09/11/2010
MOKSHA TOUR
MOKSHA TOUR - VARANASIVaranasi tour 2N/3DVaranasi, the holy city of India is known by the name Benaras or Kashi, the city of Moksha for Hindus since centuries.One of the seven holiest cities Varanasi is also one of the Shakti Peethas and one of the twelve Jyotir Linga sites inIndia. It is believed in Hinduism that those who die and are cremated here get an instant gateway to liberation fromthe cycle of births and re-births. This City is situated on the banks of the River Ganges in Indian State of UttarPradesh, regarded as the holy by Hindus, Buddhists, and Janis. It is one of the world and probably the oldest of India.Varanasi is a holy city in Hinduism, being one of the most sacred pilgrimage places for Hindus of all denominations.More than 1,000,000 pilgrims visit the city each year. It has the holy shrine of Kashi Vishwanath (a manifestationof Lord Shiva), and also one of the twelve revered Jyotirlingas of Lord Shiva.Varanasi has nearly 100 ghats. Many of the ghats were built when the city was under Maratha control. Marathas,Shindes (Scindias), Holkars, Bhonsles, and Peshwes (Peshwas) stand out as patrons of present-day Varanasi. Most ofthe ghats are bathing ghats, while others are used as cremation sites. Varanasi is the city of “LORD SHIVA”,“GHATS”of holy Ganges and a center for studying Astrology, Sanskrit, Yoga and Ayurveda.Varanasi is one of the holiest places in Buddhism too, being one of the four pilgrimage sites said to have beendesignated by Gautama Buddha himself (the others being Kushinagar, Bodh Gaya, and Lumbini). In the residentialneighborhood of Varanasi lies Sarnath, the site of the deer park where Gautama Buddha is said to have given his firstsermon about the basic principles of Buddhism. The Dhamek Stupa is one of the few pre-Ashokan stupas stillstanding, though only its foundation remains. Also remaining is the Chaukhandi Stupa commemorating the spotwhere Buddha met his first disciples (in the 5th century or earlier, BC). An octagonal tower was built later there.Varanasi is famous for Banarasi Saree, Handicrafts, Jari work and wooden items.Dhamek Stupa Bharat Mata Tample Ganga AartiDay 01-On arrival at Varanasi, transfer to hotel. Then proceed to Sarnath where Buddha had preached his first sermonPost enlightenment. Also, visit Chaukhandi Stupa, Dhamek Stupa, and Mulagandha Kuti Vihar.The Sarnath museum has a small but awe-inspiring collection of Buddhist, the single most famous exhibit of thismuseum is the Lion Capital of Asokaartifacts. The main attraction of the Sarnath Archaeological Museum is thesuperb Ashokan Pillar. It has four back-to-back lions, which has been adopted as the National symbol of India.Below, there are representations of a lion, an elephant, horse and the bull.(Museum Timing 10.00 hrs to 17.00 hrs.Friday Closed).Visit Bharat Mata Temple: The Bharat Mata temple was built by Babu Shiv Prasad Gupt and inauguratedby Mahatma Gandhi in 1936. The statute of Bharat Mata is built in marble and is a model of undivided India,depicting the mountains, plains and oceans. The most peculiar thing about the Bharat Mata Temple is that instead ofthe customary gods and goddesses, it houses a relief map of India, carved out of marble and this shrine is dedicated toMother India.Evening view "Aarti" ceremony on the bank of Ganga, Ghat Dashashwamedha.Overnight stay at hotel in Varanasi.(B,D)Day 02 Morning boat rideEarly morning drive to Daswamedh Ghat and take a boat ride on the sacred river Ganges to see the cremation Ghats HARISCHANDRA TOMANIKNIKA GHAT. [It is strongly believed by the devotees (Hindus) that Ganges River in Varanasi city has the ability to take away thewrongdoing of humankind.Visit Kashi Vishwanath Temple: Also, called Golden Temple, which in its present shape was built in 1780 byMaharani Ahilyabai Holkar of Indore, is located on the outskirts of the Ganga. This temple makes Varanasi a place of great religious importanceto the Hindus, as Vishweshwara or Vishwanatha, the aforementioned Jyotirlinga of the Lord Shiva is enshrined here. It is said that a single viewof Vishwanatha Jyotirlinga is considered to merit more than that of other jyotirlingas. A Naubatkhana was built up in front of the Temple by thecollector Mohammed Ibrahim Khan at the instance of Governor General Warren Hastings in 1785. In 1839, Punjab Kesari, the Sikh MaharajaRanjit Singh, the ruler of Punjab donated gold to cover the two domes of the temple.The temple was once destroyed by the Muslim Emperor Aurangzeb who converted most parts of the temple into a Mosque. It was laterresurrected at a location near the mosque.Back to hotel, take a breakfast.Ramnagar Fort:- The Ramnagar fort lies about 14 km. from Varanasi and is situated on the opposite bankof river Ganga. It is the ancestral home of the Maharaja of Banaras. Maharaja Balwant Singh built this fort-palace in the eighteenth century. Thefort is built in red sandstone. The Ramnagar fort has a temple within the grounds and the temple is dedicated to Ved Vyasa, who wroteMahabharata, the great Indian epic. Legends have it that Ved Vyasa stayed here for a brief period.The Ramnagar fort houses a museum displaying the Royal collection, which includes vintage Cars, Royal palkies, an armory of swords and oldguns, ivory work and antique clocks. The Durga Temple and Chhinnamastika Temple are also located at Ramnagar. A temple of Dakshin MukhiHanuman is there. Inside the giant walls of the Ramnagar fort-palace, there is a big clock. This clock not only displays year, month, week and daybut also astronomical facts about the sun, moon and constellation of stars. An interesting array of ornate palanquins, gold-plated howdahs andweapons are some of the artifacts on display in the Ramnagar fort-palace museum.Banaras Hindu University: It was founded in 1916 by special efforts of Nationalist Madan MohanMalaviya with the cooperation of Annie Besant. Its 1350-acre (5.5 km²) campus was built on land donated by the Kashi Naresh. The Universityincludes Institute of Technology and Institute of Medical Sciences and is among the top three largest residential universities in the world, havingmore than 128 independent teaching departments. Today it has grown into one of the biggest university of India and Asia.Sankat Mochan Temple: This temple is dedicated to Lord Hanuman and is very popular with the local citizens. It is a place for many yearlyreligious as well as cultural festivals. while the Aarti, in which numerous worshippers and wedding attendees participated, was in progress.Tulsi Manas Temple: Constructed by family of Varanasi, this modern temple is dedicated to Lord Rama. Itis situated at the place where Tulisdas, the great medieval seer, lived and wrote the epic "Shri Ramcharitmanas", which narrates the life of LordRama, the hero of the Ramayana. Verses from Tulidas’s epic are inscribed on the walls. It is just nearby to Durga Temple.Durga Temple: Also, nicknamed "Monkey temple," was built at some point of time in 18thcentury. The temple got the name 'Monkey temple' because of the presence of large number of monkeys in the temple.According to legends, the present statue of Goddess Durga was not made by man but appeared on its own in thetemple. Thousands of Hindu devotees visit the Durga temple during Navratri and other auspicious occasions. Non-Hindus can enter the courtyard of the Durga temple but not the inner sanctum.The architecture is of Nagara Style, which is typical of North India. The temple is accompanied by a rectangular tank ofwater called Durga Kund. ("Kund" meaning a pond or pool.) The temple has multi-tiered spires and is stained red withochre, signifying the red colour of Durga. The Kund was earlier connected to the river itself thus refreshing the water.Every year on Nag Panchami, the act of depicting Lord Vishnu reclining on the coiled-up mystical snake or "Shesha" isrepeated in the Kund.(B,D)Day 3:-Your Moksha tour (Varanasi) end.Cost of the package includes:- Transfer to and from Airport & Railways station. Hotel Accommodation on twin share basis. Meals at Hotel (. The menus are pre-set menus provided for meals on the tour. All sightseeing by A/c transport .As per mention in itineraries. Services of a professional local English speaking guide for all sightseeing / excursion’s. 01bottle of mineral water every day to each tourist (1L). All currently applicable taxes and service charges.Cost of the package does not Include:- Airfare to and from the starting point. All entrance of Monument & Museum fees, as per itineraries. Any kind of personal expenses or optional tour / re-entry of Monument & Museum. Any thing not specifically mentioned under the head “PRICE INCLUDED “. Tips, Insurance, laundry, Phone, Extra meals and camera/video. The service of vehicle is not included on leiser days & after the sightseeing tour as peritinerary. Any kind of drinks (Alcoholic, Mineral water, Tea, Coffe etc. Medical and Travel insurance. Any over stay expenses due to flight/train/coach cancellation, road blocks,governmental strikes, riots, sickness, weather conditions, war or any other causewhatsoever. The rates quoted are subject to change, should there be any increases in Park Fees, Fuel,Sales Tax or VAT, third party services, or any other circumstances beyond our control inthe regions featured in this quote/booking.
