Overnight at the hotel.
The road from Udaipur to Eklingji is very beautiful. The undulating countryside, gentle hills and valleys carry the charm of the miniature paintings of this region. About thirty kilometers north of Udaipur is an ancient temple called Eklingji dedicated to Shiva. The temple was originally built by the founder of the Mewar family who came upon this site one day when he was herding his cattle. A holy sage he met there advised him to build this temple and the stone image, a linga of Shiva with four faces, became the patron deity of the royal family. Even today the Maharana worships here and he is considered the minister of Eklingji. The temple was rebuilt in the fourteenth century in granite and marble, and is still a celebrated pilgrimage site in Rajasthan (open alas to Hindus only). Nagada Temples – About four kilometers to the west of Eklingji are some interesting ruined eleventh century temples called Sas-Bahu (for some reason, the mother-in-law and the daughter-in-law temples) with exquisite stone carvings.
Overnight at the hotel.
Pushkar is a mellow, serene and bewitching little town which attracts those in search of some respite from the tumult of India. Pushkar is right on the edge of the desert and is only 11 kms from Ajmer but separated from it by Nag Pahar, the snake mountain This traveler-friendly town clings to the side of the small Pushkar Lake with its many bathing ghats and temples. For Hindus, Puhskar is a very important pilgrimage centre and you’ll see plenty of Sadhus (individuals on a spiritual search). Pushkar boasts temples, though few are as ancient as you might expect at such an important pilgrimage site, since many were desecrated by Aurangzeb and subsequently rebuilt. The most famous is the Brahma Temple, said to be one of the few temples in the world dedicated to this deity. It’s marked by red spire, and over the entrance gateway is the hans, or goose symbol, of Brahma, who is said to have personally chosen Pushkar as its site.
Over night at Pushkar.
Over night at Jaipur.
Here are the private chambers of the queens with windows having latticed screens so that the ladies could watch the proceedings of the royal court inprivacy. There is also the Jai Mandir or the “Temple of Vicotry”, with its famed Sheesh Mahal, the scintillating “Hall of Mirrors”. Afternoon sightseeing tour of Jaipur city visiting City Palace, Hawa Mahal and Jantar Mantar (Observatory). The City Palace is now converted into a museum, except a small portion that is still used by the royal family of Jaipur. Built in the fortified campus style, the palace covers almost one-seventh part of the city.
One of the major attractions in the museum is the portion that is devoted to the arms and ammunition used by the warrious family in the past. Other important attractions are the Textile and Costume Museum, Art Gallery, Chandra Mahal, Mubarak Mahal, and Diwan-i-Khas and Diwan-i-Am. Drive past Hawa Mahal – Strange though it may seem, this most famous landmark of Jaipur is not actually a palace but a series of sandstone screens. This pink structure was constructed so that the ladies of the palace could watch the royal processions without being seen by any outsider. This sandstone edifice was named Palace of Winds after the many brass wind vanes that adorned it until 1960s. Also visit Observatory Overnight at the hotel.
Arrive Agra and check in at hotel After lunch you will be given the city tour of Agra. Visit the Taj Mahal, unquestionably one of the most beautiful buildings in the entire world, Taj Mahal (closed on Fridays) built in 1630 by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his deceased wife Mumtaz Mahal to enshrine her mortal remains. The monument has been described as the most extravagant ever built for love, for the emperor was heart-broken when Mumtaz, to whom he had been married for 17 years, and who died in 1629 in childbirth soon after delivering her 14th child.
Visit the Agra Fort – Built by Emperor Akbar on the west bank of the river Yamuna and beautified with palaces and gardens by Jehangir, Agra Fort today dominates the centre of the city. The crescent-shaped fort with its 20-metre high, 2.4-km outer walls contains a maze of buildings that form a small city within a city. One can enter the fort only through the Amar Singh Gate. The public access is limited to the southern part of the fort which includes nearly all the buildings of tourist interest. The Diwan-i-Aam (hall of public audience) and Diwan-i-Khas (hall of private audience) were built by Shahjahan for receiving audiences. Jehangir’s palace built by Akbar was the largest private residence in the fort. Close to Diwan-i-Khas, stands an octagonal tower known as Musamman Burj. It was here that Shahjahan breathed his last after seven years of imprisonment. Other places to see within the fort include the Khas Mahal and the Anguri Bagh (the Grape Garden).
Overnight at the hotel.
Check in at hotel Overnight at the hotel.