Cruise & Rail: The Sacred Ganges & the Maharajas' Express (2027) - 16 days Kolkata to Mumbai

Stroll along the streets of Kalna as you head to the Rajbari temple complex. The Pratapeshwar Temple, built in 1849, is embellished with exceptional terra-cotta carvings depicting myths and rituals, as well as scenes of everyday life (see if you can spot the girl in typical Victorian dress with a violin among the hundreds of figures). Lalji, the oldest temple in the complex, dates to 1739; the three-storied structure is topped with 25 distinctive pinnacles. Next to it is Krishna Chandra, built in a similar style. Across the street you’ll find the amazing Naba Kailash, two concentric circles of intricately carved temples dedicated to Shiva. The inner circle is made up of 34 white temples symbolizing pure thought; the outer circle contains 74 temples symbolizing the everyday world.

This MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience supports Global Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.

Artisans have been making ornamental brass objects— vases, lamps, figurines, platters—in Matiari for more than a century, so it’s no wonder that production is so well-organized and the craftsmen so skillful. Scrap metal is melted in the village foundry and pressed into new sheets of brass, which are then turned into various objects. Each craftsman specializes in a different step of the process, so one artisan might cut the metal, while another shapes it into a wide tray, and yet another etches an intricate pattern onto the surface. The sound of hammer on brass will fill the air as you stroll from workshop to workshop to see each step of the fascinating process.

Back onboard, watch as a skilled practitioner of mehndi demonstrates how the intricate henna patterns are created, and discover the meanings of the traditional motifs.

This MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience supports Global Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.

Your day begins in Murshidabad, long ago the capital of Bengal and an important administrative center during the Raj—a fact that comes clear as the ship rounds a bend in the river and you behold Hazarduari Palace. This massive neoclassical building was erected in the mid-19th century for British officials, who lived and had their offices in its 114 rooms. One might wonder why the architect, Colonel Duncan Macleod of the Bengal Corps, thought the building needed a thousand doors, but that’s how many it has—900 of them are real doors, and the remaining 100 are false. It is now a museum, which you will visit. Climb aboard a horse-drawn buggy for a ride to Katra Mosque, built in 1723 by the first nawab, Murshid Quli Khan, who gave his name to the town. The huge mosque was damaged by an earthquake in 1897, losing two of its four great towers, but it is still a remarkable sight.

Return to the ship for lunch and cruise to the town of Baranagar, where Rani Bhabani built beautiful brick temples in the 18th century. Goats frolic among them now and vines attempt to take them over, but the terra-cotta carvings are considered among the best in Bengal and the temples are well-tended.

After your tour, if time and weather allow, you can learn a bit about one of the Raj’s enduring legacies in India: a passion for that most British of all games, cricket. It remains India’s favorite sport, and the national team, nicknamed the “Men in Blue,” has won the Cricket World Cup more than once. The game is played in schools, in fields, even on village streets; watch it in action and discover the meaning of terms like “long leg,” “fast bowler,” and “run-out.”

Khusbagh, which literally translates to “Garden of Happiness,” is the garden-graveyard of the Nawabs of Bengal. Several historic rulers of this region, including Siraj ud-Daulah and Alivardi Khan, were laid to rest here. Take a walk through the village here, with a visit to see the mausoleum and the arcade verandah that surrounds it.

As the ship comes into sight of Mayapur, look for the new Vedic temple currently under construction. Funded in part by Alfred Ford, great-grandson of Henry Ford, the temple is designed to be larger than St. Paul’s Cathedral in London once completed. The new temple construction coincides with the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Hare Krishna movement, whose founder was born in Mayapur. Millions of Hare Krishna devotees come from all over the world to this pilgrimage site; as you walk through Mayapur’s bazaar to the temple complex, you may well spot expatriates from America, Canada, and Europe. Colorful parades of followers often weave through the streets, adding to the hustle and bustle of the lively, vivid scene. You’ll tour the existing temple complex, get a look at the new Vedic Planetarium, and learn something about the beliefs of the International Society of Krishna Consciousness.

“Liberté, Egalité et Fraternité.” These words, the famous slogan of the French Revolution, are inscribed on the gateposts of Chandannagar, a mark of the centuries the town was a French outpost in West Bengal. In fact, Chandannagar did not officially become part of India until 1952, so when you step ashore here you will find a mixture of French Colonial and Indian architecture. A broad, tree-lined riverfront promenade known as the Strand shows off the handsomest remaining French buildings, and a river winds its way through the town. Chandannagar actually earned its name from the crescent shape of the river, as the Hindi word “chand” translates to “moon.”

Our visit to Chandannagar today includes a stop at the 19th-century Church of the Sacred Heart, as well as the Chandernagore College Museum. The building that houses the museum—which retains an earlier name for the city, from before the mass renaming of Indian city names to better reflect native pronunciation that took place after India gained independence in 1947—was a center for revolution during India's fight for freedom. Now, the heritage wing of the building is a museum dedicated to the revolution and Chandannagar’s history and culture. Local NGOs partner with this museum, and you’ll have the opportunity to browse handmade wares whose proceeds go towards supporting the local orphanages and other groups in need.

Continue this morning with a panoramic tour of Kolkata’s city center. The first stop? A visit to the captivatingly colorful Flower Market. Located adjacent to the Howrah Bridge, this vibrant and bustling market is filled with vendors and buyers exchanging money for flowers to be used in festivals, rituals, weddings, and more. Next, you can choose to visit the NGO Calcutta Rescue or you can see Mother Teresa's home and tomb.

After lunch, you’ll venture to Kumartuli, a traditional potters’ neighborhood that specializes in making intricate clay idols, for a look at this complex and fascinating time-honored tradition. Next, on your way back to the ship, you'll see the many remnants of Kolkata's colonial past. Though teeming Kolkata is home to palaces and tenements, new developments and modern office buildings, grand hotels and parks, its historic architecture reflects its status as the longtime administrative heart of the British Raj. The colonial buildings still standing—and still in use—offer a blend of baroque and neoclassical styles that say much about British colonial taste. Perhaps the most surprising is the red-and-white façade of the Calcutta High Court building—a replica of the city hall in Ypres, Belgium. You’ll see it as well as the stately Palladian dome of Government House, the classical white columns of Town Hall, the red-brick Writers’ Building, and the enormous General Post Office. Then stop for a photo op outside the Victoria Memorial Museum—which was partly inspired by the Taj Mahal. Built as a tribute to Queen Victoria after her death, this huge white-marble structure houses an illuminating exhibition on the colonial era.

She came to India in 1929, after growing up in Macedonia and joining a Loreto nunnery in Ireland, and two decades later she founded her own order, the Missionaries of Charity, devoted to the “salvation and sanctification of the poorest of the poor.” Visit the Mother House, where she lived and worked for decades; see her simply furnished room and the tiny museum devoted to her—her Nobel Peace Prize medal is on display, along with informative newspaper clippings and photos—and her tomb. It’s a modest and serene spot devoted to one of the most influential women ever to live in the city.

This MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience supports Global Goal 1: No Poverty; and Global Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities.

This morning, you’ll visit the local NGO Calcutta Rescue, which serves the area’s underprivileged children. They provide much-needed services at no cost to the neediest people of Kolkata and West Bengal—regardless of gender, age, caste, or religion—through health clinics, schools, vocational training, and preventative health programs. You’ll hear about the impact Calcutta Rescue has made over the last 30 years and get some insight on some of their current projects.

This MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience supports Global Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities.

It’s easily the most famous building in India, and one of the most famous in the world, with its white domes and minarets floating serenely above the reflecting pools. It’s a monument to a love story between a great ruler, Shah Jahan, and a learned and powerful woman, his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal. After she died giving birth to their 14th child, he gathered some 20,000 craftsmen to build her mausoleum, who endowed it with dazzling translucent marble carvings inlaid with precious and semiprecious stones. Step through the gate and into the symmetrical gardens, and experience one of the most beautiful places on earth.

Visit the imposing “Walled City” of Agra Fort, one of Agra’s three spectacular UNESCO World Heritage sites. Commissioned in 1565 by Emperor Akbar, this sturdy city-within-a-city was originally intended primarily for military use. Later, during the reign of Shah Jahan—the emperor best known for ordering the construction of the Taj Mahal in honor of his late wife—the fort was beautified to suit his tastes. His predilection for white marble and ornate designs brought an elegant contrast to the brick and red sandstone of the existing structure. Eventually, Shah Jahan was placed under house arrest in Agra Fort for the final 8 years of his life, following his usurpation by his son, Aurangzeb, in 1658. Famously, his palatial prison afforded him a view of his wife’s tomb.

The fort never lost its military functions. In fact, while much of the fort was damaged or even destroyed by fighting throughout the centuries, it is still in use by India's military today—the parts still in use are, of course, closed to the public.

Originally the private hunting ground of the Maharajas of Jaipur, Ranthambore was declared a National Park in 1973. Today, the park is a sanctuary for many wild species, including Bengal tigers, deer, nilgai antelope, gazelles, wild boar, sloth bears, hyenas, jackals, and leopards. Join an open-vehicle safari drive through the park’s jungle environment during this essential experience for nature lovers.

Please note: layers to protect against the cold and the dust are recommended for this experience in an open-air vehicle.

Begin your exciting tour of India’s “pink city” with a visit to the Amber Fort. Set amongst picturesque hills, the Amber Fort is a fascinating blend of Hindu and Mughal architecture. Constructed of pink sandstone and marble, the rugged exterior of this fort belies an inner paradise. Enter this UNESCO World Heritage site to discover a romantic palatial fort filled with romantic courtyards and gardens—not to mention fantastic views of the gorge. Step back in time to the Mughal era as you admire the intricate designs decorating the Chamber of Mirrors and the carved marble of the Hall of Victory.

Visit India’s famous unassailable fortress, Junagarh, built in 1593 AD by Raja Rai Singh. Famous for having resisted countless attacks, Junagarh became known as the “unconquered fort.” This is somewhat a misnomer, given that the fort did once fall in its long history—but only for a day, as it was swiftly retaken! While the fort is a formidable structure encircled by a moat, its real beauty lies inside, which you’ll discover on your guided tour today.

Tonight, you’ll receive the royal treatment as a convoy of camel carts accompanied by musicians transports you to a magnificent evening event on the sand dunes outside Bikaner. Savor a mouthwatering array of barbecue dishes as you enjoy a traditional folk-art performance.

Crowning the cliffs above Jaipur, Mehrangarh Fort has enchanted all who look upon it for centuries. Constructed over a period of 500 years, this arresting monument showcases a wide span of history and architectural periods—including a collection of vibrant stained-glass windows that will take your breath away.

After, embark on a tour of the old Clock Tower Market. The Clock Tower—or Ghanta Ghar —is an iconic monument of the city and rises above a series of colorful stalls where local vendors sell everything from spices to handmade fabrics.

Udaipur is known as “the Venice of the East,” owing to its many interconnected lakes. Admire the picturesque setting, framed by rolling green hills, as you sail around the lake, keeping an eye out for palatial architecture and the traditional ghaats lining the riverbanks.

Udaipur’s City Palace is the largest and grandest in all of Rajasthan. Stretching along approximately a third of a mile of Lake Pichola’s coastline, this gorgeous complex is marked by scalloped arches, elegant balconies, and picturesque cupolas. Inside, gaze upon lavish mosaics of peacocks, beautiful mirror work, ornamental tiles, and other lavish stylings—fit for the Mewar royal family that still inhabits this residence.