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Heritage Unfolds as the cruise sails along the River Ganges. Experience the rich cultural and heritage Bengal has to offer on Ganges in the shore excursion as the cruiser drops anchor at several banks for a guided tour with an historian.
Day 1
Morning: Check-in at 7:00 am at the embarkation point - Millennium Park, this is situated in the centre of Kolkata 30 minutes from airport.
Safety and tour briefing.
The cruiser sets sail.
The First excursion will be at Kumartuli, a potter colony at
Kolkata
Or Belur Math, a Hindu temple.
Afternoon -
The British cantonment at Barrackpore.
Barrackpore acquired the name as the site of the first major military base of the British East India Company. It is the first place from where Sipoy Mutiny, the first movement for freedom took place..
Serampore - It was part of Danish India under the name Frederiksnagore from 1755 to 1845.
The college, the church and cemetery are important places to visit.
Day 2
Morning: The last day continues the flavour of colonial Bengal. The day starts with an early morning trip to a Portuguese church at Bandel.
After Breakfast: Chandannagar, a colony of the French till 1950. Museum, Church, French Bakery, a walk along the Strand for tour of the other French architecture.
Afternoon: Excursion to the weavers Colony at Kalna / Shantipur of fine Bengal cotton known as TANT. Opposite is the town of Kalna famous for its terracotta temples.
Day 3
After Breakfast: Mayapur, the headquarters of ISKCON in the evening. The evening prayers and dance in praise of the lord will be highlight of the visit. Opposite is the quiet village of Nabadwip.
Afternoon/Evening: Walk through the artisan colony of Matiari at Katwa. The kansari here do traditional brass vessel.
Day 4
After Breakfast: Whole day tour of Murshidabad and
Plassey. Plassey is the battlefield where the battle between Siraj Ud Daulah, the last independent Nawab of Bengal, and the British East India Company took place
Berhampore was the first Head Quarter of the East India Company and having a long history enriched by the Nawabs,Kings, zamindars and other European colonial forces such as Dutch,Armenians, English and French.
Murshidabad is one of the oldest cities of West Bengal and has a rich heritage. The Nawab Murshid Ali Khan made Murshidabad the capital city of Sube Bangla, comprising of Bengal, Bihar and Orissa. It was the last capital of independent Nawabs of Bengal and the first capital of Bengal under the British.
Nizamat Kila (the Fortress of the Nawabs), also known as the Hazaarduari Palace (Palace of a Thousand Doors), built by Duncan McLeod of the Bengal Engineers in 1837, in the Italianate style.
The Moti Jhil (Pearl Lake), beautiful horseshoe shaped lake, just to the south of the palace.
The Muradbagh Palace and the Khushbagh Cemetery, where the remains of Ali Vardi Khan and Siraj Ud Daulah are interred.
For lunch Guests are invited to a palace by The Chhota Nawab of Murshidabad.
In the afternoon, after a sumptuous lunch the visitors have a delightfully expensive shopping experience of Murshidabad silk. Continue exploring the city of Murshidabad by cycle rickshaws, Phaetons.
4:00 pm: Disembark at Hazarduari jetty for return to Kolkata by surface or for onward journey to Tea Gardens / Darjeeling.
The down journey will start in the reverse order and departure from Kolkata will by rail in the afternoon
Check-in at the cruiser at 8pm. Return on the 4th day at 6pm to kolkata.
The experience of culture and heritage of Bengal can be classified as follows:
A . Colonial Past
Barrackpore - British cantonment
Serampore - Danish colony
Chandannagore - French colony
Chinsura - Dutch colony
Bandel - Portuguese colony
B . Art and handicrafts on Bengal
Kumartuli - A pottrer's colony
Shantipur / Phulia - A weavers' colony
Matiari at Katwa - Brass work
C. Temples and architecture
Belur Math
Kalna 108 Shiva Terracotta
Temple
Mayapur
D. Last rulers of Bengal
Battle of Plassey
Murshidabad.
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