When I think of India geographically, the first thing that comes to mind is how millions of years ago, this massive sub-continent broke away from tiny Madagascar, rapidly moved north and crashed into the Eurasian Plate, giving rise to the Himalayas. Today, it is surrounded by the Indian Ocean to the south, Arabian Sea to the west, the Bay of Bengal to the east and the island of Sri Lanka off its south-eastern tip. It is home to the arid Thar Desert in the state of Rajasthan and the sacred Ganges River.
The people are wonderfully diverse with their melting pot of cultures, traditions, festivals, religions, languages and cuisine. They are dazzlingly colourful, as seen through their clothes, festivals, art, decorations and aromatic spices.
Centuries of invasions from Turks, Mongols, Persians and the British have influenced the diverse architectural styles found in buildings and monuments around the country. Many of them are designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
This leads me to the Golden Triangle, a three-pointed journey through three of the most visited cities in India’s northwest. Beginning in Delhi, I will travel southeast to Agra and the famous Taj Mahal, then head west to Jaipur, the pink city and finish back in Delhi. Throughout this journey, I will explore ten UNESCO sites, taste the local flavours, admire the painted trucks and take a side trip to a tiger reserve.
Delhi is both a city and the National Capital Territory. Within its boundaries to the east, is the walled, historic city of Old Delhi. When founded in the 17th century as the capital of the Mughal Empire, Old Delhi was known as Shahjahanabad, the namesake of the ruling emperor at the time. Adjacent to Old Delhi is New Delhi, the capital of India since 1947 and the capital of British India for the preceding 16 years.
Heading south, I passed Qudsia Bagh, an 18th century Mughal-era garden and mosque, built for the emperor’s mother. It used to have a splendid white palace with pink accents until it was destroyed a century later. All that is left is the gateway, the mosque and the stables.
A quarter-mile further (400m), I crossed beneath the arches of Kashmiri Gate, one of the 14 gateways of the walled city of Shahjahanabad (Old Delhi). Kashmiri was the northern gate, facing towards Kashmir which is where it got its name from. A study of the gate shows damage caused by cannonballs fired during the 1857 Indian Rebellion against the British that ended Mughal rule and led to the British crown taking control of India. Partially demolished in the 1960s to ease traffic flow, it has since become a protected monument.
Continuing south, I am making my way to the first UNESCO site, the Red Fort.
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Red Fort
On the right bank of the Yamuna River, within Old Delhi is the walled palace known as the Red Fort. It obtained its UNESCO status in 2007.
Commissioned by the 5th Mughal Emperor, Shahjahan (who also built the Taj Mahal) in 1639, the fort took nine years to complete. It became his main residence after he moved the capital from Agra to Old Delhi.
Built out of red sandstone, hence the name, the architectural style is a wonderful blend of Indian, Persian and Timuri (Turk-Mongol) elements. Historical records show that the fort was originally a combination of red and white. The outer wall was red and the buildings within were white, topped with bulbous domes. Sadly, in 1739, invaders looted the fort of its precious items and 120 years later most of its marble structures were demolished by the British.
The main entrance is via Lahori Gate and through a covered street market known as Chhatta Chowk. When the fort was built, the street market used to be very exclusive, catering to the needs of the imperial house with goods such as jewels, silk and brocade.
The trail leads to the first of several buildings within the complex, named Naubat Khana. Housing the archeological museum, its original purpose was to deliver legislative announcements and to play music several times a day. Walking through its central archway, the path leads to Diwan-i-Am, a multi-columned, multi-arched, audience hall that was used by the emperors to meet the public.
Continuing behind the hall, are three separate buildings beside each other, each with their own purpose. Straight ahead is Rang Mahal which functioned as the primary residence of the 5th emperor’s harem and as a mess hall during the British occupation. To the left is Khas Mahal, a white marble palace that was the emperor’s private residence and to the left of it is Diwan-i-Khas, his private audience hall.
The marble hall was covered with precious stones and silver was used on the ceiling. Inside used to be the peacock throne, made of gold and precious stones and topped with two decorative peacocks. It is said that it weighed over 2,200 pounds (1,000 kg) and cost twice as much as the Taj Mahal. Its value and extravagance weren’t lost on the invading Persians who in the 18th century conquered the Mughal empire and took the throne back to Persia.
The last significant building is the Moti Masjid, a mosque built in 1659 by the 6th Mughal Emperor, Aurangzeb. The three bulbous domes were originally copper plated but have since been removed. Whilst the outside is austere, the interior is beautifully decorated with scalloped arches, marble relief and floral motifs.
Ending my exploration within the Red Fort, I am now heading to Humayun’s Tomb.
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Humayun's Tomb
Travelling south from the Red Fort, my travels took me to Raj Ghat, a memorial dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi who, in 1947 led a successful, non-violent campaign for India’s independence from British rule. Within the Raj Ghat area are several other memorials, including to Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first prime minister and Mahatma’s political heir, who fought for independence; Indira Gandhi, Nehru’s daughter and no relation to Mahatma, who was the first female prime minister of India and who was assassinated in 1984 by her own Sikh bodyguards, as retribution for the deaths of hundreds of Sikhs killed in an exchange of gunfire between Indian troops and Sikh extremists; and Rajiv Gandhi, Indira’s son and successor, who was also assassinated in 1991. Several other leaders have memorials dotted throughout the park.
Diagonally from Raj Ghat are the remains of a 14th century fort built during the Delhi Sultanate, an Islamic empire that occupied large parts of India between 1206-1526 AD before being conquered by the Mughals. Within its grounds is the Jama Masjid, one of the largest and oldest mosques in India, reflecting Islamic and Hindu elements in its Tughlaq architecture. The mosque is still in use and every Thursday, large crowds gather to pray and write letters. It is believed that supernatural beings called jinns (genies) live in the fort who “descend from the Heavens” to “listen and help solve problems”.
Just north of the zoo are the remains of the Purana Qila, one of the oldest forts in Delhi. Archaeological excavations found traces dating back to ancient India, circa 250 BCE, however, the existing remains were built in the 16th century by the 2nd Mughal emperor Humayun and his intercessor Sher Shah, founder of the Sur Empire. The fort had several buildings but the only ones surviving are: a beautifully preserved red, white and slate mosque; a double-storeyed octagonal tower that was used as personal observatory; and a library by Humayun where he unfortunately tripped on his robe whilst descending from the second floor and tumbled to his death.
South of the zoo is the Humayun Tomb Park, the emperor’s final resting place. Commissioned by his first wife, the grand building is believed to be the precursor to the Taj Mahal. A symmetric structure, it is the first example of a Persian garden tomb in India, where the tomb sits at the “intersection of four water channels flowing in cardinal directions” within a square garden that’s supposed to represent paradise. Built of red sandstone, it has a marble dome and is decorated with inlay work, geometric black and white marble carvings and six-pointed stars as cosmic symbols. The tomb houses the graves of his first and second wives, his great-grandson Dara Shikoh who was executed by his brother Aurangzeb following a bitter struggle for the throne, several succeeding emperors and over 100 Mughal family members. In 1993, the Park became a UNESCO site.
From here I’ll make my way to the Yamuna River, over the Okhla barrage at the Delhi-Uttar Pradesh state border and head towards Agra.
km od začátku : 0097
Truck Art
It is a long way between Delhi and Agra. Connected by a major highway, my travel could have been monotonous and mundane, except there was a constant stream of vibrantly coloured trucks that sparked and stimulated my visual senses.
As India’s economy grows, trucks play a crucial role in transporting goods all over the country. Drivers spend weeks and sometimes months on the road, making the truck their home. Here they cook, eat, sleep and sometimes share the space with co-drivers.
To make their nomadic life more palatable, drivers paint their trucks inside and out. No two trucks are the same. The artwork is very personal and a reflection of the driver’s personality, tastes, beliefs, values and often a reminder of home and their families.
Trucks were introduced to India in the early to mid-20th century during the World Wars, when they were used to transport military cargo. After the wars, the trucks were passed on to the public for use. For a vibrant and colourful culture, the camouflage painted trucks were too severe and it provided the new truck owners with a blank canvas.
Through intense colours, popular phrases, images and accessories a new form of art evolved referred to simply as ‘truck art’. There is a whole industry dedicated to this artform. Professional artists who specialise in truck art have become experts at it. Often, they are second or third generation truck artists.
The artists have a distinctive style that is difficult to replicate, particularly the calligraphy that is executed with precision and very steady hands. The typeface for prominent words such as ‘Horn Please’, is always in English and hand painted in a blocky 3D style. The colours are bright and saturated, rarely featuring black or neutrals. If black is used, it’s typically just to highlight an artistic detail.
Religious symbols, deities, national themes, peacocks (national bird), eagles (signifying speed but always keeping the eye towards home), are some of the common features adorning the vehicles. The evil-looking ‘nazar battu’, a sharp-toothed demon with matted hair is an icon that drivers attach to their trucks in order to bring good luck, provide safe travels and ward off the evil-eye. It is especially important given some of the treacherous roads and lengthy distances drivers must tackle. To give you an idea, a trucker will cover up to 250mi (400km) and drive 12 hours per day.
The catchphrase ‘Horn Please’ and ‘Use Dipper at Night’ written on the back of the trucks are about safety. Honking the horn is communication for overtaking and ‘Use Dipper at Night’ is a request for other drivers to dim their headlights at dusk.
For long haul drivers, a well decorated truck is a sense of pride, an extension of themselves, their home away from home.
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Mughal Architecture
The magnificent Mughal architecture is attributed mainly to four successive Mughal emperors: Akbar (3rd emperor), Jahangir (4th emperor), Shah Jahan (5th emperor) and Aurangzeb (6th emperor). Vast forts, mosques and mausoleums were built within a century and even though the Mughal empire existed for 330 years and had as many as 20 emperors, very little was built after Aurangzeb. The vision of these few men left a richly detailed legacy in monuments such as the Taj Mahal, Red Fort and Agra Fort.
As indicated in previous postcards, Mughal architecture is a mixture of Islamic, Indian, Turkish and Persian styles with a preference for red sandstone and marble as the construction materials. It is characterised by symmetry, geometrical shapes and intricate detail. The buildings feature pointed arches, massive vaulted gateways, minarets, bulbous domes, roofs lined with dome-shaped pavilions called ‘chhatri’ and windows protruding from the building’s wall called ‘jharokha’.
Mosques have large courtyards, whilst other buildings are surrounded by gardens on all four sides. Wall decorations include Arabic scriptures, floral or geometric patterns inlaid in marble with semi-precious stones and perforated lattice screens in ornamental patterns. Ceramics, glass and mirrors may line the interiors. Representation of figurative images are forbidden in Islamic decoration and as such they do not feature in Mughal architecture. In their place are stylised flowers and naturalistic decorations as observed from nature.
The first major works were constructed during the reign of Akbar (1556-1605), who commissioned palaces, gardens, mosques and mausoleums that were designed by Persian architects. The buildings were huge monuments demonstrating the power of the empire.
Akbar’s grandson, Shah Jahan (1628-1658) had a keen interest in architecture and was the most prolific builder. His designs centred around elegant structures, welcoming spaces and refined details. Mughal architecture was at its peak during his reign.
Unlike his father, Shah Jahan, Aurangzeb (1658-1707) wasn’t as involved in architecture. His primary focus was on maintaining extant structures and the royal tombs. He did, however, build several mosques including Badshahi Mosque which was the largest in the world at the time of completion and is currently the second largest in the world. Aurangzeb also commissioned a tomb built for his wife which very much resembles the Taj Mahal.
Very little was built in the late Mughal-era. After Aurangzeb’s death, the empire fragmented and in 1858 it was abolished by the British.
As the empire dissolved, the buildings and gardens were left neglected and fell into disrepair. Works undertaken during the 20th century restored many monuments to their former glory, earning them a place on UNESCO’s World Heritage List.
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Agra Fort
As I came into Agra, my first stop was at Itmad-ud-Daulah’s Tomb, a Mughal mausoleum built in the 1620s for Jahangir’s (4th emperor) Chief Minister and father-in-law. The tomb is set inside a walled, square garden with walkways and water channels criss-crossing in the same fashion as Humayun’s tomb. It was the first structure made completely out of marble and beautifully ornamented with latticework and ‘parchin kari’, inlay techniques where gemstones were ‘cut and fit’ in the marble to create floral designs. Hexagonal towers on each corner are topped with dome-shaped pavilions. Unlike most Mughal buildings, the tomb does not have a central dome. Instead, it has a structure called ‘baradari’, a pavilion with three arched openings on each side covered with latticework, except for the two entrances on the north and south side. Inside is a square hall housing the cenotaphs of the Chief Minister and his wife.
After crossing Yamuna River, I made my way to Agra Fort, the Mughals’ former residence when Agra was the capital of the empire, prior to its relocation to Old Delhi. It was built in the 1560s by Akbar (3rd emperor) as a military base and royal residence. The fort’s bastioned outer wall has a semi-circular shape with two entrances.
Inside the fort are several buildings of interest. Beginning with the largest building, the Jahangiri Mahal. It was built by Akbar for his son, Jahangir, but it was initially used as a palace for the women of the royal household and, when Jahangir succeeded his father, it was used by his wife, the mother of Shah Jahan.
The Shish Mahal (The Glass Palace) was part of Shah Jahan’s summer palace. The inner walls and ceilings were inlaid with thousands of small mirrors, twinkling in the semi-dark interior.
Near Shah’s private hall is a multi-storeyed, octagonal tower with a veranda that was used by his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. The marble surface was decorated with parchin kari (gemstone inlays), latticework and deep arched niches and the centre of the room had a scented fountain. It was here that Shah spent his last few years as a captive of his son Aurangzeb and lay on his deathbed gazing at the Taj Mahal that he built in memory of Mumtaz.
In 1983, the Agra Fort was added as a UNESCO site.
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Taj Mahal
Less than 2mi (3.2km) from the fort is the magnificent and world-renowned monument, the Taj Mahal. Built by Shah Jahan over a period of 22 years, the Taj is a memorial to Mumtaz Mahal, his favourite wife, companion of 19 years and mother of his 14 children. Theirs was a deep love affair that lasted throughout their entire marriage. She was his closest adviser, travelled everywhere with him and even when he was exiled for a short time she was by his side. Mumtaz died in childbirth, leaving Shah in mourning for the remainder of his days.
Her body was buried near the Yamuna River and he would visit her grave once a week, when one day he decided it was the ideal place to build her the grandest tomb, using marble from Makrana, about 200mi (320km) to the west. It was transported in large blocks on carts pulled by buffaloes in teams of 20-30 animals. At the site, earth ramps were built and ropes with pulleys were used to drag the stone to the top of the construction. Masons were hired to fit the stones together and smooth the surfaces.
Over time, the building of the tomb became part of a much larger complex. The grand mausoleum was at the centre, sitting on a marble platform that was on top of a much bigger red sandstone plinth. The tomb was topped with four small domes and a massive central one shaped like a giant pearl. On the corners of the marble platform are four minarets, each 130ft (39m) tall. Flanking the marble tomb are two identical red sandstone buildings. To the west is a mosque and on the opposite side was a complementary building that was used for housing important guests.
The Taj has some of the most spectacular and intricate decorations in the world. Shah loved jewellery and often designed pieces for himself and wore them on his body and his turban. As such, he wanted the Taj to sparkle with gemstones which were inlaid in forms of flowers, especially tulips which were his favourite. Other floral arabesques and reliefs fill various spaces on the walls.
Black marble was used to inlay calligraphy with quotes from the Quran. Inside the tomb are the cenotaphs of Shah and Mumtaz and at one time carpets and cushions were part of the decor.
In front of the Taj is a walled garden laid out in the usual quadrilateral design with water channels criss-crossing. At the centre was a large marble pool with fountains, representing the place where human and divine meet. Fruit trees and scented flowers were planted in the gardens creating a vibrant, aromatic experience. These were replaced by the British with lawn.
The Taj Mahal was added to UNESCO’s list in 1983.
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Fatehpur Sikri
Heading west, I entered the walled city of Fatehpur Sikri through the arched Agra Gate, leading to Naubat Khana, a triple-storeyed, triple-arched drum house where a particular type of drum was played to announce the emperor’s arrival. The road terminated at a public courtyard and beyond it were Fatehpur’s complex of monuments and temples.
Fatehpur was built in the late 16th century by Akbar on the site where his son, future emperor Jahangir, was born. He began by constructing a religious compound in honour of Sufi saint Salim Chisti who predicted the birth of Akbar’s son, Jahangir. Construction of imperial palaces, public buildings, mosques and walling the city ensued, establishing it as the royal seat. After 14 years, Akbar relocated to Lahore to control unrest in the northwest. Absent for a lengthy period of time, the city was left neglected. Some maintenance was attempted over the following decades but by the end of the Mughal empire the city was in a ruinous state. When the British arrived in 1803, they set up an administrative centre and many of the monuments were repaired.
The most striking feature of Fatehpur is the incredibly grand entrance to the Jama Masjid (mosque), referred to as Buland Darwaza (High Gate). It was rebuilt by Akbar to celebrate the success of one of his military campaigns. A semi-octagonal structure, it stands at 177ft (54m) high with a massive central archway topped with several dome-shaped pavilions. Persian inscriptions are on its walls detailing Akbar’s conquests along with verses from the Quran. It is the highest gateway in the world reached by climbing 42 steps.
Akbar was well known for his religious tolerances and it was at Fatehpur where he built the Ibadat Khana (House of Worship), a place where he aimed to gather spiritual leaders to discuss teachings of their respective religions. He was so intrigued by the different teachings, that he was inspired to create his own religion, known as Din-i-llahi, intending to merge some of the best practices of all religions within his empire as a way to “reconcile the differences that divided his subjects”.
Whilst the majority of the complex is built from red sandstone, the Tomb of Salim Chisti, located within the Jami Masjid, is made of white marble and has an ivory-like appearance. Built on a plinth ornamented with geometric designs in black and yellow marble, its walls are made entirely out of marble latticework. The interior is richly decorated with floral inlays and geometric shapes. Verses from the Quran adorn the inner and outer walls of the tomb.
In 1986, Fatehpur Sikri was designated a UNESCO site making this the fifth UNESCO location on this journey.
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Keoladeo National Park
Before entering the city of Bharatpur, located to the west of the highway is the Keoladeo National Park, a bird sanctuary and UNESCO site. Extending over an area of 2,783ha, the park was established 250 years ago as a duck-hunting reserve until it was converted into a sanctuary in 1956. The Park is incredibly diverse with more than 370 bird species both permanent and migratory, 380 flora species and a variety of snakes, lizards, turtles and amphibians. Amongst its bird collection are a number of striking looking species such as: the Saurus crane with its vibrant red head and grey body; the Ruff, a small wading bird with a fabulously large collar of ornamental feathers; and the richly coloured Bee-eater, that can vary in colour combinations but interestingly most of them will have a certain amount of green in their plumage. Besides exploring the park on foot or on a bike, it also has the added service of rickshaws. The rickshaw pullers double as knowledgeable guides as the park’s management have trained them in bird spotting.
Bharatpur was formerly the capital of the Bharatpur State, an old Hindu kingdom, that came into existence when the Jat people revolted against the Mughals in the late 17th century. They were crushed several times but when Aurangzeb died in 1707 and the Mughals were engaged in civil wars, the Jat took advantage of this opportunity to establish their own state by ousting the Rajput people from the area and capturing Agra.
Located in the centre of Bharatpur, on an artificial island, is the 18th century Lohagarh Fort. Thick outer walls gave the fort impregnable defences against repeated attacks from British forces. Eight towers were inside the fort, each one containing a large cannon on wheels. Palaces and temples had a blend of Mughal and Rajput architectural influences. A quadrilateral garden sits inside a courtyard surrounded by stone buildings in soft salmon pink colours, with large scalloped archways and a veranda. Not much is written about this fort but its location was strategic and difficult to attack.
Exiting through the southern gate, I made my way towards Dausa.
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Holi Festival
India is one of the most colourful places on earth and it has the most vibrant and fun festival, known as Holi. Celebrated each year at the beginning of spring, the festival is a kaleidoscope of colour. People gather to toss powdered paint or coloured water at each other. It is a huge, playful event where family and friends take the time to have fun, be happy and welcome the start of spring and new beginnings.
Holi is an ancient Hindu festival. It is believed that long ago there was an evil king who had a son, Prahlad and daughter, Holika. The king received blessings from Brahma (God of Creation) and became so powerful that he forced his subjects and his children to worship him as their god but Prahlad refused. Furious, the king, together with his daughter, hatched a plan to kill Prahlad, by inviting him to sit in a pit of fire that Holika was immune to, in the hope that he would burn to death. However, Prahlad’s devotion to Brahma helped him walk away from the fire unhurt whilst Holika did not. The festival, named after her, signifies the triumph of good over evil.
Traditionally the colours used in Holi came from flowers and herbs but now they are synthetic. Vibrant colours such as red, yellow, green, blue, orange and purple are typically used but black and white are avoided. Each colour carries its own meaning. Red is the colour of matrimony, fertility, love and beauty. Yellow is synonymous with turmeric, an important ingredient that was known for its medicinal purposes, treating inflammatory and digestive ailments. Blue reveres the god Krishna, whilst green symbolises new beginnings and harvest. Saffron is associated with piety and strength.
Holi is a wonderfully joyous event that binds people, regardless of social standing, faith or spoken language. It creates unity and friendship, an opportunity to end conflict, the chance to forgive and forget.
km od začátku : 0422
Dausa
Dausa is an ancient city that served as capital of the Dundhar region (a historical area of current Rajasthan) during the 10th and 11th century AD. It is also the birthplace of Sant Kavi Sunderdas, a 17th century poet, philosopher and reformer of medieval India. He wrote 48 books in several languages spoken at the time, making his works widely accessible to people.
About 20mi (32km) east of Dausa is the small village of Abhaneri, known for its magnificent stepwell, the Chand Baori. It is the oldest, deepest and largest stepwell in India. Originally built in the 8th century AD as a water reservoir, it was significantly added to in the 18th century AD, making it the only stepwell in India with two different building periods.
The stepwell is a perfect square, 115ft (35m) per side and 100ft (30m) deep. It consists of 3,500 steps over 13 storeys, across three sides of the well’s interior. The fourth side is a large temple over several levels. The lower sections were often used to escape the intense summer heat, as the bottom of the well is usually up to 43°F (6°C) cooler than on the surface.
Around the perimeter of the stepwell is a colonnaded arcade that was added by the Mughals. Parts of the arcade were used as art galleries and today display old sculptures and carvings that may have once decorated the interior of the temple.
Adjacent to the stepwell is the Harshat Mata Temple, a ruined Hindu temple built around the 9th century AD. Not much remains of the original structure, having been altered many times over the centuries but numerous detailed stone carvings can be found around the main platform. One of the surviving pillars is exquisitely carved across its entire area. Carvings of deities, flowers, peacocks and amorous scenes can be found on display. More historically valuable carvings have been moved to museums in Jaipur, Rajasthan.
Next stop is Jaipur.
km od začátku : 0475
Jaipur
The beautiful “Pink City” of Jaipur was the first planned city in India. It was established in 1727 - making it relatively young when compared to Old Delhi and Agra – when the Mughal empire was already in decline.
Jai Singh II was the ruler of the Kingdom of Amber that was set in the mountains, north of Jaipur. Water scarcity and ongoing drought forced Jai Singh to look for an alternative location and settled on the plains at the base of the mountains. A keen mathematician, scientist and astronomer, Jai Singh studied Europe’s cities and their street plans. He then hired a renowned Bengali architect and together they went about building the old city of Jaipur. He fortified Jaipur with a wall and in 2019, UNESCO added the entire city on its World Heritage list.
Most of the structures were built with white limestone and red brick powder, giving them a pinkish shade. However, when Prince Albert was visiting in 1876, to welcome him, Jai Singh arranged to have all the buildings painted in various shades of pink. It is believed that the colour pink is meant to symbolise hospitality. The tradition of keeping buildings pink continues to this day.
Within its fortified walls, Jaipur has a collection of delightful monuments and splendid architectural styles. Here is a roundup of the most important ones:
• Jal Mahal Palace – is a fantastic late 18th century palace in the middle of a lake. It is a blend of Rajput and Mughal architecture in red sandstone that was once used as a hunting lodge. It looks like a one-storey floating palace but it is actually five storeys high with four of them submerged beneath the lake’s surface.
• Hawa Mahal Palace – is a pyramidal shaped structure with the most intriguing façade. Five storeys high, it looks like a honeycomb of tiered bay windows decorated with latticework. It has 956 small windows and even more surprising is that the façade is actually the rear of the palace. Now that is some detailed effort for the back of a building.
• Jantar Mantar – is the astronomical observatory built in the 1720s. Constructed from local marble, it is home to more than a dozen working astronomical instruments created to observe time, horoscopes and constellations. The most impressive one is the Samrat Yantra (the Supreme Instrument), one of the largest and still working sundials in the world. It features a 90ft (27m) stairwell. Makes you feel as if you’re climbing towards heaven. A UNESCO site since 2010.
What is also not to be missed are the three exceptional forts used to defend the city: Nahargarh, just outside the city walls slightly northwest provides uninterrupted views over Jaipur and did a fine job keeping an eye out for potential threats; Amer, is a fort of enormous proportions best appreciated from the lake below; and Jaigarh, overlooking Amer Fort and Jaipur below. Jaigarh is also home to the 18th century cannon-on-wheels that was the largest at the time of its manufacture. It weighs a whopping 50 tonnes. In 2013, Amer was listed as a UNESCO site.
The history and architecture in Jaipur are immensely rich. It would take quite some time to explore it in its entirety.
km od začátku : 0547
Bengal Tiger
I would be remiss not to spend a bit of time talking about Bengal tigers in India. These magnificent and powerful animals have dwindled in numbers, largely due to poaching, habitat destruction and human-tiger conflicts. The plight of these beautiful animals has reached such proportions that it now has its own international day on 29 July of each year. Its purpose is to promote the protection of the tigers and their natural habitats.
The tiger is India’s national animal and the country has proactively engaged in tiger conservation since 1973. Home to 80% of the tigers in the world, there are less than 3,000 of them left in India.
There are over 50 tiger reserves all over India and the closest one on this journey is Sariska Tiger Reserve. In the early 20th century it was used as a hunting preserve until it was declared a wildlife sanctuary and by 1982 it became a national park with a focus on tiger preservation.
In the early 2000s there were around 25 tigers in the reserve, however over a five year period the population was decimated by poachers. In 2008, a relocation program was started with the transfer of two tigers from another park. Another followed a year later and by 2020 there were 20 tigers on the reserve. Sariska was the first reserve to successfully relocate tigers.
India puts an enormous amount of effort into conservation. It has pledged substantial funding for the program and has also established a Special Tiger Protection Force especially trained in combating poachers.
May their efforts pay off for future generations and may we continue seeing these beautiful animals roam in the wild.
km od začátku : 0628
North Indian Cuisine
There is no one specific cuisine attributed to India. For such a multi-ethnic country, it stands to reason that its cuisine would be just as diverse as its languages, architecture or faiths. With the Golden Triangle located in North India, it would make sense to focus on this region. However, even within North India there are several cuisine sub-types.
The ones that intrigue me the most are the Mughlai and Rajasthani cuisines, simply because it reflects the journey I’ve been on so far.
Mughlai cuisine was developed during the Indo-Persian era. The recipes are strongly influenced by Turkic cuisine, where the Mughals originally hailed from. The dishes are rich and aromatic enhanced with spices such as saffron, cardamon, black pepper and cumin.
Tikka for instance is a Mughlai dish consisting of skewered boneless pieces of meat marinated in spices and yoghurt then cooked in clay ovens. Although its origins are unknown, the Mughals did bring to India boneless pieces of meat that they called Tikka. Some of the spices used in its preparation are red chilli, turmeric, pepper, coriander and garam masala. The flavour is a lovely combination of spiciness, with warm, earthy flavouring from the turmeric and a citrusy aroma from the coriander.
Rajasthani cuisine is quite interesting because it was based on the availability of ingredients in what is a very arid environment. Given the war-like lifestyle at the time it was important that the food lasted for several days and could be eaten without heating. Scarcity of water and vegetables was another challenge back then, making most of the people in the region non-vegetarians. This is fascinating to know given that today 75% of its population is vegetarian, making it the largest vegetarian state in India.
With that in mind, I considered a vegetarian dish, the Daal Baati, a lentil curry with hard wheat rolls. The lentil is often a rather plain pulse but when combined with spices such as cumin, ginger, asafoetida, green chili, turmeric, garam masala and chilli powder, it truly transforms it into a satiating, warming and subtly spicy experience. Now Baati, a hard, unleavened bread is a little more laborious in its preparation but it has a long shelf life and high nutritional content. As such, it was highly prized during wartime and in desert areas.
Of course, as with any cuisine, the preparation is often at the whim of the person making it. Spices may vary slightly, cooking approaches may differ, variations will abound but if in the end, the dish is finger licking good, then it doesn’t matter how it was made or where it came from.
km od začátku : 0740
Qutb Minar
I am back in Delhi with only 16mi (26km) to go, but there is one more site to explore before the end of my journey.
A visit to Qutb Minar was a must, if only to admire the 238ft (73m) minaret. It was built by the first ruler of the Delhi Sultanate, a dynasty preceding the Mughals. Construction began in the late 12th century and it was added to, repaired and restored many times by different rulers, over several periods. Earthquakes in 1505 and again in 1803 caused substantial damage to the minaret. When it was renovated in 1828, a pillared cupola was added on the top floor to create an extra storey but 20 years later the Governor General of India had it removed because he thought it looked out of place. The cupola is now situated on the grounds nearby.
Minarets are typical of Islamic architecture and are almost always connected to a mosque. They usually have one or more balconies from where Muslims are called to prayer by a muezzin (a crier). The Minar however, is a stand-alone structure used for the same purposes, although inscriptions on it indicate that it may have also served as a ‘victory tower’.
The monument is five storeys high, separated by balconies with richly carved Quranic inscriptions. The bottom three levels are made of red sandstone and the top two are built from a combination of marble and sandstone. A tapering tower, the base has a diameter of 47ft (14m) and narrows at the top to 9ft (2.75m). Inside is a stairwell consisting of 379 steps.
Next to the Minar is Quwwat-ul-Islam Masjid, the first mosque ever built in India and the oldest surviving example of Ghurids architecture, a dynasty of Iranian origin circa 11th century AD. It is said that the columns used to erect the cloisters were accomplished by demolishing 27 Hindu Temples following a direct order from the ruler at the time. Besides the destruction, it proved to be a major problem because repurposing the Hindu columns meant they had to adapt it to Islam’s forbidden use of images in temples. The masons covered the columns with plaster and likely decorated them with geometric patterns. As centuries passed the plaster fell off, revealing the original highly-detailed Hindu carvings.
After a little more meandering around the grounds it was time to complete the Golden Triangle and return to where I started.
km od začátku : 0766
Delhi
About 7mi (11km) north of Qutb Minar is the Tomb of Safdar Jang who in 1748 became Prime Minister of India, during the reign of the Mughal Empire. He was dismissed after only five years and a year later died. His son pleaded with the Mughal Emperor to permit him to construct a tomb in his honour. The monument was the last Mughal garden tomb built.
Across from the eastern corner of Buddha Jayanti Park is a large statue of Gandhi and his followers. The massive black sculpture represents Gandhi’s iconic non-violent march in 1931 against the exorbitant salt tax imposed on India by the British.
Continuing north I made my way through Kamla Nehru Park to visit the Mutiny Memorial that was erected in memory of those who fought during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. The memorial was built swiftly in 1863 in a Gothic style using red sandstone. It received a lot of criticism when it was completed possibly because it didn’t resemble nor complement the Indo-Islamic architecture found throughout Delhi.
A little over 600ft (200m) away is the Ashoka Pillar erected in the 3rd century BC by King Ashoka who converted to Buddhism and used the pillar, amongst many others in India, to inscribe Buddhist edicts and spread the faith throughout the country. The pillar is made out of one large block of sandstone that was cut, dressed, polished into a circular column and inscribed with the edicts. Following an explosion in 1719, the pillar was blown up into five pieces. It remained that way until the mid-19th century when it was repaired and re-erected. It looks like a jigsaw puzzle pieced back together with thick, heavy mortar.
This brings me to the end of my journey. It was a wonderful visual feast of majestic palaces, massive forts, beautiful decorations, geometric patterns, endless love and a fascinating insight into the Mughal empire.
