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Mutiny 1857 India Tour
The Mughal Emperors of India bestowed upon themselves
seemingly appropriate grand and pompous titles such as
`Kings of the World' & Shadows of God'. Attracted by the
Mughal wealth and splendor, European traders and
entrepreneurs found their way to the fascinating Indian
sub-continent. India was till then believed to be the
richest country in the world.
By the mid 18th century (1757) the British East India
Company slowly and gradually gained commercial and
military control of the Mughal Empire, while subdued
Mughal Emperors continued to live powerless but
luxurious lives in magnificent palaces. There was much
discontent among Indian rulers over annexation of their
territories and the divide and rule policies of the
British and many parts of North India were rife with
rumours and suspicions. However, the lack of the feeling
of Indianness, among the masses who were ruled by
various princely states prevented the formation of a
united opposition to British rule.
The undercurrents of rebellion by the Indian Sepoys (
sipahi in Hindi meaning soldier) festered over a period
of time owing to various harsh steps taken by the
British and in 1857 when some measures hurt religious
sentiments it took the shape of a full rebellion against
British India control.
On this tightly packed tour you will be visiting
significant palaces, forts, monuments and cities of the
Mughal period which was witness to The Mutiny -the
uprising against British control. It was a crude and
brutal war, with both sides resorting to what will now
be described as war crimes. In the end, however, in
terms of sheer numbers, the casualties were
significantly higher on the Indian side. There are many
tales of cruelty, cowardice, heroism and self-sacrifice
on either side. Much has been debated ever since Mangal
Pandey sparked the revolt or The Rising as to whether
this was a war of independence or just a revolt firmly
crushed by the British but the truth is that the British
continued to rule for another ninety years only to be
subdued by a non violent struggle led by Mahatma Gandhi.
This journey takes you down that period in history when
Delhi was not yetthe capital of India but the seat of
the fading Mughal Empire , when the British East India
Company was to hand over the controls directly to the
Queen, Meerut where the rebellion started, Lucknow which
was then the most splendid city of India, Kanpur the
scene of many bloddy battles and Agra an important
historical city with the crowning glory of Mughal
architecture the Taj Mahal a poem in white marble,
mesmerising you with a story of an undying love. |
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DAY 01:
Arrive Delhi and transfer to the Hotel. (Rooms available
after 12:00 noon)
DAY 02:
Delhi - Meerut (80 kms 2 hours)
Today we take an excursion tour of Meerut, this is where
the uprising of 1857 broke out, when the British
unwisely deposed the last nawab of Lucknow. Here we
visit the first church built in Northern India by the
British -St. Johns Church Established in 1819 in Meerut
Cantonment this church was completed in 1822. Set up by
Chaplin Rev. Henry Fish on behalf of the East India
Company; this Church was dedicated to the people by
Bishop Wilson. The church has a seating capacity of
15,000 people. During the 1857 uprising this church was
the scene of heavy fighting between the rebels and the
British forces. We also visit the cemetery near St.
John's church, which also has the grave of General
Ocheterlony, whose monument dominates the maiden in
Kolkata, and other graves of personalities who died
during the Mutiny. Drive through the Indian and British
Cantonments passing the Parade Ground in Lehka Nagar
where the court-martial of 85 gallant sepoys was to
trigger the Mutiny, Residence of Col. Carmichel Smyth
the Commandant of the 3rd Light Cavalry Regiment, the
Rae Course the site of Col. John Finnis's death, he was
the first British to be killed. Lines of the native
infantry regiment and Kali Paltan Temple and other
important sites of the Mutiny. Later we return back to
Delhi. Overnight: Hotel Delhi
DAY 03:
Delhi
Full day tour of Old Delhi, New Delhi was built as the
imperial capital of India by the British while Old Delhi
was the capital of the Muslim India between the 17th and
the 19th centuries - there is a rich legacy of mosques,
and monuments and forts that testifies to this. Visit
Red Fort, the Telegraph Office, Kashmir Gate,
Willoughby's plaque, Skinner's Church built as early as
1836 by James Skinner and Nicholson's Tomb. Later we
visit the northern ridge, passing Mutiny Memorial The
memorial consists of a tapering tower of indifferent
gothic design raised on a high base of local hard stone
paved with red sand stone. Continue to Hindoo Rao's
House and Flag Staff Tower. Drive further north to Civil
Lines, Kingsway Camp and the Coronation Park. Overnight:
Hotel Delhi.
DAY 04:
Delhi - Agra (Drive 200kms - 4 Hrs), Agra - Lucknow (By
Train #4202 MTJ LKO Express Departure: 23:30; Arrival:
06:10 A.M - Lucknow - Next Day):
After and early breakfast, drive to Agra en route photo
stop at Sikandra the sandstone and marble tomb of Akbar
-the greatest of the Mughal emperors. The tomb lies in
the center of a peaceful garden. Continue drive to Agra.
Upon arrival in Agra, visit Agra Fort the scene of panic
in 1857, the self inflected incarceration of 6000
British residents and the battle of Agra. The Agra Fort
contains the Pearl Mosque, the Halls of Public and
Private Audience will be the main focus of interest. At
sun set visit the world famous glorious Taj Mahal built
by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jehan for his queen Mumtaz
Mahal to enshrine her mortal remains. Overnight on board
the train to Lucknow.
Later in the evening we are transferred to the Railway
Station in time to board our train to Lucknow.
Overnight: On board Train to Lucknow
DAY 05:
Lucknow
Early morning arrive Lucknow and transfer to the Hotel.
Lucknow - The capital of Uttar Pradesh rose to
prominence as the center of the nawabs of Avadh. who
controlled a region of north-central India for about a
century after the decline of Mughal Empire. The capital
of Avadh was moved from Faizabad to Lucknow during the
reign of Asaf-ud-Daula (1775-97). After Sa'adat Ali Khan
(1798 - 1814), the rest of the Avadh nawabs were
uniformly hopeless at running affairs of the state.
Wajid Ali Sha (1847 - 56) was so extravagant and in 1856
the British annexed Avadh, exiling the incompetent Wajid
Ali Shah to a Palace in Kolkata with an annual pension
of UK POUND 1,20,000. The annexation was one of the
sparks that ignited the Indian Uprising of 1857. After
breakfast a tour of the 18thC capital of the Kings of
Avadh. A full day in Mutiny Lucknow, the center stage
being the Residency built in 1800 for the British
Resident, this group of buildings became the stage for
the most dramatic events of the Uprising of 1857 - the
Siege of Lucknow. We also visit the cemetery at the
nearby ruined church has the graves of 2000 men, women
and children including that of Sir Henry Lawrence, who
tried to do his duty according to the famous inscription
on his weathered gravestone. We will visit the Sikander
Bagh and the extraordinary edifice of the La Martiniere
School.. Overnight: Hotel Lucknow
DAY 06:
Lucknow-Kanpur-Lucknow
Morning drive to Kanpur (2 hours).
Pausing on the outskirts of Lucknow to visit Havelock's
Tomb.
Today, Kanpur is a sprawling industrial town with a
military camp almost exactly as the British left it.
Today we visit to the site of Wheeler's Entrenchment
inside the Cantonment and the adjacent All Souls Church
with brass memorials to some of the central victims and
survivors of the massacres as well as a series of marble
panels engraved with more than a thousand victims'
names. Afterwards we will drive a short distance towards
the Ganges before walking down the ravine to the
Satichaura Ghat. Visit the Memorial Park and the Hanging
tree, and the well near the Bibighar. Return to Lucknow
to the Hotel. Overnight:Hotel Lucknow
DAY 7:
Lucknow - Delhi
Morning at leisure for independent activities. Afternoon
transfer to Lucknow railway station for Shatabdi Express
to Delhi. Upon arrival at Delhi railway station you are
transferred to the Hotel . Overnight:Hotel Delhi
DAY 8:
After breakfast, a tour of New Delhi to see the British
built 8th city of Delhi and Qutab Minar the landmark of
Delhi. Return to the hotel and check out. (Rooms only
available till 12:00 noon). You are free till your
departure to the International airport. |
