Hello friends, hope you all are doing well. I know everyone of us would have travelled in trains. While booking tickets in trains you would have even come up with different classes of ticket which gives you different levels of luxury. But believe me there are certain trains where irrespective of whatever class you travel provides you the ultimate levels of luxury. Such trains are grouped under the category of "Luxury Trains". I have already shared with you an article about the present luxurious train called Maharaja Express and here I want to share with you all its precusor. These set of luxury trains are something which still remains as trademark of Indian Railways. Hope you will like them and lets begin the journey.
Palace On Wheels:
Palace on wheels is a train with 14 luxurious coaches and it is one among the top 10 luxury trains in the whole world. If you choose to travel in them then it simply means that you are picking for the ultimate luxury that you can get on a train. The train travels to Rajasthan from New Delhi the capital city of India stopping at eight different stations. Inside the train you will be experiencing a separate monarch. Each of the 14 coaches in the train has been named after the states of Rajasthan in the past. The names were given depending upon the interior decorations of the train and aesthetics of the past. Each coach of the train has four double bedded chambers, channel music, intercom facilities, attached bathrooms, hot and cold water shower, wall to wall carpeting. There are personal attendants in each coach who are called as Khidmatgars who will serve you with whatever you need. Each of the fourteen coaches has a small pantry lounge where the passengers can have hot and cold beverages, refreshments and offers a place where they all can get together. Let us now see the fourteen coaches names in detail.
i] Alwar:
Alwar is a strategically located gateway from Rajasthan to Delhi. Alwar was a state in the past that flourished in trade and commerce and apart from that the state of Alwar housed some amazing scenic beauties including forests and deep valleys. The sate of Alwar is a home to diverse varities of flora and dauna. Inside the Alwar coach the ceiling work can be admired as it is done artistically depicting a hunting scene. There is a royal emblem of Alwar and a miniature painting found in the walls of the lounge. The small touch of pink color to the lounge adds upto the romantic ambience.
ii]Bharatpur:
Bharatpur was a fortified town in the past but at present Bharatpur is known for its bird watching at the Keoladeo Ghan bird sanctuary. The town of Bharatpur was under the rule of the famous King Maharaja Suraj Mal. The sanctuary located in the town house 376 different species of birds and the place is known for its echoing characteristics. Like the same the interior of Bharatpur coach is painted with different species of birds on a tree of life. An inlay work depicting birds and peacocks the national bird of India further enhances the theme of "Nature". The colour used in the coach will still remind you about the green forests in Bharatpur and Ghana.
iii] Bikaner:
Bikaner originated as a new kingdom when Rao Bika started to persue a separate kingdom for himself. The interiors of the room are coloured with burning red which symbolizes it and gold which symbolizes the gold of Anup and Padam Mahal of the Junagarh fort. The ceiling of the coach is adorned with paintings made on canvas depicting Dhola and Maru who are great lovers according to legends. The artwork seen on this coach belongs to the Mugal style adapted by the Bikaner school of art.
iv] Bundi:
In the hills of eastern Mewar lies the little state of Bundi. Bundi has a palace complex that is located above the township. The palace can be accessed only through ramps that ascends to Hati pol. A waterpainting of the palace is placed in one of the rooms of the train. The ceilings of the coach bears a famous painting called Ragmala. The Bindi school of art is depicted in the art pieces and it also serves as a base for the colour used including the frescoes ceiling.
v] Dholpur:
Dholpur is a famous town known for its sandstone quarries and for lattice work which are used mainly for railing balconies. Symbolizing this the coaches in the train contains some teak wood railing exhibiting some uniqur craft works in it. The craft works depicted in the rails of the coach are the ones originally found in the stones of this area. A symbol of the crest decorates the valance of the coach.
vi] Dungargarh:
The word Dungargarh means "hill town" whose wild rugged relief is known for its architectural skills and the Bhil tribes. The ceiling of the coach is adorned with a blend of relief work and mirror work together with the lep work which is commonly found in the walls of the people from this area. The crest of the state appears on the valance of the blinds.
vii] Jaisalmer:
The state of Jaisalmer was found by the famous Rao Jaisal which has the famous Jaisalmer fort. This is a desert city of Jaisalmer is also famous for its havelies, cobbled streets, ancient jain temples and a festive gaiety. Inspired by the popularity of this state the interior of the ceiling is made of carved Jharokhas on the ceiling in lounge which is made of teak wood with a mirror backing. The famous Jawahar Nivas facade is also depicted in the state lounge cone. The colour used to decorate the coach represents the beige of the desert sands.
viii] Jaipur:
Jaipur which is known throughout the world as the pink city was founded by the King Maharaja Swai Jai SIngh. The entire city was planned at that time by an architect called Vidhyadar as said by Mahraja. The King of the state by himself was an astronomer and an art lover which made him to build such a beautiful city. The city of Jaipur even today has numerous monument and gardens that attracts visitors not only from India but also from all parts of the world. The vibrant colours used by the people of the area depicts the hospitality and the cheerful attitude of the local people despite their living in a hard desert land. The ceilings of this coach is made with the famous foil work which depicts different festivals celebrated by the people such as teej, gangaur, holi, diwali etc. The walls of the coach are decorated with the famous jaipur paintings and the ceilings are painted with frescoes in complementary colours blue and gold.
ix] Jhalawar:
Jhalawar is powerful kingdom established in the year 1838 by the Rajputs. The place has an abundant natural beauty added with some strong history and folklore. The state of Jhalawar has some beautiful temples and buddhist caves. The ceiling of the Hhalawar coach is decorated with a material that is used by the locals of this area to decorate their homes. There is a unique touch of colours in plaster of paris to create a pleasant atmosphere. There are some hadicraft works found on the tables of the lounge in this coach.
x] Jodhpur:
Jodhpur is a state that lies on the tip of the Thar desert which is the capital of the Mewar kingdom. It was a formidable dynasty of the ruler from the past. An important monument found in the state of Jodhpur is the Mehrangarh fort which has a unique cusped arcades and mother of pearl work on the ceilings resembling that of the Moti-Mahal built by the Mughals. There are even some small paintings displayed on the walls of the coach.
xi] Kishangarh:
The state of Kishangarh is known for its Bhani Thani paintings where you can see exaggerated eyes and long fingers. A similar painting is found in the ceiling of this coach. The crest of the state appears on the window blinds of the state of lounge.
xii] Kota:
Located besides the Chambal river Kota is a prosperous state with forests and a number of picnic spots. The city palace is a prominent structure and the entry into the palace through the Hati pol is brightly painted with images of elephants. The state is well known for its kota school of design. All these things serve as a major inspiration for adorning this coach. Kota artwork can be seen on the ceiling with a title "Raja Aur Praja" which means "King and his Subjects".
xii] Sirohi:
The state of Sirohi has a worldwide reputation around the wrold for its Gold Fort found near Pratapgarh. The fort has some European influence which can be seen from the coloured glass work and the rooms of the coach use the same art to decorate the windows.The colour used for painting the coach adds up to its pleasant look that it offers. There is also gold foil and glass work that has semi-precious stones embedded in it. There are some mounted miniatures done in the Sirohi schhol style adds up the decoration of the coach.
xiv] Udaipur:
Found on the edge of the Pichhola lake Udaipur was the capital of rajputs after they moved from Chittaur. The palace found in Udaipur has a complex design containing reception halls. resedential places, internal courts the colours of which are used to paint the lounge and bedrooms in the coach. Among the different inner courts in the palace, the "Peacock Court" has a high relief and faced with coloured glass mosaic. The decorations of the lounge in the coach is inspired by this inner court.
The rooms inside each coach are designed at its best to provide the ultimate luxury for its passengers. The interiors of the rooms are decorated following the cultural and architectural heritage of the state's name beared by the coach.
Restaurants:
The train has two rish and beautiful restaurants called as The Maharaja and The Maharani restaurants which have the traditional Rajasthani serving plates, vessels and furniture. The restaurants serve Chinese, Indian and Rajasthani cuisine. There are two rows of seats arranged in the restaurants for the passengers to sit each table accomodating four people. There are skilful chefs in the pantry to prepare different varities of Indian cuisine.
Bar:
The palace on wheels also has an elegant bar set up in a classic Rajasthani style offering some of the rich and most preferred varities of both Indian and International alcohols.
There is a list of Individual facilities provided for every passenger of the train which is worth mentioning.
i] As said before the luxurious train offers four double bedded chambers with music, intercom, hot and cold water showers, private toilets, decorated furniture and so on.
ii] The luggage is carried by the employees of the train and it is delivered to your respective chamber.
iii] Every passenger gets an arrival kit which contains stationery items, brochures, cards etc and if in case you need anything you can call your personal attendants who are always available for your service.
iv] You can choose a meal from Indian, Chinese or Rajasthani cuisine that is most delicious prepared by the professional chefs. The ultimate food you can have on a train.
v] You recieve a daily newspaper with a cup of hot tea or coffee at your room. You can ask even for magazines that you need.
vi] The safety inside the palace on wheels is fully guaranteed.
vii] Inside the train you are provided with all kinds of toiletries needed.
viii] The train offers you with a variety of indoor game options such as chess, cards, carom board, crosswords or puzzles.
ix] There is a mailbox on the train to post your letters during the travel.
x] To safegaurd the health of its passengers the train has medical first aid kits available in every coach and doctors can be arranged to visit the train at the very next station during emergencies.
xi] The palace on wheels is a non smoking train.
xii] You can shop various handicraft items of Rajasthani origin when you visit places covered by the palace on wheels.
xiii] ATM and Satellite phone facilities are being developed inside the Palace on wheels.
Now let us discuss about the tour covered by the train.
Day1: The tour begins with a day tour that starts at 9.30am. You will be visiting India gate, lotus temple, Rutub Minar, Humayun's tomb etc all of which I have mentioned in my previous article. This is followed by a lunch at a local restaurant from where you will reach the Safdarjung Railway Station in New Delhi. There will be a traditional Rajasthani welcoming ceremony for the passengers of Palace on Wheels.
Day2:
The first stop of the train is at the famous Jaipur which is a well planned city and popularly known to the world as the Pink city. Inorder to explore the city you will board an air conditioned tourist vehicle that will take you to the palace of wind or the Hawa Mahal which is a five storey monument known for its sandstone windows and semi octagonal architecture. Then you will be visiting the Amber fort which is a short distance away from the Palace of Wind. There is a state government art emporium near the Ajmeri gate which is a best place to buy Rajasthani handicrafts at a fixed price. This is followed by a lunch at the palace hotel after which you will visit the city palace which was the home to the Royal family. The world famous Jantar Mantar is right across the city palace which is the largest observatory. You will be back on the Palace on Wheels at 6-30pm where you will get your dinner.
Day 3:
Arrival at 5.30am in Sawai Madhopur which will give you a sense of wilderness. The city is named after the founder of the city called Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh. After a breakfast you will be visiting the Ranthambhor National Park where is located a fort that belongs to th 10th century. It is one of the best sanctuaries in India to observe Tigers which is th national animal of the country. The park covers an area of 392 square kilometres which houses about 300 different species of birds, carnovires such as tiger, hyena, ratel, jackal and fox. The place is also known for its toys, ornaments and costumes. After this lovely trip you will return back to the palace on wheels where you begin your next journey in the same day. The next stop is at Chittaurgarh which you will be visiting after lunch on wheels. In chittaurgarh fort you can see some images of love and valor, battles and many more.
Day 4:
The next destination in the trip is Udaipur where you will arrive at the lake city at 8 in the morning. The city was found by a king called Maharaja Udai Singh. The famous lake palace also called as Jag Niwas and the Jag Mandir which appears in the centre of the lake Pichhola is an amazing place to visit. This is followed by lunch after which you will be visiting the city palace and a visit to the crystal gallery in the evening. At about 3-30pm the palace on wheels starts its departure moving towards Jaisalmer.
Day 5:
The train arrives at the historic town of Jaisalmer at 9.15 in the morning. It was found in ther by Rawal Jaisal and the yellow sandstone fort found here is a wonderful place to visit. The fort stands so beautifully over the city. The havelis or mansions are some really intereseting structures to see. Some examples for these havelies are the Nathmalji ki Haveli, Patwon ki hvaeli etc. At the state emporium you can purchase some Rajasthani handicrafts . After having lunch back on the palace of wheels you will be having an amazing camel ride on the sand dunes of sam. This followed by a cup of tea. The dinner is at a hotel in Jaisalmer enjoying some cultural events. The palace on wheels departs to its next destination at about 11-45pm.
Day 6:
The next mroning the palace on wheels arrives in Jodhpur which is the second largest city of Rajasthan founded by Rao Jodha. The city is best known for its Mehrangarh fort. The city is lined by high stone walls with seven gates. The grand palaces found within Moti Mahal, Sheesh Mahal, Phool Mahal, Sileh Khana and Daulat Khana are some best master pieces of Rajasthani architecture. This trip is follwed by a lunch in the royal palace and then you will return back to the palace on wheels.
Day 7:
The train arrives at Bharatpur the next morning at 7'O clock. After having a breakfast in Palace on wheels you will be taken for a bird watching at the Keoladeo Ghana National park which is a world famous bird sanctuary. The national park houses a wide variety of birds and some of the important birds seen here are Egrets, siberian cranesm Nigratory Water Fowls.
The same day the train departs from Bharatpur at 8.45 in the morning and reaches Agra at 10.30 in the morning. You will first arrive at Fathepur Sikri which is a red sandstone Mughal complex bult by Akbar the great. The emperor dedicated this city to a muslim saint called Sheikh Salim Chisti who blessed Akbar with a son. After having lunch at this historic city you will reach the red fort followed by the world wonder Taj mahal located in Agra. A detailed history of which I have posted in one of my previous articles about my journey in North India. The dinner is served back in the Palace on wheels and the train arrives at Safdarjung Train Station in New Delhi at 6am. The grand tour comes to a happy ending here..!
One interesting fact about this train is that the train was not open for local individuals at first. It was only during the recent years the local people are allowed to travel in train. Even today the ticket price for the palace on wheels is displayed in dollars. This amazing journey on the Palace on Wheels will cost you somewhere between $450 to $700 depending on availability. The palace on wheel operates all throughout the year except for the summer months in Rajasthan which is generally from May to July.
I hope you would have really enjoyed this article about a famous luxury train in India but it is not the only one. There are many such trains on the Indian track which I will explain in my forthcoming articles. If you have any comments or suggestions please feel free to mention them below. Till I publish my next article here keep smiling and cheers :) :) Thank you for reading it patiently..!
