South India: Temples and TraditionsWith Professor Sara Dickey
January 22 - February 8, 2011
Join Far Horiozns on an 18-day archaeological tour to South India. Immerse yourself in a history spanning over two thousand years, a region that is home to myriad of extraordinary dynasties and empires. Dive into an area of India which has managed to retain the essence of its mystique despite invasions both historical and modern. From Hampi and Chikmagalur and Karaikudi to Tanjore, the temples we visit contain some of the greatest architectural and sculptural achievements in India and the cuisine we indulge in will satisfy every sense. Whether swept away by the fragrance of the tea, the vibrant deities of the Hindu cosmos or our view of the Cardamom Hills, we find ourselves intoxicated.
Several of our overnights are memorable as we stay in the Spice Village, a series of grass-thatched bungalows set among the old tea plantations; the Sterling Swamimalai where charming cottages are nestled in lush gardens and the Coconut Lagoon in Kerala’s Backwaters.
A journey to this hemisphere offers the receptive traveler an exceptional opportunity to explore a unique and often seemingly enchanted land.
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(B) breakfast, (L) lunch, (D) dinner
Day 1 Begin our tour: Begin our cultural tour onboard our flight from New York to Bangalore.
Day 2: Arrive in Bangalore, the capital city of the southern Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore was founded in the 16th century and is known as the Garden City. Today it is regarded as India’s “Silicon Valley.” Transfer to The Park, a charming boutique hotel, our home for one night.
Day 3: Today we drive north to Hospet, our base for Hampi, or Vijayanagara—the City of Victory. Overnight for two nights in the Malligi Tourist Home in Hospet. (B/L/D)
Day 4 Tour of Hampi: All day will be spent in Hampi, the seat of the famed Vijayanagara Empire and the capital of the largest kingdom in post-Mogul India. Although in ruins today, this city once boasted riches known far beyond the shores of India and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Virupaksha Temple contains the shrines of Shiva, Pampa, and Bhuvaneswari. It has a conspicuous, 164-foot-high gopura, or entrance tower, and parts of this temple are older than the rest of the Vijayanagara monuments. The monolith—21 feet high—of Ugra Narasimha is nearby. It was carved from a single boulder in 1528 and presents an image of Vishnu. The Hazara Ramachandra Temple may have been the private place of worship for the royal family. The most splendid monument of Hampi is undoubtedly the Vitthala Temple Complex with its 56 musical pillars that resonate when tapped. The Lotus Mahal, shaped like a lotus flower, was the air-cooled summer palace of the the queen. The Krishna Temple is a monumental complex east of Virupaksha Temple dedicated to lord Krishna, one of the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu. The King's Balance, near Vitthala Temple, is where kings were weighed against grain, gold, or money which was then distributed to the poor. And then see the Queen's Bath with lotus-shaped fountains that once spouted perfumed water. Our walk includes the Elephant Stables which housed these huge royal pachyderms. (B/L/D)
Day 5: Today is a travel day as we drive from Hospet to Chikmaglur. Overnight for two nights in the Gateway Hotel in Chikmagalur, a lovely 29-room resort set at 4,000 feet altitude in coffee producing countryside. (B/L/D)
Day 6: The morning is free to relax by the pool or explore the area. In the afternoon, visit Belur and Halebid for a style of architecture unique to the region. The buildings here were built in the twelfth to thirteenth centuries by Hoysala rulers. Each small, compact temple is lavishly decorated with sculpture, and the decorations cover every inch of wall space. This tightly packed sculptural scheme is exclusive to Hoysala art and was never replicated. Prime sites in the area include Hoysaleshvara Temple in Halebid, with the Archaeological Museum, and Chennakeshava Temple in Belur. (B/L/D)
Day 7: Begin at Sravanabelgola, where we climb a flight of 614 steps (you can take a palanquin!), finely chiseled into the granite of the mountain, to the summit. Here, the sixty foot tall statue of Sri Gomatheswar, carved more than one thousand years ago, dominates the open plaza. It is purported to be the tallest free-standing statue in the world. Continue to Bangalore for our flight to picturesque Cochin, an important spice trading center and sea port. Pepper and cardamom, cinnamon and ginger, nutmeg, mace and anise from the Periyar hills – all were transported to Cochin to be shipped to a spice-hungry world. Overnight for two nights at the elegant Brunton Boatyards stretching along the city’s historic waterfront overlooking the sea and created from a Victorian boatyard. Enjoy a late dinner at our hotel. (B/L/D)
Day 8 Tour of Cochin: Cochin is full of echoes of Kerala's past colonizers, including Hindu and Mughal dynasties, Portuguese and Dutch conquerors, and the British Empire - which came seeking control of the lucrative pepper trade. The city hosts the oldest church in India, 500-year-old Portuguese houses, old tiled houses built in the Chinese pagoda style, and a Jewish community whose roots go back to the Diaspora. Spend the morning seeing the sites of this lovely city including Mattancherry Palace (Dutch Palace), built by the Portuguese in 1557 and containing stunning murals depicting scenes from the Ramayana, Mahabharata and Puranic legends. This afternoon is free to explore on your own and dinner is free to enjoy one of Cochin’s excellent restaurants. (B/L)
Day 9 Kerala Backwaters tour: Drive to Allepey where we board a traditional houseboat and spend several hours drifting through the backwaters of Kerala toward Kumbakonam enjoying lunch onboard. The backwaters are a network of canals, lakes, lagoons and estuaries stretching over almost 1000 square miles. Here, palm-fringed narrow canals wind through a vast expanse of paddy fields. As we float along, enjoy the picturesque hamlets that line the banks, migratory birds in abundance, water lilies and coconut groves. Our ride ends at Coconut Lagoon Resort located on the edge of the great Vembanad Lake. Fittingly, the resort can be reached only by water. The tile-roofed bungalows, set amidst lush foliage will be our home for one night. (B/L/D)
Day 10 Tour of Periyar Tiger Reserve: Today’s journey takes us through a panorama of cardamom, coffee and pepper plantations to Periyar Tiger Reserve, located high in the western Ghats of Kerala and one of the 27 tiger sanctuaries in India. This zealously guarded preserve is a repository of rare, endemic and endangered flora and fauna and forms the major watershed of two important rivers of Kerala. The protected area is encircled by mountains – the Cardamon Hills to the north and a 4000-foot high plateau to the west – and surrounds the picturesque Periyar Lake, which provides a permanent source of water for the local wildlife. With luck, we will spy herds of elephants and antelope, various monkeys , and the elusive tiger. Overnight tonight in the Spice Village Resort, a series of grass-thatched bungalows set among the old tea plantations. (B/L/D)
Day 11: Madurai, one of South India's great temple towns, is synonymous with the celebrated Meenakshi Temple. The area around Madurai has a rich cultural heritage passed on from the great Tamil realm more than 2500 years ago. It was an important cultural and commercial center even as early as 550 A.D. and was the capital city for the great Pandya kings. Tirumalai Nayak Palace was built in 1636 A.D. by one of the Madurai Nayak rulers. During the nineteenth century the Governor of Madras renovated the complex, and today only the spacious rectangular courtyard called the Swarga Vilasam and a few adjoining buildings survive. Their imposing scale evokes the grandeur of a vanished era. Encircled by high walls and containing twelve soaring gopura towers, the enormous Meenakshi Temple complex is dedicated to Shiva. The towers are completely covered with stucco figures of vividly painted deities and mythical animals. Depart Madurai for our drive to Karaikudi, capital of the Chettinad region in the state of Tamil Nadu, and the original homeland of the Nattukottai Chettiars, a prosperous merchant community dating from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The wealth of the traders is displayed in the area’s palatial houses notable for their ornate doorways, chandeliers, and carved wooden ceilings. Overnight for two nights in one of these grand homes, now a resort in Visalam near Karaikudi. (B/L/D)
Day 12: We spend today in Karaikudi’s historical environs including a stop at a neighboring village, home to one of the most imposing mansions in the region, as well as the Illayankudi Patti or Ayyanar temple. Ayyanar temples are not as architecturally elaborate as many of the other temples we have visited but their deities are often painted in vibrant hues. The connection between crafts and worship is particular to Ayyanar temples. At an auspicious time, the villages collect money and commission the priest and his family to make new terracotta horses for Ayyanar and, if necessary, a new Ayyanar too. This area is rich in craft-makers from stone and wood carvers to silversmiths. We visit local artisanal workshops to observe the traditional hand-loomed weaving of the bold and vibrant patterned cotton used for the famous Chettinad saris as well as the enduring art of Athangudi tile making. There is time for an exploration of Karaikudi’s famous Antique Market. (B/L/D)
Day 13: Drive to Thanjavur (Tanjore) with a stop in Trichy (Tiruchirappalli) where we visit Srirangam, an important pilgrimage center for devotees of Vishnu. The island town is enclosed within the seven walls of the gigantic Raganatha Temple. Covering 600 acres, Raganatha Temple is the largest temple in India and the largest functioning Hindu temple in the world. Ucchi Pillayar Koil Rock Fort Temple, dedicated to Ganesh, is perched high on a rocky hill and towers over the town. Amma Mandapam Ghat is on the banks of the river and is the site of a series of ceremonies and rituals, as pilgrims bathe for good fortune, priests pray for childbirth, and mourners scatter ashes. Worshippers come here to purify themselves before offering further puja, or prayers, at the temple. Overnight in the Parisutham Hotel in Tanjore. (B/L/D)
Day 14: This morning we visit Brihadishvara Temple, completed in 1010 A.D. and an outstanding example of Chola architecture. The gigantic statue of Nandi the Bull guards the inner shrine, and the courtyard walls of the sanctum are covered with paintings from the Chola and Nayak periods, comparable to the famous Ajanta cave frescoes. After visiting the temple, drive to Kumbakonam one of the oldest towns in south India and the capital of the Chola kings in the seventh century. There is a multitude of fascinating temples in the center of town dedicated to Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva including the Sarangapani Temple and the Nageshvara Temple used for sun worship during a three-day period in April. Recently declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Airavateshvara Temple at nearby Darasuram is one of the oldest of the Chola temples. Also visit Adi Kumbeswarar Temple, on the east side of Mahamaham Tank, reputed to be more than 1300 years old. Overnight in the Sterling Swamimalai, a one hundred year old Heritage hotel. (B/L/D)
Day 15: Depart this morning for Chidambaram where we visit Natarajar Temple, one of the most ancient and celebrated shrines in India. The roof of this Shiva temple has 21,600 gold tiles and 72,000 nails, and represent the breaths a person takes each day. We continue to Mamallapuram (Mahabalipuram), the chief seaport of the Pallava kings who ruled over much of south India from as early as the first century B.C. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Mamallapuram is recognized for some of the greatest architectural and sculptural achievements in India. At the southern edge of the site there is a group of five free-standing temples. Four of them were carved out of a single, long granite boulder and are detailed replicas of ancient wooden structures. Built of granite blocks, the Shore Temple is the earliest known example of a stone-built temple in south India. The sculptured rock relief known as Bhagiratha’s Penance illustrates the descent of the Ganges, which begins in the heavens as the Milky Way. The celestial river descends from the sky to the summit of Mount Meru, the cosmic axis mountain, and then splashes and flows through the Hindu world. Overnight for two nights in the luxurious GRT Temple Bay Hotel, built along a beautiful beach overlooking the Bay of Bengal in Mamallapuram. (B/L/D)
Day 16: This morning we explore Kanchipuram (Kanchi). This city has served as a royal capital to great empires for centuries, and this is reflected in its many exceptional temples. The temple of Kailasanatha, dedicated to Shiva, contains splendid carvings of divinities, including a depiction of a dance competition between Lord Shiva and the goddess Parvati. Vaikuntha Perumal Temple depicts the warlike feats of the Pallava rulers in bas-relief style on the temple walls. Ekambareshvara Temple contains one of the tallest gopuras in India, and the inner walls are decorated with 1,008 Shiva linga. Varadharaja Perumal Temple was built by the Cholas in 1053 A.D. Enjoy our Farewell Dinner this evening. (B/L/D)
Day 17: In the morning, drive to Chennai with a stop at the Dakshin Chitra Folk Museum. In the early afternoon transfer to the GRT Grand Hotel with time to relax and freshen up before transferring to the airport for our evening international flights back to the U.S.A. (B/L)
Day 18: Arrive U.S.A.
STUDY LEADER: Sara Dickey received her B.A. from the University of Washington and her Ph.D. from the University of California at San Diego, both in Anthropology. She is currently Professor of Anthropology at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, where she has taught since 1988. She has also served as Faculty Director of the South India Term Abroad program, an undergraduate study-abroad program based in Madurai. Her research focuses on class identities and relations in urban India, Tamil cinema, and the links between cinema and politics in South India. Professor Dickey is the author of Cinema and the Urban Poor in South India and co-editor of Home and Hegemony: Domestic Service and Identity Politics in South and Southeast Asia. [She has published numerous articles, the most recent of which include “The Pleasures and Anxieties of Being in the Middle: Emerging Middle Class Identities in Urban South India,” and “Fantasy, Escape, and other Mixed Delights: What Have Film Analysts Seen in Popular Indian Cinema?”] She has received grants from the National Science Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, the American Institute of Indian Studies, and the Freeman Foundation. Professor Dickey has been a Visiting Scholar at the University of Pennsylvania South Asia Studies Department and at the Institute for Research on Women at Rutgers University, and has been invited to speak at Harvard University, the University of Chicago, the University of Iowa, the School of Oriental and African Studies, and Manchester University. She has worked and traveled throughout South India since 1985 and is fluent in Tamil.
January 22 – February 8, 2011
$9,995.00 (per person, double occupancy) includes international flights from New York; all hotels, most meals (as noted), entry fees, and ground transportation and three domestic flights within India.
Cost Does Not Include:A separate donation check for $150.00 per participant made out to the designated donation project, passport or visa fees, airport taxes, gratuities to guides and drivers; beverage or food not on regular menus; alcoholic drinks; laundry; excess baggage charges; email, telephone and fax charges; or other items of a personal nature.
Single Supplement: $1575.00. Should a roommate be requested and one not be available, the single supplement will be charged.
Fuel Surcharges: Far Horizons must pass on price increases when additional fuel charges are levied.
Donation Checks: As a tour company that benefits from the cultural and natural riches of our destinations, we have a policy of donating to the scientific and cultural projects and museums we visit. This has created a bond between Far Horizons and the academic and local communities that has helped us establish an extensive list of lecturers and contacts in each of our destinations. We ask that each participant write a check to the designated donation project. The donation amount is $150.00 per person and is made by check directly to the donation project. Note that the donation is required as part of your registration for the trip and that it is non-refundable. We will designate a donation project shortly.
A deposit of $500.00 and the separate donation check for $150.00 (made out to the designated project) are required along with your registration form. Final payment is due 75 days before departure. Upon receipt of your deposit and completed registration form, you will be sent a reading list and a tour bulletin containing travel information. Prior to the trip, we will send links to various websites of pertinent interest to the trip. Click here to download our Registration Form.
Cancellations and RefundsCancellations received in writing at least 75 days before departure will result in an administrative fee of $250.00 per person. Cancellations received less than 75 days before departure will not receive a refund. If forany reason you are unable to complete the tour, we will not reimburse any fees. Registrants are strongly advised to buy travel insurance that includes trip cancellation.
If you do not fly on the group flight, you are responsible for all flight arrangements and transportation (including airport transfers) to join the group. If Far Horizons must change the trip dates or cancel the trip for any reason, Far Horizons is not responsible for any air ticket you may have purchased.
Changes in our itinerary, accommodations, and transportation schedules may occur. A good book to read as well as a flexible attitude and a sense of humor are essential.
CULTURAL TOUR LIMITED TO 17 PARTICIPANTS
