The Cuisine of India is characterized by its use of locally available resources, including spices and vegetables grown across India and in some parts of India for the widespread practice of vegetarianism across its society. Each family of Indian cuisine is characterised by a wide assortment of dishes and cooking techniques. As a consequence, it varies from region to region, reflecting the varied
demographics of the ethnically diverse Indian subcontinent.
The character of cuisine in India is essentially regional; reasons for this must be found in the sheer size of the country, which forced every area to develop a style of cooking of its own. In times gone by transportation was a problem, and this meant that each area had to come up with a style of food, which made do with the locally available materials. As a result, not only dishes, but flavors, colors,methods of cooking, down to even the style of cutting the vegetables prior to be cooked changes as often as the landscape does.
What has helped along this diversity is the amazing number of religions and the sects and sub-sects within them; each of them often has strict dietary codes. For example, Hindu Brahmins may not eat onions, ginger and garlic, meat that meant that a special cuisine came up around that bias and so on. Whereas Christians and Muslims favors meat eating.
The most striking contrast in eating habits shows up between the meat-and-bread eating northern regions.
Itinerary
Day 1 –ARRIVE DELHI
On arrival in Delhi you will be Greeted and Escorted by ICS Tour Executive to your hotel. Rooms will be available from 12:00 hrs.
Overnight in the hotel
Day 2 –IN DELHI
After breakfast visit Khari bawri – A famous Wholesale market for dry fruits & Spices.
Later visit to some traditional Indian sweetmeat (Mithai) shops in the vicinity
In the afternoon visit Old Delhi. You will visit Red Fort* – the 17th century imposing fortress.The Jama Masjid (Friday Mosque), India’s largest mosque where more than
20,000 people can kneel in prayer and Raj Ghat -Mahatma Gandhi’s Memorial.
Lunch in Hotel.
Later in the evening visit the local markets. On the occasion of Diwali (festival of lights), shops are packed with people buying freshly made Indian sweetmeats and firecrackers. The houses, streets and buildings are illuminated with colorful lights and oil lamps. Streets, stores and buildings are lit with electric lights
Dinner at Park Baluchi restaurant with cooking demonstration.
Day 3 –IN DELHI
After breakfast drive to INA market to see the various shops selling farm fresh vegetables, poultry , sea food and Indian spices etc.
Later visit The Delhi Haat and have a look at some of the famous recopies from different states of India. Delhi Haat, the blend of eating joints and crafts bazaar attracts lots of visitors everyday,most of which includes national and international tourists. Delhi Haat, which is also called Dilli Haat, is the brainchild of the Tourist Department of Delhi. Delhi Haat was established to promote the arts and crafts industry of India. Further, you can enjoy shopping the ethnic items of India and pamper your taste buds with the lip smacking Indian dishes at a very reasonable rate under one roof.
Lunch at Chor Bizzare (Indian Cuisine).
In the afternoon visit New Delhi. You will drive past President’s Palace and India
Gate (42m high), built to commemorate the 70,000 Indian soldiers who died in the
1st world war. Later visit Humayun’s Tomb, and the Qutub Minar, the highest sand stone minaret in the world (73 meters). Today, you will have chance to taste street food of Delhi. Indians love street food, which they refer to as small plates of savory snacks called chaat. It’s really worth trying some just to taste the different flavors and spices of India.
In the evening Dinner with Indian family with cooking demonstration.
Overnight in the Hotel
Day 4 – DELHI- MANDAWA
After breakfast drive to Mandawa in the heart of the semi-arid Shekhawati region. Shekhawati owes its name to Rao Shekha who ruled this area in the 14th century. Thakur Nawal Singh, the founder of the town, built the Fort of Mandawa in the year 1755. These were the times when Mandawa was settled & fortified by the rich & dominant Silk Route merchants of the region, who constructed many Havelis (Mansions), Chhatris (Cenotaphs), Temples & Baolis (Step-wells) with ornate frescoes adorning their walls & now aptly given the epithet- Open-Air Gallery. With the migration of these merchant families, their old settlements remained in total obscurity with no one to look after them. Mandawa still retains the charm & aura of a bygone era & coming here is like stepping into a different world.
On arrival transfer and check in to Hotel.
Dinner & Overnight at hotel.
Day 5 – MANDAWA-BIKANER
Post breakfast leave for Bikaner
Bikaner is a medieval flavored city set along the old caravan route, which linked Central Asia & North India with the Gujarat seaports. Bikaner takes its name from Rao Bikaji, the sixth son of Rathore Rajput Prince Rao Jodha, the founder of Jodhpur. Bhika set up his independent kingdom in 1488. Charming red stone havelis (mansions) (unlike the gold sand stone one’s of Jaisalmer) stand in the old
part of this walled city and a leisurely lifestyle still prevails in this sublimely picturesque place surrounded by harsh desert.
On arrival transfer & check in to Hotel.
Afternoon city tour of Bikaner.
Visit the Junagarh Fort, one of the finest of Rajput monuments. Paved courtyards, narrow staircases and terraces in this Rathor stronghold connect all thirty-seven palaces, pavilions and beautiful Jain temples built by different kings. One must take particular note of the designed ceilings of the various homes in this region – done either in wood, or copper plates, which are then covered with intricate painting work.
Overnight at Hotel.
Day 6 – BIKANER-JAISALMER
Post breakfast drive to Jaisalmer.
Founded by Prince Jaisal in 1156, Jaisalmer grew to be a major staging post on the trade route across the forbidding Thar Desert from India to the West. Set in a sea of golden tinged sand, Sonar Kila, a golden fort rises out of a rock of topaz. The entire living area of Jaisalmer lies within the gigantic citadel walls.
On arrival transfer & check in to Hotel.
Balance day at leisure.
Dinner & Overnight at. Hotel.
Day 7 – IN JAISALMER
Morning after breakfasts proceed for half-day city tour of Jaisalmer.
Visit the silent 12th century Fort built by Prince Jaisal and the Palace. The uniqueness of this fort is that it is the only ‘living fort’ only fort in Rajasthan – people still reside within the fort walls. The fort stands at the highest point (100 meters) above the marketplace. Also visit the Jain Temples (12th-15th century), which lie within the fort complex. Some of them have quaint but impressive figures of Jain saints of white marble and of red and black stone. Others have beautiful images of deities, which indicate the remarkable religious tolerance of
that age. The famous art of the stone carvers of Jaisalmer is evident in the elaborate facades of the yellow sandstone desert havelis (mansions), which glow softly in honey tones. Visit intricately carved Havelis built by Merchants; the largest and most elaborate of the famous havelis of Jaisalmer is Patwon ki Haveli. Patwas were the merchants trading in rich brocades, gold and silver embroidery, sequins and ribbons. This family eventually expanded their business to include opium, banking and revenue collecting. A brief stop at Gadhi Sagar is a must – a man made pond; a luxury in the center of the Thar Desert!
Lunch at hotel with cooking demonstration.
Afternoon camel ride at Sam sand dunes.
42 km of Jaisalmer a place where one can experience the pace and space of desert life. Ride to the smooth, silky sands of Sam sand dunes where the Raikas (camel drovers) travel with their animals over vast distances and know every waterhole and pasture in their region. They are the best guides. The Raika is a handsome, romantic figure, and in local legends and folk songs, he is referred to as the messenger of love or the carrier of good or bad tidings. It is recommended that you coincide your visit by sunset- so you can enjoy a camel ride around the sand dunes by sunset.
Dinner & Overnight at Hotel.
Day 8 – IN JAISALMER
Post breakfast, drive to Jodhpur.
Jodhpur was founded in 1459 by Rao Jodha, a chief of the Rajput clan‘Rathores’. Jodhpur certainly has one of the country’s most spectacular fortress and palace complexes. It was from here that those baggie tight horse-riding trousers ‘jodhpurs’ took their name.
On arrival transfer & chech in to Hotel.
Dinner & Overnight at Hotel.
Day 9 – JADHPUR
Morning, visit the imposing Mehrangarh Fort, which sprawls along the top of a steep escarpment. Started in 1459 it has walls up to 36 meters high and 21 meters wide towering above the plains. It’s a fine example of Rajput architecture and remained the royal residence until the Umaid Bhawan Palace was completed in1943.
The fort museum has the Maharaja’s private collection of art and artifacts. There is a wonderful display of palanquins, armory and miniature paintings; stop by to see the well-preserved Hall of Public Audience and the Sheesh Mahal.
Meals & Overnight at hotel.
Day 10 – JADHPUR-RAHETGARH
Rohet – the fortified desert home of the descendants of the 16th century Rathore of the Champawat clan, Thakur Dalpat Singh I. The “Jagir” (Fiefdom) of Rohet was bestowed upon him in 1622 A.D. by the Maharaja Of Jodhpur, as a mark of appreciation for his bravery in battle. Generations of valiant noble-men have built this heritage home where, notwithstanding the inroads of modernity, aristocratic values are respected. The visitor of today experiences the famed warmth of courteous Rajput hospitality.
Brilliantly plumed peacocks strut about, perching themselves under finely carved stone archways and the wind whispers through the neem tree groves and
bougainvilleas. Within these time weathered walls lies an oasis of landscaped gardens and flowers in bloom – your Oasis in the arid land of Marwar.
Lunch at hotel with cooking demonstration & interaction with Royal family.
Dinner & overnight at hotel.
Day 11 -RAHETGARH-UDAIPUR
Post breakfast drive to Udaipur enroute visiting Ranakpur.
Ranakpur – Jain temples, situated in the remote and peaceful Aravalli valley. The temples are open for non Jains at 12 noon. The most famous is the Adinath temple,
beautifully crafted and well-kept marble edifice, which has 29 halls supported by
1444 pillars – no two of which are alike. Among the five holy Jain sites, this is one of the best temple complexes in the country.
On arrival transfer and check in to Hotel.
The city of Udaipur or the city of `sunrise’ combines real beauty with a picturesque association of a great and glorious past. The legendary Ranas or kings of this state traced their ancestry back to the sun! It stands in a valley, amidst green hills on the banks of the wide, steel blue lake Pichola and is regarded as the most romantic spot in India. On little islands in the lake, from the waters edge, rise marble palaces of pure white that glisten like fairy castles. Crowning the ridge, in which the city clusters, along the shore of the lake, stands the massive palace of the Maharana.
Dinner & Overnight at Hotel.
Day 12 -RAHETGARH-UDAIPUR
Morning visit the City Palace, once the home of Mewar’s rulers, is today a museum. It consists of several flawlessly integrated palaces, which overlook the clear blue of Lake Pichola. Visit Sahelion-ki-bari (Garden of the Maids of Honour) the scene of royal parties for centuries. Drive around Fateh Sagar Lake excavated in the late 17th century by Maharaja Jai Singh and past the Kala Mandir
(Puppet Museum) and the Cenotaph of Maharana Pratap. And of course last but not the last – the Jagdish temple .Lunch at hotel.
Evening Boat ride on Lake Pichola.
Dinner at hotel with cooking demonstration.
Overnight at hotel.
Day 13 -UDAIPUR-PUSHKAR
After breakfast drive to Pushkar.
Pushkar is a small town sacred to the Hindus and now a tourist attraction for its annual camel fair, largest in the world.. Pushkar is one of the traditional “once in a lifetime” places of pilgrimage. Epics, religious texts, coins and inscriptions bear evidence to the sanctity of Pushkar. Over the centuries it grew into a temple town, and today there are as many as 400 temples in Pushkar. On the first full moon after Diwali- called “Kartik Purnima” the annual cattle fair is held at Pushkar. This is by far the largest cattle fair of Rajasthan. Villagers from every tribe and corner of Rajasthan converge here to participate in one way or other. For the first 2 days races of various kinds are held between different cattle. This is the villager’s way of showing off his cattle Thereafter the cattle are sold. Along with the cattle bazaar, villagers also set up handicraft shops. These have become more popular in the past 15 years due to the fact that many foreigners are attracted to this fair. Red’s , orange’s, pink’s blacks – colors of all sorts come together here in gay abandon. On the night of the full moon, the main bathing rituals take place at the Pushkar Lake, followed by singing of ballads through the night by campfire
On arrival transfer and check in to hotel.
Lunch at hotel.
Afternoon city tour visiting Ghats & Bhrama Temple..
Dinner & Overnight at hotel.
Day 14 -PUSHKAR
Morning drive to Jaipur.
Jaipur is where the enduring charisma of the past blends with the throbbing vitality of today. Where a colorful cast of characters – from printers and potters to artists and antique dealers – present a fascinating picture of a city that is alive to both tradition and change.
Raja Jai Singh, the founder of Jaipur was no ordinary man. He was a scholar and an astronomer, keenly sensitive to beauty, a formidable general, who tempered power with wisdom. In building Jaipur, Jai Singh’s vision took him beyond architectural beauty for in the sprawling, barren plains beneath Amber, the former capital, he gave India its first
planned city, which has remained unique in two and a half centuries. Jai Singh made Jaipur a haven and it became a center of commerce and religion.
Today, Jaipur has spread far beyond the pink crenulated walls that once defined its boundaries. It presents a fascinating picture of a city where growth, evolution and change are sustained by tradition.
Upon arrival, check in to hotel.
The standard thing to do is to try the Rajasthani Thali which starts off with a Papad Mangori soup. Here you can see the influence of the desert. Without access to fresh vegetables, papads become the basis of the soup. Mangori is a local flavouring which gives it a slightly sour tang. The thali comes with ker sangri
(capers and desert beans) bela Rajasthani (dumplings of besan in a yoghurt gravy) and panchmela (five vegetables of the chefs choice). Three different kinds of Indian breads are served: lachcha parathas, naan and missi rotis. You round it all off with paneer ghewar (cottage chease), a delicious concoction of paneer
Lunch at hotel.
Dinner & Overnight at hotel.
Day 15 –IN JAIPUR
Morning visit to the Amber fort, the former seat of the Rajput rulers of Jaipur, wander around the beautiful palaces and visit the Shiladevi temple (which continues to be the private temple of the Royal family) with its exquisite marble carvings and silver door.
Lunch at hotel.
Afternoon visit the open-air royal observatory “Jantar Mantar”, with gigantic, astronomical instruments, the City Palace and Museum stopping by the “Hawa Mahal” or the Palace of Winds.
Rest of the day is at leisure with an opportunity to shop. Jaipur is a shopper’s delight offering a wide range of local handicrafts, vegetable dyed carpets with Persian designs, block printing with indigo and a variety of natural dyes, blue pottery, tie and dye fabrics and scarves. Jaipur is also famous for its gems and is a centre for the gem cutting industry
Dinner at Local Restaurant with cooking demonstration.
Overnight at hotel.
Day 16 – JAIPUR-FATEHPUR SIKRI -AGRA
Morning after breakfast drive to Agra by surface enroute visiting Fathepur Sikri.
35kms before Agra is Fatehpur Sikri, the abandoned red sandstone city built in the 16th century by the Mughal Emperor Akbar, one of India’s greatest rulers. Remarkably broadminded for his time, this Muslim king married a Rajput princess in order to win over his Hindu subjects. The architecture at Fatehpur Sikri is a combination of Hindu and Muslim styles, expressing Akbar’s vision of synthesizing the cultures.
Lunch at hotel Laxmi Vilas Palace (Bharatpur)
Continue onto Agra.
Arrive Agra and check in at hotel.
Evening visit Taj Mahal & Agra Fort.
With its incredible lacy white grandeur the Taj Mahal is perhaps the most perfect architectural monument in the world. To the poet Tagore it was a `tear on the face of eternity’. In memory of his wife the great Mughal emperor Shah Jehan constructed this most extravagant and incomparable monument built for love. Amazingly graceful from any angle, it is the close up detail, which is really astounding.
Agra Fort is situated on the banks of the river Yamuna, another monumental mission accomplished by the great Mughal visionary Emperor Akbar. His son Jehangir and grandson Shah Jehan added to this imposing structure during their rule. The palaces, mosques and audience halls contained within its massive wall of red sandstone are
perfect examples of blending Islamic and Hindu traditions.
In the evening enroute drive to a local sweetmeat shop to see how the Jalebis are prepared.
Jalebi is a South Asian fried sweetmeat. It is made by deep-frying batter in a pretzel shape, instead of the funnel cake shape common in the U.S., then soaked in a sugarsyrup. Jalebis are bright orange or yellow in colour.
Jalebi is served hot. It has a somewhat chewy texture. Another populer sweetmeat avilable in Agra (State of Uttar Pradesh) is Imarti, which is red-orange in colour and sweeter in taste.
Dinner organised at Hotel with cooking demonstration
Day 17 – AGRA-DELHI -MUMBAI
Post breakfast drive to Delhi to connect flight for Mumbai.
Lunch on board.
On arrival.You will be meet by our representative at the arrivals lounge and escorted till you check in at hotel.
The area occupied by Mumbai three hundred years ago was 7 islands inhabited by Koli fisherman and their families. With land reclamation the islands were connected, so that now Bombay occupies a thin isthmus. The British acquired these marshy islands for a pittance. Mumbadevi or Mumbai was part of Catherine of Braganza’s marriage dowry when she married Charles II in 1661. Four years later, the British took possession of the remaining islands and neighboring mainland area and in 1668 the East India Company leased the whole area for 10 pounds per year.
Dinner & Overnight at hotel.
Day 18 – LEAVE MUMBAI
Early morning in time transfer to the international airport to connect flight for onward destination.
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