Monday, April 23, 2007
1st Insight into Hinduism
We admired of the opening remark of our talk on Hinduism :"It's a mythology." With 330 million gods & goddesses, how could it be otherwise.
The starting trinity, we were told, are Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver & Shiva the regenerator. A yogi put it somewhat differently, for western consumption probably - Brahma the Generator, Vishnu the Organiser, Durga the Destroyer. He also told us, for some inexplicable reason, that the opposite is DOG!!
Of course, the subject of caste came up & while discrimination against untouchables is now a criminal offence, it will take many generations for the caste system to be cast off. (95% of all marriages still take within the families' own caste.) The caste system originated with the arrival of the Aryans in India about 2000 BCE. This fact stirred up feelings of unease within us, of course, as has the constant sight of swastiks everywhere. A swastik is apparently a symbol denoting goodness & is usually the 1st decoration to be painted on a new house (or car or lorry...). Disconcertingly, we have often seen them in conjunction with what we call Magen David (Star of David). We have also seen Stars of David on mosques!
Jaipur, via Agra, & IDEX
Vrinda & usWe met up with The Indian Network for Development Exchange (IDEX) staff & other volunteers in New Delhi & found to our surprise (wasn't mentioned in the programme!) that we were driven to Agra again. It took bloody hours via country roads, due to an accident on the main road, but we got to see the Taj Mahal for a 2nd time - very nice! - before moving on to Jaipur, which was to be our base for 3 days of "orientation". We all stayed with host families.
We were lucky enough to find ourselves in the home of Mrs Vimal Lodha, a teacher & headmistress of a private primary school, her mother-in-law & her daughter Vrinda. They made us very welcome, fed us delicious food & kept Fiona supplied with endless cups of chai masala. A sweet made from lentils, topped with silver leaf (which was to be eaten too - they were horrified when we started to pick it off!) was a particular treat.It was a very liberal Jain family which had experience of living in the UK & USA, so we were able to have very frank conversations about Indian life. Vrinda, who is 24, has a social work degree & works for IDEX. She does not generally dress or think in a traditional way. The whole family is probably very representative of the growing Indian middle class. There will be 400 million of them by 2020 according to estimates we've heard - more than the current population of the USA, which reached 300 million last November.Another figure to consider is that 80% of the population are currently living below the poverty line - don't know what the predictions are on that for the future. It was particularly interesting to talk to Vrinda who shone light on the attitudes of the under 35s, who make up 70% of the population. Confused? We are all the time here!
We had our 1st Hindi lesson - namaste to all of you - & a talk on Hinduism. We also had a talk on the position of women in Indian society (Fiona, as always, is very grateful that she was born in Scotland in the 20th C!) & a talk about an IDEX sponsored project to help the Kanjars. The Kanjars are, in effect, a criminal caste, thought of as lower, even. than the untouchables.
Things were not all serious & worthy, though, in Jaipur. As is traditional here, we consulted a palmist & astrologer. Fiona is glad to report that all her bad years are over & she has a comfortable, happy & healthy life to look forward to (a blessing to know in a country where only 1% of population have internal plumbing or a toilet & where, in Himachal Pradesh, for instance, 80% of diseases are water-borne while only 0.24% of the water is clean enough to drink safely). Howard now knows that I will never leave him (another blessing?) & will be by his side as he moves house, surrounds himself with greenery & spends as much time as possible by waterfalls! All this & more could be seen in our palms & we've still to get our astrological readings.
Finally we should mention that we really liked Jaipur - the roads were in good condition, the place was much cleaner & more organised than anywhere else that we've been so far. The "Pink City", so-called because all the buildings are constructed of pink sandstone, was lovely inside the old walls & we enjoyed the faded splendour of the Amber Fort, with its beautiful Shish Mahal / Hall of Mirrors & amazing wall of fortifications snaking over the surrounding hillsides. After the Great Wall of China, this said to be the next longest wall ever built.
Oh, & we went to our 1st ever Bollywood movie - VIVAH. We can't say we enjoyed all the over-acting, with the Overabundance of significant glances shot in soft focus, but there was at least not too much singing & mercifully little dancing. The cinema was a fabulous 1930s wedding cake of a place, though, which we were glad to have seen.
Oh, & we rode an elephant!
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Puffed out!
We were looking forward to the train journeys in India - we like travelling by train, it's environmentally sound & it would be a blessed relief from the terrible roads & insufferable car journeys - or so we thought! One can but dream........
Train 1 Varanasi to New Delhi
2-tier air-conditioned with curtains for privacy, sharing with 2 strangers - but we had the bottom bunks. Due to leave at 3.45 pm but departed at 6 PM. Arrived Delhi 7 hours late at 11.30 next day. It did save us from getting off at 4.40 am & we did miss the torrential rain outside, but it was a strange experience, particularly since no information is imparted to passengers other than a placatory "Oh, 10 minutes more only, Madam". Indians like to tell you what they think you want to hear & seem surprised when you get infuriated that they've not been truthful.
Since then we've had 3 more train journeys, each one worse than the one before.
Train 2 New Delhi to Chukki Bank
2-tier air-conditioned, bottom & top bunks - but you can't claim your reserved bunk until 9 pm & at 6 am you can be expected to share a bottom bunk (if lucky enough to have one!) with other passengers wanting a seat. You have to put up with other people lying in your bunk, on your pillow, till 9pm, if they get there 1st. Everyone is noisy - people getting on the train at midnight think it's fine to have loud conversations & shout loudly to each other or into their phones.
Train 3 Pathankot to New Delhi
3-tier air-conditioned, no curtains, middle & top bunks. Couldn't sit up straight in bunks, sharing with 4 complete strangers, not to mention everyone else wandering by.
Train 4 Lonavala to Margao (Goa)
3-tier air-conditioned. Only 6 bunks, middle & top, had been reserved for our group of 18. We were lucky enough (as oldest, as most outspoken...?) to get a 2 1/2 ft wide bunk between us, where we lay squished top to tail, whilst others had to perch on cases in the corridor by the unspeakably disgusting toilets for 10 hours.
We have now become desperate not to set foot on another train (or in another car!) so we'll be travelling by plane over any further long distances that we have to cover in India from now on.
Train 1 Varanasi to New Delhi
2-tier air-conditioned with curtains for privacy, sharing with 2 strangers - but we had the bottom bunks. Due to leave at 3.45 pm but departed at 6 PM. Arrived Delhi 7 hours late at 11.30 next day. It did save us from getting off at 4.40 am & we did miss the torrential rain outside, but it was a strange experience, particularly since no information is imparted to passengers other than a placatory "Oh, 10 minutes more only, Madam". Indians like to tell you what they think you want to hear & seem surprised when you get infuriated that they've not been truthful.
Since then we've had 3 more train journeys, each one worse than the one before.
Train 2 New Delhi to Chukki Bank
2-tier air-conditioned, bottom & top bunks - but you can't claim your reserved bunk until 9 pm & at 6 am you can be expected to share a bottom bunk (if lucky enough to have one!) with other passengers wanting a seat. You have to put up with other people lying in your bunk, on your pillow, till 9pm, if they get there 1st. Everyone is noisy - people getting on the train at midnight think it's fine to have loud conversations & shout loudly to each other or into their phones.
Train 3 Pathankot to New Delhi
3-tier air-conditioned, no curtains, middle & top bunks. Couldn't sit up straight in bunks, sharing with 4 complete strangers, not to mention everyone else wandering by.
Train 4 Lonavala to Margao (Goa)
3-tier air-conditioned. Only 6 bunks, middle & top, had been reserved for our group of 18. We were lucky enough (as oldest, as most outspoken...?) to get a 2 1/2 ft wide bunk between us, where we lay squished top to tail, whilst others had to perch on cases in the corridor by the unspeakably disgusting toilets for 10 hours.
We have now become desperate not to set foot on another train (or in another car!) so we'll be travelling by plane over any further long distances that we have to cover in India from now on.
Friday, April 20, 2007
Monday, April 16, 2007
Sarnath
Siddharta Gautama, who became known as Buddha ("the awakened one"), gave his 1st sermon at Sarnath, where he spent time resting from his frequent travels. We had hoped for some rest here, too, from the hubbub of Varanasi but although it was certainly quieter, we found that every time we tried to sit down, or even stood still, we became the target of beggars, touts & curious locals - so we abandoned plans for a picnic & kept moving.
There was plenty to see. We started in the museum which was very interesting - & very cheap at only 2 rupees each! (At most of India's tourist sites, Indian citizens are charged 5 rupees each for entry, while foreigners are charged much more, up to a whopping 750 rupees at the Taj Mahal.) There were statues dating from the 1st century CE through to the 12th century. The most famous was the Lion Capital, from Ashoka's Column on site, which has been adopted as modern India's emblem.
We moved on to wander around the ruins of a place which in its heyday had 30 monasteries supporting up to 3000 monks. The site fell into disrepair about 1000 years ago when Muslims invaded India & Hinduism began to gain the prominence that has led to 80% of Modern Indians being Hindus. There are still the remains of 4 monasteries, a shrine & several stupas not to mention several modern temples & the Central Institute of Tibetan Studies. The whole area was overshadowed by the 33.5 metre Dhamekh Stupa. Sarnath is a place of pilgrimage for Buddhists from around the world who leave offerings of flowers & sheets of gold leaf dotted around the park & attached to the buildings.
We may not have been pilgrims, but even for us, it was quite something to walk where Buddha had walked 2500 years ago.
There was plenty to see. We started in the museum which was very interesting - & very cheap at only 2 rupees each! (At most of India's tourist sites, Indian citizens are charged 5 rupees each for entry, while foreigners are charged much more, up to a whopping 750 rupees at the Taj Mahal.) There were statues dating from the 1st century CE through to the 12th century. The most famous was the Lion Capital, from Ashoka's Column on site, which has been adopted as modern India's emblem.
We moved on to wander around the ruins of a place which in its heyday had 30 monasteries supporting up to 3000 monks. The site fell into disrepair about 1000 years ago when Muslims invaded India & Hinduism began to gain the prominence that has led to 80% of Modern Indians being Hindus. There are still the remains of 4 monasteries, a shrine & several stupas not to mention several modern temples & the Central Institute of Tibetan Studies. The whole area was overshadowed by the 33.5 metre Dhamekh Stupa. Sarnath is a place of pilgrimage for Buddhists from around the world who leave offerings of flowers & sheets of gold leaf dotted around the park & attached to the buildings.
We may not have been pilgrims, but even for us, it was quite something to walk where Buddha had walked 2500 years ago.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Varanasi (Benares) 2
In Varanasi we witnessed the most primeval scenes we've ever encountered when we took a boat trip down the Ganges at sunset. As each boat set off young boys provided candles (at a price!) set in lotus dishes for everyone to light & set adrift on the river. We floated through the flickering candlelight in the gathering dusk to row past the funeral pyres of the burning ghats. It's difficult to describe how strange & yet enchanted the atmosphere was. Huge piles of wood were stacked on boats by the shore & all the way up the ghats (steps). Up to a dozen fires burned at different stages from a newly lit burst of flames to a tiny pile of glowing embers. Moving amongst the flames were the funeral wallahs, slightly sinister as they tended the fires until the moment when they could finally dispose of the ashes into the sacred waters of the Ganges. Looming over the whole scene a fantastically multi-layered mix of temples, palaces, hotels & hovels are jam-packed onto the steep banking above.
As if all this wasn't dramatic enough, the boats then drew together at the foot of the ghats as the nightly ritual of a Hindu fire ceremony was enacted before us. 12 Brahman priests, clothed in orange, circled slowly in unison on their individual podiums to the sound of chanting & bell ringing. Each time they circled they simultaneously twirled 1st incense sticks, then flaming torches, candelabras & increasingly large bowls of fire about their bodies. In amongst the smoke & the shadows, small children darted from boat to boat with chai urns heated by live embers. The whole effect was hypnotic & magical, far removed from the modern world. At last we began to understand the pull that Indian culture has exerted on the rest of the world for centuries.
As if all this wasn't dramatic enough, the boats then drew together at the foot of the ghats as the nightly ritual of a Hindu fire ceremony was enacted before us. 12 Brahman priests, clothed in orange, circled slowly in unison on their individual podiums to the sound of chanting & bell ringing. Each time they circled they simultaneously twirled 1st incense sticks, then flaming torches, candelabras & increasingly large bowls of fire about their bodies. In amongst the smoke & the shadows, small children darted from boat to boat with chai urns heated by live embers. The whole effect was hypnotic & magical, far removed from the modern world. At last we began to understand the pull that Indian culture has exerted on the rest of the world for centuries.
Varanasi (Benares) Photos 1
Top : Hotel Surya
Middle : Ganges bridge to Ramnagar Fort
Bottom : Benares Huindu University
Varanasi (Benares) 1
Another marathon drive - the worst yet! We left Khajuraho at 6 a.m. & reached Varanasi at 7.30 p.m. We'd had only 2 brief stops for something to eat, once at a less than clean roadside dhaba, once at the (reasonably) "Tasty Bite" & another stop or 2 to deal with a flat tyre - not our car, but 1 of 2 others we travelled in convoy with for safety. Apparently it was bandit country we were travelling - the bandits make their own guns & have been known to kidnap & highway rob tourist cars.
Luckily we had 3 days to recover from the nightmare drive before setting off back to Delhi. Meanwhile, Anil was heading straight back to Delhi which would take him 3 days!
Our hotel was just OK. The staff were pretty annoying though. They didn't knock at the door before coming in & kept turning up with things we already had ( they tried to bring us 7 towels, one at a time) in the hope of extra tips, which they actually asked for! We stayed 2 nights then, when told that we'd have to check out early on our last morning due to a wedding & we should just go out for a few hours, we decided that enough was enough . We moved for our last night to another wonderful Hotel Surya with a balcony overlooking courtyard gardens.
As for sightseeing, on Thursday we visited the Benares Hindu University, set in a lovely tree lined campus, followed by a walk across the Ganges on a pontoon bridge (very perilous), to look at the Ramnagar Fort at dusk. Friday was temple day - we visited 4 in total: the New Vishwanatha Temple, Haruman's Temple, the Tulsi Manas Temple & the Durga Temple. We learnt that people here wash & dress the statues of gods & goddesses every morning, bedeck them with jewellery & flowers & then prepare them for sleep every evening, even going so far as to make up a bed for them. This happens both in temples & in homes.
We then moved on to the Muslim/"Moghul" Quarter where the silk industry for all of India is based. Families live & work in 1 building with workshops (making pattern cards, weaving, making hats, sewing clothes & bedlinen etc.) on the ground floor & living quarters on the upper floors. It looked like sweatshop labour to us & we discovered that some of the children never went to school. Shopping for the finished articles, however, turned out to be a very civilised affair conducted while seated on rugs & cushions with a chai to hand. We further indulged ourselves with a visit to the nearby Haifa Hotel where we dined on fallafel & hummus - Howard was tiring already of curries, morning, noon & night.
Luckily we had 3 days to recover from the nightmare drive before setting off back to Delhi. Meanwhile, Anil was heading straight back to Delhi which would take him 3 days!
Our hotel was just OK. The staff were pretty annoying though. They didn't knock at the door before coming in & kept turning up with things we already had ( they tried to bring us 7 towels, one at a time) in the hope of extra tips, which they actually asked for! We stayed 2 nights then, when told that we'd have to check out early on our last morning due to a wedding & we should just go out for a few hours, we decided that enough was enough . We moved for our last night to another wonderful Hotel Surya with a balcony overlooking courtyard gardens.
As for sightseeing, on Thursday we visited the Benares Hindu University, set in a lovely tree lined campus, followed by a walk across the Ganges on a pontoon bridge (very perilous), to look at the Ramnagar Fort at dusk. Friday was temple day - we visited 4 in total: the New Vishwanatha Temple, Haruman's Temple, the Tulsi Manas Temple & the Durga Temple. We learnt that people here wash & dress the statues of gods & goddesses every morning, bedeck them with jewellery & flowers & then prepare them for sleep every evening, even going so far as to make up a bed for them. This happens both in temples & in homes.
We then moved on to the Muslim/"Moghul" Quarter where the silk industry for all of India is based. Families live & work in 1 building with workshops (making pattern cards, weaving, making hats, sewing clothes & bedlinen etc.) on the ground floor & living quarters on the upper floors. It looked like sweatshop labour to us & we discovered that some of the children never went to school. Shopping for the finished articles, however, turned out to be a very civilised affair conducted while seated on rugs & cushions with a chai to hand. We further indulged ourselves with a visit to the nearby Haifa Hotel where we dined on fallafel & hummus - Howard was tiring already of curries, morning, noon & night.
Monday, April 09, 2007
Khajuraho
Another long journey took us to Khajuraho - Anil told us "No worries! Short journey today - 80 kms.", but after 2 hours of driving we saw a sign telling us that we had 110 kms. to go! However, the 4 hour journey was worth it & WE LIKED KHUJARAHO!!!!
The Hotel Surya was lovely. We had a cool room with windows overlooking a peaceful garden. We even had top sheets on the bed & were given towels, soap & toilet paper on arrival - all unheard-of-treats up until that moment! The food served in the garden cafe was a freshly cooked & delicious. The Internet worked & the streets outside were almost clean..................... we're more easily pleased nowadays by simple things & this was bliss.
Another kind of bliss was very much in evidence at the Hindu temples , from the 10th to 12th centuries, which were our reason for coming to Khajuraho. The temples have gained fame for their elaborate & erotic carvings. The British Victorians who "rediscovered" the temples were not amused - but flocks of people since have been, including us, of course. There are 6 main temples remaining, from an originally much bigger grouping, which have fantastic layered conical rooves & 1000s of intricate sandstone carvings, including the eye-catchingly explicit sex scenes. A couple of small temples have huge statues of Nandi (a bull) & Varaha (Vishnu's incarnation as a boar). Although the weather was incredibly hot we managed to linger for 3 hours.
We also visited a group of Jain temples where the main attraction was a 4.5 metre statue of Shantinath, the 16th Tirthankara (a "crossing maker" - one is said to appear on earth every 300,000,000 years! Pilgrimage sites like this are known as tirthas - (river) crossings - places that bridge from this world to the next).
All in all, a worthwhile & enjoyable place to visit.
The Hotel Surya was lovely. We had a cool room with windows overlooking a peaceful garden. We even had top sheets on the bed & were given towels, soap & toilet paper on arrival - all unheard-of-treats up until that moment! The food served in the garden cafe was a freshly cooked & delicious. The Internet worked & the streets outside were almost clean..................... we're more easily pleased nowadays by simple things & this was bliss.
Another kind of bliss was very much in evidence at the Hindu temples , from the 10th to 12th centuries, which were our reason for coming to Khajuraho. The temples have gained fame for their elaborate & erotic carvings. The British Victorians who "rediscovered" the temples were not amused - but flocks of people since have been, including us, of course. There are 6 main temples remaining, from an originally much bigger grouping, which have fantastic layered conical rooves & 1000s of intricate sandstone carvings, including the eye-catchingly explicit sex scenes. A couple of small temples have huge statues of Nandi (a bull) & Varaha (Vishnu's incarnation as a boar). Although the weather was incredibly hot we managed to linger for 3 hours.
We also visited a group of Jain temples where the main attraction was a 4.5 metre statue of Shantinath, the 16th Tirthankara (a "crossing maker" - one is said to appear on earth every 300,000,000 years! Pilgrimage sites like this are known as tirthas - (river) crossings - places that bridge from this world to the next).
All in all, a worthwhile & enjoyable place to visit.
Orchha - "Hidden Place"
The former capital of the Bundela rajas, from the 15th to the 17th century, should, perhaps, have remained hidden from us too!
The huge complex of medieval buildings, both within & outwith extensive fort walls, must have been very opulent in its heyday, but it's pretty dilapidated now. There were signs of wonderful painting & tilting & besides the palaces it was fascinating to see the stables for horses & elephants (incidentally, elephants were used as a method of execution in the past - they were trained to stand on people!), temples, cenotaphs, mausoleums & government ministers' mansions - in fact the whole remains of a historical town.
Unfortunately, it was not so fascinating to experience the road journey there or to see the squalid village that Orchha has become. It was hardly an "excellent spot to unwind" as claimed by the Rough Guide. A scaffy, filthy little dump to be tolerated for as short a time as possible, would have been a more accurate description!
In fairness (& very luckily!) our hotel - The Sunshine Place - was clean & comfortable, with a "western" toilet not far from the bed - all desperately necessary since Fiona was violently ill throughout our 1 night's stay. We're not sure whether it was the filthy cafe (recommended in the Rough Guide, printed in 2005, needs updating, not an infallible guide!) or the more upmarket Shish Mahal Hotel restaurant which served lukewarm food which was to blame for the turmoil visited upon Fiona's digestive system - either way, the results were devastatingly unpleasant.
The huge complex of medieval buildings, both within & outwith extensive fort walls, must have been very opulent in its heyday, but it's pretty dilapidated now. There were signs of wonderful painting & tilting & besides the palaces it was fascinating to see the stables for horses & elephants (incidentally, elephants were used as a method of execution in the past - they were trained to stand on people!), temples, cenotaphs, mausoleums & government ministers' mansions - in fact the whole remains of a historical town.
Unfortunately, it was not so fascinating to experience the road journey there or to see the squalid village that Orchha has become. It was hardly an "excellent spot to unwind" as claimed by the Rough Guide. A scaffy, filthy little dump to be tolerated for as short a time as possible, would have been a more accurate description!
In fairness (& very luckily!) our hotel - The Sunshine Place - was clean & comfortable, with a "western" toilet not far from the bed - all desperately necessary since Fiona was violently ill throughout our 1 night's stay. We're not sure whether it was the filthy cafe (recommended in the Rough Guide, printed in 2005, needs updating, not an infallible guide!) or the more upmarket Shish Mahal Hotel restaurant which served lukewarm food which was to blame for the turmoil visited upon Fiona's digestive system - either way, the results were devastatingly unpleasant.
Sunday, April 08, 2007
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.
Family Living
Our driver, Anil, was kind enough to invite us into his 2-room home in the outer suburbs of New Delhi, for a cup of masala chai. There was a bedroom-cum-sitting room, which opened directly off the outside passageway on the 1st floor of the block, & a kitchen which was accessed from the bedroom. The bedroom was approximately 12 feet by 12 feet & held a double bed, a single bed & a wardrobe. When we arrived, Anil's brother was performing his morning yoga (dressed only in a towel) on the double bed, beneath a small shrine on the wall. We were offered a seat on the single bed where we were served our chai by his very pretty young wife, who kept her eyes lowered during our entire visit & hovered hesitantly in the kitchen doorway as we drank our tea. It turned out that not only did Anil, his wife, his 2 children & his brother live in the flat, but also his parents - & they all slept in the 1 bedroom together!
It was an early lesson in the fact that the concepts of personal space & privacy are generally foreign to the Indian psyche.
It was an early lesson in the fact that the concepts of personal space & privacy are generally foreign to the Indian psyche.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Agra & The Taj Mahal
We decided that the easiest way to tour about, during our 1st 2 weeks in India, would be to hire a car with a driver. Driving ourselves wasn't really an option - you have to be born here to be able to negotiate the crazy traffic! The roads are mostly in terrible condition & even on the odd stretch of pot-hole free dual carriageway, people don't always stick to the correct side of the central barrier!! Then there are roaming elephants, camels, donkeys, goats & a multitude of cows to consider...... Really the whole transportation system, in the north of India at least, is not efficient or traveller-friendly & we didn't fancy long journeys on ramshackle trains & buses, with frequent changes, so we hired Anil to drive us around for 10 days.
The 200 kms to Agra took 7 hours! Was it worth it? Well, no & yes!
Agra itself was filthy & unappealing & our hotel less than salubrious. the restaurants weren't great either. There were however some wonderful places to visit. Akbar's Mausoleum, with it's "Gateway of Magnificence" & lovely parklands, complete with black buck & langur monkeys, was a beautiful retreat. The palace complex at Fatephur Sikri & the adjoing mosque, the Jami Masjid, were both amazing. Fatephur Sikri was built on an incredibly grand scale, with a huge harem area (featuring 3 palaces itself), a 5 storeyed palace called the Panch Mahal & a "Hall of Private Audience" with an incredible throne pillar. The whole complex was built over a period of 16 years to be the Moghul Emperor's new capital in the late 1600s - & then abandoned after only another 15 years.
We also visiited the tomb of Itmad-ud-Daulah, 1 of several buildings we were told were known as "THE Baby Taj". There is another fort in Agra, too, which we enjoyed as well.
Finally we went to visit the main reason for anyone going to Agra - the Taj Mahal. It was Fiona's 52nd birthday & a beautiful sunny day so we saw it in all its magnificence shining white against the background of a blue, blue sky. As it happens, people say you should see it in all different possible lights to appreciate its true magnificence - & 2 weeks later we found ourselves visting it again for the 2nd time - totally unplanned, but what can you do! The 2nd visit was in misty weather & the building looked more ivory coloured. There were less crowds, which was a bonus & Fiona actually preferred the atmosphere & found the Taj more beautiful the 2nd time around.
We did see some wonderful sunsets in Agra too - but realised that they were largely so spectacular because of the pollution!! The beauty & the filth!!
The 200 kms to Agra took 7 hours! Was it worth it? Well, no & yes!
Agra itself was filthy & unappealing & our hotel less than salubrious. the restaurants weren't great either. There were however some wonderful places to visit. Akbar's Mausoleum, with it's "Gateway of Magnificence" & lovely parklands, complete with black buck & langur monkeys, was a beautiful retreat. The palace complex at Fatephur Sikri & the adjoing mosque, the Jami Masjid, were both amazing. Fatephur Sikri was built on an incredibly grand scale, with a huge harem area (featuring 3 palaces itself), a 5 storeyed palace called the Panch Mahal & a "Hall of Private Audience" with an incredible throne pillar. The whole complex was built over a period of 16 years to be the Moghul Emperor's new capital in the late 1600s - & then abandoned after only another 15 years.
We also visiited the tomb of Itmad-ud-Daulah, 1 of several buildings we were told were known as "THE Baby Taj". There is another fort in Agra, too, which we enjoyed as well.
Finally we went to visit the main reason for anyone going to Agra - the Taj Mahal. It was Fiona's 52nd birthday & a beautiful sunny day so we saw it in all its magnificence shining white against the background of a blue, blue sky. As it happens, people say you should see it in all different possible lights to appreciate its true magnificence - & 2 weeks later we found ourselves visting it again for the 2nd time - totally unplanned, but what can you do! The 2nd visit was in misty weather & the building looked more ivory coloured. There were less crowds, which was a bonus & Fiona actually preferred the atmosphere & found the Taj more beautiful the 2nd time around.
We did see some wonderful sunsets in Agra too - but realised that they were largely so spectacular because of the pollution!! The beauty & the filth!!
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