing society.
|
| |
|
 |
The God of Small Things - Arundhati Roy
Set mainly in Kerala, India, in 1969, it is the story of Rahel and her twin brother Estha, who learn that their whole world can change in a single day, that love and life can be lost in a moment. Armed only with the invincible innocence of children, they seek to craft a childhood for themselves amid the wreckage that constitutes their family. Sweet and heartbreaking, ribald and profound, this is a novel to set beside those of Salman Rushdie and Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
|
| |
|
 |
Maximum City - Suketu Mehta
A native of Bombay, Suketu Mehta gives us an insider’s view of this stunning metropolis. He approaches the city from unexpected angles, taking us into the criminal underworld of rival Muslim and Hindu gangs; following the life of a bar dancer raised amid poverty and abuse; opening the door into the inner sanctums of Bollywood; and delving into the stories of the countless villagers who come in search of a better life and end up living on the sidewalks. |
| |
|
 |
Midnight’s Children – Salman Rushdie
This novel is at once a fascinating family saga and an astonishing evocation of a vast land and its people–a brilliant incarnation of the universal human comedy. Twenty-five years after its publication, Midnight’s Children stands apart as both an epochal work of fiction and a brilliant performance by one of the great literary voices of our time. |
| |
|
 |
Climbing the Mango Tree – Madur Jaffrey
Climbing mango trees in the orchard, armed with a mixture of salt, pepper, ground chilies, and roasted cumin; picnicking in the Himalayan foothills on meatballs stuffed with raisins and mint and tucked into freshly fried pooris; sampling the heady flavors in the lunch boxes of Muslim friends; sneaking tastes of exotic street fare—these are the food memories Madhur Jaffrey draws on as a way of telling her story. |
| |
|
 |
City of Djinns - William Dalrymple
Watched over and protected by the mischievous, invisible djinns, Delhi has, through their good offices, been saved from destruction many times over the centuries. With an extraordinary array of characters, from elusive eunuchs to the last remnants of the Raj, Dalrymple’s second book is a unique and dazzling feat of research. Over the course of a year he comes to know the bewildering city intimately, and brilliantly conveys its magical nature, peeling back successive layers of history, and interlacing innumerable stories from Delhi’s past and present.
|
| |
|
| Reading |
| |
The House of Blue Mangoes - David Davidar
In 1899, in the south Indian village of Chevathar, Solomon Dorai is contemplating the imminent destruction of his world and everything he holds dear. As the thalaivar, or headman, of Chevathar, he seeks to preserve the village from both catastrophe and change, and the decisions he makes will mark his family for generations to come. A gripping family chronicle, The House of Blue Mangoes spans nearly half a century and three generations of the Dorai family as they search for their place in a rapidly changing society.
|
| |
|
| |
The God of Small Things - Arundhati Roy
Set mainly in Kerala, India, in 1969, it is the story of Rahel and her twin brother Estha, who learn that their whole world can change in a single day, that love and life can be lost in a moment. Armed only with the invincible innocence of children, they seek to craft a childhood for themselves amid the wreckage that constitutes their family. Sweet and heartbreaking, ribald and profound, this is a novel to set beside those of Salman Rushdie and Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
|
| |
|
| |
Maximum City - Suketu Mehta
A native of Bombay, Suketu Mehta gives us an insider’s view of this stunning metropolis. He approaches the city from unexpected angles, taking us into the criminal underworld of rival Muslim and Hindu gangs; following the life of a bar dancer raised amid poverty and abuse; opening the door into the inner sanctums of Bollywood; and delving into the stories of the countless villagers who come in search of a better life and end up living on the sidewalks. |
| |
|
| |
Midnight’s Children – Salman Rushdie
This novel is at once a fascinating family saga and an astonishing evocation of a vast land and its people–a brilliant incarnation of the universal human comedy. Twenty-five years after its publication, Midnight’s Children stands apart as both an epochal work of fiction and a brilliant performance by one of the great literary voices of our time. |
| |
|
| |
Climbing the Mango Tree – Madur Jaffrey
Climbing mango trees in the orchard, armed with a mixture of salt, pepper, ground chilies, and roasted cumin; picnicking in the Himalayan foothills on meatballs stuffed with raisins and mint and tucked into freshly fried pooris; sampling the heady flavors in the lunch boxes of Muslim friends; sneaking tastes of exotic street fare—these are the food memories Madhur Jaffrey draws on as a way of telling her story. |
| |
|
| |
City of Djinns - William Dalrymple
Watched over and protected by the mischievous, invisible djinns, Delhi has, through their good offices, been saved from destruction many times over the centuries. With an extraordinary array of characters, from elusive eunuchs to the last remnants of the Raj, Dalrymple’s second book is a unique and dazzling feat of research. Over the course of a year he comes to know the bewildering city intimately, and brilliantly conveys its magical nature, peeling back successive layers of history, and interlacing innumerable stories from Delhi’s past and present.
|
| |
|
|
|
|
Taj Mahal at sunset, Agra
|
Taj Mahal at sunset, Agra
|
|
|
|
Day 20 Friday March 25 Shimla / Delhi
A morning transfer to Shimla Junction marks the beginning of an impressive journey down from the Middle Himalayas. At Kalka, connect with your train for the return to Delhi. On arrival in Delhi, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Evening is at leisure.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: Bajaj Indian Homestay
Day 21 Saturday March 26 Delhi
This morning join your local guide for a full-day city tour as you visit Mughal emperor Humayun's Tomb and the Qutub Minar, the New Delhi of Edwin Lutyens’ sandstone President House, India Gate, the very unusual Indira Gandhi Museum and the truly wonderful Crafts Museum.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: Bajaj Indian Homestay
Day 22 Sunday March 27 Return to Canada
Today, the final day of an amazing Indian journey, enjoy last minute shopping in Connaught Place or explore Karol Bagh Market. Full day is at leisure. Tonight we celebrate with a farewell dinner at Delhi’s famed Imperial Hotel. Later, a private coach will carry your group to Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport for your return flight to Canada.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Day Room: Bajaj Indian Homestay
Day 23 Monday March 28 Return to Canada |
Day 20 Friday March 25 Shimla / Delhi
A morning transfer to Shimla Junction marks the beginning of an impressive journey down from the Middle Himalayas. At Kalka, connect with your train for the return to Delhi. On arrival in Delhi, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. Evening is at leisure.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: Bajaj Indian Homestay
Day 21 Saturday March 26 Delhi
This morning join your local guide for a full-day city tour as you visit Mughal emperor Humayun's Tomb and the Qutub Minar, the New Delhi of Edwin Lutyens’ sandstone President House, India Gate, the very unusual Indira Gandhi Museum and the truly wonderful Crafts Museum.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Overnight: Bajaj Indian Homestay
Day 22 Sunday March 27 Return to Canada
Today, the final day of an amazing Indian journey, enjoy last minute shopping in Connaught Place or explore Karol Bagh Market. Full day is at leisure. Tonight we celebrate with a farewell dinner at Delhi’s famed Imperial Hotel. Later, a private coach will carry your group to Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport for your return flight to Canada.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Day Room: Bajaj Indian Homestay
Day 23 Monday March 28 Return to Canada |
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