So just before CNY on 11.1.20, I and seven of my hometown buddies flew in on a one week trip.
As in all trips, this is a DIY holiday where we decide our own itinerary and took a direct flight to Jaipur on AA that landed at 10.00 pm.
The flight time is 5 1/2 hours.
The main entrance of Umaid Mahal Hotel.
The reception and lounge area.
Registering our names, we're the last guests to check in.
This is a Heritage Style boutique hotel. The building is more than a hundred years old.
Mughal style design and ornate arches adorned the walls.
Passageway with traditional designs from floor to ceiling.
Its a very nice and charming hotel.
This is our beautiful deluxe room, a classic design.
Its winter time and weather is cold at night.
This was the view from the hotel rooftop at night.
12.1.20 - Day 2 : Eager to see the sights of Jaipur.
Breakfast at our hotel.
The backdrop portraits are the images of past Jaipur rulers.
My room is located on the top floor which is a rooftop. It has a view of the city.
Awesome Rajastani interior, arches with painted floral designs along the upper level floor hotel corridor.
From marbled floor to ornamental lighted ceilings providing a delightful stay.
KC and The Sunshine Band".
The main door is a traditional Rajput architecture.
Unique Indo-Islamic shrine.
Mahal means palace. Umaid Mahal is a heritage boutique hotel, the building is more than a century old.
Hawa Mahal : The Pink City.
The Palace of the Breeze was build more than 200 years ago.
It has an interesting facade with 935 windows and is an extension of the City Palace.
During those strict purdah days, the Royal Rajput ladies were not allowed to show their faces to strangers, hence they will peer through the windows to see the city's daily going ons.
Amber Fort, the most famous fort in Rajasthan.
Amber Fort ( or Amer Fort ) is a fortress city of 4 square kilometers located outside Jaipur.
It's one of the Unesco Heritage site along with other forts of Rajastan.
The city is protected by walls that wound over the hills around the city. From afar, it has a semblance of The Great Wall of China.
The Palace sits on top a hill that overlook the city.
The high ground vantage point is obvious as was how all the forts were built in those days.
Controversial issues. Elephants were used during the early days of Maharajas when coming up to the palace. Today, it is much decried as animal abuse in trying to get tourist to have a feel of the days of the Maharajas.
At the Ganesh Pol main entrance at the courtyard.
Dewan-I-Am, Hall of Public Audience, where the king held audience with the public.
A closer look at the interior, a cool and breezy open sided hall.
A section of the palace at the background.
Maota Lake is the main water source for the palace.
The Sheesh Mahal palace is build with walls and ceilings adorned with beautiful paintings and mirrors made of pure glass.
In the darkness of the night, if one or two candles are lighted up, the entire room will glow and the ceilings with many tiny mirrors would look like a thousand stars because of the light reflections.
It was build for the queen who love to see the stars while sleeping, but she was not allowed to sleep in the open.
The Mirror Palace was designed for her to solve that problem!
The Mughal Garden is a hexagonal shape design situated in the middle of the palace complex.
The design has obvious Islamic influence.
A view of the city wall from one of the tower.
The fort city as seen from the palace.
Peering out from one of the tower.
Jantar Mantar - the sunken palace.
Along Amer Road at Man Sagar Lake where we stopped, there are some peddlers laying their wares on the roadside.
This is about halfway between Amer Fort and Jaipur city.
The reason tourist stopped here is to glimpse at this unusual structure.
It's Jal Mahal, or the Water Palace.
It was build as a five storey hunting lodge for the Maharajas. In those times, the lake was a mere depression and only when water level rises, the lower floors would be flooded.
Because of drought, a dam was build across the river between the hills. The collected dam water then flow into the lake providing adequate water supply for the people. But this permanently floods the palace lower floors.
The unusual scenery of a beautiful marbled building "floating" on the water provides a charming sight for any tourist. This is however marred by the fact that unregulated waste dumping and sewage water flowing into the lake. Thankfully, plans are afoot to clean up the lake and turn the place into a tourist destination.
Jantar Mantar : for the star gazers.
Tha Jantar Mantar is a monument in Jaipur built by Jai Singh II in the 18th Century. It is an astronomical observatory. There are four other Jantar Mantars in India and this one in Jaipur with 19 instruments is the biggest and is a Unesco Heritage Site.
The observatory is a series of concrete built platforms in the open.
Giant sundial and astronomical observatory platform.
The Nadivalaya Yantra - an equinox sundial to obtain the time.
Rasivalayas Yantra, another platform for telling the time of the day and observing the galaxies.
The geographical location of Jaipur at this time of the year has a variance of +34 mins.
The sun falls on exactly 1.56pm on the sundial.
To get the correct time in Jaipur, add 34 mins ( as mentioned earlier ) to 1.56 and the time in Jaipur according to this sundial is 2.30pm
It corresponds to the time of my watch but was a minute off as I did not take this picture immediately.
A few minutes later, I was at this sundial and the shadow falls to exactly 2.00 pm. Add 34 mins and it was exactly 2.34 pm as shown in this sundial.
The word Jantar means instruments and Mantar means calculations. These are instruments for calculations.
This observatory is constructed for astronomical observations with your naked eye.
These are platforms for calculation of the 12 Zodiacs.
The main purpose of this observatory was to compile astronomical tables and predict the time and movement of the Sun, Earth and planets.
The Jantar Mantar has the largest sundial in the world.
City Palace - the last Maharaja's remaining palace.
The City Palace is situated in the in the center of Jaipur city. It was build at the same time when Jaipur was established by Maharaja Jai Singh II who moved his court from Amber to Jaipur in the 18th Century. It's a complex of courtyard, gardens and buildings with the Palace in the center.
One of the three main gates of the palace.
A souvenir shop within the palace complex.
The museum that houses the old relics of the Maharajas for the public to view.
At the SarvatoBhadra courtyard.
Only two sections are open to public.
The peacock gate
The Palace where the descendents of the last Maharaja are still living in today.
Exiting another gate after exploring the City Palace.
13.1.20 - Day 3 - Jaipur to Agra.
Our next leg is a 240km road trip to Agra. The distance may not be long, but the journey with stopovers will take us a whole day.
We plan to stop at the century old Chand Baori Stepwell and Fatehpur Sikri.
Chand Baori - the largest stepwell of them all.
We stopped by Abhaneri village, and walked pass some stalls.
The signage inscribed on this concrete wall describes the layout.
Built about 1300 years ago, it is the oldest and the largest stepwell in the world.
It is 13 storey deep with 35,000 symetrical triangle steps going down to the water source below.
The three sides have geometrical steps while the fourth have pillared corridors at multiple level.
Two balconies at the background projects towards the stepwell and within it are statues of Hindu deities.
The stepwell have a purpose, it's a water source and place of gathering for various activities for the communities.
Today, it is the most photogenic stepwell in India. Without doubt, the unique symmetrical design makes it a favourite place for instagram.
At the adjacent land stands another old temple built by the same king during the time.
This temple is dedicated to Harshat Mata, a goddess of happiness and joy.
Shin is full of happiness and joy here. Must be the blessing from the goddess.
We stopped by a nice restaurant for lunch after leaving Chand Baori. It has an outdoor dining area and since the weather is cool, we decided to lunch at the garden.
Just before Agra, there is this stop that KC wanted see.
We were transferred to a shuttle as these are the only transports allowed into the fort.
The Dewan I khas was build by Shah Jahan for holding of cultural events. It is also used as a place to receive kings, emperors, ambassadors, nobles and meetings of importance to the state.
The central pillar has an octagonal shaft with serpentine support bracket. The unusual design is the centerpiece in the interior of this building. This building is where Akbar would invite various religious leaders to have inter faith discussion where he would sit and listen. The session is held at at the upper level. Such was the farsightedness of this great ruler. Despite his lack of education, he has the right thinking of holding people of various faith together.
Jodha Bai Mahal, the Queen's palace. Mariam Begum also known as Jodha Bai is the Hindu wife of Akbar and the mother to his successor, Jahangir. Akbar had other wives before and after his marriage to Jodha Bai.
In those times, a Ruler's marriage is an alliance and in this instance, his marriage to a Rajput in a predominantly Hindu nation was a strategic alliance to endear himself to the Hindus.
Birbal's Palace was the residence of Raja Birbal, Akbar's Hindu Prime Minister. He is one of Akbar's most trusted person, also one of the Navratnas, or Nine Jewels in Akbar's court.
We wondered into a section of colonnade and found it a good place for photography.
All of us were having fun taking photographs until later we understood that the place was used as a horse stable by Akbar!
Next time, get a guide!
We strolled back to the queen's palace for another group photo.
Without a guide, we spend more time having fun with photography.
Cynthia and Chiap Chan trying to look natural with the most unnatural pose.
But this certainly is good when you are your natural self.
The Anup Talao is a well designed water feature called the Peerless Pool. It's situated in the middle of the courtyard surrounded by prominent structures and serves as a place of relaxation and entertainment of the Emperor and his guests.
At the Dewan I Khas from the courtyard.
The Panch Mahal, a five storeyed palace where Akbar used for entertainment. A harem close by where girls would be present during relaxation or entertainment time. Emperors and kings in those days were as promiscuous.
Here comes the Sun.
Don't let the Sun go down on me.
The massive complex spreads over 94 acres of property along the Yamuna River. Currently, entry is via two gates, the Delhi Gate which is closed to public as that section is occupied by the Indian military, and the Amar Singh Gate, the only gate open for tourists.
All tourists have to use this passage that crosses a moat to the Amar Singh Gate.
The gate is protected by a drawbridge with heavily fortified doors.
At the inner gate.
There is even a dry moat which is said to have tigers and cheetahs roaming around as another security layer in addition to the water moat.
The Jahangir Mahal was used as a house for the for the women belonging to the royal household. One of Jahangir's wife, Nur Jahan stayed at this residence until her death. Like his father, Jahangir have many wives.
The Jahangir's Tub is placed here in front of the Jahangir Palace by Sir John Marshall, a renown archeologist who discover the ancient civilisation of Mahenjodaro and Harrapa. The tub was discovered at Akbar's palace and brought over here.
KC with the Palace at the background.
A group photo at the doorway of Jahangir's Palace.
Inside the palace where Akbar's wife resides. The Hindu wife occupies the biggest palace and is mother to Jahangir. The Muslim and Christian wife had smaller palaces adjacent to one another with common courtyard.
The Khas Mahal, was remodeled into a marbled structure by Shah Jahan. It was originally built of red sandstone by Jahangir.
This is the Hall of Private Audience and is used to receive important guests like kings, ambassadors and nobles.
The Mussaman Burj is a Palace built by Shah Jahan for his beloved wife, Mumtaz Begum.
It has impressive marbled interiors from floor to ceiling inlaid with precious stones.
It has a view of Taj Mahal from the palace which was obscured by thick haze during our visit. Shah Jahan spent his final years at this palace gazing at the Taj when he was restrained by his son Aurangzeb in his final years.
The Taj could be seen from here on normal days as seen in this google image.
The seat of Akbar during hosting of private functions and events.
Colonnade walkway at the Diwan Khas.
The Dewan I Am, Hall of Public audience. This is where Akbar would hold meetings with the public to listen to and attend to their problems.
The tomb of a British subject buried here is not only an insensible thing to do. It is sacrilegious, considering the historical importance of the fort that was the seat of all the Mughal Emperors which ruled India for 200 years.
The Agra Fort is a monument not to be missed when in Agra.
Taj Mahal - an Epitome of Love.
This is the all important monument that everyone raves about and yearns to see. But alas, that morning when we were all eager and ready, the pollution in the air gets so bad that we could only see and feel the smog that envelopes the skyline.
Agra is actually a rural town where farming is quite extensive. In the Winter months, there are a lot of burning resulting in a hazardous air quality and obscuring their main attraction, the Taj.
On arrival,we were transferred to a shuttle as it was quite a long walk to the entrance.
The entrance fee displayed for all the tourist sites of Agra.
The entrance through the East Gate is tightly checked for ban equipment. Cigarettes, lighters, tripods are all disallowed, for the better.
Despite the smog, the Taj Mahal exudes beauty and splendour. Having seen this magnificent monument two years ago, I am still in awe of this exquisite structure that is the epitome of love from Shah Jahan to his wife, Mumtaz Begum.
Furqan Ali our guide brings the Taj Mahal alive with the history of Shah Jahan and his monument.
Behind is the main entrance with 22 domes signifying the number of years it takes to complete the Taj Mahal.
Furqan our quide has the best advise for us, there is no hurry, sit back, relax and enjoy the beauty of the no. 1 wonder of the world. After that, we all want a piece of Taj for ourselves.
Shoon Fatt, the energetic young man is all excited.
Cynthia and her laying on the side pose.
Chiap Chan's "sexy" playboy pose.
Mei's lean back sitting pose.
Shin picking up the Taj.
KC holding up the Taj of expressing happiness?
Kay Hong in his manly pose; crossed arms!
A family pose with the Taj at the background. Looks like there's a screen shielding the Taj!
Ah Fatt goes airborne.
His second take startled a tourist walking next to him!
It's time to enter the Taj and we took the side route.
It's a change to view it from different angle.
Hands in pocket and taken from above grond level.
Different view.
Amidst the lush greeneries.
Using the trees at the foreground to frame the Taj.
Up close and personal. The unique feature of this building is in its finishing. It is completed entirely of hard marble from Makrana, Rajasthan, renown for its hard non porous quality. The floral design and inscription on the archway and buildings are not painting, but are inlaid precious and semi precious stones of multitude variety,
The mosque is built to perform the prayers for Mumtaz on her passing. It was never used again after that.
The close view of the left hand side of the building
Seeing it from one of the archway.
Another angle.
The entrance to the inner building where the tomb is placed. The Arabic letters on the doorway are actually bigger at the top. But when seeing it from any position, the size looks the same because of the height. It is calculated to have a uniform visual from any distance. The floral design are inlaid gemstones.
No pictures are allowed inside the mausoleum, but as we exit, I had a photo taken from one of the wall screen's hexagon tiny gap.
Outside, near the exit gate, Mei and Shin taking a shot of the colonnade passage.
The loving couple too take a photo at the same passage way.
KC too goes airborne for an impact photo..
One last look through the arch before leaving.
Another group photo at the entrance.
The Taj Mahal is voted as the No. 1 wonder of the world by global travelers and the most "liked" wonder.
Outside the Taj, there are many marble shops.
This chessboard is actually onyx marble inlaid with mother of pearls and other gemstones.
They will courier it to your home destination but you have to pay for the courier fees.
This piece is bargained to INR130,000.00
It comes with the chess pieces of course.
These are not cheap but if one appreciates quality, it is a bargain.
Day 5: 15.1.20 - Agra to Delhi.
Or next leg of journey is to Delhi. We were apprehensive of coming here during planning stage due to the on going protest at this capital city.
On the road, one can see the visibility had blurred to about 300 meters.
This is not an uncommon sight in India.
This express way is tolled.
Around noon, thankfully there is a R&R where we stopped for a break.
From outside, this place looks neat and tidy, almost akin to our Malaysian R&R.
Very soon we were nearing Delhi city. The tell tale sign when nearing a city is the heavy traffic. WE told our driver to go straight to our hotel in North Delhi.
The Maidens Hotel - Delhi
Towards the end of the 19th Century, many British residents comprising railway officials and mill managers have moved out of the walled city of old Delhi to the Civil Lines residential area. More than 100 large colonial houses came up including three hotels, Maidens, Swiss and The Cecil. The Maidens is our choice due to this colonial heritage.
Our van soon pulled up at the driveway of The Maidens Hotel.
A panoramic view of the Hotel from the front garden.
Transferring our luggage from the Tempo Traveler to the hotel.
A "bindi" welcome for all of us at the hotel.
Immediate warm in such welcome.
Shin's experience with Indian culture.
How do I look with my bindi?
Are we Indian enough with the bindi ?
Maiden Hotel was establish in 1903 to host the attending dignitaries during the coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra as Emperor and Empress of India. Since then, it played hosts to many dignitaries including renown actors such as Gregory Peck, Roger Moore, David Niven during their various movie shoots like Sea Wolves, Boarding Party and many others.
Waiting for our room keys.
Having a feel of the hotel while waiting.
We are all excited at the first impression of this hotel.
Mei is enjoying the hotel ambiance.
Shin is already exploring the compounds of the hotel.
There are many nooks and corners for a good photograph.
Even the doorman is good companion for a photo opportunity.
The nice relaxing lounge.
Kay Hong taking some "oxygen" outside the hotel building.
Nice marbled flooring at the adjacent wing's corridor.
It was once the best hotel in Delhi and arguably now the best heritage hotel..
Corridor leading to our suite.
The Rajghat.
Memorial of Gandhi - Father of India.
The Raj Ghat, literally translated as King's (river)bank is a Memorial for all India's great. They include Nehru, Indira, Charan, Rajiv and many more, but the most famous of them all is Mahatma Gandhi. It is he whom all tourist comes to see and gave their respect.
KC at the entrance.
The beautifully landscaped walkway to Gandhi's memorial.
Here it is, a simple piece of black marble platform marks the place of his cremation. The simplicity reflect's Gandhi's life and on the platform is a flame that burns eternally.
The modest stone lies in the middle of a large manicured lawn with trees planted by visiting dignitaries paying their respect.
The entire place is an air of serenity.
Everyone takes turn to be remembered with the great man.
"You don't know who is important to you until you actually lose them".
One of the many inspiring quotes from Gandhi. As an advocate non violence, there were already some resentment from certain quarters. The violence following the partitioning of Pakistan had spilled over feelings that led to his assassination on 30.1.1948. The murder shocked India and the world. He was affectionately called Bapu, the Father of India.
Outside the memorial near the museum is a little statue of the great man. His statue should be bigger to reflect his larger than life persona. Nevertheless, we had our rounds of photo sessions again.
Dilli Haat - a tourist shopping haven.
Like most Asian cities, people in Delhi shopped at weekly markets where temporary stalls were set up. The arrival of malls due to modernisation had cased the decline in popularity of such markets. The Tourism Ministry in order to revive the culture, initiated urban Dilli Haat in 2003. It is an open air food plaza and craft bazaar operating on the permanent location with a paid entrance. It has proven to be popular with tourist and locals alike.
The big signage at the entrance.
It's a paid entrance and foreigners are charged INR 100.00. Locals pay less.
Upon entering, we could see many stalls displaying their wares.
It is unique in that it bring all the artisans and their craft from various parts of India to one place. You have Pashmina wool from Kashmir, marble and gemstones from Rajasthan, and various handicraft from Assam, Manipur, Bengal etc. This is so convenient for tourists.
There are 62 stalls within this bazaar according to the brochure.
The Management charged a token rental fee of INR100 from registered traders to display their wares for 15 days.
After that, the stall is replaced by another trader.
In this way, the product at the stalls keeps changing every 15 days.
The ladies looking at Pashmina shawls and blankets from a Kashmiri stall.
At another stall selling bracelets, rings and bangles.
Delhi is cold today and air quality remains bad.
Breakfast at Maidens with western offerings.
It's a good change from an overdose of spicy food we've been having since arrival.
Gurudwara Shish Ganj Sahib - the martyrdom of the 9th Guru Tegh Bahadur.
At the heart of Chandni Chowk is Gurudwara Shish Ganj that was built in honor of the ninth guru, Tegh Bahadur. He was executed during the reign of Aurangzeb for opposing force conversion of Kashmiri Pandits and dharmic people to Islam.
Daily Worshippers at the prayer's hall.
Darbar Sahib, the inner sanctum where the holy text are being placed for the daily prayers.
No direct photography of the Darbar Sahib, so have to take it from the side.
The chamber below where the beheading was executed is now a holy shrine.
Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Guru of Sikhism.
Cynthia and Shin having a picture with the guard outside the doorway.
A peek into the kitchen - making dough with volunteers.
Making chapati is automated to cater to the large numbers of daily worshippers.
Chapati rolling out from the conveyor.
Collecting it in a big pail at the end of the line.
These are then served free daily to the worshippers.
The exterior part of the Gurudwara.
The signage outside encapsulates the significance of this Gurudwara.
Today, Chandni Chowk market remains one of India's largest wholesale market.
The area has three bazaars and served by many streets and alleys that run off from the main Chandni Chowk Road.
Evidently, the whole place is messy by modern standard and with all sorts of traffic, people walking in all directions, the place can be chaotic.
This shop that sells spices is the only neat and clean outlet compared to all others.
It very obviously caters to foreigners.
The product packaging is pleasing with prices meant for tourists.
In comparison, some of the spices like saffron are not easily obtainable outside India and despite the mark up prices, it is still reasonable compared to back home.
The pictures above shows the multitude of shops and goods available here. All of it are for domestic consumption which is why there are mostly locals here.
Enjoying the experience, each of us wanted a piece of Chandni Chowk for remembrance.
And of course, a group picture to top it all.
Below are the scenes of Chandni Chowk's hustle and bustle. The most rudimentary transportation are used, bicycles, rickshaws, push carts and even bullock carts. Even carrying goods by balancing over the heads is common sight.
These are the soul of old India. Chandni Chowk is like a place frozen in time.
Humayun's Tomb - the first great mausoleum of the Indian Mughal Dynasty.
Humayun was the second Mughal emperor after succeeding his father, Babur. Upon his death, his grief stricken wife Hamida Begum commissioned a Persian Architect to build this tomb using red sandstone in massive quantity to produce this great mausoleum. This later was the inspiration for his great grandson, Shah Jahan to build the greatest mausoleum, the Taj Mahal for his wife, Mumtaz Mahal.
The unmistakable signage.
Signage that indicates other tombs within the mausoleum.
A site worth protecting for future generations.
The impressive structure that looks more like a Palace than a tomb. Note the many similarities between this and the Taj.
Kay Hong at the first tier of the building.
Closer look at the building design, red stones with marbled inlay.
Viewing from a corner angle while on the upper level platform.
Screen panel that allows airflow.
Peering outwards from the star shaped "hole" on the screen.
Good for framing a photo as well.
The tomb is a replica. The actual tomb is right below.
There are quite a few tombs being placed here, including Humayun's barber who remain loyal till death. The barber had opportunity to be close to the King and could slit his throat every time he trims the King's beard. For not doing that, he probably earned his place here for eternity.
View of the entrance gate from the upper platform.
Shin sure appreciates the beauty of the building.
KC certainly know the history well enough to like this monument.
Trade mark of a retired CEO taking off.
Shin and Mei's "lighter than air" moment.
The guys decide to go airborne all at once.
It was drizzling when we arrived and the security were frisking visitors for banned substance at the entrance.
The House of Worship for the Bahai's.
The building was completed in 1986. Everyone of different faith are welcome to worship here.
Because of the rain, only KC, Chiap Chan and Ah Fatt are keen enough to brave the drizzle.
This is the temple Ah Fatt talks about even before coming here.
Chiap Chan too went along to have a look.
The lotus flower has 27 free standing marble clad petals.
The beautiful design has won numerous awards. The hall is huge with a capacity to accommodate 2,500 worshippers.
As we began to near the hotel, I was apprehensive judging from how the surroundings looks.
My heart sank when the driver slowed down and my google map indicates we've arrived.
This is the arch that welcomes us. "I had made a bad choice", that was my feeling.
From the arch, I could see inside, a small double storey building which has to be our hotel.
Here it is, our Heritage Hotel. This does not fit the description of the many reviews I had read.
Inside is a modest reception counter. The staff have been waiting for us. I had a quick look around and told myself, it's not up to my expectation, but as a consolation, not as bad as outside.
After registration, the porter took our bags and lead us out to the next building behind the main block. Fram afar, this is a much better looking building.
But when we got nearer the building, we were completely stump at what we saw. This place is dazzling. We are in one of the Maharaja's haveli, wow.
On the right side of the courtyard, we could see what looks like a pool for the royalties.
Yes, it certainly is a pool for the princely people.
In the center is a beautiful open space patio like sitting lounge.
The reflection of the pool is simply beautiful.
On the left hand side of the courtyard is a restaurant. This must be the dining hall of the Maharajas in their time for it looks very grand even from outside.
The restaurant side doors have stain glass with designs and fine details.
Sitting lounge outside the hotel rooms.
My room is on the 3rd level, which is at the rooftop.
Twin bedroom. Look at the floor designs, just royal.
KC plonked onto the bed just to have a good feel.
The writing desk corner.
Toiletries in the shower room.
Traditional locks on room doors.
Like the unique door key and holder.
Room door with narrow passage.
Or initial plan was to have dinner in town.
However, we were so excited with the place and decided to dine here instead.
At the restaurant, the waiters were welcoming. To satisfy our curiosity, one showed us how he tie his headgear.
This is the friendly waiter that is proud of his heritage.
Rajput Kay Hong and Mei.
Another Rajput from the warrior caste.
Chiap Chan certainly appreciates the good things in life.
We were all excited to have this royal dining experience.
Cheers to a wonderful trip.
After dinner, KC can't get enough of it. He had to have his picture taken here.
Pavilion at the rooftop.
Day 8 : 18.1.20 - Final day
When we arrived yesterday, it was evening and we could only see this "palace" of ours in the dark with surrounding lights. This morning, we really get to see the beauty of this awesome place.
Mei and her favourite pose.
There's no reason to go anywhere for breakfast when you have your own "dining hall" in your own "palace."
There are only 45 rooms and despite it being fully booked, you don't see many guests around because we are early.
"Maharaja Woon and his consort looking down at their subjects from the palace."
Rooftop pavilion in the morning.
KC and Shin enjoying the rooftop cool air.
Can you believe this is the hotel room door.
Mei doing her pose against a nice backdrop.
Another creative pose by Shin.
Crossing the street is a challenge. There isn't any proper pedestrian crossing.
Many shops are still closed when we arrived.
Nevertheless we continue walking from shop to shop.
Looking at their merchandise, ladies bangles.
Local dresses and pashmina shawls.
Many shops have the same stuff.
At the Sanjay bazaar section.
Hands in the pocket simply means window shopping.
Chiap Chan kind offer to buy sugar cane juice have no takers.
We're here more to see what locals shop and sells. Most items are geared towards local consumption
Indian design sandals are everywhere.
Side show; the monkeys above the bazaars.
They were actually having a "gang" fight; two groups attacking one another.
Photo of street scene.
KC is more interested in historical and cultural buildings.
Ah Fatt is interested in everything.
Part of the palace wall behind the bazaars.
Buying or not ?
Ah Fatt relaxing at one of the stool.
Shin wants a photo at every shop, every corner with anything.
Some interesting drawer knob design which Ah Fatt is very keen.
These are some of the knobs he bought.
Cynthia bought an Indian dress for her daughter, Shin.
This Indian shop sells local snacks.
Wide variety and popular.
Compared to the normal food outlet outside the bazaars, this is extremely clean and hygienic.
We decided to lunch here.
It offers only vegetarian food.
A panoramic view of the shop.
Outside at one of the alley, a toilet for guys to pee !
You can see the crowd now.
These section are all sarees. This is where locals come and shop for their beautiful dress.
Locals come here if they need a new saree to wear for occasions such as weddings or festivals.
Wholesale shop selling apparels.
Lots of shop selling quite the same.
Interesting to see the traditional old shops still doing brisk business.
The correct price comes down to your ability to bargain.
Observing the hustle and bustle of the bazaars.
Prices for foreigners are always higher, but still reasonable.
It's a trip to remember for Shin, courtesy of mum, Cynthia.
On the way to the airport, we stopped by a Mall as we still have some time to kill. The food court have a decent selection of western and local food choice with air conditioning and clean environment. In many ways, it is better here as non Indian food is available. There are not many places with authentic non Indian food.
12.1.20 - Day 2 : Eager to see the sights of Jaipur.
Hawa Mahal : The Pink City.
Amber Fort, the most famous fort in Rajasthan.
Amber Fort ( or Amer Fort ) is a fortress city of 4 square kilometers located outside Jaipur.
Jantar Mantar - the sunken palace.
Jantar Mantar : for the star gazers.
Tha Jantar Mantar is a monument in Jaipur built by Jai Singh II in the 18th Century. It is an astronomical observatory. There are four other Jantar Mantars in India and this one in Jaipur with 19 instruments is the biggest and is a Unesco Heritage Site.
City Palace - the last Maharaja's remaining palace.
The City Palace is situated in the in the center of Jaipur city. It was build at the same time when Jaipur was established by Maharaja Jai Singh II who moved his court from Amber to Jaipur in the 18th Century. It's a complex of courtyard, gardens and buildings with the Palace in the center.
13.1.20 - Day 3 - Jaipur to Agra.
Our next leg is a 240km road trip to Agra. The distance may not be long, but the journey with stopovers will take us a whole day.
Chand Baori - the largest stepwell of them all.
This is a much bigger stepwell than the one we visited at Jaipur.
Another joy "kaki" enjoying his trip all the way.
Like all tourist stop, souvenirs are everywhere.
Fatehpur Sikri - a celebration of Akbar's victory.
Fatehpur Sikri is a town founded by Akbar as a capital of Mughal Empire in 1569 after his victorious campaign in Chittor and Ranthambore. The city took 15 years to build and it includes palace, harems, courts, mosque and other structures. However, frequent wars with the Rajputs and droughts had caused Akbar to abandon this palace subsequently.
Next time, get a guide!
The picture says it all, Shin is having her most enjoyable trip.
Goodbye Fatehpur Sikri, we love you.
Day 4 : 14.1.20 - Agra
Agra Fort - The seat of the Mughal Dynasty
Agra Fort has a history as impressive as it's structure. It had seen many transformation by each successive ruler and is the seat of power for all the six Mughal Emperors that once ruled India for two hundred years. It was built by the the first Delhi Sultan, Sikandar Lodhi who shifted his capital to Agra Fort that was captured by Babur, the first Mughal in India. Later, it fell to Sher Shah Suri and was recaptured by Babur's son, Humayun. The fort later fell to Hemu before being retaken by Akbar after victorious at the Battle of Panipat. Akbar had it renovated and used it primarily as a military structure, but it was later transformed as a Palace by his son, Shah Jahan. Shah Jahan's son, Aurangzeb, the last Mughal Emperor restrained Shah Jahan at the Octagonal Tower called Mussaman Burj for eight years. Aurangzeb, a devout Muslim himself was buried in a modest grave away from the grandeur of the Fort at his choosing. The fort was used by the British military during the occupation and is now partially used by the Indian Army until today. It is deservingly a Unesco Heritage site.
After entering the gate, it leads immediately to a walkway that incline 60° all the way to the main complex. This is meant to slow down elephants and horses of enemies and hot oil can be poured onto enemies to prevent them advancing further.
The Agra Fort is a monument not to be missed when in Agra.
Taj Mahal - an Epitome of Love.
This is the all important monument that everyone raves about and yearns to see. But alas, that morning when we were all eager and ready, the pollution in the air gets so bad that we could only see and feel the smog that envelopes the skyline.
There are only two ways a man pose, cross arm or cross legs! Since Kay Hong already cross his arms, I crossed my legs.
One can keep on taking as many photos as possible and not get tired of it.
This building on the right hand side is built to balance with the mosque on the left. It has no other purpose other than aesthetic.
The Taj Mahal is voted as the No. 1 wonder of the world by global travelers and the most "liked" wonder.
Day 5: 15.1.20 - Agra to Delhi.
Or next leg of journey is to Delhi. We were apprehensive of coming here during planning stage due to the on going protest at this capital city.
The distance although only 220 km would take easily 5 hours because of the smog.
Inside is a very clean and tidy food court. They have all the Indian street food in a very hygienic environment. It is a recommended food stop.
The Maidens Hotel - Delhi
Towards the end of the 19th Century, many British residents comprising railway officials and mill managers have moved out of the walled city of old Delhi to the Civil Lines residential area. More than 100 large colonial houses came up including three hotels, Maidens, Swiss and The Cecil. The Maidens is our choice due to this colonial heritage.
Matching red shirt.
The Rajghat.
Memorial of Gandhi - Father of India.
The Raj Ghat, literally translated as King's (river)bank is a Memorial for all India's great. They include Nehru, Indira, Charan, Rajiv and many more, but the most famous of them all is Mahatma Gandhi. It is he whom all tourist comes to see and gave their respect.
One of the many inspiring quotes from Gandhi. As an advocate non violence, there were already some resentment from certain quarters. The violence following the partitioning of Pakistan had spilled over feelings that led to his assassination on 30.1.1948. The murder shocked India and the world. He was affectionately called Bapu, the Father of India.
Dilli Haat - a tourist shopping haven.
Like most Asian cities, people in Delhi shopped at weekly markets where temporary stalls were set up. The arrival of malls due to modernisation had cased the decline in popularity of such markets. The Tourism Ministry in order to revive the culture, initiated urban Dilli Haat in 2003. It is an open air food plaza and craft bazaar operating on the permanent location with a paid entrance. It has proven to be popular with tourist and locals alike.
Ah Fatt looking at some gemstones. He buys anything that meets his bargain.
Day 6 : 16.1.20 - Exploring the heart of Delhi.
Gurudwara Shish Ganj Sahib - the martyrdom of the 9th Guru Tegh Bahadur.
At the heart of Chandni Chowk is Gurudwara Shish Ganj that was built in honor of the ninth guru, Tegh Bahadur. He was executed during the reign of Aurangzeb for opposing force conversion of Kashmiri Pandits and dharmic people to Islam.
KC at the gate of the Gurudwara.
Chandni Chowk Market - the soul of old Delhi.
The Chandni Chowk is the oldest and busiest market of old Delhi. It was established in the 17th Century when Shah Jahan moved the capital city here from Agra.
Below are the scenes of Chandni Chowk's hustle and bustle. The most rudimentary transportation are used, bicycles, rickshaws, push carts and even bullock carts. Even carrying goods by balancing over the heads is common sight.
Humayun's Tomb - the first great mausoleum of the Indian Mughal Dynasty.
Humayun was the second Mughal emperor after succeeding his father, Babur. Upon his death, his grief stricken wife Hamida Begum commissioned a Persian Architect to build this tomb using red sandstone in massive quantity to produce this great mausoleum. This later was the inspiration for his great grandson, Shah Jahan to build the greatest mausoleum, the Taj Mahal for his wife, Mumtaz Mahal.
Epitaph seen on the way in.
Capping off our visit to yet another great monument.
The Lotus Temple - Bahai place of worship.
The Bahai faith is a religion teaching the essential worth of all religions, the unity and equality of all the people. It is unique in a sense it accepts all religions as true and valid and believes each one is a further stage in the revelation of God. In modern terminology, Bahai is an aggregator of all religion, if I may say. It had it's roots in Persia.
When we got back to Maidens Hotel, we had a drink at the bar to cap off our wonderful time in Delhi.
Day 7 : 17.1.20 - Back to Jaipur and completing the Golden Triangle.
Alsisar Haveli - living like a Maharaja.
Our final leg is journeying back to Jaipur where we started, thus completing the "Golden Triangle". A good trip always starts with the first impression, and a trip to remember comes from the last impression. It's for this I took pains to ensure our hotel for the final night would provide us a good lasting impression. And so before coming here, I was looking for an accommodation that has that "wow" factor. I finally booked, Alsisar Haveli after much research. It is a heritage hotel, which was once a private haveli owned by a Maharaja's clan. Built in 1892, it was originally a holiday home for the Alsisar family when they visited Jaipur royal family from their principality, Alsisar.
Not your usual hotel bed.
Day 8 : 18.1.20 - Final day
This is certainly a fitting finale to our last day. Alsisar has exceeded all my expectation after the initial fear. If there's one hotel to come back to, this is the one.
Old Bazaars - anything and everything local.
This being our last day, the only thing to do is a bit of shopping. For this, Deepak our driver recommended the old bazaars in the walled city. It is a short distance from our hotel. We arrive there at about 10.30 am. It is still early and some of the bazaars were still closed. Nevertheless, we strolled from shop to shop and eventually realised that this is one huge area of a few bazaars adjacent to one another. The entire area is actually opposite Hawa Mahal at the Pink City.
After window shopping close to 4 hours, it is time to get away from the madding crowd. Just walking around is enough to leave a lasting experience of shopping lifestyle here.
Waiting for our van to pick us up to the airport.
This marks the end of our wonderful week long trip. Being able to see the actual monuments and narration from our guide on the history behind it is indeed enriching. The culture, food and experiencing how royalties lived, especially in their havelis is something we cherished. Visiting those historical palaces, forts and mausoleum where the great Mughals once rule India for 200 years is indeed awesome. Last but not least, our experience gets better and better with each passing day and the Alsisar Heritage hotel is a fitting finale to our memorable vacation.
Goodbye India, we shall be back to explore the many incredible sights in the near future.
Below is a clip of some of or fun moments.
No comments:
Post a Comment