What it’s like to cruise the Ganges River in India with Uniworld.
Video / Stephanie Holmes
Going off the beaten track in India could be intimidating, but there’s an easy way to do it in luxury, writes Stephanie Holmes
There’s a well-trodden tourist route in India, and it’s popular for a reason: the Golden Triangle is home to awe-inspiring landmarks such as the Taj Mahal, the Amber, Red and Agra forts, and Jaipur’s city palace that are magnificent enough to be on most people’s ultimate bucket lists.
Going off the beaten track brings sights just as rewarding, with far fewer tourists, but also brings challenges. Travellers used to the comforts of luxury travel may be hesitant to make their own way between lesser-known towns and cities. But that doesn’t mean they’re off-limits completely.
Travelling on a guided tour takes the stress and complications out of getting around India. And a luxury cruise means you can do it all in the utmost comfort.
Uniworld’s India’s Golden Triangle and the Sacred Ganges itinerary is a good place to start. A 13-day odyssey from New Delhi to Kolkata, the tour travels overland to visit the top attractions, like the Taj Mahal, before hitting the water on a small ship river cruise on the Ganges. Here are some of the off-the-beaten-track highlights reached from the river.
The Ganges Explorer II, Uniworld's cruise ship that takes guests into off-the-beaten-track India. Photo / Supplied
Kalna
Stepping off our serene ship the Ganges Explorer II on the banks of the River Ganges in the small town of Kalna, a fleet of motorised tuk-tuks are waiting to trundle us on our tour. Lined up in a playing field, where dusty goats nurse their kids, we pile in two by two to the colourful vehicles for a bumpy ride through Kalna’s streets to its main attraction – 108 Shiva Temples. As its name suggests, this historic site comprises 108 small temples, arranged in two concentric circles, representing the beads in a rosary.
First built in 1809, it’s a peaceful, contemplative place, and our guides give interesting insights into its history and cultural significance, with tales of Hindu gods Shiva and Brahma. That’s the benefit of travelling on a guided tour – someone on hand to explain the sites you’re visiting and really bring their history to life.
Elsewhere in Kalna, we visit the Krishna Chandra Mandir (built in 1751) and the Pratapeswar Temple (1849), both of which boast beautiful terracotta panels with intricate detailing, telling the news of their day: gods and soldiers, battles and love stories, almost like an ancient 3D comic strip.
Before going back to the ship, we are guided through the town’s fish market – the hub of local life on an early Wednesday morning – where local sellers proudly thrust the day’s catch in our faces, from buckets full of tiny whitebait, to huge catfish, which get sliced and gutted as we watch.
The benefits of a luxury cruise come into stark relief when we get back to the ship – we remove our shoes for the crew to take them away and sanitise them, removing any trace of the market and its fishy wares.
Kalna’s 108 Shiva Temples are arranged in two concentric circles, symbolising the beads in a rosary. Photo / Stephanie Holmes
Matiari
The next day, in Matiari, we wander the village streets to see artisans at work. This town is famous for its brass and bell metal craftspeople, many of whom work in workshops in their homes, honing skills passed down through generations.
Bring cash, because there’s the chance to buy all kinds of souvenirs, from bowls to bangles to bells, all for sale directly from the makers themselves – a better option than buying from a souvenir stall or market in the bigger cities, where you have no idea if it’s a genuine crafted product or a mass-produced knock-off.
It’s a delight to stroll past the brightly coloured houses, paddy fields and temples, and witness everyday life – we visit early to see the town waking up and slowly coming to life. Cows, goats, and dogs roam the streets, women in saris ride by on bicycles, and tuk-tuks blast their horns as they whizz past.
Getting back to the ship for a delicious lunch buffet and a refreshing chilled glass of wine is a welcome retreat, and we set sail again for another day, another adventure.
Matiari is famous for its brass and bell metal crafts, with artisans practising skills passed down through generations. Photo / Stephanie Holmes
Murshidabad
The former capital of Bengal is a relatively bustling city compared to the villages we’ve visited over the last couple of days. We trot our way through the streets by rickety horse and cart (with an optional tuk-tuk ride for those who can’t – or don’t want to – climb up to the padded seats on the cart’s platform).
Top sites here include the Katra Mosque, built in 1723, and formerly a caravanserai (roadside inn) – one of the largest in India. Built of brick, it was badly damaged in an earthquake in 1897, however, its grandeur still remains.
Across town, the Hazarduari Palace – a grand, neo-classical building the colour of buttermilk – houses a museum with a vast collection of historic artefacts, including paintings, armour, weapons, furniture, jewellery, carriages and clothes.
The building’s exterior has 1000 emerald doors, but only 900 are real … the others were included as a way to mislead enemy attackers. Another deceptive feature on display in the museum is a mysterious mirror in which the person standing in front of it cannot see themselves, but others can.
You can’t take photos inside the museum, but that might be a welcome break. Outside, we Pākehā tourists were such a novelty to the Indian visitors that they crowded around us to take videos and selfies. Somewhere on Indian Instagram, I am very famous.
The Katra Mosque in Murshidabad was once a caravanserai and although partially destroyed by an earthquake in the 1800s, it remains one of the town's biggest attractions. Photo / Stephanie Holmes
Baranagar
After a morning’s sailing, where from sunloungers Uniworld guests lazily watch Ganges river-life pass by, we anchor on the banks of Baranagar, a village of about 2000 inhabitants – many of whom seem to have arrived to meet us.
As we stroll through the dusty dirt roads to check out the village’s beautiful temples – Annapunra, Radha-Govinda, Dakshineswar Kali – we collect a line of children, following us as if we’re the Pied Piper. They practise their English (“pleased to meet you”, “what is your name”), and one particularly doe-eyed girl takes great pride in showing me a drawing of a lotus flower she has just completed.
Older women sit on their porches making cigarettes using dried tobacco leaves, while their household cattle tied to the fences swish their tails and eye us suspiciously.
Before boarding the ship, we take part in a casual game of cricket, guests versus crew and locals. One of the ship’s waiters – normally demure in the dining room – shows an impressive fast bowling arm and a ruthlessly competitive streak.
In Baranagar, villagers often welcome tourists with casual games of cricket, bringing guests and locals together. Photo / Stephanie Holmes
Chandannagar
Our final stop before arriving back in the chaos and noise of Kolkata is Chandannagar, formerly a French settlement in the colonial era. Its architecture and vibe still feel quite European, with a wide tree-lined boulevard along the river, perfect for a late afternoon stroll.
The Chandannagar Museum showcases the town’s rich history as a former thriving centre of trade and commerce with Europe.
The Sacred Heart church is a good example of the old and the new. Built in 1884 in the classic French architectural style of the time, the outside is understated and tranquil, while the inside is painted brightly in neon shades of lime and pink, more in keeping with the colour and vibrancy of modern India.
It’s a place I never would have thought to visit if I had been travelling under my own steam, but thanks to a carefully thought-out river cruise itinerary, it’s somewhere I’m very grateful to have seen.
Checklist
GETTING THERE
Air New Zealand flies from Auckland to Singapore, with connecting flights to Kolkata with Star Alliance partner Singapore Airlines. airnz.co.nz
DETAILS
This cruise is part of Uniworld’s 13-day Golden Triangle and Sacred Ganges itinerary – with a six-day land component that visits classic highlights of India, like the Taj Mahal, Rajasthan, Agra and New Delhi, and the option to extend the trip with a post-cruise visit to the holy city of Varanasi. For the full itinerary, departure dates and prices, see uniworldcruises.com
