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India Rails : The Royal Orient

The Royal Orient train cruise recreates the royal era of rail travel, when the Maharajahs, Nawabs and the European visitors to Gujarat travelled in exclusive railway saloon carriages. The train comprises luxuriously appointed saloons of four twin bedded cabins each, with a bathroom between every two cabins, deluxe dining cars and a lounge with bar and entertainment facilities. The train has acquired a fine reputation for its facilities, food and itinerary covering three states-Gujarat, Rajasthan, and the union territory of Diu in a week of travelling by rail and sightseeing by a/c motor coaches. Passengers will see the historic fortress of Chittaurgarh, the lakeshore palaces of Udaipur, the 11th century Sun temple at Modhera, the stepwells of Patan and Adalaj, the lion sanctuary of Gir, the beaches and historic monuments of Diu, the Jain complex atop Shatrunjaya hill at Palitana, the monuments of Ahmedabad, the Jain temples of Ranakpur and the forts and palaces of Jaipur.

Itinerary

Day 1
The Desert Queen, a magnificent steam locomotive, draws the meter gauge train from Dehli, amid a festive farewell, before she is replaced by a diesel locomotive in the Arravallis.

Day 2
The train arrives at Chittaurgarh, where passengers get to see the majestic fortified complex of Chittaurgarh, enclosing within its huge walls and battlements, a number of palaces, towers of fame and victory, reservoirs, temples, gardens and other reminders of medieval Mewar. Next on the agenda is Udaipur, where after Akhbar's siege of Chittaurgarh, the Mewar royals moved their capital. Udaipur is famous for its City palace, one of the largest of its kind in Rajasthan, the Saheliyon ki bari and other 18th century gardens with fountains, fantasy island palaces, and cultural centres working to promote arts, crafts and puppetry. A selection of Udaipur's many sights and a meal in a palace hotel are some of the highlights of The Royal Orient's Udaipur sojourn.

Day 3
The passengers arrive at Mehsana in the morning, and travel in aircon coaches, to see the fabulous monuments built during the reign of the Solanki Rajputs over Gujarat, the golden period of architecture in north Gujarat. The 11th century Sun temple of Modhera, one of the finest examples of devotional architecture in India, and the 11th century Rani ki vav stepwell of Patan, known for its fabulous subterranean architecture and exquisite sculpture, are the architectural highlights of the morning sightseeing tour. Another highlight is the Patola silk weaving workshop where the last of the double ikkat weavers in India can be watched at work on frameless looms, producing the finest of silk fabrics.

The next stop, after Mehsana, is the city7 of Ahmedabad, Gujarat's largest city and one of the greatest cities of India. Ahmedabad has delightful monuments like the Sidi Saiyad mosque, museums like the Calico museum of textiles and the Gandhi ashram where the Mahatma dwelt. At Adalaj, near Ahmedabad, travellers can see yet another exquisite example of medieval stepwell architecture.

Day 4
The journey continues to Sasan, the headquarters of Gir national park and wildlife sanctuary, home of the last of Asia's lions and a variety of other mammals. The mix of habitats offers delightful birding as well. After the safari, it is down to Somnath to see the holy shore temples, and then onwards to Delwada, the nearest railhead for the fine white sand Ahmedpur Mandvi beach. Ahmedpur Mandvi is at the entrance to Diu UT, and provides an opportunity to visit the huge battlemented 16th century Portuguese fort, the 17th century churches and pretty palm fringed beaches of Diu.

Day 5
After the Portuguese churches of Diu, comes the Jain pilgrim town of Palitana, overlooked by the fabulous temple complex on the sacred summit of Shatrunnjaya hill. There are about 863 temples clustered on two ridges of the hilltop. Roam the complex and see some fine carvings and architectural detailing. The view from above is nothing short of magnificent. After descending from Palitana, travel to Sarkhej, a historic suburb of Ahmedabad, and see the mausoleum complex which is one of the largest in western India. Within the complex are tombs of saints and sultans, a Jumma Masjid, and a reservoir faced by two palatial pavilions, a mardana with an archway tall enough for elephants with howdahs on their backs to transport sultans to their chambers, and the other a zanana with arch screens for women of royal descent. Vishalla, a themed village restaurant at Sarkhej, offers a delightful recreated rural atmosphere and has a utensils museum with the owner's one man collection on public display

Day 6
After the Islamic complex of Sarkhej, near Ahmedabad, comes the majestic temple complex of Ranakpur north of Udaipur, with its exquisite Jain temples and medieval Sun temple. The Chaumukha temple at Ranakpur, the largest Jain temple in India, has 1444 pillars no two of which are exactly alike.

Day 7
The train continues on a journey to Jaipur, a city that is flush with pink palaces and stone fortresses. Visit the Amber fort, which offers a delightful array of vistas from the 12th century temples and wells in the historic Amber town to the mighty battlements of Jaigarh fort straddling the rocky hilltop. The highlights of Amber are the 17th and 18th century palaces, embellished with murals, meenakari, domes, ornate pillars and jali-work. An elephant ride to the fort offers a delightful way to reach the palace complex and views of the sepia-toned hills, around Amber, and the calm Maota lake, at the foot of the ascent to the fortified complex. Jaipur city has a splendid City palace, a Hawa mahal (wind pavilion) and the Jantar Mantar, a historic observatory.

Day 8
Back to Dehli

The Weekend Option

For those visiting Ahmedabad, an excellent weekend break can be a trip on the Royal orient.

Frieday : Arrive at Ahmedabad and see the 11th century monuments and handicrafts of Mehsana district. In the afternoon see the many interesting sights of Ahmedabad city.

Saturday : Travel to Sasan and visit the Gir national park, before continuing to the shore temples of Somnath, and finally the hmedpur Mandvi beach and Diu island, known for its Portuguese architecture.

Sunday : Early morning at Palitana, and an ascent to the 863temple cluster on Shatrunnjaya hills. In the evening return to Ahmedabad and disembark at Sarkhej station, around which are numerous interesting places to see.