Splendors of WEST BENGAL CRUISING the LOWER GANGES ABOARD the GANGES VOYAGER JANUARY 2 – 16, 2016
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Splendors of WEST BENGAL CRUISING THE LOWER GANGES ABOARD the GANGES VOYAGER JANUARY 2 – 16, 2016 Accompanied by Professor Janaki Bakhle and Professor Abhishek Kaicker SAVE $500 PER PERSON IF PAID IN FULL BY JUNE 15, 2015 Dear Cal Discoveries Traveler, Join Cal Discoveries on an all-inclusive 14-day journey, Splendors of West Bengal: “Along India’s sacred Mother Ganges, Cruising the Lower Ganges, from January 2nd to 16th, 2016. I am thrilled to you’ll discover a timeless source of inspiration announce that we will have two Cal Discoveries lecturers on this trip, Chancellor Dirks’ wife, Professor Janaki Bakhle, and Professor Abhishek Kaicker. They are both for emperors and lovers, writers and thinkers, professors in the History Department, with expertise in India. Their bios are below. spiritual seekers, and more.” Stay in a luxurious New Delhi hotel as you explore the capital territory. Then fly to exotic West Bengal for an unforgettable cruise along the lower Ganges River with powerful visits to Bandel, Kalna, Murshidabad, Chandernagore, and the stunning new temple complex at Mayapur. Back in Kolkata, the journey continues to Rajasthan and India’s Golden Triangle, with astounding visits to the fabled pink city of Jaipur, the 11th century Agra Fort, and the legendary Taj Mahal. During the river cruise, you’ll return home each night to a soothing atmosphere of relaxation aboard the elegant, all-suite Ganges Voyager. Breathe in the scenery from the comfort of a top deck lounge. Explore the healing sensations of Ayurvedic or traditional European spa treatments. Gather with friends and discuss the meaning of enlightenment as you watch the world go by. No matter where you are on board, you’ll feel a renewing energy and comforting sense of peace. As a traveler of Cal Discoveries you’ll also enjoy free flowing beverages and your choice of European cuisine and regional specialties infused with flavors from India’s celebrated culinary tradition. With just 28 custom-designed suites, space is limited, so contact Cal Discoveries Travel to make your reservation today at 888.225.2586. Sincerely, Kris Jameyson Director, Cal Discoveries Travel UC BERKELEY FACULTY EXPERTS Professor Janaki Bakhle is a historian of Modern South Asia, specializing in the Intellectual History of Religion and Politics in contemporary India. Her research includes Indian political history, Indian feminist history, nationalism, gender, and culture. Bakhle is the author of Two Men and Music: THE CAL DISCOVERIES TRAVEL DIFFERENCE Nationalism, Colonialism and the Making of an Indian Classical Tradition. Her current work focuses Our goal is to provide the University of California, Berkeley community with an exciting on the history of right-wing Hindu nationalism in combination of discovery, learning, and adventure in educationally oriented travel. the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Cal Discoveries Travel offers travelers value with thoughtfully crafted excursions to experience new places, interesting people, and fascinating insights. When you travel with Professor Abhishek Kaicker is a historian Cal Discoveries Travel, you can be assured that we understand your desire for a strong of South Asia, focusing in the history of the educational component, a carefully selected destination, and a Cal connection on every trip. Mughal empire. He is broadly interested in the Benefits of traveling with Cal Discoveries Travel society and culture of precolonial India, on the - Experience “lifelong learning” with world-renowned Cal faculty and/or local experts lived experience of cities and the politics they - Receive outstanding customer service from Cal Discoveries Travel staff with more than enable. Dr. Kaicker was raised in Delhi, and 40 years expertise his current work examines the rise of popular - Meet new friends and old, and find interesting, inquisitive travel companions who have politics in that city on the eve of the Mughal Cal in common empire’s fragmentation. CAA is a self-funded non-profit organization that relies on donations to provide programs and services that support students, alumni, and the University. To make a gift, please visit alumni. berkeley.edu/donate or call 510.900.8204. Thank you for choosing CAA as the recipient of your generosity. AFGHANISTAN CHINA U IRAN New Delhi Ganges River PAKISTAN NEPAL Jaipur Agra BHUTAN U U Yamuna River Ganges River Murshidabad Varanasi Baranagar BANGLADESH Khushbagh Matiari Mayapur Kalna Bandel Kolkata Chandernagore Splendors of Bay of India Bengal WEST BENGAL CRUISING THE LOWER GANGES CRUISE LAND Featuring the luxurious, all-suite, Ganges Voyager AIR From $6,995, plus air OPTIONAL POST-TOUR Brimming with political intrigue, religious significance, natural wonders, and U UNESCO SITE economic potential, India has captured the imagination of world travelers and fueled the desires of conquering rulers from Alexander the Great to Queen Victoria. Along the nation’s eastern border, in the state of West Bengal, the Ganges River is revered as a life-giving force and sacred to those who practice the Hindu faith. In the southern Ganges, where the larger river gives way to smaller distributaries, well-preserved landmarks tell the tales of India’s ancient history, colonization, and the long road to independence. Remote villages – untouched by the commercialization of big cities – offer opportunities to experience the local cultures first-hand, and perhaps make a few new friends. HIGHLIGHTS Go inside the walls of the ancient Meet the artisans at the local market Mughal capital of Old Delhi to see in the brass working village of Matiari. the and , Jama Mosque Raj Ghat See the mosque of Nawab Ali-Wardi- the memorial to Mahatma Gandhi. Khan in Khushbagh and the Rani Visit the UNESCO World Heritage Sites Bhabani temples in Baranagar. of and . Humayun’s Tomb Qutab Minar Tour the Hazarduari Palace in In Kolkata, tour the home of Mother Murshidabad and visit the Katra Teresa and the Sishu Bhaban Mosque. orphanage. Learn about the Hare Krishna movement See Kolkata’s colonial-era architecture and the new Temple of the Vedic and historic East India Company Planetarium in Mayapur. buildings. See the French Governor’s residence. Board an excursion boat for a tour In Chandannagar, visit the Sacred of the Hooghly Imambara in the port Heart Church. of Bandel. See Rajasthan’s fabled pink city of Ride through the city of Kalna to the Jaipur, the 11th century stronghold of enchanting Rajbari temple complex. Agra Fort, and the legendary Taj Mahal. NABAKAILAS TEMPLES, KALNA Day 1/Day 2 NEW DELHI 15 Day Depart from your home city on an overnight flight, arriving at the Delhi Itinerary airport where you will be met by a Haimark representative and transferred to your hotel for two nights, the deluxe Oberoi New Delhi. Day 3 NEW DELHI RED FORT After the Welcome Briefing, the comprehensive tour introduces you to the bustling city’s landmarks, passing the imposing Red Fort, President’s Palace and City Gate, and discovering the narrow lanes of Old Delhi via a rickshaw ride. Visit Raj Ghat, the memorial to Mahatma Gandhi, Humayun’s Tomb, a 16th century landmark of Mughal architecture inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list, and Qutab Minar, also a UNESCO site. This evening, join your fellow travelers for dinner at the hotel. (B/L/D) OLD DELHI Day 4 NEW DELHI – KOLKATA (EMBARKATION) Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before transferring to the airport for your flight to Kolkata. Transfer from the airport to the ship. After settling into your suite aboard the Ganges Voyager, join your fellow travelers for a refreshing lunch in the East India Dining Room. Afterwards, we’ll set off on an afternoon excursion to the home and final resting place of Nobel Peace Prize recipient, Mother Teresa, HUMAYUN’S TOMB, NEW DELHI who founded the Missionary of Charity here in 1950. During our visit, we’ll peruse the permanent exhibition of Mother Teresa’s life and work, view her sparse living quarters, and the tomb where she was laid to rest in 1997. Before returning to the ship, we may tour Sishu Bhaban (Children’s Home), the orphanage where Mother Teresa’s work continues to this day. Then we’ll gather back on board for a welcome reception and dinner, followed by a musical performance featuring songs of the Bengal region. (B/L/R/D) COLUMNS AT QUTAB MINAR MOTHER TERESA’S TOMB Day 5 KOLKATA, BANDEL This morning, we’ll go ashore to explore the legacy of Kolkata’s British colonial era. We’ll see the Writers’ Building, General Post Office, High Court, Raj Bhawan HIGH COURT BUILDING (Governor’s House), Town Hall, Council House, Treasury Building, Reserve Bank of India, as well as Dalhousie Square. We’ll enjoy a tour of St. John’s Church, which was built in 1756 by Lt. Colonel James Agg and houses India’s oldest functioning pipe organ as well as a painting of the Last Supper by German artist Johann Zoffany. As we stroll the grounds, we’ll see several tombs of British Generals who lost their lives during the Siege of Kolkata in TRADITIONAL HENNA DESIGN 1756 by Nawab Shriaj Ud Daula. Finally, we’ll visit the impressive Victoria Memorial Museum before returning to the Ganges Voyager for lunch and the start of our journey upstream. This afternoon, we’ll board our excursion boats and go ashore at Bandel, a port founded by Portuguese settlers in the 1800s. Our visit includes a tour of the Hooghly Imambara (completed in 1861), an important Shia LAST SUPPER BY JOHANN ZOFFANY, ST. JOHN’S CHURCH pilgrimage center with a clock- tower lookout that boasts views of the Ganges. The structure contains a working clock with a winding key weighing approximately 20 kilograms (44 pounds). Inside the main building, large Persian chandeliers and smaller lamps light the main prayer hall where text from the Quran is engraved in the walls.