Gwalior & Holi

The Hindu festival of Holi - the colour festival - is celebrated over 2 or 3 days & began this year on Saturday 3rd March, whilst we were still in Agra. We were advised not to leave our hotel on the Saturday night as things can get out of hand round the bonfires set alight on every street - over indulgence in alcohol & paint throwing can degenerate into violence, we were told.

Initially, Anil suggested that we should also remain indoors on Sunday until 3p.m., which didn't seem so awful. We like lying in on Sundays!However, at 9p.m. on Saturday evening, he informed us that he had consulted the local people & the police who had advised that we should get out of Agra as early as possible next morning - as tourists we were likely to be seen as moving targets throughout the festival!

So at 5a.m. on Sunday we made our get-away. Apart from ensuring our safety, our early departure brought us the unexpected bonuses of witnessing a total eclipse of the moon (apparently women of childbearing age can be rendered barren by looking at an eclipse - sadly, Howard didn't cover Fiona's eyes quickly enough, so that's that!!!!) & of being the only tourists wandering the Gwalior Fort at dawn.

The approach road to the Fort took us past the most amazing Jain statues that were carved out of the cliffs beneath the Fort between the 5th & 17th centuries. Unfortunately, many of the faces had been removed by British "antique dealers" during the 19th & 20th centuries who defaced them for retail purposes, but they were still magnificent & awe-inspiring.

The Fort, too, was wonderful, if crumbling. It was pre-Moghul, built in the 15th & 16th centuries in a commanding position overlooking Gwalior & the plains beyond. It was magical & eerie to stand amidst the hilltop ruins in the breaking light of day, above the cacophony & chaos of the modern Indian world below.