Tentative Day-by-Day Schedule

We really do mean tentative...

Even under the best of circumstances, travel in India never goes exactly as planned! This schedule is intended only to suggest the range of activities we will undertake. Travel days between major cities are set, but it is too far in advance to know exactly when the events in each locale will finally be scheduled. We will do nearly everything listed on this tentative schedule. Nonetheless, many events (lectures, site visits, etc.) will be moved to other days, and there may be occasional substitutions, additions, and even cancellations. Be ready for anything!

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DAY

DATE

PROGRAM

1

Tuesday
December 29

TWIN CITIES DEPARTURE. Meet Seminars International rep for check-in at United Airlines ticket counter at 11:30 a.m. Depart Twin Cities for Chicago on UA 792 at 11:30 a.m.; arrive 12:46 p.m. and proceed to connecting Lufthansa flight. Depart Chicago O’Hare for Frankfurt on LH 431 at 3:40 p.m.; meals served en route.
CHICAGO DEPARTURE. Meet Seminars International rep for check-in at Lufthansa Airlines ticket counter at 1:45 p.m. Depart Chicago O’Hare for Frankfurt on LH 431 at 3:40 p.m.; meals served en route.

2

Wednesday
December 30

CHENNAI ARRIVAL. Arrive Frankfurt 7:00 a.m. and proceed to connecting flight LH 758 departing at 10:10 a.m. for Chennai with meals served en route. Arrive Chennai 11:50 p.m. and transfer to MADRAS CHRISTIAN COLLEGE (MCC) for check-in at International Guest House.

3

Thursday
December 31

CHENNAI—MCC. Welcome, inaugural ceremony, orientation to Chennai and MCC, and UMAIE participants meeting. Walking tour of campus and suburb of Tambaram. Dinner at the Principal’s residence. New Year’s Eve celebration. (B,L,D)

4

Friday
January 1

CHENNAI—MCC. Morning seminar on South Indian religion and art. Introduction to yoga. Free afternoon with evening visit to St. Thomas Mount, site of St. Thomas’s (“Doubting Thomas”) martyrdom. (B,L,D)

5

Saturday
January 2

CHENNAI. Day in Chennai, including driving tour of British Madras (George Town) and visits to the Government Museum, Marina Beach, San Thome Cathedral, and Kapalishwara Temple (Mylapore); evening concert at December Season festival. (B,L,D)

6

Sunday
January 3

CHENNAI DEPARTURE. Group photo. Campus chapel service. Introductory lecture on South Indian Music & Tyagaraja with class discussion. Indian cooking demo. Late evening transfer on foot to Chennai Tambaram Railway Station in time for 10:30 p.m. departure on overnight Rock Fort Express train #6177 to Thanjavur. (B,L,D)

7

Monday
January 4

THANJAVUR ARRIVAL. Early morning (6:10 a.m.) arrival and transfer to IDEAL RIVER VIEW RESORT. Demonstration on the art & craft of veena making. Create video documentary footage as we observe and work with children of the Marabu Foundation at resort and in Thillaisthanam. Possible veena lessons. Evening Tyagaraja Festival concert in Tiruvaiyaru (subject to availability). Group dinner and overnight at hotel. (B,L,D)

8

Tuesday
January 5

THANJAVUR. Early morning at Tyagaraja Festival in Tiruvaiyaru to witness mass performance of Pancharatna Kritis on the anniversary of the composer’s death. Visit Tyagaraja sites. Afternoon in Thillaisthanam to work on video documentary. Evening Tyagaraja Festival concert in Tiruvaiyaru (subject to availability). Group dinner and overnight at hotel. (B,L,D)

9

Wednesday
January 6

THANJAVUR DEPARTURE. Visit Brihadishwara Temple, Royal Palace Compound, Saraswati Mahal Library, and Thanjavur Art Gallery. Afternoon free for independent exploration and further work on documentary. Transfer to Thanjavur Railway Station in time for 8:35 p.m. departure on overnight Rock Fort Express train #6178 to Chennai (boxed dinner provided). (B,L,D)

10

Thursday
January 7

CHENNAI ARRIVAL. Early morning (4:09 a.m.) arrival in Tambaram and transfer on foot to MCC International Guest House. Morning seminar on South Indian Classical Music. Free time to explore local shops in Tambaram; free late afternoon/evening (B,L,D)

11

Friday
January 8

CHENNAI. Day in Chennai, including group vocal lesson and a tour at the Carnatica Foundation, shopping at an instrument shop and the upscale Pondy Bazar, and a visit to the renowned Music Academy; evening concert at December Season Festival (B,L,D)

12

Saturday
January 9

CHENNAI—MCC. Morning seminar on Traditional Literature & Dance. Afternoon expedition to the cinema to experience an Indian movie. (B,L,D)

13

Sunday
January 10

CHENNAI/MAHABALIPURAM. Travel to temple town of Kanchipuram for morning visits to Kailasanatha, Ekambareshvara, & Vaikunta Perumal temples, and then on to Mahabalipuram (Mamallapuram) for check-in at the IDEAL BEACH RESORT. Free time for exploration after lunch. Evening walk up the beach to Tiger Cave. Group dinner and overnight at the hotel. (B,L,D)

14

Monday
January 11

MAHABALIPURAM. Day spent visiting Dakshina Chitra living museum, with opportunities for demonstrations and hands-on activities. Evening free for independent exploration. Group dinner and overnight at the hotel. (B,L,D)

15

Tuesday
January 12

MAHABALIPURAM. Touring to include the Shore Temple, Arjuna’s Penance, Krishna’s Butterball, the Pancha Pandava Rathas, a stone-carvers colony, and Mahabalipuram’s famous cave temples. Evening performance at the Mahabalipuram Dance Festival (subject to availability). Group dinner and overnight at the hotel. (B,L,D)

16

Wednesday
January 13

MAHABALIPURAM/CHENNAI. Return to Chennai with visit to Kalakshetra Fine Arts Academy en route. In Chennai, visit movie production studio and shop downtown at Spencer Plaza, Victoria Technical Institute, and Higginbotham’s. Evening Chennai Sangamam festival event (subject to availability). (B,L,D)

17

Thursday
January 14

CHENNAI—MCC. Morning seminar on Indian Society. Afternoon visit to a rural village. Pongal (harvest festival) celebration. (B,L,D)

18

Friday
January 15

CHENNAI—MCC. Morning seminar on Ancient Indian Religion & Art. Afternoon Kuutu performance at the Guest House. Final valedictory ceremony. (B,L,D)

19

Saturday
January 16

CHENNAI/AURANGABAD. Transfer to airport for 2:15 p.m. Jet Airways flight 488. Arrive Mumbai 4:05 p.m. proceed to connecting flight 3109 departing at 6:25 p.m. for Aurangabad. Arrive Aurangabad 7:25 p.m. and transfer with assistance to WELCOMHOTEL RAMA INTERNATIONAL. Dinner at the hotel. (B,L,D)

20

Sunday
January 17

AURANGABAD. Touring will include the caves at Ajanta. Free evening. (B,L,D)

21

Monday
January 18

AURANGABAD/DELHI. Morning tour of the Ellora Caves. After lunch, transfer to airport for 5:20 p.m. Indian Airlines flight IC 888 to Delhi (one stop in Mumbai) with snack and dinner served en route. Arrive Delhi 9:15 p.m. and transfer with assistance to HOTEL RAMADA PLAZA. Check-in and dinner at the hotel. (B,L,D)

22

Tuesday
January 19

DELHI. Morning seminar on the Mughals and Modern India. Guided tour of Gurudwara Bangla Sahib, a Sikh temple. Visit to Old Delhi with group lunch at Karim’s, a guided tour of Jama Masjid, and exploration of local bazaars on foot. Late afternnon free for shopping at Connaught Place. Dinner at Chor Bizarre. (B,L,D)

23

Wednesday
January 20

DELHI (AGRA). Early morning transfer to rail station for Shatabdi Express train to Agra. In Agra, visit the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort. Evening return via Shatabdi Express train to Delhi. (B,L,D)

24

Thursday
January 21

DELHI. Morning guided tour of the National Museum with brief visit to India Gate on the way to lunch on embassy row. Afternoon visits to the Gandhi Smriti and the Delhi Crafts Museum. Group dinner at local restaurant. Opportunity to hear qawwali singing at Nizamuddin. (B,L,D)

25

Friday
January 22

DELHI. Lecture on Indian Art & Architecture in the Modern Era followed by guided tour of the National Gallery of Modern Art. Return to hotel for lunch and check-out. Afternoon visit to Baha’i Lotus Temple and historic Qutb Minar complex. Last chance to shop at the upscale Ansal Plaza. Late dinner at local restaurant en route to the airport for early morning departure for Chicago and the Twin Cities. (B,L,D)

26

Saturday
January 23

DELHI/CHICAGO. Midnight check-in at Lufthansa ticket counter. Depart Delhi for Frankfurt on LH 761 at 3:05 a.m. (check luggage through to final destination: either Chicago O'Hare or Minneapolis/St. Paul); meals served en route. Arrive Frankfurt 6:50 a.m. and proceed to connecting flight LH 430 departing at 10:35 a.m. for Chicago with meals served en route. Arrive Chicago O’Hare, Terminal #5, at 1:15 p.m. Claim baggage and clear customs.
CHICAGO/TWIN CITIES. Immediately after customs, recheck luggage to the Twin Cities and proceed to connecting flight UA 385 (Terminal 1) departing at 3:00 p.m. for the Twin Cities. Arrive Minneapolis/St. Paul 4:28 p.m.

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