Lunch
Laura Lab 4
It will probably be time for a good meal when we are back in the region with the best infrastructure in the city, close to our hotel. Suggestions: a typical South Indian food in a simple place very popular with Indians or a place with North Indian food, the same food as yesterday, in a more sophisticated restaurant. We'll talk.
We will check the city's cultural agenda for the days in Delhi, as a possibility of a special activity, where great artists from the country perform.
Car trip
Agra Fort
Baby Taj
Sunset
After our breakfast, we will travel today on a new road to Agra (between 4 and 5 am). The time we leave Delhi will greatly influence the use of the afternoon in Agra. See the suggestions for today's end of the day below. Perhaps having breakfast at the beginning of the hotel's hours and then leaving is a good option.
If there is time, we will check in to our hotel or take advantage of our time to visit Agra Fort. This Red Fort in Agra, more beautiful and with more history than the one in Delhi. It was first used by Babur, the first Mughal emperor, in the 17th century. XVI, and built in its current form by Akbar. We will visit its gardens, public and private audience halls, mosque and quarters, including where Shah Jahan was imprisoned by his son and what Akbar built for his son, with symbols of all the main religious and philosophical traditions of the time.
We will have the opportunity to visit a workshop with artisans descended from them who worked at the Taj, so that we will learn about this art. We suggest that we sleep early for our next morning visit.
Traveling through a very remote region for approx. 5:XNUMX, we will continue to Agra, city known for one of the most famous and visited monuments: the Taj Mahal. Upon our arrival in the city, we will visit an earlier and smaller version of the Taj, known as the Baby Taj.
If, together with the guide, we take good care of the weather, we can visit the Baby Taj in a region a little further away from the city. A miniature version of the Taj. As well as being careful with the weather today, as well as the time of sunset, transits and a bit of luck with nature, there is the possibility of seeing the sun setting on the other side of the Yamuna River. , behind the Taj.
Calculation:
– I suggest arriving 40 min or a little before sunset (here) to enjoy and have more chances to see a beautiful light (which depends a lot on the weather, but it's still always worth it). We see the time it must take from where we are to the Baby Taj (here), bearing in mind that after the bridge we pass through the neighborhood market with narrow and sometimes congested streets. Visit that takes around 20 minutes (according to our pace). Baby Taj time as far as car can go near sunset location (here). A 10 or 15 min walk (there is an option for a paid garden with an entrance near the place where the cars stop and a place next to it without paying. Both have beautiful views in different ways). If you can help think about the timing so that it is smooth and as safe as possible for India, please let us know. He is well? We're pretty used to it.
Tips on starting tomorrow:
– A suggestion to rest well that day, not ending too late, to visit the Taj very early tomorrow. In addition to the possibility of beautiful light, it is also quieter than during the day. There may be a fog, which will almost always open at some point (and then come back). But even if it doesn't open, quite rare, it's still quite beautiful. All travellers to this day were grateful for having gone early.
– To calculate the departure time from our hotel, we use two main pieces of information: the time when the Taj gates are opening (it varies from month to month so we ask the guide and the hotel, bearing in mind that this time is always associated with sunrise) and sunrise time in Agra on that day (here). Are approx. 10-15 min drive from hotel to car park, then approx. 5min by electric cart to the gate where there can be a queue and we have to wait for them to open (we suggest arriving a little before opening time to avoid queues even if there is a specific queue for foreigners). Then, skip the queue, another 10-15 minutes for inspection and walk to the platform where you can see the Taj. – Leave food at the hotel, creams, travel knife, nail trim, practically everything except camera, cell phone for photos, temple kit and, depending on the time of year, a coat. Talk to your guide about what can and cannot be taken as it also varies greatly from season to season. – Confirming the time the breakfast ends with the hotel can also be of good help in calculating time to return from the tour tomorrow: from the Taj to the gate and then to the car.. 30-40min, plus 10-15min by car to the hotel.
Taj Mahal
Qutb Minar,
lotus-temple
ISKCON
Today we will wake up very early for our visit to the Taj Mahal (see suggestions above at the end of the day before). Built by Shah Jahan for his wife, Muntaz Mahal, in the 20th century. XVII, thousands of workers and architects from different regions of the world, for XNUMX years, used the famous white marble of India and precious stones. Early in the morning, in addition to the possibility of beautiful light, it is also quieter than during the day. Our local guide will tell you many stories about this monument. Return to the hotel for a good breakfast.
Perhaps there is a little time to visit a marble inlaid (pietra dura) stoneworking workshop, such as at the Taj, on the way to the airport. Please confirm that there will be time with your guide.
After breakfast, it's worth checking out, we'll visit Agra Fort. This Red Fort in Agra, more beautiful and with more history than the one in Delhi. It was first used by Babur, the first Mughal emperor, in the 17th century. XVI, and built in its current form by Akbar. We will visit its gardens, public and private audience halls, mosque and quarters, including where Shah Jahan was imprisoned by his son and what Akbar built for his son, with symbols of all the main religious and philosophical traditions of the time.
Transfer with assistance to the airport for our flight to what is perhaps the oldest living city in the world to this day. The flight should descend in Khajuraho for a few minutes, to drop off and pick up some passengers, it is the only and best flight between Agra and Varanasi, and soon it will continue on its journey! Be careful not to descend and stay in Khajuraho if the flight makes this stop. Check with the flight attendants, please.
We will wake up very early to watch the sunrise at the Taj Mahal, built by the fourth great Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan, for his great love Mumtaz Mahal. We will return to the hotel for breakfast, check-out, and then continue to visit the Agra Fort, 5th century. XVI, built mainly by his grandfather and greatest of all Mughal emperors, Akbar. Lunch and then we continued our journey for approx. XNUMXh back to Delhi.
After visiting Agra Fort, we continued our journey on a very good road back to Delhi (approx. 5 hours).
We will visit south Delhi and visit Qutb Minar (silent consonants in Sanskrit and Hindi can sound like they are combined with the vowel 'a': Qutab Minar) to see an important monument to the city's history. This very beautiful minaret is one of the many records of the Sultans that existed among the various Delhis.
Prayers at 5pm
National museum
Gandhi Smriti
Crafts Museum
Gurudwara bangla sahib
A very interesting visit in Delhi is the National Museum. It is possible to spend many hours or days to appreciate each hall and exhibitions about the history, arts and peoples of India. A good way to take advantage of this opportunity is to visit a main hall and the relics of Buddha. The backpack needs to be kept in a storage locker before entering the museum building (small women's bags or belt bags can usually go in) and then, just before going up the stairs at the entrance, be sure to take a look to your left at one of the not the first charter of human rights, carved in stone, according to the laws of the great Indian emperor of the century. III BC, Ashoka. Soon after entering, one of the first halls is that of Mohenjodaro and Harappa, the cradle of this Indian culture, between 3500 and 1500 BC. C.. Right at the entrance to this hall there is a comparative interest in the eras of humanity's ancient civilizations. Next we have objects from that time, the main ones being: the seal with what must have been Shiva (in the form of Pashupati possibly), and the sculpture of the head of the priest and the dancing girl. From there we walked (take care of your time, please), without stopping for long with the aim of using a shorter period of our day at the museum, through the other halls, until we arrived at a relic of Buddha (now located in a new building that can be visited after the main building). It is common to find practitioners of this Nepalese/Indian master's method (Sakya), sitting in meditation around his relics. This can certainly be a beneficial mental mark that we can offer ourselves for a few minutes, in this training and familiarization with the natural state of our minds, more at peace and better able to benefit a greater number of people and sentient beings (simplified: beings with awareness) in general. If you want to take a quick look at the halls of the Indian tribes and the instruments on the top floor, with a lot of focus and time, hurry ;-)! Joke. But take care of your time and use of your day in this incredible city.
Another special visit for our day is the last house where Gandhi lived, known as Birla House. We will learn a little about this important part of this nation's history, as well as about the life and final moment of this great leader, an example of the practice of Ahimsa (non-violence) and the culture of peace to this day throughout the world. The most important parts of the museum today are at the beginning of the visit. So, suggestion: go to the back of the house where Gandhi was assassinated, on the way to the place where he said his daily prayers. Come back and take a look at a presentation about Gandhi's life, with photos of where he was born, until he became the Gandhi we know. Then enter the house through Gandhi's room, where there are their belongings. In every place where Gandhi lived he had a simple room with belongings like these. These are the most important parts of the visit. I suggest following in a much more concise manner this same floor and the floor above. There are volunteers available to present the museum but it usually takes a lot of time. If you want their support, ask them to present just 2 or 3 parts of the museum, or give a 5-minute summary (which will probably end up being more). Suggestion: use a maximum of 10 to 15 minutes for these parts of the museum (after Gandhi's room) so that you can use your day with other visits in the city.
We think that we should visit another place where we will have the opportunity to know a little more about Indian handicrafts, the Crafts Museum. In it there is a small museum with a slightly greater focus on the arts of the various regions of the country, there is an open-air presentation on the arts of the villages of some Indian regions and a small shop where some artists sell their products.
Next to Jantar Mantar, a visit to the Sikh temple, a 17th century religion. XVI and the Punjab region in India, it will certainly be a good option. In the beautiful Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, we will hear their chants (see the translation on the monitors inside the temple), we will observe how they pray in the temple and around the sacred tank. We will also be able to visit the kitchen where volunteers offer meals to thousands of people daily, regardless of social class and religion.
Transfer that evening to the international flight back to Brazil
Humayun's Mausoleum
Second of the six main Mugal emperors, Humayun (1508-1556), his mausoleum was built in Delhi, the first with architecture associated with a garden and the use of red sandstone stone on this scale in India. Thus, the predecessor and of a beauty close to the Taj Mahal, some people consider this monument even more beautiful.
Flight ET687 Delhi 02:30 Addis Ababa 06:50
Lakshmi Narayan Temple
Kartavya Path (Rajpath)
Also nearby in the area of our hotel is the Hindu temple Lakshminarayan, also known as Birla (important Indian family) Mandir (temple in Hindi). We will see many Hindu temples during the trip, from the smallest on the sidewalks and in front of the houses, to the larger ones, as in this case. They are opportunities for us to learn and reflect a little about the knowledge, wisdom and method of learning that has been practiced for millennia throughout the Asian subcontinent: from the Hindus River Valley (from Mt. Kailash in Tibet to Pakistan), extending across the Gangetic Plain ( from Rishikesh to Kolkata) via the entire Himalaya to South India. Take the opportunity and ask your guide about your doubts and curiosities about Hinduism, as well as the temple goers, including the priests here. We heard different responses, under different approaches and levels of understanding of this knowledge, from the most beginners to the most accomplished, from the most popular to the most academic.
Close to our hotel is the terrace built by the English in the 17th century. XX, called Kartavya Path (until recently called Rajpath). There is the India Gate, the city's landmark, built in honor of the combatants in the great war, where we can go down to take some photos. On the other side of Kartavya Path is the house of the current President of India.
Close to our hotel is the terrace built by the English in the 17th century. XX, called Kartavya Path (until recently called Rajpath). It contains the India Gate, the city's landmark, built in honor of the combatants in the Great War. We usually end up passing by it more than once during our days in Delhi. Depending on the rules on the day, what has sometimes been possible is for us to arrange with the guide and driver to get off near India Gate to take a photo, the driver goes around, then passes by again to pick us up in a few minutes or parks there. close. Another possibility is, when we pass through Kartavya Path, our driver passes slowly so that we can take photos of the car. See how you prefer, ok? On the other side of Kartavya Path is the house of the current president of India.
Flight ET687 Delhi 02:30 Addis Ababa 06:50
Flight ET506 Addis Ababa 09:50 São Paulo 16:20