Eastern India: From Bodh Gaya to Kolkata to Puri

Arrive in Delhi in the evening and overnight in the 5-star Pullmann Aerocity Hotel at Delhi’s International Airport.

Fly to Gaya, and drive to neighboring Bodh Gaya, considered one of the world’s most important Buddhist pilgrimage sites.

Meet this evening for our gala welcome dinner party.

Overnight for two nights in the 4-star Mahabodhi Resort. (B/D)

We will spend the day in the vast Temple Complex in Bodh Gaya. Begin at the Bodhi Tree or “Tree of Awakening,” under which Prince Siddhartha Gautama, the spiritual teacher later known as the Buddha, is said to have attained enlightenment in the sixth century BC. This enormous Ficus is a direct descendant of the original specimen planted in the third century BC. About 200 years after the time of the Buddha, Emperor Ashoka constructed the Mahabodhi Temple. Over the centuries, it has been rebuilt repeatedly and is now part of a large monastery complex. This impressive temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of the oldest brick structures in eastern India. Also, within the complex is a gigantic, 80-foot-tall statue of the Buddha built in 1989 and blessed by the Dalai Lama. (B/L/D)

Our two-hour drive takes us from Bodh Gaya to Rajgir, famous for its hot water springs and a sacred place for both Hindus and Buddhists. Within the environs are many sites to visit. In the 4th century BC, the Buddha’s friend and protector, King Bimbisar, offered the bamboo grove or Venu Van to be used for meditation. Inscriptions found inside one of the caves contend that the nearby Son Bhandar Caves were carved out of a cliff face in the 3rd or 4th century by a Jain wise man as a dwelling for Jain ascetics. The interiors of the dual chambers were polished and ornamented with sculptures. Holes meant to support beams seen above the cave entrance suggest that the cave once had a second story and a wooden verandah.

The Vulture Peak, a small mountain just outside the city, is said to be the site where the Buddha revealed the Mahayana. Near the Vulture Peak is the Rajgir Vishwa Shanti Stupa, or World Peace Pagoda, completed in 1969. 

Nalanda, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was an ancient university and Buddhist monastic center from the 5th to the 12th centuries. At its height, scholars from as far away as Tibet, China, Korea, and Southeast Asia traveled here to study.

After our explorations, we continue to Patna, an ancient city that sprawls along the south bank of the Ganges River. Overnight in the 5-star Hotel Lemon Tree Premier. (B/L/D)

Patna is the state capital and home to the Bihar Museum, a contemporary landmark exhibiting bronze sculptures and old coins from the region. We will enter to view artifacts from nearby sites, along with textiles, paintings, bronze images, sculptures, and terra cotta images by Hindu and Buddhist artists. Also housed here is a collection of rare British-era paintings depicting daily life.

After spending the morning in the museum, go to the airport for an afternoon flight to Kolkata and overnight for two nights in the 5-star Oberoi Grand Hotel. Dinner is on our own. (B/L)

Today is Kolkata day! Begin in Dalhousie Square, the location of St. John’s Church, the High Court, the General Post Office (GPO), the Town Hall, and other important British colonial buildings. Then, stop by the Mallik Ghat. The unique perfumes of vivid marigolds, clusters of sacred lotus, vibrant roses, and bright yellow sunflowers await as we walk through the largest flower market, not only in India but also in Asia.

Nearby, see Howrah Bridge, the sixth-longest cantilevered bridge in the world, spanning the Hooghly River.

The stunning St. Paul’s Cathedral, completed in 1847 and the seat of the Anglican Diocese of Kolkata, is noted for its Gothic architectural style, “Indo-Gothic,” an architectural style built to meet the climatic conditions of India.

We will see the impressive, gleaming white marble Victoria Memorial, dedicated to the British queen, and The Mother House of the Missionaries of Charity, the former home of Mother Teresa, one of the most celebrated and revered women in Indian History; her tomb is within the grounds. (B/L/D)

Drive from Kolkata to Tarakeshwar to see the Baba Taraknath Temple. The sanctuary is a major pilgrimage spot, and the interior holds the Shayambhu Linga, a non-figurative representation of the Hindu god Shiva. Within the complex are other shrines dedicated to the Hindu goddess Kali and Lord Lakshmi-Narayan, a manifestation of Vishnu.

Continue to Bishnupur and the Annapurna Hotel, our home for two nights. (B/L/D)

Bishnupur is an ancient city that was the capital of the Malla dynasty for almost a thousand years. Today, it is renowned for clay crafts, Baluchari saris, and ornately decorated Hindu temples. By walking and rickshaw, we will explore Bishnupur’s glorious past reflected in its splendid architecture.

Magnificent Jor Bangla Temple, lavishly bedecked with terracotta tiles revealing contemporary life in the 17th century, portrays the slanted roofs of traditional thatched huts. Built of brick with both exterior and interior walls adorned with terracotta tablets, Madan Mohan is a Bengali ‘chala’ style Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Krishna. 17th-century Rasmancha, one of the oldest brick temples in India, is unique in design. Standing on a raised platform of laterite stone blocks, forty pillars support a pyramid-shaped roof that covers the three interior rooms adorned with carved lotus flowers. Funded by a Malla Queen in 1737, Radha Madhab Temple is an example of the Eka Ratna architectural style. This beautiful building has a sloped roof below the single tower with two outside walls decorated with scenes from the Ramayana and other mythological stories. (B/L/D)

Depart Bishnupur and drive to Panchmura craft village, where, for 300 years, families have created hand-made clay collectibles. The villagers offer a wide range of terracotta products, from animal to human figurines, but they are renowned for their huge clay horses.

Continue to Kolkata to board an afternoon flight to Bhubaneswar, called the ‘temple city’ with its multitude of sanctuaries in the old city and the nearby countryside.

Our home for three nights is the 5-star Mayfair Lagoon Hotel in Bhubaneswar, a luxury resort overlooking a lush lagoon. Be sure to make reservations for a sumptuous experience in the spa! Dinner is on our own. (B/L)

Today’s all-day excursion takes us into the nearby Assia Hills to discover Odisha’s Buddhist Triangle of Lalitgiri, Ratnagiri, and Udayagiri, hidden well off the beaten tourist trail. Dating back to the 4th century BC Lalitgiri is the oldest Buddhist site in Odisha. Excavations have unearthed remnants of a stupa complex, and two stone caskets were found containing bone relics, believed by some to be of the Buddha or one of his important followers. Ratnagiri was home to a 5th-century AD Buddha monastery, or mahavihara. Elaborately decorated with doorways and pillars of contrasting colors of green and purple shades, each of the three brick structures encloses a central paved courtyard with monastic cells. During archaeological research, two dozen colossal Buddha heads were unearthed, and one of the shrines is still home to a 12-foot-tall sculpture of the Buddha. The sanctuary of Udayagiri spreads across two hills and is the largest Buddhist complex in Odisha. The walls of one of the many stupas are adorned with niches containing multiple representations of the Buddha. (B/L/D)

This morning’s drive takes us to see ancient rock-cut caves that, as early as the 1st century BC, were shelters for Jain monks. The largest at Udayagiri,[2] Rani Gumpha, is two stories, elaborately embellished with intricately carved images. The friezes on the upper floor depict the victory march of a king.

Nearby, Khandagiri Cave is also abundantly bedecked with reliefs of deities and charming scenes from everyday life.

We then return to the old city of Bhubaneswar to visit two holy places. Several times a day, the lingam at Lingaraja Temple is washed and decorated with flowers and sandal paste, and, with luck, we will see one of the ceremonies.

With lattice designs and refined carvings, Mukteswar Temple is certainly an architectural gem. A highlight here is the wonderful decorative gateway with twin columns supporting a semi-circular arch that blends Hindu and Buddhist characteristics.

We will stop at the Museum of Tribal Arts and Artefacts to view displays of traditional dress, silver, and bead jewelry, elaborate headdresses, weaponry, and other artifacts representing the more than 60 tribal groups in the region.

Our final stop will be at the Dance Academy School to enjoy a presentation of Odissi Dance, one of the classical dance forms of India. (B/L/D)

Depart this morning for Puri, where we will visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Konârak. Dedicated to the Hindu Sun God, Surya, the creator of the universe and the source of all life, the fabulous 13th-century Hindu temple has twelve pairs of gigantic stone wheels on the sides of the structure, transforming the entire temple into the chariot of Surya. The figures of horses on the front and each side of the staircase further enhance this allusion. The elegant structure is exquisitely bejeweled with stone carvings.

Overnight for two nights in the 4-star Mayfair Heritage Hotel in Puri, with gorgeous ocean views. (B/L/D)

Begin the day at Jagannath Temple, a massive temple complex dedicated to Lord Jagannath, a form of Vishnu and an important pilgrimage site. Only Hindus are allowed inside, but we will be able to view the spectacular architecture from the outside.

Then we move on to Raghurajpur, declared a ‘heritage village’ in 2000 by the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH). Although other traditional art forms are created here, the village is known for its Pattachitra artists. Painted on cloth and depicting scenes of myths and folktales, this art form dates back several centuries. The ancient Gotipua dance tradition has survived in this small village, and we will have an opportunity to learn about this dance performed by young boys who dress as females to praise Lord Krishna. The carved dancers on the bas-reliefs on the Sun Temple in Konârak are evidence that this is a very old tradition. (B/L/D)

Depart Puri this morning to fly to Bhubaneswar airport, where we will board a mid-day flight to Delhi. Upon arrival, we will join for our final lunch and then have time to rest before our flights home.

Overnight in the Pullmann Aerocity Hotel at the Delhi Airport. In the late evening, we board our planes for our return flights. (B/L)

Arrive home.