The Golden Triangle and Holi

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.

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.

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.

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.