Maharajas’ Express – The Indian Panorama 

By Ravi Valluri

“I am not the same having seen the moon shine on the other side of the world,” writes the celebrated author Mary Anne Radmarcher.

For years overseas tourists explored Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. Yes, they discovered the prepossessing Luytens Delhi, the grandeur of the Red Fort, the Purana Quila and the lofty Qutub Minar. They motored down or flew to Jaipur to explore the majesty of Rajasthan. Like several natives they travelled by the Taj Express to be enthralled by the sheer architectural poetry of the Taj Mahal.

This was prior to profit and luxury not being called a feculent word. Reagonomics, Thatcherism, globalisation, the fall of the Berlin Wall and virtual collapse of Communism fuelled the imagination of a fossilised bureaucracy, which turned visionary overnight. As a result the Indian Railways (IR) collaborated with the State Tourism Departments and private players to launch an array of luxury trains. Today T-18 called Vande Bharat, the fastest train in India capable of clocking 160kmph is a reality; a couple of decades back propertied Indians, NRIs and foreigners got a glimpse of “Palace on Wheels”, “Fairy Queen” and “Royal Orient Express” to name some splendorous trains.

In that series were launched the Maharajas’ Express which chugged on several routes over different parts of the country. The Maharajas' Express is a luxury tourist train owned and operated by the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC). The opulent train plies on seven circuits of which Indian Panorama is a prestigious one. Keeping in mind the climate in several parts of the country, the trips have been sandwiched between the ebbing summers in October and the late springs of April.

The Indian Panorama covers the capital Delhi, resplendent Jaipur, breathtaking Ranthambore, Fatehpur Sikri, Agra, statuesque Orchha, awe-inspiring Khajuraho and the distinguished and sublime ancient city of Varanasi.

The estimable train Maharajas' Express was voted as “The World's Leading Luxury Train” five times in succession from 2012 to 2017 at the World Travel Awards. This is certainly no mean achievement which skewers the misgivings of the Cassandra’s of Doubt about tourism-marketing prowess of Indians.

It is noteworthy to mention that Maharaja Express is the most extortionate and high-priced luxury train operating in the world. For its pre-eminent service Maharajas' Express was the first runner-up in the Specialist Train Operators Category at Conde Nast Travellers’ Reader Choice Travel Award in the year 2011.

This estimable train services commenced operations in March 2010 and currently the train is manoeuvred exclusively by IRCTC.

The train comprises of twenty-three carriages which include accommodation, dining, bar, lounge, generator and store cars. Accommodation has been provided in all the guest carriages with a capacity to haul eighty-eight passengers in plush luxury.

This luxurious train crows of twenty deluxe cabins, junior suites, four suites and a Presidential suite offering breathtaking 5-star accommodation. Both the suites and the Presidential suite have a bathtub in the toilet, in addition to the bath cubicle.

The Presidential Suite is constructed on an entire rail carriage, incorporating a separate sitting-cum-dining room, a master bedroom and bathroom with shower and bathtub, a twin bedroom and bathroom with shower. The Maharajas' Express Presidential Suite is the first such a rail carriage of its kind in the world meant for commercial usage!

The superabundant train has two dining cars which have been designed to provide for expansive dining service, each with a seating capacity of 42 guests at a time so that all the guests dine together.

A dedicated bar carriage, the Rajah Club, offers the choicest of wines, liqueurs, spirits and beers along with snacks and starters. The lounge cum bar called the Safari Bar is equipped with a multilingual library and board games and offers a casual lounge experience. For tipplers and lovers of Bacchus, the tariff includes drinks on board!

The day is a salubrious Sunday when the esteemed guests board the Maharajas' Express at Delhi. Well-ensconced in the comfort of the opulence of the train, the sovereign train heads towards Jaipur once the guests partake of a sumptuous brunch aboard. Dinner is scheduled at an exclusive venue at the Pink City of Jaipur and then the guests retire for the night on the ritzy train.

The following day after savouring a hearty breakfast onboard, the tourists disembark for a visit to the lordly Amber Fort. Lunch is subsequently organized for the guests onboard and the tourists spend the night on board as the train chugs to Ranthmbore.

The fabled and imposing Ranthambore fort was built in 944 AD by the Rajput king Sapaldaksha of the Chauhan dynasty. The princely guests are treated to the vagaries of the verdant wildlife sanctuary, where man encounters menacing tigers, leopards and crocodiles in a marshy terrain. Thereafter the luxury express train heads towards Fatehpur Sikri. This red sandstone fort was founded by Akbar the Great in 1569, and is celebrated for its “Buland Darwaza”, the palace of Jodha Bai and the tomb of Sufi saint Salim Chisti. This is the place from where Akbar proclaimed the secular religion of “Din-e-Illahi”.

On the fourth day as the train reaches Agra, the occupants de-board for an early morning visit to the Taj Mahal. The beauty of the Taj, followed by breakfast at an exclusive venue is a quintessential start to the day. This is followed by lunch onboard. In the afternoon travellers visit the splendid Agra Fort.

This particular itinerary conjures Mandrake like magic as it weaves Mughal, Rajputana and Bundelkhandi history into a single tapestry. Orchha and Khajuraho are known for their unalloyed and pristine history and architecture. The early morning visit to the Orchha Fort and the Raja Ram (the only place in India, perhaps the globe where Lord Ram is also accorded the status of a king) temple leave the tourists in a trance. Come afternoon and the plushy tourists visit the incredible Khajuraho temples landscape dotted with the exalted Kandariya Mahadev, Lakshmana Temple, the Chaturbhuj and Devi Jagdamba Temple distinctively carved in the Nagara style of architecture. The entire spectrum has been accorded the status of being a UNESCO World Heritage.

The tourists pine for more as the grandiose train chugs its way to the ancient town of Varanasi. The day is spent paying obeisance at the famous Kashi Vishwanath temple and visting Sarnath where Gautama Buddha delivered his first sermon after attaining enlightenment. In the evening is the mandatory visit to the ghats of Varanasi where the tourists witness the memorable “Aarti” at the Assi Ghat.

This marks the end of a wondrous journey cherished by the tourists, their memory banks brimful with magical moments.

Also Read: Maharajas’ Express – An Odyssey In Opulence