Monday, March 2

• Today we’ll visit Old Delhi, also known as Shahjahanabad, named after the Mughal emperor who built this part of the capital in the 1600s. In its maze of narrow streets, we’ll visit places of worship of four different religions: Hinduism, Sikhism, Jainism (with its bird hospital!), and Islam. We’ll also explore a street famous for its food stalls, visit the tomb of the only female ruler of Islamic India, shop in Asia’s largest spice market, and search for the mausoleum of a mysterious Sufi saint who lived more than 800 years ago!

Tuesday, March 3

• • Early morning train from Delhi to Jaipur (about 4 hours, in air-conditioned class), arriving late morning.
  • In the afternoon, after lunch, we’ll first visit the Jantar Mantar, the astronomical observatory designed about 300 years ago by Jai Singh II, the King of Amber. Among its instruments are the samrat yantra, a giant sundial with incredible precision; the digamsa yantra, for calculating celestial azimuths; and the nadivalaya yantra, used to determine equinoxes.
  • From here we’ll continue to explore Jaipur’s Pink City, a huge open-air market where each block specializes in products like jewelry, gems, and textiles. After coffee in front of Hawa Mahal, the Palace of the Winds, we’ll return to the hotel for dinner.
  • With Leli and Elizabeth: after dinner, an introduction to Indian dance and the contemporary influences that gave rise to Indian Fusion style, followed by pranayama and meditation practice.

Thursday, March 5

• Morning free in Jaipur, to explore the markets and shops (with or without our company), or visit
  monuments not included in the tour, such as Galta Ji. In the afternoon, train to Ajmer, then rickshaw or taxi to Pushkar (about 3 hours total, air-conditioned class).
• In Pushkar we’ll stay at a hotel on the banks of the sacred lake. Pushkar is a sacred Hindu town built around a lake said to have been created by Shiva’s tears after the death of his wife Sati. Here Hindus scatter the ashes of the deceased. The old town is closed to cars, while cows, monkeys, langurs, and stray dogs roam freely.
• With Leli and Elizabeth: The Art of Storytelling, Mudra & Expression; discovering the symbolic language of hand gestures and facial expressions to convey emotions and tell stories through dance.

Friday, March 6

• With Leli and Elizabeth: Indian Fusion, combinations; learning sequences that merge classical Indian dances with modern influences.
• After lunch, we’ll visit some of Pushkar’s most beautiful and unique temples, along the
  sacred lake and among the havelis of the old town.
• In the late afternoon, we’ll head to the Kalbelia tribe’s camp, snake charmers from the Thar Desert. We’ll spend the evening with Moira, a woman of the tribe, who will teach us their traditional dance steps. After a floor-seated dinner, she will perform a Kalbelia dance, inspired by the movements of snakes, accompanied by traditional instruments like the poongi, the snake charmers’ flute.

Sunday, March 8

• With Leli and Elizabeth: Indian Fusion, consolidation; final practice in Pushkar, creative experimentation and shared creation. 
• In the afternoon, we’ll go to Ajmer to visit India’s most important Sufi dargah, the shrine of Garib Nawaz, a center for spiritual practices such as Qawwali music and possession rituals. Alternatively, you can hike up to the Savitri temple on a hill overlooking Pushkar for panoramic views of forests and hills.

Monday, March 9

• Morning free.
• After lunch, train to Jodhpur (about 5 hours, arriving around dinner). Jodhpur, like Jaipur
  and Pushkar, is a city of art, famous for its furniture: old doors from forts and temples are transformed into cabinets and cupboards.
• With Leli and Elizabeth: evening introduction to Rajasthan’s folk dances.

Wednesday, March 11

• This morning we’ll visit Asha Sapera, a renowned Kalbelia dancer, who will teach us some dance
  movements and traditional songs, opening a window into the stories and legends behind them.
• In the afternoon, optional activity: miniature painting lesson in the Rajasthan style. Otherwise, free time.

Thursday, March 12

• After our final breakfast together, we’ll arrange your transfer to the airport.