West Bengal Rich Legacy - Itinerary

Itinerary

YOUR TRIP AT A GLANCE
 

   Calcutta    04 nights

  Bishnupur     01 night

    Shantiniketan    02 nights

   Murshidabad    02 nights

Balakhana     01 night

    Rajbari         02 nights

DETAILED ITINERARY

Day 1: Arrival in Kolkata
Meals included: None

Upon your arrival at Kolkata International Airport, our representative will greet you and escort you to the hotel.

Check-in at the hotel.

Day 2: Kolkata

Meals included: Breakfast

The port city of Kolkata was formerly known as Calcutta—a name that evokes suffering for most Westerners due to the published accounts after the war about the torture endured by British troops and the misery created by the shifting of the British capital to New Delhi. However, it has primarily been a center of intellectual and cultural change throughout India. As a commercial city, Calcutta quickly became a British capital and later, during India’s struggle for independence, it was a hub of revolutionary unrest and freedom movements. Rabindranath Tagore, a poet-composer, Sri Aurobindo Ghosh, a philosopher-poet who founded a utopian city, and Satyajit Ray, an extraordinary filmmaker, are some of the legendary figures originating from Kolkata who made significant contributions to literature, music, and cinema. Kolkata is a rich cultural potpourri that offers a quintessential Indian experience, with colonial elements layered with patriotic and revolutionary zeal.

 

This morning, we will stroll around Dalhousie Square, which was the main administrative center of the entire country during the colonial period. Almost all the buildings you see in this part of the city date back to the Raj era, including the Mint building and the famous Writers’ Building, to name just a few. Then a short drive will take us to Bomti’s apartment, where a traditional Bengali lunch awaits us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After lunch, you will visit the famous Victoria Memorial, which is probably the largest of all the buildings constructed by the British in Eastern India. Interestingly, it was built in the latter part of the colonial period, unlike most other administrative buildings which are much older. In fact, in 2021, the memorial celebrated its 100th anniversary. The most striking feature is the white marble used to build this structure, which is similar to that of the Taj Mahal in Agra. An interesting museum inside the memorial provides essential information about the history of British rule. To complete the colonial history tour, you will stop at the Indian Museum, the oldest museum in India—a true monument!

 

Relaxation at the hotel – Overnight in Kolkata

Day 3: Kolkata

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch

This morning, set off at dawn and let yourself be guided through Bow Barracks to discover the kaleidoscope of religions present in Kolkata: the Anglo-Indian community, the Muslim community, the Parsi Fire Temple, the Chinese ghetto with its temple and market, the Maghen David Synagogue of the Baghdadi Jews, and the Armenian Church. These are all evidence of the many traders who visited Kolkata and stayed for decades, even over a century. This walk is fascinating and, interestingly, it opens the eyes of history enthusiasts to how Kolkata was a trade port favorable to merchants from all over the world.

Next, a short drive will take you to the immense Mullick Ghat flower market under the famous Howrah Bridge. It is the largest flower market in India, supplying the entire country. The flowers arrive by trains from the station on the other side of the river and are sent out the same way, crossing the Howrah Bridge to reach the station. It’s an endless ballet of porters carrying bundles of flowers and malas.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For all the film enthusiasts on this tour, note that these ghats (or riverbanks) we are visiting now are some of the locations where the movie “Lion” was filmed. After the flower market, we cross the Howrah Bridge to Howrah train Station, the largest in India, from where we take a ferry with other passengers to return to the banks at Babughat. At Babughat, we will witness the final funeral rites of several families for their recently deceased members.

 

A lunch break allows us to recharge before we set off again to visit the Marble Palace, a magnificent colonial-era palace that houses an incredible collection of objects, sculptures, and marbles gathered by the family who built the palace.

Next, visit Mother Teresa’s ashram, founded by her and the Missionaries of Charity, which continues to support the city’s children, elderly, and the poor and vulnerable.

Return to the hotel for a well-deserved rest!

Overnight in Kolkata.

Day 4: Kolkata

Meals included: Breakfast

This morning, you will visit Kumartoli, a neighborhood in the north of the city by the Ganges. This is where all the representations of the gods and goddesses of Indian mythology used in the many religious celebrations throughout the year are made, with the highlight being the celebration of Durga during Durga Puja in October. It is a fascinating maze of alleyways filled with workshops that create these statues, from the straw and clay framework to the fabrics that clothe them, the hair that adorns them, and the vibrant paints that make them dazzling!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Before heading to the southern part of the city for lunch, visit the house of Rabindranath Tagore. You will then drive through the charming city, with its old buildings and palaces, sometimes restored but always fascinating, and end up in a small, trendy, and quiet neighborhood with its boutiques and delicious restaurants. You’ll have time for shopping before returning to the hotel.

Overnight in Kolkata.

Day 5: Kolkata – Bishnupur

Meals included: Breakfast         Travel time: 5-hour drive

After a hearty breakfast, you will depart early for the next destination: Bishnupur. Today, leave the familiar urban setting and cross rural Bengal to reach the town of Bishnupur, which has gained great fame and worldwide recognition for its Terracotta temples. After lunch at the hotel, visit the many beautiful Terracotta temples with their unique and distinctive architecture in India. All built with bricks, as there are no stone quarries in west Bengal, they are covered with depictions of life, society, and Hindu gods, made from terracotta tablettes. An almost unbelievable craftsmanship

There are 20 temples. Among the most famous are the Raj Mancha Temple, Mada Mohan Temple, Rada Madha Temple, Rada Govinda Temple, Nadalal Temple, Rada Shyam Temple, Lalji Temple, and the Mrinmayee Temple, which was built before the year 1000 and hosts a famous Durga Puja that lasts for two weeks. The Jor Bangla and Pancha Ratna temples, in particular, feature impressive and remarkable terracotta decorations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Overnight in Bishnupur

Day 6: Bishnupur – Shantiniketan

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner        Travel time: 4-hour drive

Today, after an early breakfast, you can visit some more temples and the charming Bishnupur Museum. Then, head to Shantiniketan, either by train or by car. You will traverse rural Bengal, passing countless ponds, lakes, and pools that support the irrigation of numerous rice paddies and fish farming. Lunch will be en route or upon arrival at your destination.

Shantiniketan is a small, garden-like, and wooded town, very calm, an ideal refuge for the artists and intellectuals of Kolkata. It was also the residence of the Tagore family, whose son Rabindranath established a university here, which is very popular today. In the 18th and 19th centuries, the great financiers of the Nawabs built immense mansions in the surrounding areas, almost all of which are in ruins today but remain fascinating to explore.

 

 

 

 

 

Overnight in Shantiniketan

Day 7:     Shantiniketan

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner if staying at a guesthouse

Today, you will head to Raipur on small rural roads to visit the old mansions of the great families, such as the Sinhia and Tagore families, who made Shantiniketan famous. You will also explore the Visva Bharati University created by Rabindranath Tagore as well as his Ashram. For enthusiasts, visits to potters and ceramicists are possible, as well as a tour of the textile museum. For others, relaxation in the gardens of your accommodations.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Day 8: Shantiniketan – Murshidabad

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner                   Travel time: 4.5-hour drive

After breakfast, depart for Murshidabad, winding through the countryside with its lakes, rivers, and ferries for river crossings. Upon arrival, bypass the modern city of Murshidabad to follow the Ganges and reach Azimganj, where your hotel is located, and Jiaganj, the historic town just across the river. Murshidabad, the former capital of Bengal, was founded by Nawab Murshid Quli Khan after his departure from his previous capital, Dhaka (now in Bangladesh). It quickly became the richest and most renowned city in all of India in the 18th century. It attracted numerous bankers, merchants, and artisans who traded with the entire world through its river, the Ganges, and the port of Kolkata. It also drew the Sheherwali community from Rajasthan, who, thanks to their wealth, adorned the city with sumptuous palaces (sometimes in ruins) and well-preserved temples.

Settle in, have lunch, and relax at Bari Kothi. In the afternoon, take a small ride in a Toto (electric rickshaw) through the narrow streets around the hotel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dinner and overnight at Bari Kothi in Azimganj

Day 9: Azimganj & Jiaganj

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After breakfast by the Ganges, take a ferry to Jiaganj, the ancient town and regional capital for many centuries, which gained colonial significance in the 18th century. Onboard a Toto, traverse narrow, crowded lanes with beautiful facades of rich past residences before arriving at Hazarduari, the palace of a thousand doors, which houses a very interesting museum detailing colonial life and exploits, along with other temples and buildings in the park. Then, head towards ancient history with a visit to the impressive Katra Mosque, passing by old terracotta temples, some in ruins, and the rehabilitated Kathgola Palace, where you can tour only the gardens.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Return to the hotel for lunch and relax in this wonderful palace before your charming sunset cruise on the Ganges.

Dinner and overnight at Bari Kothi in Azimganj.

 

 

Day 10: Azimganj – Balakhana

Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner        Travel time: 3 hours by road

After your breakfast, depart for Balakhana and arrive at Maheshganj at the home of Kalpana & Rhonodir. This is a splendid old colonial mansion with colonnades, set amidst a large, well-maintained flower garden. Rhonodir, a descendant of a wealthy indigo planting family, will delight in sharing the history of his family and the plantations of yesteryear. Today, only one indigo bush remains in the garden! You will have lunch and dinner with them in their spacious dining room and enjoy a cozy fire in the living room in winter. The food is simple but delicious. The large rooms, though somewhat rudimentary compared to the luxury of Bari Kothi, are full of charm, especially due to the warm atmosphere created by your hosts.

Take a stroll in the park and, through the village adjoining the property, you can walk down to a branch of the Ganges for the sunset.

Overnight in Maheshganj

Option 1 – Day 11: Balakhana – Kalna – Bawali Rajbari

Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner                 Travel time: 1.5 hours & 5 hours by road

Depart early after breakfast for Kalna. Here, you will find the most majestic Terracotta temples in Bengal, dedicated to Lord Shiva. The vast complex is divided into three parts, each more impressive than the last. Enjoy a thorough visit lasting about an hour and a half.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You will resume your journey (3-4 hours) after the visit, heading towards Kolkata with a stop over for a well-deserved lunch at a 5 stars hotel. After lunch, it’s just over a short hour’s drive to reach Bawali Rajbari, a magnificent old palace that has been transformed into a luxurious hotel. Here, you will be able to immerse yourself in the opulent surroundings and relax after your day’s travels.

 

Night at Bawali Rajbari

Day 12: Bawali Rajbari

Meals included: Breakfast

Staying at Rajbari is an experience in itself. Such opulent stays were particularly intended for the Zamindars (landlords) throughout Bengal and much of Eastern India, even before colonial rule, and continued during the British Raj as long as the landowners recognized British supremacy and cooperated by granting favors and allowing free trade. Located in rural Bengal, the stay provides a tranquil end to the visit. Take the entire day to immerse yourself in the environment and the surroundings of this charming historic stay

Optional Village and Surrounding Visit: In the morning after breakfast, embark on a journey to discover the ruins of the fabulous temples built by the Mondals of Bawali and head towards “Joltumi Bagan,” which was once a “Naach House,” a dance platform in the middle of a pond. You will see a simple rural Bengal and appreciate the lush greenery surrounding you. From there, you have the option to continue your walk from “Joltumi Bagan” to the sacred Banyan tree of luck at “Baro Kachari” or return to the property for lunch.

If desired, enjoy a sunset cruise on the Ganges. Depart on the Rajbari Bawali’s Toto to the riverbank at Raypur, which is about a 25-minute drive from Rajbari Bawali. The riverbank is dotted with fields, and we must use the steps of one of these brick kilns. Board the riverboat and enjoy a languid late afternoon at sunset. Refreshments will be served, and a small ritual for the river gods will also be organized. This is one of the most soothing and beautiful experiences you can have. Its simplicity makes it special.

Or you can simply relax around the pool, in the property’s gardens, at the spa, or at the bar!

In the evening, participate in a Sandhya Aarti. The evening prayers are usually held on the royal steps of the Rajbari Bawali. Samar Mondal, from the Mondal family who owns the Rajbari Bawali, chants Sanskrit slokas for your well-being accompanied by the sounds of conch shells and Bengali Dhak (drums).

Night at Rajbari

Day 13: Bawali Rajbari – Kolkata Airport

Meals included: Breakfast                 Travel time: 2 hours

You will be driven to the airport for your return flight, assisted by an agency representative. If necessary, assistance will be provided in Delhi or Mumbai for your connection to your international flight.

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Option 2 – Day 11: Balakhana

Meals included: Breakfast, picnic lunch, dinner

After an early breakfast, textile enthusiasts will head to Phulia (a one-hour drive), a small town known for its community of weavers scattered around the area. You will have the opportunity to observe the intricate process of textile production, from thread preparation and dyeing to the weaving of shawls and saris. Purchasing textiles is, of course, possible.

Next, using a small ferry raft, your vehicle will take you across to Kalna, where you’ll find the most majestic Terracotta temples in Bengal, dedicated to Lord Shiva. Spend about an hour exploring these impressive structures. Following this, you’ll discover another treasure of Kalna: cotton muslin weavers. Famous for centuries (Empress Josephine wore muslin from Kalna), this delicate fabric is still crafted meticulously for Indian and European designers. Rajib will guide you through the process and let you touch various muslins in his showroom.

Return to Maheshganj for dinner and overnight stay.

Option 2 – Day 12: Balakhana -Bawali Rajbari

Meals included: Breakfast, dinner     Travel time :  5 – 6 hours

After  breakfast, depart to Bawali Rajbari with a stop over well-deserved lunch at a grand hotel in Calcutta. Afterward, it’s a short drive of about an hour and a half to arrive at the Bawali Rajbari, a splendid old palace transformed into a hotel.

Overnight at Bawali Rajbari

Option 2 – Day 13: Bawali Rajbari

Meals included: Breakfast

Staying at the Rajbari is an experience in itself. Such lavish stays were particularly intended for Zamindars (landlords) across Bengal and much of Eastern India, even before colonial rule, and continued during the British Raj as long as the owners acknowledged British supremacy and cooperated. Situated in rural Bengal, this stay offers a tranquil end to your journey. Spend the whole day soaking in the surroundings and the charm of this historic retreat.

Optional Village and Surroundings Tour: After breakfast, explore the ruins of the magnificent temples built by the Mondals of Bawali and visit “Joltumi Bagan,” formerly a dance platform in the middle of a pond. Experience rural Bengal and enjoy the lush greenery around you. From there, you can either continue your walk to the sacred Banyan tree of fortune at “Baro Kachari” or return to the property for lunch.

If desired, enjoy a sunset cruise on the Ganges. Take the Rajbari Bawali’s “Toto” to the riverbank at Raypur, about 25 minutes away. The riverbank is lined with fields, and you will use the steps of a brick kiln to reach the boat. Enjoy a leisurely late afternoon on the river, with refreshments and a small ritual for the river gods. This is one of the most soothing and beautiful experiences, notable for its simplicity.

Alternatively, relax around the pool, in the gardens, at the spa, or simply at the bar.

Overnight at Rajbari

Option 2 – Day 14: Bawali Rajbari – Calcutta Airport

Meals included: Breakfast

You will be driven to the airport for your return flight, assisted by an agency representative. If necessary, assistance will be provided in Delhi or Bombay for connecting with your international flight.

END OF OUR SERVICE

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