I was lucky enough to have friends and family take vacation and
visit me on the other side of the globe. Carli did a lot of prep work and
arranged for us to have a guided tour of the so-called "Golden
Triangle", with New Delhi, Jaipur, and Agra making the points.
We started our journey on Monday in Delhi. After meeting our guide
and driving into Old Delhi, we toured Jamma Masjid, the largest Mosque in
India. It was built during Mughal reign and was the royal place of worship. It
was a beautiful space with architecture from several areas of the ancient
world.
Next we hired several bicycle rickshaws to take us on a tour of
the Chandi Chowk market. This is in the heart of Old Delhi and can only be
accessed by rickshaws and cycles. Our peddler was not happy when he saw the
size of me. There were several times where he just got off and pushed because I
was weighing us down too much to peddle. In all honesty, it probably would have
been faster to walk but it was an experience, one that I now never have to
repeat.
We first stopped at a Gurudwara and walked through their facility.
It was enlightening to say the least. Then we went to the spice market. This is
exactly what it sounds like and we all were coughing and sneezing because of
all the spice dust in the air. The stands were only for wholesalers so we
couldn't buy anything but it was fun to walk through. We then got stuck in
a traffic jam for thirty minutes or so before making it to our final stop. If
anyone has a desire to ride one of these in the future, I recommend you bring
your own seat cushion. We all were a sore by the end.
After lunch we swung by India Gate for a few pictures. The group
had their first experience with curious Indians who wanted a selfie with the
White Giants. It was early in the trip for this so we politely declined. The
niceties went out the window by the end of the week. Luckily, most of our stops
were very touristy so we weren't the only minorities around.
Tuesday began with a trip to Qutub Minar, one of the tallest
minarets in the world. It is a beautiful structure and the ruins surrounding it
are very different than other sites I have seen in India so far.
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| Iron pillar from 402 AD with Sanskrit inscriptions. It doesn't rust due to a phosphate coating. |
We then quickly swung by the Lotus Temple. It was way less crowded
this time but that didn't stop some locals from cutting the line. It doesn't
matter how short the queue is, they still want to be in front of you.
We finished the day at Humayun's Tomb. This was the precursor to
the Taj Mahal and had many similar features. The symmetry of the entire space
is remarkable and you can seen the thought that was put in so many years ago. I
loved how peaceful it was here and could easily imagine myself studying or
spending an afternoon reading under a tree. I felt that this monument was every
bit as impressive as the Taj Mahal but my vote doesn't really count in the
grand scheme of things.
Wednesday we drove for eight hours to Mandawa, a small town that
used to fall on the Silk Road but has since declined in relevancy. There are
many large, beautiful homes that have very rich and powerful owners but most
have fallen into disrepair since the owner's departures. Some of the homes have
been purchased y local townspeople and are being restored. Some will be used as
homes, others are renovated for hotels or restaurants. We then made our way to
some camels who were less than thrilled to carry us around. They complained
more than a teenager who lost phone privileges for a week. The took breaks
whenever possible and one kept burping and spitting his tongue out. It was one
of the strangest things I have seen. Our hotel that night was a converted
palace with a beautiful garden and panoramic views of the surrounding area.
The next day we drove towards Jaipur and had lunch at the tour
company’s owner’s home. The food was very nice and it was a delicious lunch and
was very different than any other meal we had on the trip. What a treat! We
then made our way to the Elefantastic Farm. Here we got to meet Rahul, the
founder of Elefantastic (our tour company) and his group of elephants. Carli
and I got Sampa, a 46 year old female who was incredibly sweet and forever
hungry. We fed and pet the elephants for a while before having the chance to color
their snouts and sides with homemade, natural paint. Some of the workers were
more talented in the art of elephant painting and gave us normal folk some
patterns to fill in. After the paintings were complete, it was time for a bath.
We sprayed the elephants with water before filling their trunks. The elephants
were much better at washing than we could ever hope to be. Once they were
clean, we hopped on their backs and went for a short ride. They were much more
amicable than the camels the day before. It was amazing to interact with these
beautiful creatures for several hours and I’ll take these memories with me for
years to come.
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| So thirsty! |
Friday was spent in Jaipur. We started at the Monkey Temple. The
monkeys have become accustomed to being fed by humans and will sit on your
shoulders as they chew nuts and suck on hard candy. I was lucky enough to find
one that forgot to wipe and instead used my shirt as toilet paper. What fun!
The monkeys were a little too aggressive for my liking and it made me a little
nervous. I was happy that we made it out without any injuries or stolen shiny
objects. We then went to the Jantar Mantar (ancient observatory) in the heart
of Jaipur. Our guide did a great job explaining each measurement device and I
learned a lot in our short time there. I gained a great deal of respect for
these instruments as they are still incredibly precise for being built before
the invention of many modern construction techniques.
We then went to the Amber Fort and learned about the history of
this royal stronghold. Jaipur is in the state of Rajasthan, which means “Land
of Princes”, was the home of kings (Maharajahs) for many years. The Amber Fort
is a hilltop palace used by several past rulers and had beautiful walkways,
gardens, and a unique master suite. The ceiling and walls are covered with
small convex mirrors. When a single source of light is used in the room, the
mirrors catch the light and it appears as if the stars are inside the room
itself.
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| Mirrored ceiling |
Saturday we left Jaipur and headed towards Agra. On the way we
stopped in Abhaneri and visited a huge step well, Chand Baori. It would be considered
an architectural feat in modern times, let alone when it was actually built
around 800 AD. We also went to a local craftsman’s home and he showed how to
make earthenware cups and bowls on a pottery wheel. He squatted next to the
wheel and used a stick to get it spinning making a handful of cups for us. What
a treat!
After several more hours we made it to Agra. We quickly checked
into the hotel and set off for the Taj. At all of the monuments I have visited,
they have two tiers of tickets: low priority and high priority. Only Indian
nationals can buy low priority tickets but the high priority gets you in
shorter lines and sometimes more access within the monument. The only downside
of the high priority tickets is the price. Where locals can see the Taj for Rs.
40 (60 cents), we foreigners each have to pay Rs. 1000 ($15). This vast price
difference was true at every monument and while I understand this allows for a
larger population to sight see, I have to wonder how many pockets are being
lined by these fees.
The Taj Mahal was gorgeous. If not for the crazy amount of people,
I could spend a large part of the day walking around the gardens and buildings
within the grounds. We got some great photos and then got in line to go inside.
If I knew what was soon to happen, I would have simply skipped this part. The
inside is a small octagonal room with two tombs in the middle. These tombs hold
the Mughal emperor and his wife (who was the inspiration for the building) and
are surrounded by a lattice of marble. It’s very hard to see as the room has no
lighting and we were there near sunset. They strictly prohibit photography so
naturally everyone around us took multiple photos and videos with flash. To say
we were packed in like sardines makes it sound manageable and possibly
enjoyable. It was worse. Cramped in small, dark places is not one of my
favorite pastimes, especially when those around you are half your size and all conveniently
forgot deodorant on the same day. We could not get out fast enough.
Sunday we went to Agra Fort and gardens. The fort was similar to
the Red Fort in Delhi but its interior was better maintained and the builders
had much more attention to detail. It was a relaxing way to end the trip. We
drove back to Gurgaon and spent the afternoon relaxing at my apartment.
But wait, there’s more!
Monday was Holi. We all put on clean clothes and headed to my
coworker’s apartment complex where they threw a party. There were drinks to be
had and color to be thrown. We met some very nice people in the sprinkler/rain
dance zone and overall it was a great experience. After playing Holi once, I
understand why most of my coworkers said they stay inside and don’t come out
until the colors are gone. Once was enough for me. I think the colors will stay
with me for another few days.
