Delhi – Agra
– Jaipur
Delhi
New Delhi begins with the drive past Safdarjang’s Tomb
(1753 AD) on the way to Qutab Minar (1193 AD) this striking
medieval tower of victory of Persian World is 73 m high. Within
the Qutab complex, amidst the ruins of Quwat-ul-Islam mosque,
stands the Iron pillar which has stood the vagaries of weather
and has not rusted over 1500 years. Then drive through New Delhi
includes the Embassy area (Diplomatic enclave), Government
buildings, India Gate, Sikh Temple (Bangla Sahib Gurudwara),
Birla Temple and Connaught Place, New Delhi’s main shopping
area. Visit Humayun’s Tomb - considered to be the fore
runner of Taj Mahal.
AGRA - Taj Mahal
one of the Seven Wonders of the world built by Emperor Shah Jehan
in the memory oh his beloved consort Mumtaz Mahal. This beautiful
mausoleum took 22 years to complete with a work force of 20,000.
Craftsmen and master builders came from all over Asia to join in
the great work – from Baghdad, Shiraz, Delhi, Samarkand and
Turkey. The marble, India’s finest; was quarried at Makrana
near Jodhpur. Precious and semi precious stones were imported
from distant lands : Jasper from Punjab, Jade & Crystal from
China, Turquoise from Tibet, Lapis from Afghanistan and Ceylon,
Chrysolite from Egypt, Amethyst from Persia, Agate from Yemen,
Malachite from Russia, Diamonds from Golconda and Mother of Pearl
from the Indian Ocean.
Jaipur
THE splendid Fort / Palace of AMBER was wrested by the Kachhwaha
Rajputs in the mid-12th century who dominated the surrounding
area for the next six centuries. Amber was also the prime site of
the alliance between the Mughals and the Rajputs. The
astronomer-King Sawai Jai Singh II, famous for his Jantar Mantar
ascended the throne in 1699. He soon decided to build a new city
in the plains: JAIPUR was designed according to the principals of
the Shilpa-Shastra and the capital shifted here in 1727, the city
attracted merchants and crafts-people that over time shaped its
irresistible bazaar. The Hawa Mahal, City Palace and Jantar
Mantar characterizes the old city, while the forts of Nahargarh
and Jaigarh, add to the spectacle of the city.
