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You’ve
arrived at Delhi. The months of planning and curiosity are over;
you’re actually in India. Every experience, every sound, every smell
shouts that you’ve arrived somewhere magical, somewhere Special. It is
here that the deep love of one man for one woman created the Taj Mahal;
where the King of Kings ruled; where the sacred Ganges flows past holy
cities; where the Himalayas stand silent and magnificent; where 5000
years of culture waits to be absorbed.
Delhi The Old and the New
Delhi is above
all an historic city, an elegant capital, content to leave to Calcutta
and Bombay the roles of commercial and business supremacy. It is in
fact really two distinct cities; the energy and colour and the
thronged bazaars and Moghul architecture of Old Delhi contrast with
the formal splendour of New Delhi, whose wide boulevards offer
ever-changing perspectives of Lutyen’s landscaped city. Delhi has
several world-famous luxury hotels, with the comfort and style to
ensure relaxation after your journey; from here, set forth to
experience the sights and sounds of the city. The gracious Red Fort,
the Jama Masjid (the largest mosque in India), the Qutab Minar complex
with its soaring tower - all are waiting to be explored. Allows some
time to wander round the inexpensive modern shops and handicraft
centres. Magicians and dancing bears entertain crowds in the
marketplaces, while fortune tellers may offer glimpses of the future.
The heat of the day gives way to balmy evenings; enjoy a meal in one
of the many splendid restaurants, the exotic music of sitars and
veenas and the subtle rhythms of the tabla accompanying the delicious
cuisines from throughout the country. Flights and trains and buses run
from Delhi all over north India, so it is always easy to reach the
next destination.
The Romance of
the ’Golden Triangle’
There are so
many wonders in the area south of Delhi known as ’the Golden
Triangle’; in this area is the sublime, world famous Mahal, the old
ghost city of Fatehpur Sikri, and the exotic pink city of Jaipur in
Rajasthan. Agra can be visited first, as it is only 200 kilometres
south of Delhi, Weep at the beauty of the Taj where love created the
world’s most beautiful building, and spend a day wandering around the
huge and truly magnificent Red Fort. Here the romantic emperor who
built the Taj was imprisoned by his own son, and one can sit in the
room where he died looking at his own masterpiece. The road from here
leads to Fatehpur Sikri. The glorious Moghul courtyards and palaces
conjure up dreams of the mysterious wonders of the past - a golden age
of tragedy and love, the harem of beautiful wives enclosed in the
women’s quarters, of powerful emperors, of magical prophesies and
potent charms. Southeast of Delhi, in the state of Madhya Pradesh, are
the sculptured temples of Khajuraho where enormous friezes of entwined
human figures practise the ’arts of love’. Nowhere else in the world
is mankind’s sensual nature celebrated in such intriguing and graceful
tableaux. By now one will understand a tiny part of India, but even
this will not prepare the traveller for the exotix fantasy of the
State of Rajasthan. The region was controlled for thousands of years
by a warrior race of honour and valour who would fight to certain
death to protect their homeland, and the landscape is dotted with
their impressive battle-scarred forts. A proud and beautiful people in
their many-coloured garments will extend a warm welcome in this
powerful land of kings. Nowadays, anyone can be a king or queen for a
while by staying in a fairy-tale palace on one of the beautiful lakes
in Udaipur. From here, the ’Arabian nights’ fantasy can be extended to
magical Jaisalmer – a yellow city with every building radiating the
colour of the sun. Every dream of’ riding a camel or seeing a tiger
stalking in the distance will come to life in glorious Rajasthan.
The
Timeless Ganga
It is commonly believed that bathing in the Ganges (Ganga) at certain
holy places purifies the soul. The Ganges is a sacred and holy river,
worshipped by the Hindus, and numerous holy towns line its banks, all
waiting to be explored: Varanasi, Allahabad, Rishikesh and Hardwar are
some of the more famous, and it is a delightful experience to mingle
with the thronging crowd of pilgrims. This is yet another experience
of India, no less fascinating and no less mysterious. It is uplifting
to see one of the oldest religions in the world still so alive and
passionately followed. The ’eternal’ city of Varanasi is quite
different again a mass of winding narrow alleys and picturesque lanes
full of colourful pilgrims, wandering sadhus (holy men), Hindu priests
(Brahmins) giving offerings to the gods, sights and sounds all
mingling with the aroma of incense wafting from ancient Hindu temples.
In the clear early morning light pilgrims perform their devotions on
the steps leading down to the river, women bathe discreetly in
their colorful saris and groups of children, no less colourful with
flashing smiles and dark shining eyes, play nearby. The delightful
holy towns of Rishikesh and Hardwar can be visited in the way up to
the cool of the mountains, the shimmering grandeur of towering peaks,
the fragrant fresh air...
The Majesty of the Himalayas
On the journey
towards the peaks of the Himalayas yet another totally different and
magnificent experience beckons. Imagine standing alone in the top of
the world with the swirling white clouds beneath you and yet another
snowy ridge towering ahead. Journeys can easily be made to silvery
Kashmir, cool and beautiful Shimla, or the lush green Kulu Valley,
Relax sitting on the balcony of one of the beautiful hotels in the
mountains, breathing in the clear mountain air and idly watching the
sparkling river cascading down the mountainside. The ancient Moghul
emperors, once the greatest dynasty on earth, devoted their entire
resources to the task of complementing the natural beauty of Kashmir
with gardens and waterways to create a ’Paradise on Earth’. Later, the
British popularised the use of houseboats moored in the tranquil Nagin
and Dal lakes. Many travellers join groups trekking into the heart of
the Himalayas and return to laze in their houseboats. Shimla, the
’Summer Capital’ of India for the British, is a place designed for
complete relaxation, a delightfully situated hill station retreat.
Wander down the Mall, to watch a11 the local people doing the same;
breathe the pine scented air in the tall and beautiful forests with
the sun casting light through the trees on the sparkling brooks. North
of Shimla is the beautiful forested Kulu Valley, with its flowing
rivers and flower strewn walks, known as the ’Valley of the Gods’. You
can bite into a crisp apple plucked from one of the many orchards, or
watch the local people in their homespun woollen clothes and bright
Kulu caps drying apricots in the sun. So many wonders. So much to feel
and see. So different. So exotic. Sri Paramahansa Yoganada, a famous
Indian guru, observed how mankind is engaged in an eternal quest for
that ’something else’ he hopes will bring him happiness, complete and
unending. We don’t promise India will completely fulfill this, but she
will certainly put you on a new and different path. You will never be
quite the same again.
SIGHTSEEING
The
subcontinent of India lies in south Asia, between Pakistan, China and
Nepal. To the north it is bordered by the world’s highest mountain
chain, where foothill valleys cover the northernmost of the country’s
26 states. Further south, plateaus, tropical ruin forests and sandy
deserts are bordered by palm fringed beaches. Side by side with the
country’s staggering topographical variations is its cultural
diversity, the result of the coexistence of a number of religions as
well as local tradition. Thus, the towering temples of south India,
easily identifiable by their ornately sculptured surface, are
associated with a great many crafts and performing arts of the region.
In the desert of Kutch, Gujarat, on the other hand, a scattering of
villages pit themselves against the awesome forces of nature,
resulting in Spartan lifestyles made vibrant by a profusion of
jewellery and ornamental embroidery used to adorn apparel and
household linen. In the extreme north is the high altitude desert of
Ladakh. Local culture is visibly shaped by the faith Buddhism as well
as by the harsh terrain. Yet another facet of Indian culture is
observed in the colourful tribal lifestyles of the north eastern
states of Nagaland, Mizoram, Tripura and Manipur with their folk
culture. In the central Indian states of Orissa and Madhya Pradesh,
tribal village life has resulted in a variety of artistically executed
handicrafts. India’s mountains provide heli skiing, river running,
trekking and mountaineering.
Its beaches provide lazy sunbathing as well as wind surfing and
snorkeling, and its jungles provide shooting wildlife with a camera.
India’s history goes hack to 3,200 BC when Hinduism was first founded.
Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Judaism. Zoroashtrianism, Christianity and
Islam all exist within the country today. As a consequence of India’s
size, the history of the country has seldom been the same for two
adjoining territories, and its great natural wealth has lured a
succession of traders and foreign influences to it, each having left
their imprint in the country, however faint or localised. Thus,
Chinese fishing nets in Kerala are a throwback to that country’s
ancient maritime trade, while in the north, terra-cotta figurines of
the centuries BC bear distinctly Greek traces. Modern India is home
alike to the tribal with his anachronistic lifestyle and to the
sophisticated urban jet-setter. It is a land where temple elephants
exist amicably with the microchip. Its ancient monuments are the
backdrop for the world’s largest democracy where atomic energy is
generated and industrial development has brought the country within
the world’s top ten nations. Today, fishermen along the country’s
coastline fashion simple fishing boats in a centuries old tradition
while, a few miles away, motor vehicles glide off conveyor belts in
state-of-the-art factories. |
Information
provided by
Department of Tourism. Ministry of Tourism and Culture.
Government of India.
