TO INDIA WITH SHERLOCK HOLMES
In the footsteps of Sigerson with the
Sherlock Holmes Society of London
Monday February 17 – Sunday March 2, 2014
The Taj Mahal in Agra, whose fort is a key location in The Sign of Four
This is the first call for bookings on what promises to be the trip of a lifetime and a
unique opportunity for members of the Society to experience India through the
Sherlock Holmes stories.
Follow in Dr Watson’s footsteps as you land in Bombay (now called Mumbai). Relive the drama of the Raja’s
treasure being stolen and hidden in Agra Fort. Speculate on where Holmes roamed during those lost years – did
he visit the great Hindu mystics? Consider Conan Doyle’s inquiries into eastern philosophies.
This 14-day trip to India promises to be an experience like no other, a blend of the best of India with three special
ingredients: bringing to life the many Holmes references to India and their historical context, enjoying privileged
access to private homes and buildings, and travelling with fellow Holmesians.
In addition, as we promote Holmes, Watson and the India-related personalities we hope to engage Indian
Holmesians – Conan Doyle is published in India in English and a dozen Indian languages and has inspired Indian
mystery writers - to share our experiences. We plan to run a short story competition for students, share a day at
the races, stage a ‘Just a Minute’ quiz with Holmes and Watson, a game of cricket, and much more.
It will be the journey of a life-time!
We start our adventure in Mumbai/Bombay, continue to Kolkata/Calcutta, Lucknow and Delhi, and end with two
days in Agra to see the Taj Mahal and visit Agra Fort (and perhaps find more of that treasure?)
Our days will include all the essential sightseeing you would expect, often with a Holmes twist. Our evolving
programme expects to include a Victorian bathing party, a Holmes cricket match at a private cricket club, the
screening of an Indian-made Sherlock Holmes film, possibly a day at the Kolkata races, and specially created
Holmes and Watson cocktails at one of India’s legendary private clubs.
As on all our adventures abroad, we shall travel in character and participants will be invited to wear Victorian
costume on some occasions, with careful consideration given to weather.
Our trip organiser is Louise Nicholson, known for her knowledge, experience and good connections in India, and
author of the National Geographic Traveler Guide to India. We shall stay in deluxe hotels starting with Mumbai’s
legendary Taj Mahal hotel, travel in comfort and experience the great sights, good food (both Indian and
European) and, of course, India’s colourful bazaars. Louise and her local Tour Manager will be with us
throughout, handling all the practical arrangements and caring for each traveller’s needs.
If 14 days is too short for you, there will be an extension to visit Amritsar and Shimla/Simla, two important
Holmes locations. And Louise can make your arrangements for additional pre and post-trip days.
Read on to see our progress with the developing itinerary, and to find the booking form. Booking is now open to
members and their guests and friends.
OUTLINE ITINERARY
For details of the full itinerary, visit the Society’s web site at http://www.sherlock-holmes.org.uk/ or contact the
tour organiser Louise Nicholson at 135 East 54th Street, #15K, New York, NY 10022, USA, telephone +1 212 8420213, or email indianicholson@nyc.rr.com. This itinerary will develop throughout 2013, as events set out below
are confirmed and others initiated.
The full itinerary gives details of flights, costumed events, the hotels we are staying at, the meals and
entertainment arranged, and much else.
Mumbai/Bombay
Monday February 17 Mumbai (Bombay)
We convene in Mumbai, capital of Maharashtra state, and India’s largest port, and its financial and entertainment
capital. Gateway to India, Mumbai is the port-city where young Dr Watson arrived in India on his way to serve in
the Afghan war. In Holmes’s day the city was the headquarters of the Bombay Presidency and location of the
world's most important cotton trading market. The first railway line in India was constructed between Bombay and
Thane. Major Sholto was in the 34th Bombay Infantry and Watson arrived here en route for Afghanistan.
Each of us will be met at the airport and escorted to our hotel. Bookings can be made for earlier arrival, for those
who wish to acclimatise and to see more of Mumbai or other parts of India.
Tuesday February 18 Mumbai
Morning: We think of Dr Watson arriving in Mumbai’s great natural harbour by ship. We take a private ferry to
Elephanta island to walk up the forested hill to enjoy the monumental stone sculptures of the Hindu god Shiva.
Returning to Mumbai, we land near the Gateway to India, built in 1927 to commemorate the visit of the KingEmperor George V and Queen-Empress Mary in 1911; it was through this gate that the last British soldiers, the 1st
Battalion Somerset Light Infantry, left newly independent India in 1948.
Afternoon: We enjoy Dr Watson’s Bombay, remaining in historic downtown Mumbai to visit inside some places he
too could have seen, many of them newly built for the empire’s ‘Urbs Prima in India’.
Wednesday February 19 Mumbai
Morning: We visit the Prince of Wales Museum, a fine building with notable collections of sculpture, miniature
paintings, coins. Near here is the Parsee-built Sassoon Library, British-established Elphinstone College and
Keneseth Eliyahoo synagogue, all reflecting the multi-ethnic, newly built Bombay monument that Watson would
have experienced.
Afternoon: We visit the magnificent Dr Lad Museum – conceived & inspired by Great Exhibition, paid for by public
subscription – that had just opened when Dr Watson arrived. We enjoy the UNESCO award-winning restoration of
its building, display cases and contents. We continue to a private Parsee family home for tea, seeing the fine
Chinese porcelain, with the Baron Gruner connection.
Kolkata/Calcutta
Thursday February 20 to Kolkata (Calcutta)
Morning: we fly to Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal state. The city has a fine tradition of literature, music and
art. Founded in 1690 by Job Charnock, an East India Company administrator, Calcutta was the British
headquarters in India from 1772 until the move to Delhi in 1931. Renowned for its grand stucco classical
architecture, it was dubbed the City of Palaces. Dr Grimesby Roylott established a large practice here.
Afternoon: We drive to Barrackpore, an hour outside Kolkata, to visit the large campus of the much-respected
Ramkrishna Vivekananda Mission (RKVM) located in the leafy old British cantonment beside the Hoogly River.
There we meet with the current Swamiji and his monks and learn about Vivekananda’s global work to revive Hindu
philosophy and break down caste, ideas that inspired Conan Doyle, Holmes and Dr. Roylott.
We continue into Kolkata city centre, pausing to visit the Birla Planetarium, where we learn about Moriarty’s book
The Dynamics of an Asteroid.
Friday February 21 Kolkata
Morning: We have two sightseeing mornings to imbibe the core of Kolkata when it was the British administrative
capital of a quarter of the world’s population, its lifestyle reported around the world in, for example, the Illustrated
London News, etc. This morning, the keen take an early walk from the High Courts to BBD Bagh and on to St
John’s Church. From there, we all visit the Marble Palace and Tagore’s house. We end with South Park Street
Cemetery and the Cathedral, both with fascinating memorials.
Afternoon: SHSL is working with Indian journalist colleagues to set up a country-wide Holmesian short story
competition, the judges both Indian and British, the top prize a literary tip to London. We then plan to visit the
Tollygunge Club whose extensive buildings and grounds offer many opportunities for staging a period event.
Saturday February 22 Kolkata
Morning: Early risers have the option of visiting the flower market, crossing the Hooghly Bridge and taking the
ferry back across the Hooghly river. We then visit Victoria Memorial museum. Two options follow: a visit to the
Zoo (founded 1876), to stir up memories of Colonel Sebastian Moran and other canonical references to tigers and
tiger hunting (ref. Colonel Sebastian Moran), mongooses ref. Henry Wood) and swamp adders (ref. Grimesby
Roylott). OR visit to two weaving foundations (trading Indian cotton was the primary reason the East India
Company founded Madras/Chennai, its trading headquarters 1639-1772): a family run design company, and the
Weavers’ Service Centre.
Afternoon: The Royal Calcutta Turf Club usually has weekly meetings at this time of year, held at their wellattended and delightful historic city-centre race course on the Maidan open space. SHSL is hoping to create a
special Holmesian event at the races, as they have done at Kempton Park in England, evoking the story about
Silver Blaze, the racehorse.
Lucknow
The siege of Lucknow and its relief in 1857 were seminal: for Indian people, it was an early step towards
independence; for the British it resulted in the Raj (‘rule’) administration direct from Westminster 1858-1947. The
British Residency site is well maintained today. Several Holmes stories refer to these events.
Sunday February 23 to Lucknow
Morning we fly to Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh state.
Afternoon: We visit the lavish yet slightly mournful imambaras and the landmark Hussainabad Clock Tower, built
by the Shi Muslim nawabs who created Lucknow and its simultaneously refined and debauched culture. Here,
Hastings and merchant venturers made their trading deals, here Zoffany painted both court and traders. Later, we
walk through old Lucknow market to see gold beating, food preparation, the paan chewing digestive, and the
white on white ‘chikan’ embroidery worn by both the Indian and British of Hasting’s day.
Monday February 24 Lucknow, then to Delhi
Morning: Dressed in costume, or appropriately, we hope to visit La Martiniere which was built as a private home
but has long been a boarding school (Kipling was sent here); we have a briefing on the causes of the 1857 events
in India. Continuing to the British Residency we visit the site in detail, learning about the siege, the relief, the
simultaneous events in Delhi and their consequences: direct rule from Westminster (The Raj), the end of the East
India Company, and Disraeli’s creation of Queen-Empress Victoria And we ponder on how this would have affected
Dr Watson’s time in India.
Afternoon: we fly to Delhi.
Delhi
Tuesday February 25
Delhi
Morning: Depart early to see the fine buildings of Delhi’s five sultanate rulers – to Lal Kot with its Qutub Minar
tower, to Hauz Khas and its medieval university buildings (and newly arrived fashion boutiques!). We then visit
the well-stocked National Railway Museum, the tomb of Safdarjang (ruler of Oudh, precursor of Lucknow), and
end with Mughal emperor Humayun’s walled garden which lies next to Nizamuddin, a tiny Sufi village and Delhi’s
oldest continuously lived in area.
Afternoon: We hope to set up a game of cricket (Tour participants might make up one team!) with traditional tea
to follow.
Agra
Wednesday February 26: to Agra
Morning: we travel by train to Agra. On arrival we visit Fatehpur Sikri, one hour’s drive west of Agra. This is the
Mughal emperor Akbar’s palace-city that he built in the 1570s, a collection of exquisitely carved red sandstone
buildings for a refined court that emulated the Timurid court of Samarkand.
Afternoon: Return to Agra and cross Yamuna river to visit tomb of Itimad ud Daulta, encrusted with patterns of
coloured stones, and Mehtab Bagh, a recently restored Mughal pleasure garden with fine sunset views of the Taj
Mahal – this is how most people first saw it because this was the commercial side of town where high roads
converged; in addition, many people arrived by river and had a similar view.
Thursday February 27: Agra, then Delhi
Early morning: An opportunity to experience sunrise at the Taj Mahal, emperor Shah Jahan’s memorial tomb for
his wife Mumtaz, a pinnacle of Mughal architecture. We take our time to wander its buildings and gardens.
Morning: Visit Agra Fort.
Afternoon: We visit the best pietra-dura craftsmen and see their products, which maintain the standards we have
seen at the Taj Mahal and Agra Fort.
Evening: return to Delhi by train.
Friday February 28: Delhi
Morning: Late departure from our hotel, to go north to visit briefly Gandhi’s tranquil memorial, then on into the
pre-Lutyens British area of Delhi to visit St James’s Church by the Cantonment, and the 1857-58 sites and the
1911 Durbar site, both on The Ridge.
Afternoon: we take a bicycle rickshaw ride through Shahjahanabad, or Old Delhi, the Mughal city inaugurated by
Shah Jahan in 1648 and thriving today; we see Chandni Chowk, the Jama Masjid mosque, and the tiny lanes
where spices, dried fruits, wedding apparatus, household goods and just about everything else are sold in box-like
shops.
Saturday March 1: Delhi
Morning: An option for the keen to take an early walk on the Middle Ridge and enjoy a very special view of
Lutyens’s Rastrapathi Bhawan. Later, we all drive through the core of Lutyens’s garden city of New Delhi, built to a
cost of 15 million pounds sterling and inaugurated by Lord Irwin on 9 February, 1931. We visit inside the
bungalows where Indira Gandhi lived and where Mahatma Gandhi stayed, and visit the Maharaja of Jaipur’s
townhouse, now the National Gallery of Modern Art.
Afternoon: We visit the Mughal Gardens of Rastrapathi Bhawan.
Return to our hotel by to change.
Finale Evening: in full costume or appropriate attire. The evening is held at the Imperial hotel, built 1933-35,
furnished with London silver and Italian marble.
Sunday March 2: Delhi
At leisure, full breakfast included, and rooms are held to noon (but can be booked for longer).
Those departing India are escorted to the airport and assisted with check-in. Further Delhi sightseeing can be
arranged for today tailored to each client’s interests.
The 5-night post-tour extension to Amritsar and Shimla begins this afternoon, continuing the Holmes experience,
visiting relevant locations and travelling through the beautiful Lower Himalayan hills.
End of Tour
TO FIND OUT MORE OR TO BOOK
For details of the full itinerary, booking conditions and booking form, visit the Society’s web site at
http://www.sherlock-holmes.org.uk/ or contact the tour organiser Louise Nicholson at 135 East 54th Street, #15K,
New York, NY 10022, USA, telephone +1 212 842-0213, or email indianicholson@nyc.rr.com.
Alternatively, contact Calvert Markham at calvert@cmarkham.com or write to him at 32 York Road, Cheam,
Surrey, SM2 6HH for more information.