PM Modi to flag off 'Ganga Vilas' tomorrow

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off the world's longest river cruise - 'Ganga Vilas'- from Varanasi to Dibrugarh via Bangladesh on Friday.

Covering a journey of 3200 km in 50 days and passing through 27 river systems in India and Bangladesh, the cruise ship will give tourists a chance to visit over 50 architecturally important places, including world heritage sites.

According to the website of Antara, a company that organises 'luxury' river cruises, the Ganga Vilas cruise has been "built with a unique design and a futuristic vision". It will cover "prominent destinations that lie along Kolkata's River Hooghly to Varanasi's River Ganges." From the famous "Ganga Arti" in Varanasi, the ship will stop at Sarnath, a place of great reverence for Buddhism. It will also cover Mayong, known for its Tantric craft, and Majuli, the largest river island and hub of Vaishnavite cultural in Assam.

The travellers will also visit the Bihar School of Yoga and Vikramshila University, gifting the travllers the experience of the rich Indian heritage in spirituality and knowledge.

Travelling through the biodiversity rich World Heritage Sites of Sunderbans in Bay of Bengal delta, the passengers might catch a glimpse of the famous Royal Bengal Tigers and also the famous one horn rhino while travelling through Kaziranga National Park.

The vessel is 62 meters in length, 12 meters in width and comfortably sails with a draft of 1.4 meters. It has three decks, 18 suites, 36 tourists

and has facilities such as music, cultural programs, gym, spa, open-air observation deck, personalised butler service, etc.