India Mutiny Tour Itinerary

ECHOES OF EMPIRE - The Indian Mutiny 1857
DELHI - MEERUT - AGRA - GWALIOR - JHANSI - GWALIOR - LUCKNOW - KANPUR - LUCKNOW - DELHI 10 nights
A special anniversary tour - operated on a private basis for individual travellers - takes you to some of the settings in Northern India whose names are forever synonymous with the Mutiny and live on in India's history. 1857 - THE DEVIL'S WIND 150 years ago, The 'Devil's Wind' swept across Northern India, consuming all in its path. To the British it was The Indian Mutiny but to the mutineers it was India's First War of Independence. Though few sites remain intact, the story of this extraordinary episode in Imperial history remains as vivid as ever. In 1857 the sepoys revolted at Meerut, then captured Delhi and proclaimed Bahadur Shah II the Emperor of All India. The mutiny spread rapidly. Cawnpore (Kanpur) fell to the sepoys of Nana Sahib - and Lucknow was besieged. In repressing the rebellion the British were aided by the loyalty of the Punjab (the Sikhs did not wish to see the restoration of Mughal rule) and the passivity of the South. Delhi was recaptured - and Lucknow retaken in 1858. The rebellion was marked by atrocities on both sides. After the mutineers finally surrendered in the summer of 1858, the British ended both the East India Company and the Mughal Empire. They sent the deposed Emperor Bahadur Shah into exile in Burma and, with the coming of the British Raj, a British governor-general became the de facto ruler of India.
IMAGES OF THE MUTINY - OUR TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
DELHI During your stay in Delhi you'll explore the spectacular 17th century Red Fort, built by the Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan, its lofty walls extending for over a mile. The Fort featured prominently in the 1857 Mutiny when the mutineers marched from Meerut to Delhi and offered their services to the last Mughal Emperor, Bahadur Shah Jafar. After long fighting and a siege, the British reached the Fort and retook the city. You'll also visit (by bicycle rickshaw) the nearby Jama Masjid, Shah Jahan's last architectural extravaganza in 1656. One of Asia's largest mosques, it can hold up to 25,000 devotees. Other historical insights will be gained from exploration of New Delhi's striking architectural legacy left by the British Raj. After a stop to admire the medieval Qutub Minar, the tallest stone tower in India, you visit Humayun's Tomb, an outstanding monument in the Indo-Persian style and a precursor of the Taj Mahal. During the mutiny the last Mughal Emperor, Bahadur Shah Jafar, took shelter here. You'll see the imposing India Gate (built by Edwin Lutyens to commemorate the Indian soldiers who died in the World War I and the Afghan Wars), the Parliament building and the Rastrapathi Bhawan, the President's residence - formerly the home of the British Viceroy.		Rastrapathi Bhawan (Presidents Residence)
MEERUT In May 1857, Meerut witnessed the first serious outbreak of the Indian Mutiny, when 85 members of the 3rd (Bengal) Light Cavalry who had been imprisoned for refusing to use cartridges greased with fat from pigs and cows were rescued by Indian comrades. Accompanied by a mob from the bazaar, the mutineers then poured into the European settlement and slaughtered any Europeans or Indian Christians there. Whole families, men, women, children and servants, were killed on sight. The cantonment was burned, and the mutineers fled to Delhi and proclaimed Bahadur Shah, the last of the Mughal Emperors. In Meerut you will visit St. John's Church (the oldest church in Northern India), the scene of heavy fighting during the uprising. You can explore (subject to prior ministry permission) the cemetery and the parade grounds in the cantonment area where some of the bungalows of the British army officers still survive. It may also be possible to locate the bungalow of Lt-Col Carmichael Smyth, commander of the 3rd Light Cavalry, who, by attempting to coerce his troopers into accepting the greased cartridges on parade, probably precipitated the Mutiny.
AGRA Agra is rich in architectural monuments, most of them associated with its Mughal period. Besides being great rulers, the Mughals were also major builders and in Agra and its surroundings you can see their best architectural achievements - the finest of them the 17th century Taj Mahal. Built by the Mughal Emperor, Shah Jahan, as an expression of his love for his wife Mumtaz, the Taj is one of the wonders of the world (20,000 men laboured for 22 years on its construction). At Agra Fort, former seat and the stronghold of the Mughal Empire, you'll see the Hall of Public Audience and Royal Pavilions. For four months during the Mutiny over a thousand British took refuge here.
GWALIOR Gwalior dates back to the 8th century and was long a cradle of dynasties. Its massive fort overlooking the city, is testimony to its past glory and grandeur. Gwalior was much affected by the 1857 Mutiny and was the scene of fierce fighting. The Maharaja of Gwalior was loyal to the British during the mutiny but his troops sided with the rebels who had laid their hands on the city.		View from Gwalior Fort - c1882
JHANSI It was in Jhansi, some time after the mutiny broke out elsewhere, that members of the garrison mutinied and took the more important of the two forts in the town, killing two of the British officers and wounding another. They plundered the town, and released the prisoners from the gaol. The remaining British and Eurasians (61 pin all, over half of them women and children) sheltered in the other fort, the Town Fort. The survivors in the Town Fort appealed for help to the Rani - but she had only the small bodyguard granted by the British at the outset of the Mutiny, and no obvious political influence over the mutineers. Also visited is the Rani Mahal, the former palace of Rani Lakshmibai. Here British troops stormed the building and massacred 50 of the Rani's bodyguards. The palace is now a museum containing hundreds of 9th to 12th century sculptures. A stop is also made at the Jokun Bagh, where 67 British men, women and children were massacred.
LUCKNOW Lucknow is a name forever associated with the Mutiny. Here you will see the British Residency, built between 1780 and 1800 for the British Resident and the garrison stationed at Lucknow. Little remains of this once grand enclave except ruins that tell a sad story of the bloody struggle of 1857, when it was laid siege to by Indian mutineers. This crumbling, deserted complex witnessed heroism, suffering and death. The walls were severely damaged by cannon-ball attacks and gunfire. During the battle, the treasury was used for storing arsenal, while the banquet hall became a makeshift hospital. Living conditions were so unhygienic that many died of cholera, tetanus and scurvy. A cellar within sheltered the women and children. Many of those killed during the Mutiny are buried in the cemetery within the compound. Another key site is the Secunderbagh, stubbornly defended by the mutineers, 2,000 of whom died here. You also visit Bara Imambara - the grandiose Great Imambara palace, whose Nawabi styling reflects the last phase of Mughal architecture and is one of the few buildings in Lucknow devoid of European elements.		Ruins of British Residency in Lucknow 1859
KANPUR Another legendary name from the annals of the Mutiny, and where your visit begins with All Soul's Memorial Church, raised by the British in honour of the fallen at the northeast corner of Wheeler's entrenchment in 1862. You follow in the footsteps of the garrison's bedraggled survivors to Satichaura Ghat and visit the site of the Bibighar Well where the corpses of the butchered women and children were dumped. The Bibighar was dismantled by the British during the reoccupation of Kanpur, and a memorial railing and a cross were raised at the site of the well. Only the remains of a circular ridge survive, which can still be seen at the Nana Rao Park.		Painting of Kunpur c1805
ECHOES OF EMPIRE - The Indian Mutiny 1857

Memorial at site of Bibighar well - Kanpur, 1860		St Johns Church - Meerut
Day 1 London/Delhi Depart London Heathrow by overnight scheduled flight. Day 2 Delhi Arrive Delhi and transfer to your hotel for a 3-night stay (Room & Breakfast). Remainder of day at leisure. Day 3 Delhi India's capital and a major gateway to the country, breathless Delhi is a non-stop metropolis that amalgamates old and new in colourful confusion - with soaring skyscrapers looking down over green parklands - and ancient monuments that stand as eloquent emblems India's ancient legacy. The morning is dedicated to a tour of Old Delhi to see some of the capital's major historical sites, including the Red Fort, the Jama Masjid mosque, and Raj Ghat, a simple memorial to Mahatma Gandhi. In the afternoon you explore New Delhi, seeing the noble Qutub Minar, Humayun's Tomb, the India Gate, the Parliament building and the Rastrapathi Bhawan, the President's residence. The evening features a visit to a Sound & Light Show at the Red Fort (closed on Mondays). Day 4 Meerut After breakfast drive to Meerut (40 miles/2 hours). On arrival Meerut visit St. John's Church and explore the cemetery and the parade grounds in the cantonment area (subject to prior ministry permission), where some of the bungalows of the British army officers still survive. Return to Delhi for overnight at your hotel. Day 5 Delhi/Agra After breakfast you will be driven to Agra (126 miles/4 hours), visiting en route the haunting ruins of Mughal Emperor Akbar's deserted capital of Fatehpur Sikri. Check in at your Agra hotel for a 2-night stay (Room & Breakfast). Remainder of day at leisure. Day 6 Agra Early this morning you enjoy a sunrise tour of the Taj Mahal (closed on Fridays), one of the architectural wonders of the world. After breakfast, visit Agra Fort, former seat and the stronghold of the Mughal Empire. In the afternoon explore the local marble and leather markets. Day 7 Agra/Gwalior Transfer to the station for the Shatabdi Express train to Gwalior (78 minutes). Transfer to your hotel for a 2-night stay (Room & Breakfast). Later in the day visit Gwalior Fort, overlooking the city and filled with echoes of turbulent times during the Mutiny. Day 8 Jhansi After breakfast you will be driven to Jhansi (63 miles/2 hours) to visit Jhansi Fort. Jhansi also featured prominently in the conflict that followed the Mutiny and other evocative locations visited include the Rani Mahal palace (now a museum) and the Jokun Bagh, where British men, women and children were massacred. Return to Gwalior. Day 9 Gwalior/Lucknow Late-morning transfer to the station for the train journey to Lucknow (approx. 8 hours). On arrival transfer to your hotel for a 3-night stay (Room & Breakfast). Day 10 Lucknow After breakfast visit the remains of the 18th century British Residency, laid siege to by Indian mutineers and where many of those killed here during the Mutiny are buried in the cemetery within the compound. Further east is the Shaheed Smarak, a post-independence memorial to the Indian soldiers who died in the battle. Another important site from the Mutiny you will see are the Secunderbagh. A visit is also made to the great Great Imambara palace embodying the last phase of India's Mughal architecture. Day 11 Kanpur After breakfast take a full day tour to Kanpur (42 miles/1.5 hours), including All Soul's Memorial Church, Satichaura Ghat and the site of the infamous Bibighar Well where the corpses of the butchered women and children were thrown by the mutineers. Return to Lucknow. Day 12 Lucknow/Delhi Morning at leisure. In the afternoon transfer to airport for your flight to Delhi (one hour). On arrival transfer to a local restaurant for dinner. After dinner you will be transferred back to the airport for your homeward flight. Day 13 London Arrive London Heathrow. More Hotel Information
		New Delhi

		Old Delhi Bazaar

		Jama Masjid - Delhi

		Taj Mahal - Agra

	Gwalior Fort - Gwalior

		Rani Mahal - Jansi

		Immambara entrance - Lucknow








INCLUSIVE PRICES from £2,466 per person (sharing twin room) Prices shown valid for departures up to 31 March 2009 - Single supplements on request • Supplements apply for July-December departures • For Tour Prices from April 01 2008 - details on request Prices include accommodation at the following hotels: Delhi: The Oberoi Maidens/Tivoli Garden Agra: Taj View Gwalior: Usha Kiran Palace Lucknow: Taj Residency Price Includes: Economy Class round-trip flights from London to Delhi and within India as detailed • 10 nights shared twin accommodation as detailed o Daily buffet breakfast o Private air-conditioned car transfers and sightseeing as detailed • Current Airport Departure Tax, Airline Insurance and Fuel Surcharges • Rail travel Agra - Gwalior by air-conditioned chair car and Gwalior - Lucknow by air-conditioned 02/03 tier • Entrance fees at monuments described in itinerary, road taxes, parking fees, fuel charges, interstate taxes and porterage at all airports • Local English-speaking guide for sightseeing and excursions • Assistance of our local representatives. Price Excludes: Personal insurance and any special insurance for activity sports • Government taxes • Tips and expenses of a personal nature. A valid passport (minimum validity 6 months from return date) is required. Clients must be fully insured from the time of booking. Note: Hotel Check-In/Check-out time is 12 noon. Prices are subject to change. Holders of British Passports require a visa for entry to India - details on request.