Delhi, Amritsar, Varanasi & Doha
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T HE M ETROP O LITAN M USEUM OF A R T N G O L D EN T E M PLE, A MOROUS G ODS N Delhi, Amritsar, Varanasi & Doha N With Olivier Bernier N January 12 to 29, 2015 T HE M ETROP O LITAN M USEUM OF A R T Dear Members and Friends of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, India, in the splendid course of its long history, has given birth to many different cultures. Hinduism is still the majority religion; but the Moghul Emperors were Muslims, and the Sikhs created their own religion in the 16th and 17th centuries. We will sample all of these – as well as some of the best 20th-century architecture, and conclude with a visit, in Doha, to a spectacular collection of Shah Jahan’s jewelry. Traveling with us, Olivier Bernier, who has designed this trip, will share his deep knowledge of India’s history and culture as well as his experience—with an almost endless array of shopping possibilities. Mr. Bernier, whose passion for India has illuminated many lectures at the Met, will also be describing and analyzing museums and monuments as we visit them. We will begin in Delhi and go through many centuries, from the Qtub Minar, built in the 11th century to Humayun’s Tomb, designed in the 1570s and onto Shah Jahan’s majestic 17th-century mosque. Then, as we move on to Amritsar, and its ever-busy Golden Temple, we will experience the most sacred site of the Sikhs. From there leap into the 20th century as we tour Chandigarh, the city designed by Le Corbusier as the new capital of Punjab. Then, east of Delhi, we will move into the heart of Hinduism. Varanasi is the Hindu’s most sacred city, and an early morning cruise on the Ganges will show us the city’s religious activities at their most intense; but the city’s ancient Buddhist past will also be rediscovered as we visit the museum in Sarnath. In Khajuraho, we will visit a group of temples that ranks among India’s most beautiful—and most erotic. A drive will take us to Gwalior and its 15th-century fort, and then in Agra, Amritsar Chandigarh we will discover that jewel of Indian architecture, the PAKISTAN Delhi Taj Mahal. Agra NEP AL What, after that, could make more sense Gwalior Varanasi than to follow some of Shah Jahan’s most cherished Orchha possessions? On the way home, in Doha, as we visit the Khajuraho Museum of Islamic Art, designed by I.M. Pei, we will be dazzled by the jewels he owned, and which are among INDIA the most beautiful ever created. I hope you will join us on this special trip. Arabian Sea Bay of Sincerely, Bengal Emily K. Rafferty President SRI LANKA T HE M ETROPOLITAN M USEUM OF A RT N 1000 F IFTH A VENUE N N EW Y ORK, N EW Y ORK 10028 N G O L D EN T E M PLE, A MOROUS G ODS N Delhi, Amritsar, Varanasi & Doha January 12 to 29, 2015 ________________________ ________________________ 0 MasterLu The Golden Temple complex, Amritsar. NEW YORK N DOHA, QATAR DELHI Monday & Tuesday, January 12 & 13 Friday, January 16 Depart New York’s JFK Airport on an overnight flight to Begin the day at the National Museum, housing an excellent Doha and connect with the flight to Delhi. collection of Indian art. Lunch is in the famed Lodi Gardens, prior to a visit to the National Crafts Museum, showcasing DELHI, INDIA India’s varied arts and crafts traditions. View the fine Wednesday, January 14 collections then continue to the museum courtyard, where a group of artisans demonstrate their skills. Arrive in Delhi in the early morning and transfer to the luxurious Leela Palace Hotel, where rooms have been DELHI N AMRITSAR, INDIA reserved for early arrival. The balance of the day is at Saturday, January 17 leisure. Gather this evening for welcome remarks by Olivier Bernier, followed by dinner at the hotel. Transfer to the airport in the late morning for the flight to Amritsar. Continue to the Hyatt Amritsar for lunch DELHI and check-in. Spend the afternoon at the Golden Temple Thursday, January 15 where the Holy Book of the Sikhs, the Granth Sahib, was installed in 1604. Standing in the middle of a sacred pool, Over the last thousand years, Delhi has been the capital of this is the most sacred of the Sikh temples, and a symbol seven empires, and there are traces of its Hindu, Muslim, and of strength and magnificence. Nearby is the Jalianwala, British builders throughout the city. Today, Delhi consists of the site of a massacre in 1919 when the British opened fire the 17th- to 19th-century Old Delhi and the newer sections on a peaceful gathering of protestors. Mahatma Gandhi constructed from 1913 to 1931 under the supervision of subsequently called for a nationwide strike and formed the British architects Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker. Today Non-Cooperation Movement which became a key event in we explore Old Delhi, including the impressive Jama Masjid, India’s struggle for independence. The area is now a park built by Emperor Shah Jahan. After lunch, see Humayun’s with a memorial to the men, women and children who died. Tomb, the first of the great Moghul imperial tombs and the Following dinner, return to the Golden Temple to witness 12th-century Qtub Minar, the world’s tallest minaret. the evening ceremony. N G O L D EN TE M PLE, A MOROUS G ODS N 0 0 0 AMRITSAR N CHANDIGARH, INDIA VARANASI Sunday, January 18 Wednesday, January 21 This morning drive to Chandigarh, stopping en route for An important place of pilgrimage, Varanasi regularly draws a picnic lunch. India’s first planned city, Chandigarh was Hindus for whom a morning dip in the sacred Ganges is a designed by Le Corbusier in the 1950s. The harmony of daily ritual. Rise early for a boat ride on the river at dawn. its open spaces, proportions of its buildings, and daring After breakfast at the hotel, visit the Bharat Kala Bhawan volume of the Hall of Legislature are among the world’s and its collection of medieval sculptures and Moghul great architectural achievements. Afternoon visits include jewelry. Following lunch, the early afternoon is at leisure. the unusual Rock Gardens, created with no plants but Gather for a lecture prior to dinner at the hotel. instead with rocks and discarded objects which, together, create an original and poetic environment. Conclude at the VARANASI N KHAJURAHO, INDIA new JW Marriott for check-in and dinner. Thursday, January 22 CHANDIGARH A morning flight takes us to Khajuraho, famous for Monday, January 19 the artistry of its temple carvings and sculptures which celebrate, often erotically, the joys of daily life in India This morning visit Corbusier’s Open Hand Monument, 1,000 years ago. Following check-in and lunch at the Taj official emblem of Chandigarh, and a symbol of peace and Chandela Hotel, tour the temples built between 950 and unity, “Open to Give and Open to Receive.” We will also 1050 C.E. during the Chandela Dynasty. A highlight is see the Assembly Hall of Punjab and Haryana. Although Kandariya Mahadev temple, a near-perfect representation Chandigarh serves as the capital of both Punjab and of Chandela art. Dinner is at the hotel. Haryana, the city is its own union territory, administered directly by the Government of India. After lunch, the afternoon is at leisure. Dinner is at the hotel, followed by a private Bhangra dance performance. CHANDIGARH N DELHI N VARANASI, INDIA Tuesday, January 20 Depart on a morning flight to Delhi and connect with the flight to Varanasi, India’s holy city on the Ganges. Following lunch, check in at the Hotel Taj Gateway Ganges Hotel. This afternoon visit the Archaeological Museum in Sarnath to see the sandstone sculpture collection, including the famous Ashoka Lion and one of the most beautiful Gupta period sculptures in existence. Conclude with an optional visit to a silk factory. Dinner is at the hotel. rchphoto Palace complex, Orchha. KHAJURAHO N GWALIOR, INDIA Friday, January 23 Drive to Orchha for lunch and a visit to its complex of 16th- and 17th-century palaces, set on an island in the Betwa River. Many of the palaces have been abandoned, but we can still marvel at the intriguing architecture, including hanging balconies, beautiful murals, and gardens. Conclude Credit the day in Gwalior, at the Taj Usha Kiran Palace, formerly Morning on the Ganges, Varanasi. the guest palace of the Maharaja. Dinner is at the hotel. N DELHI, AMRITSAR, VARANASI & DOHA N GWALIOR AGRA N DELHI Saturday, January 24 Tuesday, January 27 Spend the morning at Gwalior Fort to see Man Mandir Depart for Delhi, arriving in the late morning at The Trident Palace and its faience tiles. Stop at the nearby museum to Gurgaon. Lunch at leisure is followed by an optional see one of India’s finest sculptures. After lunch, visit the Jai afternoon shopping excursion. Dinner is at the hotel. Vilas Palace, built in the 19th century by a British architect. A silver electric train, which travels around the huge dining DELHI N DOHA room table, carried liquors to the palace guests. Conclude at Wednesday, January 28 the tomb of 16th-century Afghan prince Ghaus Mohammad with its exquisite stone carved screens. Before dinner return Transfer to the airport for the morning flight to Doha. Upon to Gwalior Fort for an excellent sound and light show.