INDIA

Golden Triangle Tour with Sandeep

Whenever you think to see India, the images of busy streets, unorganized traffic, busy bazars and unclean roads  starts crossing our mind as a traveler. We must have read so many rape or robbery cases in India. But fact is, not a single foreign traveler has  witnessed  threat like this when he or she is on organised India tours. India has lot more to offer when it comes to escorted India tours.

India is a country which has its one foot in past and other in modern world. At one hand its chaotic and second charismatic, gigantic huge beautiful monuments and other unclean streets,
stories of lavish and rich Indian Maharajas and on other hand poverty.

Golden Triangle is India's most famous short tourist circuit which includes  forts of seven ancient cities established in Delhi, Most beautiful monument of love Tajmahal in Agra and opulent palaces & tales of Rajput gallantry clans  in Rajasthan. Tourists who have only five to six days to travel but have a zeal of understanding India completely. They opt for this tour. An avid traveler who has time of fifteen days minimum,  they add more cities in their Golden triangle itinerary like Udaipur, Jaisalmer and Jodhpur.

A Tour director like me always try to focus on insights of Hinduism, Indian philosophy and Yoga on this tour because India has been a source of spirituality for 1000 of years. And this is the roots of Hinduism which makes this country still surviving in spite of  its diversity in religion and language.

When I am on fifteen days tour of India it is much easier for me to include everything in my itinerary for tourists because I get sufficient time with my guest to speak on topics like religion, India philosophy, sociology, India customs etc. But on a five days short tour like Golden triangle. A tour director's role become very important on such short tour because time is limited and without including Indian philosophy India tour is worthless.  When it comes to industrial revolution then east has benefited a lot from west but the question of spirituality is only solved in India.

Why India is so diverse, different but interesting ?     

India tour

I believe the answer lies in the birth of India in 1947. India is a large subcontinent which was united in 1947 when she got independence from British.

Indian democracy is the most reckless and ambitious political experiment in human history.

India faced five major challenges during its birth in 1947 - 

A - National unity

      They were diverse in former political control forget about religious,cultural and traditional choices. British left India dividing in two countries like Pakistan(Homeland for muslims). There was no policy of making one India. No country in the world ever saw this condition. They were fortunate that they had extremely competent political leaders like Mr Patel.
Imagine how can you convince Kings, to become part of a union territory when they already had a state to rule with huge chunk of money.

B- Nurturing of democracy

     India' majority of population was illiterate. Now it was a challenge to give them voice. Indian constitution gave them right to vote. Ho do you organize the voting system in such a large country.
Labor party in England and Democratic party in America do not have symbol for party. In India, each party has a symbol so people can identify the party whom they want to vote.

c - Safeguarding of Linguistic pluralism
d - Safeguarding of Religious pluralism
e - Subduing the ancestral hierarchy of man over women

Above written paragraph explains clearly why India is so different from other parts of the world. India is also facing mid life challenges. About those challenges we will discuss later.

What brings smile on travelers face, what makes his day, what makes these India tours safe?  There are efforts of so many Indian travel experts and tourism experts to make escorted tours safe and happy. Even if I have not been in tourism industry then also it is my right to develop a safe environment for travelers in India.  Whole tourism industry has proven track record of safe India tours when it is escorted with an India travel expert. India tours offer opportunity to learn rich cultural heritage of India, you can discover paradise on earth when you are on India tour. India has very large scope of offering tourist to see Rivers,Canals,and waterways, Flora and Fauna, Museums, Parks, Monuments and History.  India also provides great opportunities to adventure and fun seekers. A visit to India will linger long in the memory of visitor. India is endowed with mighty snow covered peaks, flower filled meadows and great buildings which includes the most beautiful Tajmahal too.

Tajmahal tour

 Indian handicrafts are well known all over the world. You will be surprised by seeing that what magic your small amount of money could bring in India. A visit to this enchanting land is the most relaxing and satisfying experience when you are on an escorted India tour.

Golden Triangle tour is one of the most famous short tour to see colors of India. The Delhi Agra,Jaipur region lies at the geographical heart of north India. Its strategic location along the north south and east west routes has given it a focal position in Indian history. and many great empires has been ruled from here. What we see today is the dynamic blend of the old and the new, a proudly traditional social structure within a modern liberalized economy.
This landlocked region is enclosed by mountains to the north, the desert and the forested Aravallis to the west. To the east are the agriculturally rich riverine plains, with wast fields of sugarcane,wheat,mustard and lentils. Southwards, these flat plains dramatically metamorphose into the earth-pillars of the Chambal ravines, a rugged landscape once inhabited by fierce bandits.  

 For centuries its glory attracted one conqueror after another.  Invaders, entering the subcontinents from the mountain passes of the northwestern frontiers, conquered the region centuries earlier and made it their home.
Religion has always been the cultural link between the epochs, and by 13th century, Hinduism had been influenced by Bhakti movement (devotion movement). This was the time when Muslim invaders from Afghanistan and central Asia already conquered north India.

Lotus temple

I always start my Golden Triangle tour from Delhi. Delhi is capital of India and an ancient city steeped in history. No other city in India can boast of such an ancient, turbulent and heterogeneous history as perhaps Delhi.
If Rome was the center of ancient Europe, Delhi was the metropolis of Asia. The history of Delhi is the history of its seven medieval cities

Qutub Minar

Delhi is known as city of migrants, after the violent partition of India and Pakistan in 1947, millions of people, mainly from west Punjab, flocked here in search of a new life. Since then there has been a continuing influx of people from all over India.

Life still centers around the family, even though the joint family system is breaking down here, as is the case in all big Indian cities.

Its mixed population has made Delhi a resolutely cosmopolitan city where Hindus,Muslims, Christians, and Sikhs live side by side.

Tajmahal

Then comes the turn of Agra, Agra city is lively and there is number of places to eat and stay but  it is also annoyingly crowded with rickshaw -wallahs, self styled guides and vendors. Although viewing the Taj Mahal is wonderful sight.

Agra is also known as Mughal city.

After Timurlane's invasion, Lodhi dynasty took over Delhi and shifted his capital from Delhi to Agra to remain safe from mongols attack.

Babur (first mughal invader) conquered north India in 1526 Ad.  And his grandson Akbar the great returned to Agra. and commissioned Agra fort in 1565 Ad.

Agra lies in the center of a rich and varied cultural territory. At one end of this region are the pastoral fields of yamuna and at the other the stark and awesome ravines of the Chambal river. Between these two rivers there are number of towns, monuments and sanctuaries. I also take my group for the heritage walk to old Agra which includes Jama masjid, kinaari bazaar, Agra fort and riksha ride in subhash bazaar.

India Tour

The last but not least is one of my favorite Jaipur, the land of vibrant colors breathtaking variety is inhabited by proud people whose chivalry, pride, honor and martial traditions are legendary.   Jaipur is a charming city,rugged and romantic built in 1727.

Womenfolks proudly walk around decked in dazzling silver jewelry and bright color swirling skirts, blouses and odhnis. Men wear white dhoti folded over the knees and a tight skirt topped by gorgeous turban.

This historically rich territory is centered around the old capital of Amber and the newer city of Jaipur with its palaces, observatory, temples, bazaras and impressive modern buildings.

Rajsthan with Sandeep

Delhi ,Agra,Jaipur, these three glorious cities are very much diverse , yet interlinked because of their rich cultural and historical traditions. This triangle offers a fascinating blend of the old and the new strategically positioned along the northern and western region of India. These destinations form an interesting triangle for an avid traveler.