Tag Archives: architecture

Karni Mata Temple (WARNING: includes images of rats)

Karni Mata Temple (the Rat Temple) is a crazy place, at least in the minds of Westerners. Adjectives used to describe it are: disgusting, horrific, creepy, surreal, shocking and dreadful. The use of these words is understandable, but like many other things in India, it is indispensable to look beyond common Western perceptions. So, follow my story but please leave your fixed beliefs behind. Accept Karni Mata as it is: a very important pilgrimage site to millions of Hindus. The Rat Temple was constructed in the early 20th century following Mughal style, and it is in fact a pretty temple full of marble and silver decorations. Its floor tiles are very beautiful, too.There are several legends about the birth of the Rat Temple. One is linked to Hindu mythology and Yama (the God of Death), who saved a stepson of Karni Mata (a female Hindu sage). Following the rescue of this child, Yama decided that Karni Mata’s sons should all be incarnated as rats. The other legend says that 20,000 soldiers abandoned a battle nearby and escaped to the town where the Rat Temple is located. Thanks to Karni Mata’s kindness, despite the soldiers’ unforgivable act, she decided to save, turned them into rats and gave them a home.

Whatever the truth is, the fact is that there are around 20,000 rats running around the Rat Temple and they seem to like. Undoubtedly it is their home now.Upon entering the temple, my first reaction was to throw up. It is not an exaggeration to say that rats are everywhere. In fact they walk on your feet. They touch your legs. If you lied down, they would crawl on you.After the initial shock we got used to the rats and wandered around observing the habits of locals. Some came to the temple for a marital blessing, some brought their babies to the priest. Everyone was –of course– very serious about the special power of the temple. Many people were making offerings to rats, either sweets or milk. We met a lot of really lovely and friendly people at the Rat Temple and spent more than an hour taking photos of each other. Some of these families had traveled from very far away to pay respect to Karni Mata and her rats. However, even if the Rat Temple is quite well-known, it seemed that the locals were as curious about us than we were about the rats! Needless to say, I highly recommend Karni Mata. This is the place where one’s readiness to accept the other –as he/she is– is truly tested. The Rat Temple offers a great insight into Hinduism. And if you are afraid of rats there is nothing better than overcoming your fear. I recommended you to remove your shoes (obligatory), walk inside, keep your eyes open and breath. Start walking and let this wonder of the world embrace you. You won’t regret, I promise.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION: Visiting Karni Mata depends on where you are coming from. We visited it on our way from Mandawa (Shekhawati region to Bikaner. It was extremely hot along the road (it is basically desert) and the last part of the road was very bad. You do not want to have a flat tire there. However, probably the easiest way to visit it is from Bikaner: It is only about 30 km away.

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Note: This is the 14th post about our trip in Delhi, Agra, Rajasthan and Bombay in March-April 2008. Previous posts are:

Part 1. Arrival in Delhi: first impressions
Part 2. Eight cities of Delhi
Part 3. Road from Delhi to Agra
Part 4. Visiting Agra and Taj Mahal
Part 5. Fatehpur Sikri: what a pearl!
Part 6. Neemrana Fort-Palace: the magnificent 15th century palace
Part 7. Breathtaking Amber Fort
Part 8. Chaotic but charming Jaipur (part 1.)
Part 9. Chaotic but charming Jaipur (part 2.)
Part 10. Hotel Pearl Palace in Jaipur
Part 11. Samode Palace: live like a Maharaja
Part 12. Shekhawati: the Haveli Hub
Part 13. Enchanting Hotel Mandawa Haveli

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Enchanting Hotel Mandawa Haveli

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Mandawa is the most touristic town of Shekhawati and therefore the most common base for exploring this semi-arid region famous for rich architecture and history. There are several accommodation options in Mandawa, and most of them are former havelis converted into hotels. We chose Hotel Mandawa Haveli and immediately fell in love with it. Design was stylish and there were small architectural details everywhere to discover. After visiting different rooms, we decided to take the slightly more expensive Haresh Room. It was large, the bed was comfortable and it felt like sleeping in a museum. Our door was elaborately carved and I bet it was more than 150 years old.We spent one night in Mandawa, but could have stayed for two nights. Dinner was served at the hotel and it was honest, local Rajasthani food. Very lovely. There was also a rooftop terrace where one can watch the sunset with a Kingfisher, and where dinner is sometimes served.I have kept a wonderful memory of Hotel Mandawa Haveli and believe it is one of the nicest hotels we stayed at during our Rajasthan tour. The price was very correct: 2000INR (23€/33USD).

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Note: This is the 13th post about our trip in Delhi, Agra, Rajasthan and Bombay in March-April 2008. Previous posts are:

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Shekhawati: the Haveli Hub

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I listed Shekhawati in my India: Top 10 places to visit because I believe it bares extraordinary historical and architectural value. The region is not along the most usual tourist route of Rajasthan but it definitely is worth the detour. If you are in Jaipur and planning to continue to Bikaner and Jaisalmer (like we did) then Shekhawati is perfectly on your route! Located on an old trade route, Shekhawati consists of many small towns. Your driver may not be familiar with the region, so have a good map in order to be able to enjoy your visits. Most of the guidebooks at least mention the region but my favorite is DK Eyewitness India, which has a very useful map of the region, including a 111 km-long tour with details. The region is an architectural pearl because each town is full of spectacular houses called havelis. These havelis were built by their previous owners (important merchants and industrialists) from the late 18th century to the early 20th century.

The fascinating part of the story is that a lot of the businessmen from Shekhawati had moved to Bombay and Calcutta, becoming influenced by the wave of industrialization and the British lifestyle. So, whenever these businessmen built a haveli in their home region, it became a reflection of these new trends, habits and technological inventions they had learnt about while away from home. This is why you can spot cars, airplanes, European clothes etc. on the walls and ceilings of havelis. Intriguing! Indeed, the havelis in Shekhawati are real storyboards and their frescoes often tell a story of the late 19th century industrialization. A lot of frescoes contain more traditional “Indian style” images, but in most cases, especially if you look closer, you will witness a blend of cultures and countries.

Maybe the globalization started in Shekhawati….? As you have seen, I put a high value on Shekhawati and think –once again– that it should be on one’s Must List when planning a tour in Rajasthan. After all, it is only three hours away from Jaipur (just over 150 km). Think about it!

FYI: We were coming from Jaipur and our first stop in Shekhawati was Sikar. From there we moved onto Lohargal, Nawalgarh and Dundlod before reaching Mandawa where we were planning to sleep (Enchanting Hotel Mandawa Haveli). When we left Mandawa, we only stopped at Fatehpur. However, there are many small, interesting towns to stop by, so if you are staying longer in the region, do your Internet research. For example, I would have liked to visit Lachhmangarh, Parsurampura and Ramgarh…

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Note: This is the 12th post about our trip in Delhi, Agra, Rajasthan and Bombay in March-April 2008. Previous posts are:

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Samode Palace: live like a Maharaja

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Rajasthan is full of havelis (former private mansions) converted into hotels. Some are more modest than others, while some are extravagant in every sense. In most cases they all have one thing in common: each haveli is a masterpiece of design and architecture, through which it tells a story to its visitor. A visit in Rajasthan would not be complete without sleeping in a haveli!From Jaipur our journey continued to Shekhawati region, but along the route we had planned to stop at Samode Palace, located just over 40km north of Jaipur. Samode Palace is arguably one of the most famous hotels in Rajasthan. It is stunning and full of curious, wonderful and elaborate decorations. Even if you don’t stay with them, you can do as we did: pay an entrance fee (at the time of our visit it was 500INR per person) against a private tour of the premises. In most cases, and this was true at Samode Palace, too, you can spend that amount toward food and beverages, so I would suggest using the moment as your breakfast or lunch break! Our stop at Samode Palace lasted for just over an hour and we left the premises breathless. This is exactly the type of place where one comes for a honeymoon or a wedding anniversary. Or just to spend a few nights in order to understand how it felt to be a maharaja in the past…. The more I think about, the more I conclude that it was only after visiting different parts of India that I truly learnt to understand the richness of hotel accommodation in Rajasthan. In fact, it is very easy to find affordable and beautiful hotels to sleep at in almost every city, town and village of Rajasthan, and to me this is one of the main reasons why I love Rajasthan….

SAMODE PALACE: http://www.samode.com/ (they have four properties in Rajasthan, so check the website for more information)

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Note: This is the 11th post about our trip in Delhi, Agra, Rajasthan and Bombay in March-April 2008. Previous posts are:

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Chaotic but charming Jaipur (part 2.)

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Our second day in Jaipur begun with a breakfast at our hotel’s rooftop restaurant –a small oasis in the middle of a hectic city. So important when traveling in India!

We had nothing special planned for the day, apart from visiting the world-famous Hawa Mahal and continue exploring the city. Hawa Mahal, commonly known as the Palace of Winds, is the monument that appears in almost all commercial photos one sees about Jaipur. It is dedicated to Hindu god Krishna. Constructed in the late 18th century, the palace has a curious history and design: its latticed windows were built in a way that allowed the veiled women of the royal harem of observe the outside life without being seen!Renovations were going on during our visit, but visitors were allowed to climb to the top floor and enjoy viewing Jaipur and imagining how these women felt looking down to the street. A monument not to be missed!Afterwards we decided not to visit Jantar Mantar (the observatory), and instead headed outside of the city to visit Jal Mahal, the 18th century Water Palace. On our way back we stopped at a textile shop to buy some local clothes (half silk half linen, apparently). Looking at colors available was mind-blowing!!! As Jaipur is world-famous for precious stones and jewelry making (many of the ornaments worn by maharajis come from Jaipur!), we stopped by a few shops to better understand the centuries-old jewelry-making tradition. What we saw was breathtaking but since we are not professionals, we did not buy anything too expensive. If you like design and jewelry, do visit one of the jewelry houses even if you have no intention ob buying. Most shops are used to tourists and happy to show you around.For the rest of the day we visited old havelis (old private houses) converted into hotels (like the one in the photo). Rajasthan is full of havelis, and Jaipur has a fair share of them. They are an integral part of the region’s history and usually full of antique furniture and stylishly decorated, respecting the local traditions. If you are into architecture, I would strongly consider visiting these historic and lovely pearls. We spent two full days in Jaipur and could have stayed longer. It is the most accessible city in Rajasthan if you are coming from Delhi, but regardless of tourism masses, Jaipur has remained rather pleasant. Our only regret was that we didn’t buy more souvenirs in jaipur –its bazaars are really fantastic. As other towns in Rajasthan do not necessarily have same products, think of filling your suitcase with souvenirs from Jaipur!

Note: This is the ninth post about our trip in Delhi, Agra, Rajasthan and Bombay in March-April 2008. Previous posts are:
Part 1. Arrival in Delhi: first impressions
Part 2. Eight cities of Delhi
Part 3. Road from Delhi to Agra
Part 4. Visiting Agra and Taj Mahal
Part 5. Fatehpur Sikri: what a pearl!
Part 6. Neemrana Fort-Palace: the magnificent 15th century palace
Part 7. Breathtaking Amber Fort
Part 8. Chaotic but charming Jaipur (part 1.)

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Chaotic but charming Jaipur (part 1.)

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Jaipur is one the most beautiful and famous cities of Rajasthan. It is home to a huge number of bazaars, palaces, historical sites and shopping opportunities but what I found even more fascinating is that Jaipur is where you really feel the romantic and incredible India. Jaipur is where elephants, monkeys, camels, locals and tourists cohabit. Even in the center of the Pink City as Jaipur is often called.We spent three nights (two full days) in Jaipur but could have stayed longer. Jaipur is truly inspirational and exciting. If you have a hotel in a quiet neighborhood, like we did, Jaipur is where you can come to write your memoirs. After a delightful breakfast at our hotel’s rooftop terrace we took a rickshaw to the city center. We were quite lucky, because the first thing we witnessed was a parade of elephants, camels and people wearing colorful dresses. It was like a fairy tale. This is India, I said to myself. After the parade we moved onto the old town and wandered endlessly along the streets (Badi Chaupar area). Everything you could imagine was for sale there: pottery, bangles, precious stones, food, spices, marble statues, silk clothes, etc. –you name it. We negotiated and bough some well-made, elaborate marble statues that Jaipur is famous for. The City Palace, built in the early 18th century, was our next step. Architecturally the palace is a combination of Mughal, Rajput and European styles, and full of charming little details. The palace felt very polished (it is well restored) especially after visiting the Amber Fort but we appreciated the fact that the Palace has been converted into a museum where one can admire excellent collections of different objects revealing the history of Jaipur.In fact, we loved the feeling of Jaipur so much that we just kept walking and walking. Behind every other corner there was an elephant transporting goods, men wearing turbans and selling spices, cows searching for food and elegant buildings. When we were finally done and hopped into a taxi to return to our hotel, we got stuck in a traffic jam. Even at this very moment Jaipur did not cease to surprise us –there it was, an elephant standing next to us, waiting for the rouute to clear! How cute, how incredible.

Welcome to Jaipur!

Note: This is the eight post about our trip in Delhi, Agra, Rajasthan and Bombay in March-April 2008. Previous posts are:
Part 1. Arrival in Delhi: first impressions
Part 2. Eight cities of Delhi
Part 3. Road from Delhi to Agra
Part 4. Visiting Agra and Taj Mahal
Part 5. Fatehpur Sikri: what a pearl!
Part 6. Neemrana Fort-Palace: the magnificent 15th century palace
Part 7. Breathtaking Amber Fort

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Breathtaking Amber Fort

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Amber Fort near Jaipur is another must thing to do while visiting Rajasthan. I know that I keep repeating myself, and I use many excessive adjectives, but this palace is a dream come true. It is spectacular. An architectural pearl and like no other palace. Amber Fort was built in the end of the 16th century on the ruins of an 11th century fort. Some parts were added a decade later. Style-wise it is a combination of Hindu and Mughal architecture, full of alluring ornaments, relief works, frescoes, carved doors and latticed windows. It seems that silver and marble were the favorite materials of Maharaja Man Singh, who ordered the construction of the citadel. We found Amber Fort rather calm. There were less people than in other touristic sites and they were mainly locals who were very friendly and curious. The security guards were very eager to practice English with us, and even gave us a private tour in one of the underground caves. What an adventure! It was definitely one of those moments when the rich history of India felt very vivid, allowing us to time travel to the era of Emperor Akbar.

Some practical information: We left Neemrana Fort-Palace: the magnificent 15th century palace at 2 pm and it gave us plenty of time to arrive at Amber Fort by 4 pm. However, do check the opening times prior to your arrival!

It took us about 2.5 hours to visit the citadel, and as you could notice from my photos, most of out time was devoted to taking pictures of and with local tourists. Indians LOVE to have a picture taken with you!

If you are driving directly from Delhi to Jaipur, it is totally feasible to leave the capital in the morning and visit the fort in the afternoon.

Alternatively, as many tourists do, make a morning or afternoon trip from Jaipur. After all, the distance is only 11 km and even a rickshaw can do this.

This is the seventh post about our trip in Delhi, Agra, Rajasthan and Bombay in March-April 2008. Previous posts are:
Part 1. Arrival in Delhi: first impressions
Part 2. Eight cities of Delhi
Part 3. Road from Delhi to Agra
Part 4. Visiting Agra and Taj Mahal
Part 5. Fatehpur Sikri: what a pearl!
Part 6. Neemrana Fort-Palace: the magnificent 15th century palace

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Neemrana Fort-Palace: the magnificent 15th century palace

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After visiting Fatehpur Sikri: what a pearl! we hit the road to Neemrana village in Alwar district, in the northern part of Rajasthan. The road was in a bad condition and it took us six hours to reach our destination, which was only 200 km away.

However, our patience was rewarded upon arrival at Neemrana Fort-Palace. While entering this 15th century palace we could almost hear maharajas whispering namaste to us. This is how magic it looked and felt like.After the check-in, we were taken into our room Parvati Mahal, which was very lovely and stylish. Excited, we rushed to the balcony and saw the pool area. Wow. In whichever direction we looked, there was an extraordinary wing or level, old and new, turning the hotel into a romantic and mysterious storybook. As the sun was still shining, we swam in the pool and admired magnificent architecture that surrounded us. I am pretty sure maharajas were somewhere watching us. Monkeys were.At the sunset we headed to dinner, which was a tasty North Indian buffet served in a very pleasant terrace. There were lots of candles and more antique decoration elements everywhere. Indian red wine we ordered with the meal was just perfect, fruity and tangy.

Neemrana Fort-Palace was more elegant than we could have expected. During our three-day stay we visited many rooms (each one of them was different, but stylish and comfortable) and wandered around different parts of the fort-palace. Since it was built over different centuries, and recently restored, it felt like time-traveling in a labyrinth. We could not get enough of details and atmosphere, and were sad to leave when the day came. But I am confident that we will make a return one day!

Note: Since our visit to Neemrana Fort-Palace, we have stayed at several Neemrana properties in different parts of India. Today, the group owns 29 heritage buildings, “non-hotels”, and each one of them is a reflection of India’s rich history. The owners (an Indian gentleman and a Frenchman) pay attention to every detail, and rooms are decorated with beautiful antique objects, quality textiles and comfortable furniture. As the buildings where the Neemrana properties are located were not meant for hotel usage, every room is different (which explains rather large room price variations). So, if you are planning a trip to India, make sure you don’t leave India without a true Neemrana experience –highly recommended!! www.neemranahotels.com

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This is the sixth post about our trip in Delhi, Agra, Rajasthan and Bombay in March-April 2008. Previous posts are:
Part 1. Arrival in Delhi: first impressions
Part 2. Eight cities of Delhi
Part 3. Road from Delhi to Agra
Part 4. Visiting Agra and Taj Mahal
Part 5. Fatehpur Sikri: what a pearl!

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Fatehpur Sikri: what a pearl!

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Fatehpur Sikri is located only 40 km from Agra and should be on everyone’s What To Visit list. Very different from the nearby Taj Mahal, Fatehpur Sikri is considered to be one of the finest examples of Mughal architecture. One more time, I repeat myself; do not miss this fantastic, abandoned red sandstone town!Fatehpur Sikri was constructed by the order of Emperor Akbar in honor of the famous Sufi saint called Salim Chishti who predicted the birth of Akbar’s son Jahangir. The capital was moved from Agra to Fatehpur Sikri in 1571 and remained there for 14 years, until Akbar decided to move the capital to Lahore to be closer to Persian and Afghan armies.

There weren’t many tourists during our visit, which was nice for a change. We loved admiring public and private parts of the capital, the ornaments, pools, court yards etc. It felt like a phantom town: red, haunted and mysterious. But above all, exquisite in its beauty. We spent around 2.5 hours visiting the imperial complex, completing the tour at 11.30 am. Even this early, the heat was almost intolerable (this was in the end of March), so as a tip, think of bringing something for your head. A hat or a scarf can become handy, especially because women and men need to cover their head while visiting Jami Masjid mosque where the tomb of Sufi saint Chishti is.I would love to return to Fatehpur Sikri, and to me it is one of the most fascinating and beautiful sites to visit in India. I admit that I have a soft spot for the Mughal Empire period but I also think that Akbar was an extraordinary ruler whose presence can be felt in Fatehpur Sikri. Do make time to visit it if you are in Agra!

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This is the fifth post about our trip in Delhi, Agra, Rajasthan and Bombay in March-April 2008. Previous posts are:
Part 1. Arrival in Delhi: first impressions
Part 2. Eight cities of Delhi
Part 3. Road from Delhi to Agra
Part 4. Visiting Agra and Taj Mahal

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Visiting Agra and Taj Mahal

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We left Delhi at 8 a.m. in the morning and arrived in Agra eight hours later (see Road from Delhi to Agra). The closer we got to Agra, the more our excitement grew. Taj Mahal, here we come! Will it be as stunning as everyone claims? And yes, I confirm, it was very impressive to see this enormous white marble mausoleum in the horizon for the first time. After dropping our bags at Hotel Kamal, we rushed to Taj Mahal, but the entrance procedure did not go as smoothly as it could have. Our bag contained illegal objects: guide books (!?), a torch and cellular phones, and had to leave them at the entrance (check recent regulations at your hotel). After passing the security check, we arrived in the garden. Suddenly, there we were, with thousands of Indians, some tourists and cameras in every hand. Once in a lifetime experience.

As Internet and guidebooks are full of information about this extraordinary 17th century mausoleum, influenced by Hinduism and Islam, I am not going to go into architecture and history (for example, Eyewitness India guidebook excels in architectural and historical descriptions). So, I will stick to sharing some more photos: Impressive, right?

In our opinion, it was definitely worth arriving before 5 p.m. and wandering around Taj Mahal until the sunset. Highly recommended! Moreover, as you know, the sun is so strong in India that even for photo shoots the evenings are much better. Alternatively, you could also arrive very early in the morning.

The next morning we woke up at the sunrise (5.30 a.m.) and climbed to the roof terrace of our hotel. The famous appearance of Taj Mahal was worth the early wake. In fact, I would recommend either staying at a hotel that has a great view, or finding a roof top you can easily access in the morning. After the morning photo shoot we walked around the Taj Ganj quarter (in the immediate proximity of Taj Mahal), which left us a pleasant impression. Quiet streets, old gates, rustic but charming houses, and friendly people. We had breakfast at the roof terrace of Shanti Lodge near our hotel and decided not to visit the Agra Fort and the Agra city center (that surely are worth visiting!). Next we picked up our bags and paid a rickshaw to take us to meet our driver who was waiting for us outside the center. FYI: cars are not allowed too close to Taj Mahal, so your driver may ask you to take a rickshaw to reach your hotel.

It was 8 a.m. and our day was only starting. Fatehpur Sikri, here we come!

TAJ MAHAL TICKET AND ENTRANCE INFORMATION: To my understanding, tickets can be purchased until 5 p.m., allowing you to stay until the sunset. There are also night viewing tickets available around the full moon, but not on Fridays. However, please note this information is based on our travel memories from March 2008 and on Internet reading, so please check the latest information with your hotel prior to arrival in order to avoid disappointments!

HOTEL KAMAL (http://www.hotelkamal.com/): The hotel was very simple, but we had big windows and hot water. Its location and roof top were big bonuses. However, my quick Tripadvisor browsing shows that recent reviews are not that great. It seems they redid the hotel since our visit and unfortunately there are no prices available on the hotel’s website. So, all I can say is that we were pleased with our stay, but we paid 400 INR ( 4.7€ or 6.5USD). A real bargain!!

EATING IN AGRA: We did not eat particularly well, so cannot recommend anything.

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PS This is the fourth post about our trip in Delhi, Agra, Rajasthan and Bombay in March-April 2008. Previous posts are:
Part 1. Arrival in Delhi: first impressions
Part 2. Eight cities of Delhi
Part 3. Road from Delhi to Agra

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