It could have been more beautiful

The driver said that it was a waste that we could not go to Taj Mahal last night, so we set off early in the morning to redress the regret.
We reached Taj Mahal at 7am. As it is one of the Seven Wonders of the World, all vehicles had to be parked a distance from it. From afar it looked deserted, but when we reached the entrance, there was a long queue and we had to go through security checks like we were boarding a plane. What a nuisance!

Taj Mahal's structure is very simple. It is totally made of white marble. We took pictures of it from many different angles. The rising sun was beautiful, but we could see the moon who was reluctant to return home. A fine veil-like mist suddenly descended upon us, making the place look like heaven on earth!

Taj Mahal is located in the north and faces south. Its main entrance faces south and is graced by a large corridor-like fountain, reflecting the beautiful contour of the building. To the back was a beautiful river; it looked that it needed more water level though. There were two buildings on the left and right sides of the mausoleum. Capturing the view from the archway, the magnificent Taj Mahal seemed to fit into a frame. It was a totally new perspective! We left reluctantly after lingering for around one and a half hours.

It takes around five hours to travel from Agra to Delhi. The journey was fine, but once we reached the city, it was such a mess it made me feel frustrated. We headed for the Parliament House and Presidential Palace afterwards. The former is at a North-facing-South or South-facing-North position, while the latter is located in the West and facing East. It seems that the Parliament House is superior in feng shui to that of the Presidential Palace. India's government seems to have a bright future!

India Gate of the Red Fort faces the Presidential Palace. It was built in order to commemorate the 90 thousand Indian soldiers who perished in the Second World War. We took photos of it from afar for memory's sake. Later on, the car passed through the embassy zone, which was so clean that it looked more like China's embassy zone than India.

We bought some value-for-money momentos from the local districts before boarding the plane. I also bought some cashew nuts and Indian records.

A Beautiful Tale

India has a rich history. It also has stuff fit for a legend. A king built the world-acclaimed Taj Mahal for a woman who bore fourteen children for him. My wife asked, why commemorate her only when she is dead? What is there to commemorate about a dead person? Men will never cherish what they have. They only know how to lament about their losses. Well, I was speechless!

Today was Friday, Taj Mahal’s off day. The guide suggested that we tour other places first before returning after sundown to take pictures. The scenery was alluring.
Agra is a place that millions of tourists flock to, but I did not like it much. After seeing it for myself, the congested traffic, the herds of cattle, dung, alfresco toilets and weirdos disappointed me. This city is too abnormal. Besides Taj Mahal, the most famous building would be the Agra Mental Hospital.

The guide brought us to see ancient forts as they were the specialties of Agra. Every fort had their unique charm. Agra is indeed a romantic city. The fort built by the Emperor of Agra King faces Taj Mahal at a distance.

The reason why I do not like Agra is because of the ancient city of Fatephur Sikri I toured on the way. There, we can only park our vehicle at the foot of the mountain. We had to take a horse carriage smelling of the animal’s dung up slope. When we reached the ancient city, swarms of bees showered me with their fecal matter.

After completing the tour, we visited a marble handicraft factory which was absolutely amazing. If I had not known Italy's Lorenzo, I would have bought the entire factory. In the end we bought two tapestry set with gems and crystal. We also bought a lot of scarves. We can be Santa Claus back in Singapore again! Ha ha.

Tomorrow looked tragic. At 6.30am we were supposed to be at Taj Mahal, Delhi in the afternoon and flight back to Singapore at night! It takes 24 hours to and fro Singapore and Delhi, so the ten-day tour is actually only eight days!

Medley in the Big City

We had our breakfast before sunrise. The hotel waiter politely accompanied us for our breakfast. Around 7am, our car set off.

Expenses of white granite greeted us when we reached Jaipur. It is said that the granite used to build Taj Mahal came from here. The entire journey was perilous, with near-accidents with goods-laden lorries and granite-laden camels.

We traveled along the only expressway that connects Rajasthan’s second biggest city to the provincial capital. This is also the first expressway that I had seen since stepping foot in India. The road was wide but difficult to travel on as great trucks often whizzed impatiently on it. The speed limit here is the same as Singapore's (90km/h). What shocked me was that some trucks actually traveled against the traffic!

When we reached Jaipur, I started feeling the crowded heartbeat of a large city. We took immense effort to squeeze our way to our hotel.

This was a traditional 4 star hotel called Clarks Amer. Ten storeys high, it looked old but the interiors were ok. The bedrooms were passable.

We had our grandest lunch in our entire tour of India here, but their mineral water cost 120rupees (around S$5). It is better to bring our own drinking water, which the staffs do not object to. There are also no cess charges. To me, that is India’s greatest feature.

In the afternoon we visited Jantar Mantar (JM), an ancient metrological station and Hawa Mahal, the Palace of Winds, but we were caught in a traffic jam. It was around 3 plus when we reached JM. The guide told us there was insufficient time to visit Hawa Mahal, so I chose JM. Built in the 18th century, JM was built by order of King Jai Singh. There were intricately designed sundials, moondials and astrological viewing stations inside. JM is currently undergoing expansion works. After dalling for around an hour, I reluctantly left the JM. I spent 200 rupees to purchase an album on JM and it was worth every cent. We moved on to Amber Fort where we saw the condensed version of the Great Wall of China and many excellent collections and designs. Halfway through, we saw a palace look-alike immersed in water. Perhaps they did not get their feng shui seen to prior to works!

I asked the tour guide whether any consultants were engaged before building the palace. He said yes. Indian feng shui stresses on the mutual coordination between heaven, earth, wind and water. Interesting!

After that we visited a gem factory and a shopping mall. I had intended to go on a shopping spree, but Jaipur is really too messy. The merchandise here, especially the gems, are really excellent, but they are priced in US$. I found them a little pricey and dropped my intention to purchase two pendants made up of multi-colored gems.

Jaipur may be Rajasthan's capital, but traffic is horrendous and the market square is like a kaleidoscope. If u want to take a good stroll here, it can last you a few days. Many tai-tais of the rich and famous love to come jewellery-shopping here. It is said that many branded jewellery are designed here.

This city is a maze of a mess. The tour agency failed to give us a proper tour of the place. Setting off at 6am, lunch and tour at 2pm, by 6pm I was a dead dog. In the end we returned to the hotel to rest.

I felt secure only when I reached the hotel. India's hotels are scrupulously clean and with no odours. They are of international standards.

High and Mighty

After a seven and a half hour journey, we finally arrived at the blue city of Jodhpur. This is the second largest city of Rajasthan. The residents here accumulate their fortunes through selling precious tones, but there were few treasures along the streets. Instead, there were many cultural relic shops selling some carvings and silk.

We stayed at the Ranhanka cultural relic hotel. It lived up to its reputation. Its services, facilities were excellent along with its meals.

We started the journey to see three attractions around two-thirty pm. First we visited the hotel that was converted from the royal palace. The cheapest one could spend here was 400 rupees; in other words, it was not a place that welcomed the common citizens. We had planned to have a dinner or tea here, but it was so extravagant I did not see the need! I heard that Singapore's President Nathan would also be staying at this hotel. At the foot of the mountain lay a feast for the commoners under tentage.

The second attraction was an imperial mausoleum which used the same white marble as Taj Mahal. It looked impressive. The tablets of all the past emperors of Jodhpur were all here.

The third attraction was a thirty-storey high fort, the highest in India. We took a lift up to the top of the fort and were suitably impressed. Below us lay the entire blue city. Blue was the colour that only the rich were allowed to use in the past, but is now open to the commoners.

Besides fulfilling military requirements, the exterior was also aesthetically pleasing. From the meeting room made of gold and silver, to the emperor's bedroom, all the designs and materials were of top quality. Now, they have become a museum's showrooms. History defeats even the strongest citadel.

We chanced upon the sunset when we were still in the fort. Although it paled in comparison to Jaisalmer's, it held its own. We then visited a souvenir shop, which was the place I was most willing to splurge in for the entire fort. I bought an album of the Rajasthan Palace, a book on ancient Indian buildings and seven traditional Rajasthan CDs. I have always had the habit of collecting Indian music (I have a collection of around 20 of them). This time I planned to buy twenty or more.

We enjoyed first class service at the final souvenir shop. We specially ordered a tailored jacket and shawl that cost us around US$300. The puzzling thing was that they did not collect any downpayment, and even traveled 500km to our next attraction Jaipur to deliver them to us. We paid as we were satisfied with the service.

Dinner was served in front of the fountain in the hotel, with entertainers performing traditional dances, puppet shows and magic. It was such luxury! The icing to the cake was the fish that we had, for we had not tasted fish for a few days. This place was landlocked by the desert, and all the fish were shipped from external places, so prices were exorbitant. Most restaurants do not serve fish.

This city is the best managed so far. Except for the unmanageable traffic, the relics, hotels and services were unparalleled, leaving me with a deep impression.

Headscarf Culture

Headscarfs and scarfs both have their own historical beginnings, culture and historical value.

This trip to India, the entire northern area was the desert area, so the headscarf became a necessity. We also followed the local culture as the hot scorching sun could reach 40 to 50 degrees Celsius, especially in summer. The sandstorms were strong and longhaired women would get sand trapped in their tresses if there was no protection from the headscarfs. My wife wore the headscarf and shampooed everyday but the fine sand still made their way into her hair. In the seethingly cold winter, headscarfs and scarfs become indispensable.

In ancient times, women had low social status and were not allowed to have direct contact with men. They had to cover their faces, so the headscarfs came in handy.

Although women were lowly in Indian society, they were highly regarded at home. Indian friends all hold their mothers in great regard, especially the Sikhs. Their mother still had to be responsible for their daily needs, marriage and worship etc.

Even in the royal grounds, men held their meetings in the halls and women were only allowed to peer from the windows. I asked the tour guide why were the women always hiding behind the men. He didn’t know the answer.

The headscarf culture began its popularity in the desert as a necessity. Later on it became a living habit, and further evolved into a religious taboo.

As technology advanced, some life necessities evolved along with it. There are few Indian ladies who wear saris now. They would rather bathe more often than to wear headscarfs.
During this Northern India trip, it can take around seven to eight hours to travel from one destination to another. I was left with plenty of time on my hands to ponder.

The multi-coloured saris I saw wrapped around the Indian ladies in the desert enabled me to understand a simple truth. I am someone who fears the cold, especially on long haul flights. I must have my hat on my head to keep out the chill. Recently I swapped that for a scarf, and it looks pretty good too.

The Roadside Zoo

There is a free tourist attraction when you travel in India. It is called the roadside Zoo.

Indian Sikhs love the cow and worship it. The cows gather in groups and insolently travel through the streets and alleys, the deserted plains, the expressways. Sometimes they may even drop their "treasures" on the way. The Indian tour guide told us that if we stepped on cow dung, we would have very good luck! Dearest me! Before I could tell whether he was comforting me or teasing me, I had treaded on it, fresh from the oven.

I had believed that the cows were sacred beings that were cared for and free from toil. However, that was not true. That belief was the Sikhs. Their bulls had to plow the fields, pull carts and slog like a slave, but the cows's responsibilities were to breed. Same faces but such a different fate!
Actually, this holds true for all agricultural countries: the stronger domesticated animals all have to work.

The camel must be the most ill-fated along our journey. Those from Bikaner are more well cuilt and perform labour-intensive tasks like pulling bricks, building materials, food supplies etc. Those from Rajasthan are thinner and specialise as transport animals for tourists. Same camel, different fate!

We could occasionally see deer, antelopes, pigs, peacocks, dogs, snakes, monkeys, horses etc in the desert. It was a true roadside Zoo.

Sometimes we would see animal carcasses at the roadside. If the hide was valuable, it would be removed, leaving behind a naked carcass to serve as a buffet for other animals. We saw a group of crows circling a naked cow carcass. I guess the other animals suffer the same fate.
When traveling in India, we should make friends with animals. Otherwise, if you accidentally knock over a cow for dead, not only would you be reprimanded, you would suffer bad luck for life.

Actually, beliefs are held within one's heart. Serious car accidents can result from letting the cows have their dalliances on the road. That would cause harm to both the animals and the human beings. I really cannot tell whether is this "love"?!

Love is altruistic. Taking care of the cows at home and letting them be king is better than leaving them at the roadside to face threats to their lives.

Golden Sunset

It is Christmas day today, but Rajasthan does not have the habit of celebrating it. During breakfast, I still saw friends from America and Britain wishing each other "Merry Christmas". I am not a Christian, so I did not join in.

Today's tour guide is a local leader who is the tourism ambassador for the area. We were honoured that he was receiving us. He is extremely familiar with the culture and history of the area, and proficient in Italian, French, English and many Indian dialects. Forty years of age this year, he is born in the year of the Goat (1967). Being a determined and persistent person by nature, he gave many valuable opinions on which camera angles to take. His knowledge and service was first class.

There were four places of interest to visit today. One is a man-made lake built in the 14th century. It is an ancient reservoir that resolved potable water supply issues for the area for a few centuries. Of course, it is dispensable now. The guide told us that this area had ever been water-deprived for a decade until a big flood filled up the lake in 2005.

One of the doorways leading to the lake was built by the painstaking effort of a prostitute. As the caste system was quite obvious then, prostitutes had no status. Often worried that the doorway would be removed, a temple was built over the doorway and it is still here today. The ancients refused to walk through the doorway as they felt it was akin to going under a prostitute’s crotch. Now, the crowds throng through it.

The second place of interest was an ancient fort. The fort appeared to only have one access point, which belied the fact that there were many underground tunnels that led to other areas. The Mongolian troops had attempted to seize the city several times by trapping the denizens within but all the attempts failed. In the end, the Mongols had no choice but to conquer the faraway lands of Turkey and Afghanistan.

The place used to be a spice-trading route in the past, and also served as the main route of travel to Middle East, sharing its fame with the Silk Road. Later on, the spices and silk trade switched to using sea routes and this route slowly faded into the background, until it transformed into today's tourism spot.

The ancient fort has quite a few temples and is segregated into business and housing districts. It is said that around 2 to 3 thousand families had housed within the area. The ancient fort is built on a hill, with the higher areas developed into a hotel district as the beauty of the area beckons. There are three doorways to the ancient fort, each one of them meandering in such a way that you could not see one from another. This also serves as a form of defence. There are many paintings, cloth, antiques and many other types of art works, but you must bargain your way through.

The third and fourth spots were all mansions of past affluent people. The first was the residence of the ex-Rajasthan prime minister, which was built by two brothers who were professional masons. The design looks symmetrical until you look at them closely. It took 4 years to complete and their descendants reside within to this day. The front of the mansion serves as a tourist centre while the back serves as living quarters.

Another attraction was a five-storey apartment that took thirty years to complete. Currently, this grand house is under the partial possession of the family that owns it while the other part is taken over by the government and used as a cultural exhibition centre. The centre is of significant historical value and is definitely worth visiting.

The last attraction is the mausoleum of the old royalty. Sikhism requires that its believers are cremated after death and their ashes scattered into the sea or rivers. It is the same for the king. The mausoleum is but a memorial. This attraction has always been a crematorium and a location for watching the sunset. It only opens at 4pm. We arrived at 1plus, so it was fortunate that the driver had his way of getting us in so that we could take pictures and walk around.

I did not see the sunset yesterday, and I pined to relive the experience of riding a camel, so I spent a thousand plus rupees to see Rajasthan’s bewitching sunset.

Some things have to be experienced for ourselves. Watching the sunset in the desert is like sending off your beloved kin in a sea of sand. On the way back we saw large armies of soldiers. I had a sense of déjà vu that something major was about to happen.