Hello friends, I would like to share with you all about the most interesting journey that I still dream about. You wouldn't beleive that my wish for train journeys began after I started hearing about this masterpiece of Indian railway. Living in India from my childhood I never knew anything special about trains. I used to think they were just locomotives which are used by millions of people in India and around the world to travel to different destinations in a faster way. My concept about trains changed when I first visited an exhibition held by the southern railway in my hometown Chennai in the state of Tamil Nadu. I visited this exhibition because unlike other boring exhibitions that usually takes place in public halls this exhibition was held inside a train. The train was travelling all around India holding exhibitions in all major cities across the country. The train was so colourfully painted and it had several coaches with each coach containing some kind of information. The train was giving a complete history of the Indian railway from the time it was created during the British Rule in India till the modern date. This exhibition almost entirely changed my attitude towards trains. From then on I used to study a lot about trains and visit several museums in chennai and its surroundings where I got to know so many things I never knew about Indian railway. There were certain trains that I didn't even know they exist in India. Trains therefore became the most interesting mode of transportation for me. I want to share with you the knowledge that I gained about the heritage of Indian railways.
The first thing that I want to share about the Indian railway is its most luxurious trains. Being in India I never knew till the end of my school life these trains existed in India. These trains are some of the world reknown trains for luxurious travels and awarded as the worlds best luxurious trains. The first such train that I want to share with you all here is the so called "Maharaja Express". The train is rightly given its name because the train by itself is a mini kingdom and if you are a passenger in it then you are the "Maharaja" of the train which means the "Emperor". The train offers different kinds of trips with different schedules around some major tourist places in the country. The train will expose you to the classic colorful Indian culture. The hardware's of the train are so well assembled such that the train offers you a smooth ride throughout your journey.
The basic idea of creating such a train aroused in the minds of the Indian railways after the grand success of "Palace on Wheels" which is the first such luxury train in India. "Palace on Wheels" is a wonder by itself with all its traditional interior designs which I will explain in my next article. The Maharaja Express is one such train rides in the world that comes under the category of the most expensive train journeys. In the past the kings and the emperors of India were first exposed to trains rather than the cars which made them more fond of having their own private railway lines. The king of Vadodhara was the first to have his own private railway station at his palace and considered to be the first railway station in India. The interior of the train is decorated in such a grand manner that travelling once will make you remember this journey throughout your lifetime. The cabins for the passengers are divided into four different cabins with some additional facilities. The additional facilities include two supreme restaurants, spa, salon, bar, lounge, fitness center and a business center. The experience that you gain here is worth more than the journey by itself. It gives you the classical feeling of being a king of your own kingdom. The wagons of the Maharaja Express are built in such a way providing you the peak of luxury. There are fourteen wagons and forty three passenger cabins in Maharaja Express. Each individual cabin has its own independence. The cabins have separated restrooms and climate control systems. The windows of the train are wide and large allowing you to take the every possible glimpse of India. Each room has wi-fi internet access, LCD tv, Telephone connections, electronic safe deposit box to protect your valuables. The forty three passenger cabins are inturn divided into three varities. Presidential suites, Deluxe suits and Junior suits. The deluxe cabins are mostly double bedded, junior suite contains around 6 beds and the presedential suite is quite rich and distinct. It has one master bed and an additional room with double bed. There is also a sitting lounge in a presedential suite. Food has never been a problem for Maharaja's and it is the same for the passengers of the Maharaja Express. There are two royal restaurants called as Mayur Mahal and Rang Mahal inside the Maharaja Express. Approximately forty people can sit and dine in each of the restaurants at a single time. The restaurants offer a wide variety of Indian, Chinese and Continental food. The food is prepared with aromatic spices of India by professional chefs served to the passengers in a attractive pattern. There is also a bar inside the train called as the Safari Bar which has a wide collection of world famous alcohols. The bar offers you every kind of drink that you can expect ranging from French wine to Russian Vodka. The Rajah Club which is a bar with game tables and chairs to relax the passengers of the train is another facility that the passengers of Maharaja Express can enjoy. The train also offers butler services 24hours daily for its passengers. Just a call from your cabin can get your work done in no time. The train also offers some off board excursions in some of the major cities it visits. During such excursions the passengers are taken in comfortable coaches that is fully air conditioned with a guide who can fluently speak in English. Sometimes a local guide may also accompany him to provide some detailed information about the local place you are about to visit. The vehicles that are used to transport its passengers contains all the essential needs during their off board travel such as bottle coolers, hats and shoe covers. Every little detail is closely observed and taken care for the passengers of Maharaja Express just like the way it is done for the kings. Some short trips may be organized in Jeeps and on animal backs just to experience the real taste of India. If you need some additional tours apart from the one which is organized by the Maharaja Express then it is possible to speak with the officials in train and they will arrange for it if possible. Apart from all these laundry, internet and telephone calls are available in Maharaja Express. However I'm not sure about the cost and whether it is included under the ticket fare. The electric sockets in the train provide 110volts of electricity and there is no need for any adapters to be carried. You are provided with such adapters on request in the train. Due to its luxurious outlook the Maharaja Express cannot accomodate a lot of baggages and therefore the baggage allowance for every passenger is limited following the baggage allowance for the first class passenger in an aircraft. The luggages can be stored in the area provided under the beds in cabins and at the same time there is also a baggage hold area in the train. The train also houses a paramedic to assist the passengers in case of any emergency situation. The dress code has a little importance during your travel in India due to its cultures and traditions. The train also offers you a lot of off board excursions in which you must be walking for long areas in a hot climate. Therefore use your common sense and wear something that you think to be a smart choice. During your excursions to wild life sanctuaries avoid wearing bright colored clothings as it can disturb the animals. As the trains model doesn't give enough place for a wheel chair physically challenged passengers can't use their wheel chairs here. Therefore it is always recommended to have a co passenger who is physically fit with them. The Maharaja Express is a non-smoking train and smoking is prohibited strictly. By law it is prohibited to smoke in any public place in India please remember this.
By this time I guess most of you would have become a fan of this train and would want to travel in it at least once just as I do. How much do you really think that a seven day trip in this train will cost? Well, there are different tours offered by the railway department and the cost vary for each of them and the cost also varies according to the suite you book. Normally a single occupancy room in Maharaja Express for a deluxe cabin will cost you $10,000 and for a presidential cabin you will have to pay $45,000. This can be considered as one of the factors why I mentioned it as "The Journey I Dream About". If you are interested in knowing what else is there in this trip to pay such a huge sum of money for a train journey. Then you may have to know about the different varities of trips that the train offers.
The first kind of trip organized by the Maharja Express is called as "Heritage of India"
Day1: This tour begins in the trade capital of India, Mumbai where you must arrive at the Taj Mahal Palace and tower where you will have to finish all the check in formalities. After this you will reach the Mumbai railway station where you will see the train in which you are about to spend a week right in front of you. A welcome drink is offered and the train departs from the railway station at 4.40pm.
Day 2: The next day morning you will reach the Jalgaon railway station from where you will be on a off board excursion to Ajantha caves. Here you can see the world famous cave paintings and Buddhist temples carved out of hills during the 2nd century BC. The paintings in the cave depicts different stories from the life of Buddha. You will then return back to the train for lunch and proceed toward Udaipur in Rajasthan. Dinner is also on the train.
Day 3: The train is now in the royal state of Rajputana or the region of the Rajputs now called as Rajasthan. When you wake up you will be travelling in the background of Aravi hills. Breakfast is served in train and you will arrive at the city of lakes Udaipur. This city is also called as the Venice of the East due to its numerous lakes found here. You will be taken to another off board excursion to enjoy the architectural beauty of the city. Here you can see havelis, ghats, temples and some Indian bazaars. The first place to visit after leaving the train is the city palace which is the largest in Rajasthan. Then you will be visiting Moti mahal followed by Chini Mahal which is covered in ornamental tiles. Lunch is at the off board site and you will return back to the train in afternoon where you can relax a bit. Here there are two optional tours available during the rest time if you do not want it. One you can walk through an old market learning the culture; two you can visit the vintage car collection of the royal family, three you can enjoy sound and light show in the palace.
Day 4: The maharaja Express pass through an amazing landscape of Thar desert as you enter the Marwar region from the Mewar region. You can enjoy bothe breakfast and lunch in train. Soon after lunch you will reach the capital of Marwar region called Jodhpur. You will be taken to a off board excursion where you can visit some of the architectural wonders made during the Rajput time period. The trip continues as you will visit the Mehrangarth fort admiring its architectural beauty. The dinner will be served with a traditional delicious Marwar cuisine in the royal cortyard of Mehrangarth fort after which you will return back to train that will take you to the next destination which is Bikaner.
Day5: Bikaner popularly called as a camel country was an important place of trade in the past. During the travel towards the city of Bikaner you can see the local people wearing some brightly colured turbans. The city of Bikaner has a lots of forts, temples and palaces which are really good to see. This is followed by a trip to the Bikaner cutadel and the fort of Junagath which was an unacessible fortress built by Raja Rai Singh. There is a musical journey followed by this as the passengers will ride in a traditional camel cart with local musicians singing songs and you will feel just like a king to travel with music in the sand dunes of rajasthan. The day comes to an end with a mouth watering food and some traditional dance shows. The same night you would return back to the train where you will rest during your overnight journey to Jaipur. There is an optional tour available here at Bikaner where you can visit the famous rat temple, Lalgarh palace museum or a Camel breeding farm.
Day 6: The overnight train journey will take you to the pink city Jaipur. This city which is the capital of Rajasthan contains numerous forts, palaces and temples. The first experience that you will gain in Jaipur is an elephant polo match where you can either choose to watch the match or try participating in the event. This is followed by a lunch in the surroundings. Then the trip continues to the palace of Wind or the Amber fort that is located outside Rajasthan. You will also visit the chamber of mirrors, hall of victory and have some magnificent views of the gorge.
Day 7: The next day you reach the station of Sawai Madhopur where you will have a chance of visiting the personal hunting grounds of the Rajput emperors. This is now called as Ranthambhore National Park which is famous for its Tigers, Chinkara, Wild boar, Hyena, Jackal, Leopard etc. After this you will have your breakfast at Taj Sawai lodge after which you will return back to the train which takes you to the famous town built by Akbar Fathepur Sikri.
At Fathepur sikri you can see some mughal architectures such as Diwan I Ahm, Diwan I Khas and also other such monuments. Later on you will return back to the train to rest for the night.
Day 8: The train continues its journey to the beautiful city of Agra which houses the world wonder Taj Mahal built by Shahjahan for his wife Mumtaz. You will explore more about this one and only master piece of mughal architecture and love. You will have your breakfast in the Taj Khema hotel having a look at the Taj mahal from above. After breakfast you will return back to the train as it continues its journey toward Delhi. At about 3.30pm you will reach the railway station at Delhi where your trip comes to an end. You may think that the time ran too fast yet you have to say bye to this amazing place on wheels. You will definitely have a lot to say about the trip at the end of the journey.
The next tour route in which Maharaj Express travels is given the name as Indian Splendor tour.! It is an eight day tour which according to me is a reverse journey of the Maharaja Express after completing the Indian Heritage Tour. The train starts from New Delhi making its way through different cities to reach its final destination Mumbai. The train stops at Agra for visiting the world wonder Taj Mahal followed by a visit to the Ranthambore national park. The trip continues in train to Jaipur to have a look at the world famous pink city where the next stop is Bikaner followed by Jodhpur and Udaipur all of them which were a destination during the Indian Heritage tour. Balasinor is a new place that you can see in this tour. It was during the 20th century researchers found some fossils and dinosaur bones. Following this a series of dinosaur eggs, bones and a huge skeleton were obtained from this area which are now preserved in a archeological museum. You will get a chance to explore the largest dinosaur fossil park in the world here followed by a visit to a neighboring village. the journey comes to an end in the Kurla Railway Station in Mumbai at about 7-30 in the morning.
The next route that the Maharaja Express offers is called as the "Indian Panorama". This route is different from the above mentioned two routes. It is a round trip that starts from Delhi and ends in Delhi the capital of India.
Day 1: It actually marks the start of the journey as all the passengers would gather at the Safderjung railway station in New Delhi ar 8.30pm . Here you will be given a warm welcome with some Indian traditional performances. You will then have to complete the necessary procedures and check in. The train will start from Delhi at 10pm.
Day 2: The train travels overnight to reach Jaipur the next morning. Here you will visit some of the historical monuments in the capital of Rajasthan such as the Amber fort, and other such forts. This followed by a lunch out. Then you will join the Elephant Marco Polo match mentioned in the above routes. At the end of the day you will return back to the train and will continue in your way to the next destination.
Day 3: You will arrive early morning in Sawai Madhopur railway station from where you will be taken to a off board excursion to Ranthambore national park where you can spend some time in the private hunting gardens of the past rulers. After which you will return back to the train and have lunch. Soon after lunch you will be in your next destination which is none other than the city built by Akbar - Fathepur Sikri. Here you will have a look at all the amazing monuments built during the mughal period. You will return back to the train for dinner where you will continue your journey towards your next destination.
Day 4: The train will arrive at the beautiful city of Agra the next morning where you will taken on a off board excursion to have a look at th world wonder Taj Mahal. You will enjoy a morning champagme breakfast in a hotel that overlooks Taj Mahal. After this amazing journey you will return back to the train and start your journey towards Gwalior.
The train will arrive at the Gwalior railway station after which you will get out of the train for a off board excursion to have a look at the architectural and natural beauty of Gwalior. You will first visit the Usha Kiran Palace where you will receive a Royal traditional welcome after which you can have a look at the century old palace which extends across an area of 9 acres which has numerous stone carvings and filigree work. After kunch you will have a lovely tour around the Gwalior fort having a look at all the temples and palaces around. The Man Mandir Palace is a masterpiece of Rajput architecture and has many stone carvings and sculptures. This is followed by a visit to the Jai Vilas Palace museum a part of which is still occupied as a residence by the royal family descendants. An important structure to be noted in the museum is a model train that is made of crystals which is used to serve drinks and other food during banquets. In the durbar hall you can find a crystal staircase and two worlds largest chandeliers. As a finishing touch you will have a cup of tea at the palace after which you will return back to the train to continue the rest of your journey having a grand feast at the Maharaja express.
Day 5: After having the breakfast in Maharaja Express the train continues its journey through the beautiful landscape of Khajuraho. The train will stop at Orchha from where you would travel to Jahangiri Mahal which is a masterpiece of Rajput architecture. The palace has 132 chambers with lapis lazuli tiles and ornate jali screens which amaze the visitors to this palace. There are some religious rituals performed at Chaturbhuj which appears to be a mix of both fort and temple architecture. After this you will return back to the train where you will move towards the temple town in Khajuraho. These Indo Aryab architectural marvels are built between 950 and 1050 AD where the Chandela architecture in temples makes its visitors admire it. The UNESCO analyzes these Chandela architectural monuments under UNESCO World Heritage site. You will be taken to visit the temples of Kandariya Mahadev and Chausnath Yogni which is dedicated to Lord Shiva and the 64 yogis. Towards the east are found a group of jain temples you will be visiting them next after which you will return back to the train. Both lunch and dinner will be served in Maharaja Express till you reach your next destination which is Varanasi.
Day 6: The train makes its way into one of the early cities in the world which by itself is also considered as the holy city by millions of Hindus around the world. Banaras, kashi or Varanasi is a city that is existing for more than 3000 years. This city serves a place of pilgrimage for most of the people and the Hindus think of visiting kasi at least once in their life time just like the muslims who wants to visit Mecca. The first trip after getting out of the train is to sarnath where Buddha gave his first oration. I have mentioned this story in one of my previous articles dealing with my experiences in North India. Here you can visit the Buddha shrines, Ashoka stupa, Ashoka Chakra, and also purchase some of the world famous Banaras silk sarees. Then you can see some traditional hindu worship on the bank of the holy river ganges and even take a boat ride to cross the river. This part of the journey can be regarded as a more spiritual one. You will return back to the train at the end of the day where you will continue the journey to the next destination.
Day 7: The train reaches lucknow which is a capital of Uttar Pradesh. You can explore the city of Lucknow where the Mutiny of 1857 took place. The mutiny is of great historical importance in the formation freedom moment in India and thereby has played a major role in Indian independencce. The mutiny had its impact till Tamil Nadu which led to the famous Vellore Mutiny. You will be visitng some architectural wonders in India such as Rumi Darwaza and Bada Imambara. In the evening you will get an opportunity to enjoy the traditions of a Royal Nawab life. After all these fun you will return back to the train to continue your journey.
Day 8: Having breakfast on maharaja Express the train reaches Delhi at 8-30 in the morning. This concludes the Indian panorama trip in Maharaja Express. This journey will give you memories that you will cherish for your lifetime.
The final two tours offered by the Indian railway in Maharaja Express are short period tours lasting only 3 nights. The first short trip is called as "The Treasures Of India". This trip starts from Delhi at 10 in the morning and reaches Agra in the same day evening. Here you will have a off board excursion visiting some Mughal monuments. The train remains in Agra for the rest of the night and in the next morning you will visit the world wonder Taj Mahal. After which you will return back to the train and depart ot Ranthambore where you will do some hiking at the national park. Having a cup of tea in the forest lodge you will return back to the train where the journey continues to Jaipur. The next morning the train arrives in Jaipur where you will go in a trip around the city and then return back to the train for some rest. The next morning by 8-30am the train reaches Delhi again where the journey comes to an end.
The last tour route offered in the Maharaja Express is called as the "Gems of India". This is also a circular trip starting and ending at Delhi. This three night's trip starts from Delhi at 10pm as the train departs and in a overnight journey Maharaja Express reaches Agra by next morning. Here you will have a look at the Taj mahal and other additional places in the city. Then you will return back to the train for dinner where you will travel in the night to reach your next destination which is Ranthambhore. The next morning you will have a off board excursion to the national park seeing some real animals. After this you will return back to the train where you will be served with breakfast and lunch. In the same day you will reach jaipur and have a look at all the beautiful Rajput architectural works and participate in Elephant Marco Polo match with a champagne dinner. The train departs from Jaipur that night and reaches Delhi the next morning where your journey comes to an end.!
Hope you all liked the train much more than the routes it covered. Whatever it may be personally it is my wish to travel in such a train living a life on a emperor for a week. A single train ticket is really expensive and if you are inspired by this article and you are about to travel in this train my best wishes to you.! I'm waiting for my day as well. Thank you for reading it patiently and if you have any comments or suggestions please feel free to post them below. Till I publish my next article cheers and keep smiling :) :)
