November 2013 Destination Insider Come explore with us Content 3 From the Explorers Desk 4 The Holy City of Mathura 5 Old Agra Walk 6 Undiscovered Jaunpur 7 Treasures of Rewa 8 Surprising Varanasi 9 Photo Gallery From the Explorers Desk Dear Partners, I present to you the first edition of the Destination Insider which features my Ganges Valley Tour. The purpose was to collect new information about the hotels, the cities and its infrastructure. The goal of the trip was to accentuate a classical itinerary with some lesser known places. The itinerary I am going to present in this edition is a mix of classic as well as off-the-beaten-track stop-overs. From Delhi to Varanasi, this is what we call Classic North India, even if this part is not the most visited of the country. But it goes through Agra and it's the grand Taj Mahal certainly the most romantic site existing on earth and ending in Varanasi, the legendary holy city and its holy river Ganges, which I must say, is the highlight of this tour. Between these two major places, I will help you discover the diversity that India can offer, between religious places (Mathura), from millennium temples lost for centuries in the jungle (Khajuraho), passing the peaceful Orchha which is an excellent place to have a rest at the middle of the itinerary...With a surprise for the ones who are able to forget their standard of comfort, the very unkonw Rewa, which is nevertheless well worth the visit, completely forgotten by the classic path between Khajuraho and Varanasi.just in a few word, it's the Maharajah of Rewa who captured the first white Tiger seen in nature in 1950. And I can assure you its hand-painted cycle-rickshaws will surprise you. These are just some extracts from my detailed travel report, for the entire report you can write to me at [email protected] Until next time. Jean-Noel Esteve BACK TO HOME The Holy city of Mathura The birthplace of Lord Krishna, the supreme God-head of the Hindus- is ideally situated between Delhi and Agra in Uttar Pradesh. But despite of its excellent location, Mathura is very commonly forgotten, which is a real shame for me. That's why I really wanted to visit it and experience it for myself. Few places in India, can claim to be a holy religious place and at the same time an ancient capital of an Empire that ruled North India, a part of China and Central Asia in the 1st century CE (Kushan Empire), to be one of the two great school of Buddhist art at that time and also be mentioned in the oldest Indian epic, the Ramayana. I think these points are make it well worth a stop, even though I confess that the accommodation is simple, but clean. BACK TO HOME Old Agra Walk Too often depicted as only a huge industrial and hectic city hosting the Taj Mahal, this walk gives you an opportunity to prove it is wrong. This really interesting and unique walk has been prepared by our Agra office. Six months of work went into building this itinerary. It showcases a combination of 3 eras; Mughal, British and present day Agra, as we walk through the lanes and by lanes of the old city. This walk is a good blend of culture and heritage. I really enjoyed walking through these lanes, where we can discover the daily life of the locals including markets, old buildings and one of the oldest temple in the town. After this walk, it is impossible to think of Agra only as the city of the Taj Mahal. Old Agra has so much more to offer! BACK TO HOME Undiscovered Jaunpur I had only heard about Jaunpur, but had never met a foreigner who had ever visited this place. After reading about Jaunpur in many books, finally, I decided to go and was not disappointed at all. Independent kingdom of Northern India and ruler of the Sharqi Dynasty, Jaunpur is a great recluse of medieval history, dotted with 15th century monuments. The two mosques display a very unique architectural style that I haven't seen anywhere else. This style of architecture often referred to as the Jaunpur style, is what makes the visit interesting. Situated only 60kms West from Varanasi, this is an excellent one day excursion to do from the Holy city. BACK TO HOME Treasures of Rewa Rewa is the kind of treasure that only India can propose. A kind of diamante at its natural, that has a history but is never mentioned in the tourist map. I wanted to visit Rewa, in order to propose something different rather than the usual train or a flight trip between Khajuraho and Varanasi. But the question was: Is Rewa relevant to propose? In fact, the difficulty is not to propose something new, but to propose something new that has an interest! I can say now that Rewa and its hand-painted cycle-rickshaws have something to offer to those who are willing to make the effort via the bad roads of Eastern Madhya Pradesh. The Maharaja Museum, where lies one of the largest collection of weapons in the country, is more than interesting. Situated in one of the wings of the Palace, it gives it an undisputable charm. I also recommend to take a short rest at the bank of the peaceful Behar Lake and of the Behar River at sunset. BACK TO HOME Surprising Varanasi Varanasi without any surprises is my last highlight. It is commonly said in Europe, See Naples and die, I think we should rather say Experience Varanasi and die. Reputed to be one of the oldest cities of the world, dedicated to Shiva, holiest city for Hinduism.added with the fact that for every Hindu to be incinerated in Varanasi stops the cycle of the reincarnationall this creates an atmosphere unique; proper to Varanasi, which cannot leave you indifferent.it has to be lived ! The boat ride, the walks on the Ghats and in the narrow lanes behind the Ghats are a must to do. But Varanasi, behind its spiritual atmosphere and religious ceremony, has other aspects to offer. More than a sport, the ancient tradition of Indian wrestling thrives in Varanasi. It takes place in some discreet areas called Akhara, where every barrier of caste, creed and religion disappears! An important university place, take a walk early in the morning in the garden of the hindu university, during which you will assist the people practicing Yoga and breathing exercisesit is a relaxing environment far from the frenzy religiousness of the ghatssurprising Varanasi. BACK TO HOME Photo Gallery Varanasi Orchha Chatarbhuj Temple Jaunpur The Atala Mosque Khajuraho Temples Rewa Streets Varanasi Sunrise Varanasi Evening boatride Aarti Sikandra Orchha Ram Raja Temple Ceremony Note: These images are part of Sitas photo bank and have a copyright. In case you would like to use the images, please write to us at [email protected] BACK TO HOME.