Sculptures from the magnificent rock-cut caves of Ellora weave the story of three major faiths of India, Hindu, Buddhist and Jain. These caves speak of the mastery of those unknown craftsmen, the monks, the devotees, the villagers on the banks of the Waghura River and Verul village and the glory of the mighty Vakataka and Rashtrakuta kingdoms of the Deccan! The caves of Ellora are carved in the black basaltic stone of the lush green Sahyadris. The organic colors from the frescoes of the caves compliment the scenery. Experience the beauty of these famous monuments with us! Aurangabad will serve as our base for this journey. Aurangabad was an important political and economic center of the Deccan. The strategic location and geography attracted many rulers. We will also visit some important monuments of Aurangabad like the Bibi Ka Maqbara and the mighty Devgiri fort.  This journey will be led by Shefali Vaidya - noted columnist, travel writer, satirist. Shefali’s love of temples and textiles is very well known. Shefali has an in-depth understanding of the history, heritage and context of Kailasha temple and Ellora caves. We’ve designed the journey so as to understand the evolution of cave architecture in India, the religious functions and symbolism expressed through sculptures.

Travel to Hampi, the capital of one of the most glorious empires of India, the Vijayanagara empire, back in the sixteenth century. Hampi is supposed to be Kishkindha, the Vanara kingdom from Ramayana. Today, the temple town is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Hampi was witness to the glory days of the emperors of Vijayanagara, like Krishnadevaraya. It was also home to the witty Tenali Rama, who graced Krishnadevaraya’s court. The town was renowned for its riches as well as the rich culture and played an important role in the history of Southern India for over two centuries. The place fell into despair after the fall of the Vijayanagara empire at the hands of Deccan sultanates in 1565. Today, Hampi is made up of the ruins from that glorious past. In terms of architecture, it is hard to top the splendor of rock-cut architecture of Hampi. This tour will be led by not one but two experts - Dr. Raghavendra Rao H. Kulkarni & Madhusudhanan Kalaichelvan. Dr. Kulkarni is a Professor of Art History, College of Fine Arts, Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath and a well-known expert of art history. He has to his credit multiple publications/books and research papers on related topics. Madhusudhanan Kalaichelvan, is one of the most well informed and scholarly subject matter experts. An architect, conservationist, painter, epigraphist, he has been conducting guided heritage tours through Road Access to Temples Heritage And Monuments (RATHAM).

The Chalukyas ruled large parts of Southern and Central India between the 6th and the 12th centuries. They ruled as three related yet individual dynasties. The earliest of them were known as the “Badami Chalukyas”. The Badami Chalukya architecture was a temple building idiom that evolved in the Malaprabha river basin, in present-day Bagalkot district. Chalukya style originated in Aihole and was perfected in Badami and Pattadakal. Their style includes two types of monuments: rock cut halls or "cave temples", and "structural" temples, built above ground. Art critic Dr. M. Sheshadri wrote of the Chalukya art that they cut rock like Titans but finished like jewellers. The Chalukya temples provide a fine balance of versatility and restrain. On this journey we will visit all three of the major locations for Chalukya architecture - Aihole, Badami and Pattadakal. This journey will be led by Dr. Raghavendra Rao H. Kulkarni, Professor, Department of Art History, College of Fine Arts, Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath. Dr Kulkarni is a well-known expert of art history and has worked extensively on Badami Chalukya temples. He has to his credit multiple publications/books and research papers on related topics.

Tamil Nadu is famous for its temples famous for their master buildings, articulate detailing and the overall sense of grandeur that astonishes a visitor. These temples constructed years ago have been in worship till date. Since ages these temples have been a centre of spirituality, religious movements and the politics. The Cholas were among India’s greatest empire builders with their influence and reach hitting its zenith around the 10-12th century. This period also saw new schools of architecture emerge and flourish – some of these traditions are in existence even today. The River and Empire is a specially tailored itinerary to give you an immersive cultural experience in art and architecture of the Chola empire right in the heart of the river that sustained it. The tour will take you to heritage sites along the river Kaveri and its delta distributaries. We will travel to sites of incredible historical importance guided by Madhusudhanan Kalaichelvan, one of the most well informed and scholarly subject matter experts. An architect, conservationist, painter, epigraphist, he has been conducting guided heritage tours through Road Access to Temples Heritage And Monuments (RATHAM). More details in this Swarajya post. Over three days you will get to see the architectural marvels, understand the nuances and motivations behind the stone splendours at Chidambaram, Thanjavur and Trichy. At the end of the tour you’d have a very good idea about who the Cholas were, why and how they built the great temples and be able to fully appreciate the great architectural traditions.  Note - For those who would prefer to join us from Chennai, we will arrange appropriate transportation. Please reach us at reservations@wanderfirst.com for details.  

Very few places in South India have the cultural and architectural heritage of Belur and Halebid. Belur is located on the banks of river Yagachi and is known as Dakshina Banaras or ‘Banaras of the South’. Halebid is also known as Dwarasamudra or ‘The Gateway to the Seas’. The cities are located in the Hassan district of Karnataka. The cities thrived for about 150 years under the Hoysala empire. Belur was once the capital of their empire but under the reign of Vishnuvardhana, the greatest of the Hoysala kings, the capital was relocated to Halebid. It can be said that even though Belur and Halebid are 16 km apart, they will always be considered as one for what remains. You can find plenty of mythological stories from the Hindu doctrines carved onto the temples of Belur and Halebid. These temples were built by the renowned architect Jakkanna Acharya. The intricate illustrations from the Ramayana, Mahabharata, Puranas and the Upanishads can leave you enchanted. The Chennakesava temple at Belur, the Hoysaleshwara temple at Halebid are being proposed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Join us at Swarajya Heritage and Wanderfirst for this journey through the Hoysala temples and elaborate on the rich history trapped in these ruins. This journey will be led by Dr. Raghavendra Rao H. Kulkarni, Professor, Department of Art History, College of Fine Arts, Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath. Dr Kulkarni is a well-known expert of art history and has worked extensively on Badami Chalukya and Hoysala temples. He has to his credit multiple publications/books and research papers on related topics.

Sculptures from the magnificent rock-cut caves of Ellora weave the story of three major faiths of India, Hindu, Buddhist and Jain. These caves speak of the mastery of those unknown craftsmen, the monks, the devotees, the villagers on the banks of the Waghura River and Verul village and the glory of the mighty Vakataka and Rashtrakuta kingdoms of the Deccan! The caves of Ellora are carved in the black basaltic stone of the lush green Sahyadris. The organic colors from the frescoes of the caves compliment the scenery. Experience the beauty of these famous monuments with us! Aurangabad will serve as our base for this journey. Aurangabad was an important political and economic center of the Deccan. The strategic location and geography attracted many rulers. We will also visit some important monuments of Aurangabad like the Bibi Ka Maqbara and the mighty Devgiri fort. This journey will be led by an expert who understands the history, heritage and context of Ellora. We’ve designed the journey so to understand the evolution of cave architecture in India, the religious functions and symbolism expressed through sculptures.

Tamil Nadu is famous for its temples famous for their master buildings, articulate detailing and the overall sense of grandeur that astonishes a visitor. These temples constructed years ago have been in worship till date. Since ages these temples have been a centre of spirituality, religious movements and the politics. The story of royal temples begins from the Pallava temples at Kanchipuram. The legacy of the Pallavas was continued by the mighty Cholas of Thanjavur who defined monumental magnificence. On this journey we will visit the UNESCO nominated Three Great Chola Living Temples and try to understand the polity, society and also the architectural development. These temples are famous not only for the grand structure, but, also for the paintings, sculptures and inscription. We will try to understand the temple in the context of all these. On this journey we will also visit Shri Ranganatha Swamy Temple, Srirangam. These shrines are visited by no of pilgrims and travellers, for the religious significance they behold. Also, the marvellous architecture dating back to 14th century is something one should experience at-least once in their lifetime. If time permits, we will also visit off-themed attractions like Maratha Palace Museum and evening walks in Kumbhakonam enjoying the scenic nature. 

Travel to Hampi, the capital of one of the most glorious empires of India, the Vijayanagara empire, back in the sixteenth century. Hampi is supposedly, Kishkindha, the Vanara kingdom from Ramayana. Today, the temple town is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Hampi was witness to the glory days of the emperors of Vijayanagara, like Krishnadevaraya. It was also home to the witty Tenali Rama, who graced Krishnadevaraya’s court. The town was renowned for its riches as well as the rich culture, and played an important role in the history of Southern India for over two centuries. The place fell into despair after the fall of the Vijayanagara empire at the hands of Deccan sultanates in 1565. Today, Hampi is largely made up of the ruins from that glorious past. In terms of architecture, it is hard to top the splendor of rock-cut architecture of Hampi. You will hear multiple stories from our expert and the local guide at Hampi on the glory of Vijayanagara empire and what makes Hampi special. The stories will go beyond the rise and fall of the mighty Vijayanagara empire and cover Hampi’s connection to Ramayana as the Kishkindha of the Vanaras. The architecture, heritage and stories that you will see, hear and experience are bound to leave you spellbound imagining the glorious past of Hampi.