CHRISTIE's ART JOURNEYS: a Colourful Odyssey Through India

CHRISTIE’S ART JOURNEYS: A Colourful Odyssey Through India

10 Days: 3rd – 12th November Mumbai – Delhi 10 Days: 7th – 16th November Delhi – Mumbai

Join Abercrombie & Kent and Christie’s on a colourful journey through India, a diverse country that offers visitors a sensory and intoxicating overload. The palaces of regal Rajasthan conjure up princely images of the Maharajahs in a time gone-by, whilst the art scene of Mumbai reveals a new side to this exotic country. We’ll go behind the scenes of Mumbai’s burgeoning Contemporary Art scene with Christie’s expert Sonal Singh, who will introduce us to a renowned Indian artist.

As well as being joined by a Christie’s expert in Mumbai, we’ll be accompanied by A&K expert guides throughout, whose insider knowledge shines a whole new light on this fascinating country. YOUR EXPERT A&K GUIDES MAHESH RAMNANI & ANSHUMAN TRIPATHI

Having studied Tourism at Delhi University, Mahesh completed a Conducted Tourist Guide course in 1996 earning his status as a Government of India Approved Tour Guide. He has worked for A&K ever since, guiding clients of all nationalities around India. His experience and expertise is unrivalled, and he particularly enjoys taking guests on walking tours of Old Delhi, Colonial Delhi, the city’s temples and its fascinating museums.

Originally from rural India, Anshuman completed post graduate degrees in History and Tourism Management before heading to Delhi to pursue a career in tour guiding, enabling him to show off his beloved country. An adrenaline- junkie at heart, Anshuman led trekking tours and wildlife expeditions TYEB MEHTA (1925-2009): UNTITLED (FALLING BULL) alongside tours of the Golden Triangle and around Rajasthan. Such is his THE INDIA SALE, MUMBAI 2014 experience with working in different areas and with people from around the globe, he now speaks two regional dialects as well as German. SIGNATURE MOMENTS

Meet an influential Indian contemporary artist, accompanied by Christie’s expert Sonal Singh

Enjoy a private viewing of Mehrangarh Museum which showcases treasures from the royal collection

Beat the crowds and see the infamous Taj Mahal at sunrise and sunset Mahesh Ramnani Anshuman Tripathi Sonal Singh

Privately guided tour of Kiran Nadar’s Museum of Art, YOUR CHRISTIE’S EXPERT followed by dinner at the museum with some of the artists SONAL SINGH

Enjoy private tours of the impressive art For Sonal Singh, a passion for creating works of art transformed into a passion collections of India’s top hotels for curating exhibitions, working with some of India’s leading contemporary artists including Subodh Gupta, Atul Dodiya and Anju Dodiya at galleries and more recently heading Christie’s auctions in India. Expert guided tours of Mumbai, Jodhpur, Jaipur, Agra and Delhi led by A&K guides throughout Sonal joined Christie’s in 2007, following her tenure as the Director of Bodhi Art. Asked what she loves most about her role, her answer is simple - “It’s the art,” she says, adding, “We get to see so many different kinds of work. Every Experience Diwali, the Hindu festival of light, in painting has a story, a discovery to be made and shared.” Delhi or Jaipur (depending on departure)

This morning we’ll be met by Christie’s expert Sonal Singh, an authority After breakfast we’ll embark on a tour of the ‘Pink City’ of Jaipur with an on Contemporary Indian Art, who will take us out of the city to meet an expert guide, starting at Hawa Mahal (also known as the Palace of the Winds) influential Indian contemporary artist at their studio. After lunch with the followed by visit to Amber Fort. This magnificent fortress palace with its richly artist and Sonal, we’ll return to Mumbai and visit the Jehangir Art Gallery decorated apartments is perched high on a fortified hill, and a highlight of any with our A&K guide. Founded in 1952, the Jehangir Art Gallery has been a visit to Jaipur. platform for emerging artists ever since. An institution in the Indian art world, it has not only helped launch the careers of modern artists, but has provided a There will also be the opportunity to visit Juneja Art Gallery, where we will meeting place for patrons and collectors alike. It is no surprise therefore that be given a tour by the owner, and the Anokhi Museum of hand printing. The many link the gallery with the renaissance of Contemporary Art in Mumbai. Anokhi Museum is located in a magnificent haveli (mansion) and displays a varied selection of block printed textiles alongside images, tools and related In the afternoon we’ll return to our hotel - the Taj Mahal Palace - for a privately objects – all chosen to provide an in-depth look into the complexity of this guided art tour led by an in-house curator. The history of Mumbai and the Taj ancient tradition. The permanent collection ranges from contemporary fabric Mahal Palace are dramatically intertwined: for more than a century, the Taj has with innovative designs, to traditional outfits still worn in a few regions today. played an intrinsic part in the life of the city, hosting Maharajahs, dignitaries A wide range of natural and chemical processes - including dabu mud-resist and eminent personalities from across the globe. A walking tour of this famous printing, and gold and silver embellishment - are used, illustrating the breadth hotel reveals a treasure trove of invaluable memorabilia, providing an exclusive of the craft. insight into the regal world of a bygone era. Following lunch at Samode Haveli, we’ll continue our tour to the City Palace This evening we’ll meet for a welcome dinner at Masala Kraft. and its museum, and the fascinating Janta Mantar Observatory with its DAY 1 DAY 4 collection of astronomical instruments dating back to the 1700s. MEALS: B On arrival into Mumbai a member of the A&K team will meet you and drive The first stop of the day is the mighty 15th century Mehrangarh Fort, which MEALS: B,L,D you to your hotel, the Taj Mahal Palace. DAY 3 dominates Jodhpur and is one of the largest forts in India. Whilst here we’ll enjoy a private viewing of Mehrangarh Museum which has galleries The rest of the day is yours to enjoy at leisure, whether that be relaxing at After breakfast at the hotel, you’ll be transferred to the airport for a flight showcasing treasures from the royal collection. the hotel or exploring Mumbai. With a golden history dating back centuries, to Jodhpur, where on arrival you’ll be met and driven to your hotel, Umaid Mumbai never fails to mesmerize its visitors with its heritage monuments, Bhawan Palace, where lunch awaits. Umaid Bhawan Palace is a golden Following a well-deserved lunch, we’ll be treated to a private tour of the parks, museums, beaches and lakes. Highlights include the Gateway of India, sandstone monument with stunning art-deco interior, surrounded by lush Umaid Bhawan Palace Museum, led by its curator whose knowledge of the the Dhobi Ghat, the Hanging Gardens and the Kamla Nehru Park with its gardens. Perched high above this desert city, it is certainly a landmark and an museum and the hotel itself is unsurpassed. The Palace Museum houses a spectacular views. We also recommend visiting Mani Bhavan, a small museum architectural highlight of the city. fine collection of Victorian and Edwardian timepieces, porcelain and objects dedicated to the life and works of Mahatma Gandhi, as well as the bustling d’art, 19th and 20th century weapons, royal miniature paintings, models of Crawford Market. After lunch at the palace, visit Sun City Arts & Crafts, one of India’s largest aeroplanes and exquisite crockery from the Maharaja’s personal collection. manufacturers of furniture and a showcase for Indian handicraft. The tour concludes with champagne and canapés whilst walking through the museum and palace grounds. Spend the afternoon exploring the old city of Jodhpur on foot, accompanied MEALS: B,L by your A&K guide. Once the capital of the former princely state of Marwar, Jodhpur is now the second largest city of Rajasthan. Flanked on its western side by the Mehrangarh Fort, and on the eastern side by the sandstone Palace DAY 5 of Umaid Bhawan - your home for the next two nights - the monuments, temples and gardens of Jodhpur depict a multi-faceted grandeur. This morning you’ll be met at your hotel and driven to Jaipur – passing some incredible scenery - stopping for lunch at a typical rural farm restaurant along MEALS: B,L,D the way. The capital of Rajasthan, Jaipur was the first planned city of India, its rose coloured buildings giving it its name of the ‘Pink City’.

Dinner this evening will be at the hotel, the opulent Jai Mahal Palace.

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Today we’ll travel from Jaipur to Agra by car, stopping en route at Fatehpur Sikri for a picnic lunch. Built in the 16th-century and then later abandoned supposedly due to water shortages, Fatehpur Sikri is like a fairy-tale ghost city made of delicately carved red sandstone.

Arriving into Agra in the late afternoon, we’ll visit the Taj Mahal – one of India’s most iconic landmarks - at sunset to see the true effect of its magnificence. A great monument of love, the Taj Mahal is a white marble mausoleum built by the Emperor Shah Jahan for his beloved wife Mumtaz.

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DAY 8

An early start this morning affords fantastic views of the majestic Taj Mahal as the sun rises. There will also be the chance to explore Agra Fort, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, before continuing our journey to Delhi.

On arrival into Delhi we’ll check into the opulent Imperial Hotel and have a DAY 9 guided tour of its impressive art collection. It boasts three main art galleries and a collection of life size oil paintings of the Princely rulers of India. The collection After breakfast we’ll start the day with a guided tour of Delhi’s Old Town. We’ll includes the work of great artists who worked in India in the late 17th and early visit Raj Ghat, the memorial site where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated; the 18th centuries, producing etchings, wood engravings, lithographs, aquatints and great Jama Masjid (‘Friday Mosque’), the most important and largest mosque mezzotints based on sketches of landscapes, architecture, topography and the life in India that has a capacity of 25,000 people; and the Red Fort, once the most and times of India. Around the hotel itself, each floor is dedicated to the work of opulent fort and palace of the Moghul Empire. an artist whose original works adorn the walls. After lunch we’ll take a private tour of the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, the first MEALS: B, L private museum to exhibit Modern and Contemporary works from India and the sub-continent. Its core collection highlights the magnificent 20th-century Indian painters as well as promoting the art practice of the younger generation.

In the evening our farewell dinner will be hosted by a leading artist at either their home or the Kiran Nadar Museum.

Our stay in Delhi perfectly coincides with Diwali, the ancient five-day festival of lights that occurs once a year around the time of the Hindu New Year. Celebrated by millions around the world, the atmosphere in Delhi will be electric. *On the second departure, from Delhi to Mumbai, Diwali will be celebrated in Jaipur.

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DAY 10

You’ll be met at the hotel and privately transferred to the airport for your return flight home.

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Call +44 (0)1242 547 775 email [email protected] or visit abercrombiekent.co.uk/christies-travel Call +44 (0)1242 547 775 email [email protected] or visit abercrombiekent.co.uk/christies-travel 6 CHRISTIE’S TRAVEL | ABERCROMBIE & KENT CHRISTIE’S TRAVEL | ABERCROMBIE & KENT 7 DATES & PRICES DEPARTURE ONE: MUMBAI - DELHI TUESDAY 3RD - WEDNESDAY 4TH NOVEMBER TAJ MAHAL PALACE, MUMBAI THURSDAY 5TH – FRIDAY 6TH NOVEMBER UMAID BHAWAN PALACE, JODHPUR SATURDAY 7TH – SUNDAY 8TH NOVEMBER JAI MAHAL PALACE, JAIPUR MONDAY 9TH NOVEMBER TRIDENT, AGRA TUESDAY 10TH – WEDNESDAY 11TH NOVEMBER THE IMPERIAL HOTEL, DELHI FROM £4,995 PER PERSON, BASED ON TWO PEOPLE SHARING EXCLUDING INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS. £1,545 SINGLE SUPPLEMENT

DATES & PRICES DEPARTURE TWO: DELHI - MUMBAI SATURDAY 7TH – SUNDAY 8TH NOVEMBER THE IMPERIAL HOTEL, DELHI MONDAY 9TH NOVEMBER TRIDENT, AGRA TUESDAY 10TH – WEDNESDAY 11TH NOVEMBER JAI MAHAL PALACE, JAIPUR THURSDAY 12TH – FRIDAY 13TH NOVEMBER UMAID BHAWAN PALACE, JODHPUR SATURDAY 14TH – SUNDAY 15TH NOVEMBER TAJ MAHAL PALACE, MUMBAI FROM £4,995 PER PERSON, BASED ON TWO PEOPLE SHARING EXCLUDING INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS. £1,545 SINGLE SUPPLEMENT *Itinerary subject to change

Call +44 (0)1242 547 775 email [email protected] or visit abercrombiekent.co.uk/christies-travel 8 CHRISTIE’S TRAVEL | ABERCROMBIE & KENT