I was lucky enough to go on an educational trip to India. We flew overnight into Delhi with Virgin Atlantic. Delhi is also known as Green Delhi due to the rows of trees and parks around the city. Unfortunately the day we arrived the traffic was worse than usual due to the President of China being in India on a State Visit. However, after a quick lunch at the Lalit Hotel and an inspection we were on our way to Delhi railway station for our journey to Amritsar.
Delhi station is where you can watch the real life of India, with trains departing for destinations all around the country. We may think we have problems with train delays, but one announcement was ‘the train from Kerala will be 10 hours late’. At the station, children run across the tracks to get from one platform to another, porters carry several suitcases on top of their heads and people just sleep on the platforms waiting for their train to arrive. Luckily ours was on time and we settled into the first class carriage. This is not first class as we know it.. Slightly different I would say! The train journey to Amritsar was 6 hours, I think it is worth going one way on the train just for the experience and also for looking at the surrounding country which can be a bit of an eye opener.
We stayed at the Radisson Blu in Amritsar. The main highlight in Amritsar is the Golden Temple which we visited both in the daytime and evening when it was lit up. It is situated in the middle of a man-made lake. The temple is the most important pilgrimage centre for the Sikhs and yes, it is beautiful, but what I liked most was not the Golden Temple itself, but was the community kitchens where thousands of meals are produced, free of charge for anyone who wants one. There is a constant flow of volunteers to help, from washing up to peeling the onions and garlic - such a wonderful sense of community.
Our next visit was to witness the Wagah Border Ceremony, for me this was the highlight of my tour. The ceremony takes place every evening before sunset at the Wagah border post, performed by the Indian and Pakistani armed forces. The atmosphere, with the watching and flag-waving crowds, and the soldiers performing their rituals of high kicks, flexing their muscles and adjusting their hats, makes it very entertaining. As the sun sets the iron gates are opened, the two flags are lowered and folded and a brisk handshake between the soldiers brings the ceremony to an end.
We returned to Delhi by train so another 6 hours. After a night’s rest at the Radisson Blu Plaza we were ready to tackle sightseeing in Delhi, and what better way than on a rickshaw around the back streets and the markets. This was followed by a delicious lunch at the Claridges Hotel, such a contrast from the hustle and bustle of street life to a hotel with a fabulous garden in a quiet area. After lunch we had a city tour of New & Old Delhi.
Our next stop after Delhi was Agra which we travelled by road, around 4 hours, to see one of the most famous sites in the world, the Taj Mahal. Despite the crowds, we were not disappointed - it is a beautiful monument built for the emperor’s third wife. I've seen many pictures of the Taj Mahal, but seeing it close up is truly a wonderful sight. When planning your trip it is important to remember the Taj Mahal is closed on Fridays. We also visited Agra Fort which was beautiful.
In the evening we had dinner at the Oberoi Amarvilas which is a beautiful property. Our local guide dressed us all in the traditional saree which was beautiful.
After Agra we made our way by road to Jaipur (6hrs by road) stopping enroute at Fatehpur Sikri which is a beautiful and deserted medieval city built in the 16th century. Jaipur is often called the Pink City in reference to its distinctly-coloured buildings, which were originally painted this colour to imitate the red sandstone architecture of Mughal cities. We visited the Amber City Fort which is situated 130m high in the Aravalli hills. You can get an elephant trek up to the top and a taxi-jeep back down. Jaipur has a number of wonderful sites to see including City Palace, and it is also a good place to shop for local handicrafts.
Mumbai was our last stop on our whirlwind tour, we took a flight from Jaipur to Mumbai which was just under 2hrs. Mumbai is the most cosmopolitan and commercial city in India. It is interesting seeing the contrasts of the city, with the expensive hotels sitting side by side surrounded by the slums of the city. We visited the Gateway of India followed by afternoon tea at the Taj Mahal Place. The downside of Mumbai is the traffic, always give yourself plenty of time to get to the airport!
India is a fascinating country to visit with friendly people, delicious food and amazing sites to see - definitely one for your wish-list!
