Itinerary

=Dr. Seibert's Itinerary=

November 1 - Mumbai
[|Mumbai], or [|Bombay]to call it by the name its better known by, was a swampy, mosquito infested, marshy island off the west coast of India with little or no potential, or so thought the Portuguese when they gave it to Charles II of England as part of the dowry of Catherine of Braganza. The British East India Company leased it from the Crown, and developed the small fishing villages and natural harbours into Bombay, the subcontinent’s busiest port and the region’s centre for trade, finance and industry. [|Maharashtra]’s capital, Mumbai, wears several hats or should we say crowns? [|Mumbai] is not just India’s largest city, it is also its commercial capital, industrial powerhouse, busiest port, fashion capital, home to ‘[|Bollywood]’ (India’s Hollywood), world’s biggest textile market – the list goes on and on.

Start from the [|Gateway of India], a major landmark of Bombay, which, was before the advent of air travel, the only gateway to India. It was built to commemorate the visit of King George and Queen Mary to India in 1911. Drive along [|Marine Drive], the sea - Front Boulevard. It is also known as the Queen’s Necklace as in the evening, the breeze from the Arabian Sea comes over Marine Drive and as the streetlights on this U-shaped road light up, the view from south Bombay’s skyscrapers or from the exclusive residential area, is that of a Queen’s Necklace. Later you will be driven along [|Malabar Hill] via the [|Tower of Silence] - a round stone construction on which Parsis place their dead to be eaten by the vultures and [|Hanging Gardens] which is built over Bombay’s reservoir. From here one can get a panoramic view of picturesque [|Marine Drive].

From [|Malabar Hill] you will be driven to the [|Dhobi Ghats] a huge open-air laundry, which makes an interesting viewing. Continue to [|Mani Bhawan (Gandhi Memorial)], the house where the Father of the Nation stayed on his early visits to the city.

The last stop is the [|Prince of Wales Museum] – gothic and Moorish architecture in the striking confluence of styles that came to be known as Indo Saracenic. It boasts of a significant collection of Indus valley artifacts some of them dating back to more than 5000 years. Most impressive are the miniature paintings – nearly 2000 of them – from various stylistic schools of India.

Discussion and Dinner with member of the Indian American Society ([|IAS])

November 2 - Mumbai
Tour of [|Podar International School]

Tour at K12 Insight, [|Bandra] West

November 3 - Mumbai to Delhi
Visit to [|Reliance Telecom]

Tour at [|Mumbai India Institute of Technology (IIT)]

November 4 - Delhi
Visit to [|Delhi Public School]

Optional shopping at [|Connaught Place]

Optional tour of [|Red Fort] and [|Raj Ghat]

November 5 - Delhi
Tour of [|Mira Model School] Tour of [|Rashtrapati Bhawan] (Presidential Palace)

High Tea with [|President Patil]

Dinner at Imperial hotel with India's [|Minister of Education]

November 6 - Delhi to Agra
Agra in terms of ambiance is still associated with its [|Mughal] period. The Mughals besides being great rulers were also great builders and they preserved their best architectural wonders for Agra and its neighborhood. It has many wonderful monuments and the [|Taj Mahal], the greatest of them all, is a masterpiece of Mughal architecture at its best. The massive but elegant [|Agra Fort], the delicate artistry of [|Itmad-ud-daulah]’s tomb, the magnificent Taj and Akbar’s deserted capital, [|Fatehpur Sikri], are each unique and outstanding.

Visit to the [|Agra Fort] - the seat and the stronghold of the Mughal Empire under successive generations. This was the seat of Mughal rule and administration and the present structure owes its origins to Akbar who erected the walls and gates and the first buildings on the eastern banks of Yamuna River. Shah Jehan added the impressive quarters and the mosque while Aurangzeb added the outer ramparts. Visit its Hall of Public Audience and its Royal Pavilions.

Visit a [|Marble Inlay Workshop]

November 7 - Agra to Jaipur
Sunrise tour of the [|Taj Mahal]. The Taj Mahal is everything that has been said about it and more. Taking 22 years and 20,000 men to build, the white marble was quarried 200 miles away and was transported to the site by a fleet of 1000 elephants. Built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan as an expression of his love for his wife Mumtaz Mahal, in mid 17th century, the Taj Mahal is truly one of the wonders of the world. Though the Taj appears to be amazingly perfect from almost any angle, it is the close-up marble inlay work, which is really astounding. You will have ample time to view and be mesmerized by this outstanding piece of architecture.

Visit [|Fatehpur Sikri]

November 8 - Jaipur
[|Jaipur]'s past is never too far from hand. The city of victory, Jaipur presides over the fascinating desert state and its people: surrounded by rugged hills, each crowned by a formidable fort; and beautiful palaces, mansions and gardens dotted throughout its precincts. The palaces and forts of yesteryear that were witness to royal processions and splendour are now living monuments, accepted quite naturally into the lifestyles of the people of the "[|pink city]". Except for the busy traffic of bicycles, cars and buses, little seems to have changed. There is a timeless quality to Jaipur's bazaars and its people. With its historical past, Jaipur revives legends of the ancient [|Rajputs]. The dresses of the women and the turbans of the men add colour to this fascinating city.

Among the highlights to be seen while touring Jaipur include the [|City Palace], which is an overwhelming complex of exquisite palaces, gardens and courtyards, decorative art and carved doorways. The palace museum houses collections of rare manuscripts, armoury, costumes, carpets and miniature paintings. Walk to the adjacent [|Jantar Mantar] or [|Astronomical Observatory] made by the Maharaja of Jaipur, built in 1726 and is one of the five such astronomical wonders built by Sawai Jai Singh and makes accurate predictions even to this day.

You will stop and see the `Palace of Winds’, otherwise known as [|Hawa Mahal]. It is really an elaborate facade behind which the ladies of the court used to watch the daily goings on in the street below. It is extremely intricate in its pink sandstone carving. The cool wind blows through its facade of windows and latticed screens through which the queens of the court once viewed the streets of the city. You will also have the opportunity to wander about the local markets

November 9 - Jaipur to Delhi
[|Amber Fort] used to be the citadel of the ancient capital of Amber. Maharaja Mansingh, Mughal Emperor Akbar’s most successful General, started the construction of Amber Fort in the 17th century. Before the City Palace was constructed in Jaipur, Amber was the seat of power. Ascent to the fort will be on an Elephant back or by Jeep. Once on top of the hill, stroll through the sprawling complex of courtyards and halls. Many of the rooms have delightful wall paintings, with precious stones and mirrors inlaid in the walls. Most fascinating, perhaps, is the [|Sheesh Mahal] (hall of mirrors) where a single lamplight is reflected in the many mirrors, lighting up the room.