Exploring India with Bettany Hughes - Episode Guide

A journey through the greatest archaeological, architectural and cultural treasures of the Indian subcontinent, starting in the holy city of Varanasi. Bettany is invited to take part in a ceremony to honour her recently departed mother. Embedding herself further into the spiritual worlds of India, Bettany heads to New Delhi to experience celebrations of Sufism and uncover the story of one of India's greatest rulers, Akbar the Great.

Bettany travels to Thanjavur, also known at Tanjore, which was once the capital of the Chola empire, one of the longest ruling dynasties in world history. She explores the 10th-century Brihadeeswarar Temple, before taking the Nilgiri Mountain Railway, an outstanding example of an innovative transportation system built through uneven and challenging terrain. Bettany's adventure in the Malabar Coast finishes aboard one of Kerala's famous houseboats.