BENGAL DESPATCH 13:
GRAND GANGES

DAY 1

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Arrive in the ancient city of Varanasi, a timeless jewel on the sacred Ganges. The City of Light is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities of the world, dating back 3,000 years. Mark Twain once wrote: "Benaras (Varanasi) is older than history, older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend, and looks twice as old as all of them put together". An accurate description, Varanasi is arresting to your every sense yet beautifully spiritual for those willing to let go and just be. It is the most important religious site for Hindus and visited by people from all walks of life who come here in the hope of attaining moksha or salvation.

 

Embark your ship mid-day onwards. Enjoy a cultural performance and welcome dinner on board.

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DAY 2

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​This morning you’ll sail past the Ghats of Varanasi. Disembark and take a walk through the busy alleyways of Varanasi to experience the beating heart of the city. Afternoon, visit Ramnagar to see the Maharaja’s Palace and museum. Evening join the Ganga Aarti ceremony, where young priests perform their daily rituals with brass lamps and spiritual mantras in front of large crowds from all over India and the world. A truly mesmerizing experience, this Aarti is the essence of Varanasi. Return to the ship.

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DAY 3

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​Today morning starts early as you take rowing boats at dawn past the busy morning rituals and colorful bathing ghats of Varanasi. After a reviving breakfast in the vessel, you’ll be driven to visit the Buddhist site at Sarnath, the Deer Park where the Buddha preached his first sermon and the archaeological museum. Return to ship for lunch

and cruise downstream towards Ghazipur

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DAY 4

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​This morning you continue your journey downstream, disembarking at Ghazipur after breakfast. Visit the imposing tomb of Lord Cornwallis, the General defeated by George Washington in 1781 at Yorktown, so arguably responsible for the loss of the American colonies. If time permits you can take a stroll through the busy Ghazipur
bazaar, which offers a quintessential Indian experience. Later, sail down past Buxar to anchor near the confluence of the Ghaghara.

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DAY 5

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​Cruise past the busy river port of Doriganj and the confluence with the Sone River to a ghat from which you’ll visit the small yet spectacular Mughal tomb at Maner. Later cruise down to Patna. Disembark to take tour of Patna, visiting the 18th century Gola Ghar granary, and the rich collections of the State Museum. Enjoy local cultural

performance onboard.

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DAY 6

​This morning, visit the great Sikh temple at Patna. Return to your ship and cruise down to the great bridge at Mokameh, where the naturalist Jim Corbett spent his working life overseeing the ferry crossing.

 

DAY 7

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​Today you will sail down to Monghyr, with its large Mughal fort and East India Company cemetery, where villagers now live among the grandiose tombs. You’ll also visit Pirpahar Hill, crowned by a fine old mansion, and the SitaKund hot springs, before continuing your cruise downstream to anchor near Jahangira Island at Sultanganj, a place of pilgrimage with early Hindu carvings in the rock. On shore, another picturesque rock is topped with a mosque

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DAY 8

​Sailing on this morning, you journey along a stretch of the river where Gangetic Dolphin may be seen; you sail on, passing close to the island shrine at Colganj, boasting both Buddhist and Hindu cave temples, and a darker past as the former home of the murderous Thug Sect. Close to here you visit idyllic Bateshwar with 6th century Hindu carvings and the nearby ruins of an 8th century Buddhist stupa and monastery at Vikramshila. You’ll anchor for the night near the confluence with the Kosi, which flows down from Nepal.

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DAY 9

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This morning you pass beneath the Rajmahal Hills to Farakka, Drive to explore Gour, the rich tapestry of historical influences in the region, travelling from 12th century Hindu rule to the Muslim capital of Eastern India in just one, quiet and deserted spot. The remains of mosques, palaces, and gateways tell the tale of what was once one of
India’s great cities. Return to your ship which would have crossed the lock, and waiting for you.

 

Set sail down the Lower Ganges, a charming waterway twisting and turning between banks lined with mango orchards. Moor at Baranagar for the night.

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DAY 10

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This morning you’ll visit the delightfully sleepy village of Baranagar and take a tranquil walk through fields to visit gorgeous miniature terracotta temples. This is certainly rural India at its most idyllic. Continue on down past Azimganj, boasting some fine riverside mansions, to Murshidabad where the Nawab’s great Hazarduari Palace dominates the waterfront. Built by an English architect in 1837, the palace hosts an extensive collection of pictures, china, weapons and other objects. Carry on visiting the great Katra Mosque before driving out to see the Katgola Palace. Built in classical Georgian style by rich local merchants, Katgola Palace represents the other side of the coin of the 'White
Mughal' period when English and Indian cultures came close to fusion. Moor overnight on the riverbank across from town. Enjoy a tandoori BBQ on the sundeck.

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DAY 11

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Sail downstream a short distance then walk to the Khushbagh, a peaceful Mughal-style garden enclosing the tombs of Siraj-ud-Daulah – the last independent Nawab of Bengal – and his family. Return to the ship and continue downstream past the old British cantonment of Berhampur. You’ll moor at a rural spot close to the battlefield of
Plassey where, in 1757, Robert Clive, the Commander-in-Chief of British India, defeated Siraj-ud-Daulah to change the course of Indian history. You can walk through the fields to the commemorative obelisk before cruising on to a mooring near Katwa, a market town with narrow bustling bazaars.Baul performance done by local

artisans at Katwa.

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DAY 12

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Visit the brass working village of Matiari where you can see the traditional craft of beating out brass water pots and other vessels. Continue on through the countryside to Mayapur to visit the vast new ISKCON (International Society for Krishna Consciousness) a guided tour by the ISKCON monk to show temple which dominates the skyline. As the headquarters of ISKCON, or the Hare Krishna movement, the temple receives over a million singing and dancing devotees a year from around the world. Continue on to the country town of Kalna.

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DAY 13

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Morning take rickshaw’s to see some of Bengal’s most attractive terracotta temples, as well as the unique Shiva temple with concentric rings made up of 108 shrinelets. Sailing on, you leave the fields behind and arrive at the outskirts of bustling Kolkata. Land at Chandernagore, a French possession until 1950, you’ll visit the 18th century
church and Dupleix Palace, former residence of the Governor-General of French India, cruise down subject to river tide, cruise under the Howrah Bridge to reach central Kolkata.

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DAY 14

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Today after breakfast, make the final disembarkation and get transferred to central Kolkata hotel or the airport.

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•  The cruise itinerary is subject to river and weather conditions

•  The driving duration during the itinerary is approximate and is subject weather and road conditions.

•  The cruise manager can make changes in the itinerary depending on the prevailing

• local, river and weather conditions.