Tag Archives: Hinduism

Second part of the trip begins in Varanasi

I took my parents to Delhi airport yesterday afternoon and after some to-be-told-later-on mishap (Blessing and curse of travelling without a plan) my husband and I finally arrived in Varanasi in the evening of the same day. The second part of the India tour started.

It has been quite a journey so far. Ten days in Rajasthan totally wore me out. Waking up before 6 o’clock (only way to tolerate the unbearable heat), sitting long hours (and about two thousand kilometers) in a rather uncomfortable car and trying to stand the sun (temperatures reaching 40C plus) totally wore me out. I am exhausted. Bone-tired. In addition, I have a cold (must be the dramatic difference between the AC and outside temperature) and I had some stomach problem. All I want is to sleep, so this post will be short.Moreover, I have witnessed and experienced so much that I think I have come to the point where I just need to take a step back and let my brain relax. I am not sure I can absorb much more. For example, how do you write about the burning ghat where bodies that look like mummies are burnt? How do you write about eating at a restaurant by the Ganges while the smoke from the burning bodies enters your nose? I will try in a few days’ time but cannot right now. India is very enriching but it drains you out too. Physically but also emotionally. As I would not be able to say anything more intelligent or accurate about Varanasi, the holy Hindu site, my only option remains to quote Mark Twain:

“Varanasi is older than history, older than tradition, older even than legend, and looks twice as old as all of them put together”.

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Ranthambore National Park (Tiger Reserve)

India Travel Essential

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I am pretty sure that most of you would list water, hat, sun cream and sun glasses as travel essentials in India, but I argue that the most important item is something less obvious. It is ear plugs!!

We left our Hotel Godwin in Delhi last Friday morning at 11 o’clock. Our first stop was Mehrauli (see Eight cities of Delhi) where we stopped for 1.5 hours. After the visit we returned to the old Delhi-Agra road (see Road from Delhi to Agra), which I now highly regret. The reason why we didn’t take the new road was that I wanted to show Mathura to my parents but unfortunately by the time we reached this famous Hindu site (Krishna’s birthplace) it was so dark and late that we observed the complex only from outside. So, total waste of time!The journey was worse than I remembered (I took this same road in 2008). It was noisy, hot and dusty. By the time we reached our hotel in Agra (just before 9 o’oclock in the evening!!) I was ready to go and buy an hearing aid. My ears were blocked and now, after three days, I still don’t hear well.

This journey put me in a very bad mood and it worsened when we realized that our hotel (Amar Yatri Niwas), booked by a travel & car agency, was appalling. To make things worse, we had the most disappointing dinner ever, which to me is the worst! Had I had a decent meal, I would have been just fine, but no, we were eating a lamb curry that contained liver and who knows what else… What a pity! This said, yesterday we drove from Agra to the Ranthambore National Park and even if it was close to 40C, it was better in some aspects. Roads in Rajasthan (the state where we are now) are generally good, so we were a bit more relaxed. There were some overloaded trucks and occasionally we saw camels crossing the road. All this was much better than motorcycles, tuk tuks, private cars, tourist vans, trucks, buses, etc. all combined!

PS Do not think that ear plugs are only for road trips. In most cases, unless you are paying more money and staying at resorts, usually located a bit outside city centers, your hotel will be noisy too. I have slept every single night with ear plugs…

Religion Talks at Lal Qila

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Indians love talking and meeting foreigners. Sometimes the purpose is trying to make money out of the tourist, but in most cases (at least in my experience) it is out of sincere curiosity. Where do you come from? What is your country dollar? Are you married? Where do you work? What do you think of India? Etc. Etc. Questions never end.

This morning we started by visiting Lal Qila, the famous Red Fort of Delhi. Before entering the fort, my father started talking to a young man from Jharkhand region and eventually four of us spent two hours getting to know each other while visiting the magnificent fort. There is one particular topic we discussed during our time together that I will always remember, so here you go:

Friend: I am Hindu. Have you heard about it?
Me: Yes, I know a little bit about it.
Friend: Good. A big religion. And you, what is your religion?
Me: I am Christian.
Friend: What is the name of your God?
Me: ummm… The God is called the God… ummm
Friend: But what is his name?
Me: He really is just called the God…
(pause)
Me: Well, he does have a son too..
Friend: I don’t understand, your God has a name, doesn’t he?
Me: Yes, there is the God, the father, the main God, and then he has a son called Jesus. So, we have two Gods you can say.
Friend: I know Jesus! He is well known among Hindus! But is that all? Only two?
Me: ummm.. well, technically, if you are a Catholic like the French are, then you also have something called Virgin Mary…. She is kind of like a God, too. But in Finland we don’t believe in her. Not like the French do. She is not our God.
Friend: Ok… (visibly puzzled)
(pause)
Me: So, what is your Hindu God?
Friend: My God is called Bajrangbali. I am single so like all Hindu singles, I believe in him. When I get married, I can change my God.
Me: Ok, I don’t know him. But my husband believes in Hanuman.
Friend: (all happy and smiling) Hanuman and my God are the same!

***

After this conversation we moved onto another one, but that story is for the next time! I am now going to get a glass of red Grover wine from Nandi Hills and eat some tandoori chicken. Adios and be well everyone.

Karni Mata Temple (WARNING: includes images of rats)

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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.

***

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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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.)

PS Have you already joined Pearlspotting?

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

PS Have you already joined Pearlspotting?

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!

***

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

PS Have you already joined Pearlspotting?

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.

***

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

Lastly, have you already joined Pearlspotting?

Road from Delhi to Agra

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To travel from Delhi to Agra by car, train or plane, that is the question of many visitors heading to see Taj Mahal!

The distance between Delhi and Agra is just over 230 km, but driving along the old National Highway can easily take 5 hours. When we drove to Agra in 2008 it took us eight hours with some stops… And this is with a driver who knows the road! However, thanks to the recently built Yamuna Expressway the travel time is close to three hours now. Definitely worth the toll.

We met our driver in front of our hotel and begun the journey at the dawn. Navigating out of Delhi was not as painful as I had expected, and we soon found ourselves surrounded by agricultural and industrial countryside, colorfully dressed people and some interesting monuments. Our first stop on the route was Mathura. This lively, religious small town used to be Buddhist until Hinduism took over in the 8th century. Today, it is known among devoted Hindus as the birthplace of Krishna. Precisely, it is in the temple of Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi were he was born, it is said. No cameras were allowed inside.From Mathura we moved to Sikandra, where the Mughal Emperor Akbar the Great is buried (1555-1605). His mausoleum is a 17th century architectural masterpiece, which Akbar according to a Tartary belief started constructing during his lifetime. It is said to be a forerunner of Taj Mahal and I found it very beautiful.

I know many travelers catch a plane or a train to Agra, mainly to save time, but now that there is this new road, traveling by car becomes as interesting I reckon. Both Mathura and Sikandra are worth the stop, Mathura for religious reasons, Sikandra for architecture. Both are along the national highway, making it very convenient to visit them if you are on the highway. However, if you are traveling on the Expressway, it probably makes sense to use the fast road until Mathura, and from there until Agra use the highway. But ask your driver…

Whatever you decide, buy some water and enjoy the ride!

PS This is the third post about our trip in Delhi, Agra, Rajasthan and Bombay. Previous posts are: Part 1. Arrival in Delhi: first impressions and Part 2. Eight cities of Delhi

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