Photo of the Week: Humble Farming (India)

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I love the colours and simplicity of this humble farming cottage in Rajastan in north west India.

Amber Fort: Living in Luxury (India)

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Dressed in their pyjama-like body paint, the elephants jockeyed in the tiny village square. Gleaming in the unrelenting sun, the sandstone walls of Amber Fort (or Amer Fort, pronounced without the b in either case and named after the town of the same name) hover above clinging to the top of a rocky hill. All day the decorated elephants lumber up the steep winding ramp, their sure-footed gait travelling precariously near the edge of the roadway. Their sad eyes reveal a life of abject boredom trudging the same paths every day as they ferry visitors to one of India’s most popular sights.

With its strong defences and imposing position, Amber Fort was never captured meaning much of the palace is in its original condition (though time has wrought some damage that invading forces could never manage). While the ruler was Hindu, the palace is a fascinating blend of Mughal (Islamic) and Hindu architecture, to politically maintain peace with the powerful leaders from surrounding areas, most of whom were Muslim. Built in 1592 the palace was continually enhanced and extended for a further 130 years until the royal entourage moved to Jaipur.

The elephants park near the Lion Gate (Singh Pol) that leads to the public area of the palace. Military parades and state functions were regularly conducted in the courtyard.

The courtyard leads to the imposing Ganesh Gate, covered in glorious patterned artwork and entrance to the private rooms of the palace. Ganesh, the elephant headed deity, is revered by Hindus as the god that removes obstructions from people’s everyday lives. A wonderful image of Ganesh is painted over the entrance gate in the same way that his image is painted over the front door of many humble homes throughout India.

In the corner of the courtyard is an elegantly colonnaded open hall where the ruler granted public audiences to hear wishes and petitions from the people of his region.

Over Ganesh Gate are latticed chambers with beautiful frescoes where the royal women could view proceedings while maintaining their dignity by staying hidden from public view.

Through to the private areas of the palace, the opulence that the rulers and maharajahs enjoyed becomes truly apparent. The complex features areas that act as separate summer and winter palaces, one gathering the warming sun while the other using an ingenious cooling system.

Each feature Mirror Palaces or Shish Mahals (which sounds more like a skewered meat dish) with inlaid stained glass panels and thousands of small mirrored curved fragments of silver paint or foil. Lighting a single candle ignites the room in a sea of light the ceiling glittering like a galaxy of stars. The winter palace (Jas Mandir) has panoramic views over the lake and the gardens that helped supply the palace.

The summer palace called the Hall of Pleasures (or Sukh Niwas) has a marble water course running through the room open to the prevailing breezes, working like modern air-conditioning and bringing relief from the baking desert sun. The water, being so scarce in this dry region of India, flowed to the formal gardens. Clever water management including scented waterfalls and baths feature throughout the palace providing luxurious comfort for the maharajah and his regal wives while ensuring the water is recycled or run into the thirsty gardens.

Panoramic vistas highlight the parched land and show the strong defensive walls constructed across the surrounding hills. Strategically placed towers acted as lookouts, guards banging loudly on drums should an enemy army approach.

The final courtyard contains the original Palace of Man Singh I and the zenana, where the royal queens lived (the maharajah had up to a dozen wives or maharanis) alongside various female staff, mistresses and concubines. The rooms are a rabbit warren of passageways and staircases, carefully designed so that the maharajah can surreptitiously enter the bedroom of his choice unknown to the other occupants (maybe this should have been called the Hall of Pleasures!!). The central colonnaded badahari was curtained and acted as the meeting room for the royal queens.

Only eleven kilometres from the Pink City of Jaipur (with wonderful sights such as the Palace of the Winds and the superb observatory, Jantar Mantar), Amber is an excellent half day trip. A guide helps understands the buildings and history (the signage is poor) but take some time to simply wander the courtyards, corridors and rooms and enjoy the architecture, the elaborate decoration and the views from a time when luxuriant opulence was the standard for a maharajah. Get there early before the palace is overrun with visitors and the heat of the day wilts the mood of the people (and the elephants).

Photography in the Himalayas (Nepal / India)

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Two close friends of mine have recently departed for a trip to the Indian Himalayas for a multi-week trek. Before leaving, we had a long discussion about SLR photography needs based on my prior travels to Nepal and India. This article summarises some of our thoughts on photography for such a region. Many of the ideas apply equally to African safaris and other long treks and hikes in more remote parts of the world. While the list is hardly exhaustive, hopefully it will prompt some thoughts before embarking on travel to this mountain wonderland.

Batteries are a significant challenge in Nepal and India. The cold saps the life of batteries and recharging batteries can be difficult. Take a number of camera batteries and charge them in the teahouses wherever a source of power (typically solar or generator) can be found. Most importantly, keep your batteries warm by wrapping them in a beanie or jacket and keep them in the bottom of your sleeping bag at night. Keep spare batteries warm in your pack during the day. Remove the active battery from your camera before going to bed. Save considerable battery life by limiting the use of the on-board flash and limiting the viewing of images on the LCD display.

By contrast, keep the camera cool. On the day of the main pass of the trek I undertook, the temperature before dawn (when we set off) was -25°C (-13°F). If the camera is taken from the warmth of a sleep bag then it will instantly mist up due to the sharp contrast in temperatures. Leave the camera settle into the ambient temperature before setting out.

Bring lots of memory cards (or an external storage device). The Himalayas are photogenic attracting many more photos can you’ll plan on taking so pack those extra cards. Change cards regularly to avoid risking all your photos to a single card.

Plan out exactly what gear you want to walk with each day. Lens, cameras and accessories weigh a fair amount that may be regretted in the rarefied air of higher altitudes.

Dust is difficult to manage in these regions. Every time that you swap lens, dust sneaks into your camera. Keep your gear as clean as possible (a job for each evening) and keep lens swapping to a minimum. It is disappointing and hugely time-consuming to remove dust spots off thousands of photos at the end of a journey (and they show up badly against blue skies and snow-capped mountains). An ounce of prevention...

As in most locations, the early morning and dusk provide wonderful photos. The mountains are painted in a golden yellow, the morning skies are often at their clearest and the small mountain villages are a buzz of activity.

Panoramas help capture the amphitheatre of towering snow-capped mountains that consistently surrounds your trekking in the Himalayas. Become practised in taking panorama sequences of photos before you leave to capture the stunning mountain vistas that accompany your trek. I strongly recommend Autostitch (see Autostitch guide) for joining the photos together later and start and finish each sequence with a meaningless photo to help easily identify the groupings after download. Overlay each photo generously (I suggest 20 to 30 percent) and keep the camera settings the same for the full sequence.

Keep a notebook detailing the names of the mountains and villages. With a bundle of photos and a fading memory, it is difficult to identify the mountains photographed when sorting through them back in the comfort of your own home. If it is important to you, only noting names as you go avoids confusing your shots of Thamserku from your photos of Gyachung Kang.

Most treks pass several Buddhist monasteries (gompa), a location of spiritual succour to most of the local population. Note that the sherpas and porters treat these locations with reverence. Ask permission before photographing inside the monastery and before photographing any people. Note that the monasteries are dark so consider cranking up the ISO or find a place to rest the camera. In my experience, the porters and sherpas are familiar with travellers’ photography habits and are happy to be photographed while many other local people are very uncomfortable. If you promise to send photos back, then follow your commitment through.

Take lots of photographs and include many incidental events and sights along the path each day. The steep roughly hewn stone stairs, the yaks, the campsite or teahouses, the rickety bridges, the prayer flags, village life and the landscape all add to the overall trekking experience.

Most importantly, spend considerable time without your camera. The Himalayas are a spectacular natural travel wonder of the world that heightens the senses. Stop and enjoy the exceptional vistas of the world’s highest mountains, the freshness of the mountain air, the rage of the mountain streams, the colour and sounds of the monasteries, the buzz of village life and the refines culture of the Buddhist people.

Photo of the Week: India Gate (Delhi, India)

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In a similar vein to Paris's grand Arc de Triomphe, Delhi's India Gate proudly stands in the centre of twelve radiating streets near central Delhi. Standing 42 metres tall, the names of some 90,000 soldiers who lost their life in World War 1 (and other wars of the time) are inscribed into its light coloured brick, the moving tomb of an unknown soldier lies under the grand arch.

Removed on India's independence in 1947, the smaller canopy used to contain a statue of King George VI of England. It has lain empty since with suggestions that a statue of India's famous independence fighter and spiritual leader Mahatma Gandhi as an appropriate replacement.

Majestically located on a broad boulevard, India Gate stands elegant and serene in India's frenzied capital and is a must-see Delhi travel wonder along with the Red Fort, Humayun's Tomb, the 11th century Qutub Minar, the Jama Masjid mosque and the Indira Gandhi Memorial Museum.

Monster Minarets and Monuments (Delhi, India)

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Currently hosting the Commonwealth Games, a sports event for the 70-odd nations that comprise the vestiges of the British Empire, Delhi is an intense, seething city of chaos – a sensory overload of bazaars, colourful people, grand monuments and striking contrasts. A melting pot of religions, Delhi is home to some of the richest, and poorest people on Earth – ramshackle constructions sit next to opulent edifices, tired hand-drawn carts are passed by gleaming European luxury cars. Huge British built boulevards compete with narrow aroma-filled laneways. With a rich history of rulers, each left their mark in architecture and grand buildings.

Among the most striking of Delhi’s sites is the Qutub Minar Complex highlighting eight centuries of Islamic rule through the middle ages.

The main feature of this exceptional Islamic complex is the Qutub Minar or victory minaret. Reaching almost 73 metres in height, the soaring five-storey tower is the tallest brick minaret in the world and is seen on signage and advertising all around Delhi. Ironically too tall for calls to prayer, the minaret celebrates the establishment of Islamic rule in Delhi (which lasted until British rule in the 19th century) after victory over the last Hindu king in battle.

It is richly inscribed with ancient Koranic texts and verses that have stood the test of time. Indeed, the tower (and neighbouring mosque) is constructed on the site of a former Hindu site from the remains of 27 temples. Only three metres across at its top and built on rocky foundations, the temple has developed a slight lean though nothing to rival its famous cousin in Pisa.

In a nearby courtyard is a seven metre tall iron pillar that has defied scientific explanation. Bought from another site, the pillar is impossibly pure for its time, the 98% iron purity leaving the pillar completely free from rust despite its 1600 years of exposure to the elements. A legend describes that a person who can reach his arms around the huge pillar while facing outwards will have his wish granted. A simple fence prevents any attempts at modern divine intervention.

While architecturally striking with ornate inscriptions, the remainder of the complex is a slightly rambling collection of monuments, buildings and tombs including India’s oldest mosque. While many reminders of the Hindu faith abound (such as the squared pillars and images of the various Hindu gods), the builders managed to erase many of the Hindu images in the mosques.

The intricately carved tomb of Iltutmish celebrates the man who completed the minaret while the later tomb of Imam Zamin boasts the typical Islamic window screens.

Across from the minaret is a 25 metre roughened foundation to a more ambitious minaret. With plans to tower over the existing minaret, one can only imagine the immense engineering work required for the time. The idea perished with the leader and lays abandoned and worn, though strangely photogenic.


Somehow, the Qutub Minar Complex mirrors Delhi itself. Somewhat chaotic in its layout, the sight is attractive for its intricate carved buildings that have survived the test of time and the mesmerising towering minaret which continues to draw your eyes in wonderment wherever you wander in southern Delhi. What extraordinary times this minaret has overseen, eight centuries of life in one of the world’s most hypnotic cities.

Photo Credit: minaret detail

Drinks Around the World: Masala Chai (India)

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I have only been to India once but my endearing memory is of the superb and varied masala chais served throughout the country. Whether sold by a jaunty chai wallah (someone who serves or sells tea) at a railway station or sold from a rickety stall, heated on charcoal stoves and poured into a clay cup for a few rupees, the sweetened and strongly spiced brew acts as an uplifting instant refresher. I drank at least one cup every day seeking the wonderful Indian markets for the most rustic examples. The smallest villages had chai wallahs eagerly endorsing their fine products.

While recipes and ingredients vary from maker to maker, the primary ingredients are cardamon seeds, cloves, cinnamon sticks, ginger root, fennel and black peppercorns mixed with black tea in boiling water. Strain the tea and spices, add a generous amount of sugar or honey to bring out the intensity of the spices and add milk to taste. While chais are sold in packaged form in Australia (and probably America and Europe), none capture the delicate spicy sensation brewed in India from scratch.

Mostly, masala chai was served with a flamboyant high lift of the pot, ceremoniously poured into a cup from a distance. Chai captures the essence of India and is an experience not to be missed in this remarkable and culturally varied nation.
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At the start of every month, Travel Wonders highlights a characteristic drink experienced on his travel. Previous non-alcoholic Drinks Around the World include Mint Tea from Morocco, Vietnamese slow-drip coffee, Coca Tea from Peru and Austria's herby Almdudler.

Photo Credits: Smoky stall, mixing chai

Experience the Majestic Himalayas (India)

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guest post by Shakti Himalaya

No other mountain range in the world can match the sheer majesty of the Himalayas. It's often called the "Roof of the World," and with good reason. We've all heard of Asia's famous peaks: Everest, Annapurna, K2 and others.

They're the stuff of legend and home to the mythical Shangri-La; many cultures throughout history have seen the Himalayas as sacred places, the homes of gods, even as embodiments of the gods themselves. These peaks have been the focus of movies and books, and they've been the crowning achievements in the career of many an explorer or mountaineer.

The Himalayas deserve their fame, though. They not only contain the world's highest peak, they tower above the rest of the world's mountains with room to spare. To get a bit of perspective, know that Aconcagua, the tallest mountain outside of Asia, is 6,962 metres tall. It's located in the South American Andes, the only range that could even begin to give the Himalayas a bit of competition. At 8,848 metres, Mount Everest is taller by almost thirty percent. Also, the Himalayan system contains over 100 peaks higher than 7,200 metres. And by all indications, the Himalayas are a young range and still growing.

Young by geological standards, that is. The Himalayas are still far older than even the most distant of mankind's ancestors and have had profound effects on human culture for as long as our species has existed. They're not easily skirted and are even more difficult to cross; the Himalayas have long served as a barrier between the Indian subcontinent and the rest of Asia. Who knows what might have been if the armies of Genghis Khan had been able to cross this forbidding hurdle? Even with twentieth century equipment, the region's higher peaks can still claim the lives of unprepared mountaineers.

There is much more to the Himalayas than dangerous expeditions and unattainable summits, however. Almost all of Asia's major rivers have their origins in the "Abode of Snow," rivers that have long sustained the surrounding civilizations. The glaciers and eternal snows of the Himalayas contain such a large portion of the planet's fresh water that only the polar ice caps hold more.

Between the Indus, the Ganges, the Yellow and other rivers, almost a third of the Earth's population depends on water from the Himalayas. It should come as no surprise that the Himalayas and surrounding areas are home to cultures both rich and diverse.

You'll find tiny monasteries clinging to a Nepalese mountainside and remote alpine villages nestled in valleys in Sikkim.

You'll see shrines and natural wonders sacred to Buddhist and Hindu.

With a little luck and perhaps a touch of meditation, you'll find the Himalayas to be sacred to any of Earth's occupants.

Photo Credits: Mt Everest, Climbers on Mt Everest, Mt Everest and Glacier, Children, Monks

Serenity and Savagery (New Delhi, India)

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In a quiet suburb of India's capital, New Delhi, lies a modest bungalow. It was the home of India first woman prime minister, Indira Gandhi and documents her life through photos, personal possessions and the furnishings of the various rooms. Starkly among the exhibits are the blood-stained sari where Gandhi was slain by her Sikh bodyguards in her own yard, walking to an interview with Peter Ustinov. Tragically, in another display are the shredded clothing of her son, Rajiv Gandhi who became Prime Minister on his mother's death before also being assassinated some seven years later.

I couldn't help but be struck by the balanced appreciation of their lives, the modesty of the house and the limited political commentary on the killings. The surrounding gardens are truly serene with an elegant lotus pond emanating peace and tranquility.

A pathway in the garden marks the spot where Indira Gandhi lost her life - the path lined with a colonnade of trees. There is always something tragic in such events, but I think that Indira Gandhi could be proud of the peaceful memorial and the numbers of people, both Indian and foreign, there to try to learn a little more of someone who helped shape India's history.

Note: Photography in the house was not permitted.

Other India Posts
Mahatma Gandhi's Memorial (New Delhi)
It's All in the Stars (Jantar Mantar, Jaipur)
A Royal Facade (Palace of the Winds, Jaipur)
A Monument to Love (Taj Mahal)
From Dead Duck to Bird Heaven (Bharatpur)

Photo of the Week - Mahatma Gandhi's Memorial (Delhi, India)

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In a beautiful verdant park on a river in Delhi, a simple, elegant platform of black marble, adorned with floral wreaths and lit with a single lantern marks the cremation of Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation of India. The simple words "O God" in Hindi mark the bottom of the platform at Raj Ghat (as the site is called), believed to be Gandhi's last words on being shot. Even today, visiting Raj Ghat brings a harmonious feeling of peace and tranquility and is in sharp contrast to the bustling pandemonium which characterises much of the remarkable Indian capital city of Delhi.

Today, the International Day of Non-Violence is celebrated on his birthday of 2 October every year and marks a public holiday in India. His peaceful approach to mass people-driven civil disobedience has set the standard for civil rights movements around the world.

In the same area, there are memorials marking the ashes of five Indian prime ministers and several other notable Indian politicians.

Other India Posts
It's All in the Stars (Jantar Mantar, Jaipur)
A Royal Facade (Palace of the Winds, Jaipur)
A Monument to Love (Taj Mahal)
From Dead Duck to Bird Heaven (Bharatpur)

It's All in the Stars (Jaipur, India)

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Like a surrealist's children's playground, Jantar Mantar was built next door to the remarkable royal Palace of the Winds as an astronomical observatory. Built around 1730 by the Maharajah of the famed Pink City, Jaipur, it was among the most accurate and detailed observatory for its time in the world. The star-inspired maharajah built five such observatories across India, four of which still exist today.

To the untrained eye, the structures look like creative and appealing oversized playground rides to climb and jump upon. With some description, they detail a fascination with accurate celestial measurements for the sun and moon, detailing the seasons, tracking the orbits of major stars, zodiac constellations and planets, predicting eclipses and measuring time itself. Importantly for the spiritual Indians, the observatory was utilised to satisfy an obsession with detailed horoscopes to ensure the best possible circumstances for weddings, major festivals, meetings and most aspects of life.

The giant among the 30 or so structures is the 27 metre high Samrat Jantar (see background of second photo from the top)with its small covered deck for making relevant announcements. It is the world's largest sundial. The time remains extraordinarily accurate to this day with the cast shadow moving around one millimetre every second or one metre in just over quarter of an hour. You can literally see time move. The guide explains that it is angled at 27 degrees which corresponds to the latitude that Jaipur sits above the equator.

Other equally strange structures include one with two large red disks also used to measure time and a strange structure like a cake with every second slice missing. It is able to measure the angle of the sun to assist with detailing the seasons.


Jantar Mantar is a fascinating work integrating science, astronomy, religion and art. Particularly on a sunny day, wandering and climbing these strange stone travel wonders provides an interesting insight into the 18th century balance of science and spirituality.

Note
Jantar Mantar has been added to the UNESCO WOrld Heritage List in 2010.

Other India Posts
A Royal Facade (Palace of the Winds, Jaipur)
A Monument to Love (Taj Mahal)
From Dead Duck to Bird Heaven (Bharatpur)

A Royal Facade (Jaipur, India)

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Embedded within town walls, Jaipur is a harmonious city of broad boulevardes and unusual travel wonders. Today, the bustle of a huge population, manic traffic, enthused street vendors and meandering cattle overwhelms much of this harmony but the obsession with painting the buildings in shades of red (the city is known as The Pink City) still helps the city exude an elegant charm.

Most striking of all the buildings is the five-storey honeycombed Hawa Mahal or The Palace of the Winds. Over 200 years old and build from red and pink sandstone, this structure sits like a regal crown. With an exquisite carved facade boasting almost 1000 small windows, the fine stone latticework lets people see out (but not in). The light at different times of day changes the palace's moods changing its colour from golden bronzes to riotous reds.

The surprises lie behind the scene. Walking through a large courtyard, it is clear that this building is only one narrow room wide, more like a five-storey honeycombed wall than a palace. Walking to the top floor via ramps (there are no staircases), you can peer out of the tiny grills onto the vibrant city below. General belief is that this was built for the women of the royal household, who could view the city parades and other activities while keeping hidden from public view, their lives being led under very strict rules of modesty.


Today, the brazen monkey inhabitants steal the best views, keeping a watchful gaze over their domain. They seem somewhat affronted having people wandering through their regal surroundings, though any chance to pickpocket an unwary visitor of food or other items is quickly grabbed.

On the street below, the snake charmers beguile the tourists and locals alike with the cobras rising from their woven baskets and swaying to the mournful music. Similar to their backdrop being a palatial facade, their act is also somewhat of a facade. The cobras have been de-fanged and the swaying following the path of the gently rocking charmer, rather than dancing to the music. After all, the snake cannot hear the music!

Whether a facade or not, the Palace of the Winds is a stunning royal building with its intricate carving and excellent views over the mesmerising Pink City of Jaipur.

Other India Posts
A Monument to Love (Taj Mahal)
From Dead Duck to Bird Heaven (Bharatpur)

From Dead Duck to Bird Heaven (Bharatpur, India)

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It is difficult to imagine something dreamier than cycling gently through the travel wonder of Keoladeo Ghana National Park. The main road (vehicle-free except for rickshaws and bikes, both available for rent) cuts through the middle of a large lake with surrounding wetlands and forests. Smaller paths allow exploration for the more than 220 resident bird species and 140 migrants along with various deer, wild boar, civets and other small animals.

Sandwiched in India’s golden triangle of Delhi, the famed pink city of Jaipur and the home of the Taj Mahal (Agra), Bharatpur makes for a superb one day excursion.

Now a UNESCO-listed world heritage site, its existence is owed to the Maharaja of Bharatpur who did not share the same conservation values. This parkland was deliberately flooded to attract birds so that the maharaja could ensure a consistent supply of waterbirds for the regal dining table or to issue much sought-after invitations to a day of duck shooting. A monument inscribed with bag counts attest to the incredible success of both the design of the park as a bird sanctuary and the maharaja and his friends as sharp-shooters. The most “successful” single day witnessed the shooting of over 5,000 ducks and partridges.

Today, Keoladeo is a bird paradise simply teeming with owls, vultures, kingfisher, ducks, herons, egrets, storks, ibises, spoonbills, cormorants and bee-eaters all exuberantly mating, nesting, feeding, flapping and fluttering around the lakes, grasslands and trees. The cacophony of sounds ranges from the highest pitched tuneful chirps to deep-throated squawks.

Though our party never saw one, the pin-up bird is the rare and highly endangered Siberian Crane which migrates here with a flight of over 6,400 kilometres (4,000 miles) to avoid the savagery of the East Russian winter. Easier to spot creeping around the reeds are the towering Saras Cranes at around human-height with scarlet red heads, yellow beaks and steel blue bodies

For those that, like me, can’t tell the difference between a babbler and a warbler, a guide with a rickshaw is a worthwhile investment. They tend to know where the various nests are and can point out a wide variety of the more interesting birdlife. Once you have your bearings, swap the rickshaw for a bicycle, or simply walk. Take time to simply wander the small pathways or sit near one of the lakes and enjoy the antics of the waterbirds tending to their day’s business. An electric-blue kingfisher stalked his prey for fifteen minutes before proudly producing a small grasshopper – he seemed aware of his small but appreciative audience!

So add Keoladeo Ghana National Park to your Indian itinerary, considered by many as the finest bird travel wonder in the world.

Postscript

Sadly, Bharatpur is undergoing a severe drought with all the available water being used for the farmers and none being diverted into the national park. A number of news articles reference the difficulty that the park is currently experiencing.

Bharatpur Vacations