20 things to spice up your trip
Whether you’re roaming stalls, spotting tigers, or taking in the world’s most famous monument to love, India knows how to reward its visitors, writes Sally Webb.
1. India’s Golden Triangle
Delhi is part of Uttar Pradesh rather than Rajasthan but the Delhi-Taj Mahal-Rajasthan triangle is a well-worn tourist trail and it makes sense to do them together. A couple of days’ exploring Old and New Delhi is a rewarding part of most itineraries. If you have time to go beyond Jaipur to western Rajasthan, the lake city of Udaipur or the Blue City of Jodhpur, do.
2. Jama Masjid, Delhi
India’s largest mosque, the Jama Masjid is a magnificent red sandstone and white marble structure which towers over the narrow streets of Old Delhi. Built between 1644 and 1658, the perfectly proportioned structure features three onion domes, 40-metre minarets and a massive courtyard that can fit up to 25,000 worshippers at a time. Women have to cover their heads and bodies. Full-length robes and scarves are provided at the entrance.
3. Sheesganj Gurudwara Sikh temple, Delhi
This Sikh temple welcomes everyone. Cover your head with a yellow scarf and enter the opulent prayer hall, where a turbaned band creates a musical backdrop for the worshippers passing through.
Behind the temple itself is the langar, a kitchen that churns out food for thousands of worshippers every day, staffed by volunteers and run entirely on donations. Female visitors can roll up their sleeves and learn the fine art of rolling chapatis with the experts. You’ll eat them later with rice and dahl, sitting cross-legged on the floor.
4. Old Delhi bazaars
There’s a bazaar for all shopping lists in Old Delhi. Get your nose tingling with the aroma of spice at Gadodia Spice Market in Khari Baoli where stalls are overflowing with ginger, turmeric, cumin, coriander seed, cardamom and chilli. Nearby Ballimaran has footwear and sequinned slippers while the Nai Sarak bazaar is lined with stalls selling saris and other fabrics.
5. Fab India
It’s hard to resist going native when you’re surrounded by so many beautifully printed cotton and silk fabrics but the markets aren’t always the best places to try before you buy. Enter Fab India, a retail chain with outlets around the country, where you can buy well-priced tunics, tops, pants and scarves – the ultimate wearable souvenirs. See fabindia.com.
6. Salaam Baalak Trust, Delhi
This not-for-profit organisation supports street children in Delhi and Mumbai. Visitors can learn about the charity’s work through guided walks led by former street children. It can be confronting for kids and adults to see what it’s like to be a homeless child in India but a valuable lesson in understanding their own good fortune. Humbling stuff, but uplifting too. See salaambaalaktrust.com.
7. Humayun’s Tomb, Delhi
Widely regarded as the most perfectly proportioned of Delhi’s mausoleums, the tomb of Mughal emperor Humayun was commissioned by his son Akbar and completed in 1572. It is said to have strongly influenced the style of the Taj Mahal.
A mix of Persian and Mughal architecture, its arched facade is inlaid with strips of white marble and red sandstone. The surrounding gardens are a respite from the noise of the city and home to hundreds of parakeets.
8. Hindu deities
The Hindu pantheon is said to have about 330 million gods. You won’t master them all, but getting to grips with some of the more recognisable deities will make a huge difference to your enjoyment of myriad forts, temples and monuments where these gods are represented.
Hanuman the monkey god, Krishna (blue skinned and often playing the flute) and elephantheaded Ganesh are likely to be favourites with the kids, and recognising the representations of Brahma (the creator), Vishnu (the protector and sustainer) and Shiva (the destroyer) will come in handy.
9. Travelling by train
Travelling by train in India will give you a unique cultural insight into the country and its people. As a foreigner you might need some cushioning so if you’re taking an overnight journey opt for the comfort of air-conditioned firstclass four-berth sleeper compartments. You’ll learn to love the sweet spicy tea sold by the chai wallah who works the corridors.
10. Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur
Rising majestically above the rocky escarpment on which, and of which, it is built, the impregnable Mehrangarh Fort sits high above the Blue City of Jodhpur, so-called for its mass of square houses painted ‘‘Brahmin blue’’. A wellproduced audio guide takes visitors through the state rooms and their treasures, including a quirky collection of elaborate palanquins which carried royalty and others on the backs of elephants.
11. Lassi
Lassis can be found all over India but it’s Jodhpur that’s really famous for these cardamom-laced yoghurt and fruit shakes. Look out for specialty stalls and shops.
12. City Palace, Jaipur
In the centre of the old city, the City Palace is still home to the former royal family. Blending Rajasthani and Mughal architecture, it is beautifully decorated throughout.
A highlight is Pitam Niwas Chowk, a courtyard in the centre of the complex, with four stunning gates representing the seasons: the Peacock Gate depicts autumn, the Rose Gate represents winter, the
Green Gate represents spring and the Lotus Gate represents summer. The armoury has one of the best displays of weapons in the country.
Don’t miss the display of the former emperors’ clothing, including the oversized garments of one very large member of the royal household.
13. Hawa Mahal, Jaipur
One of Jaipur’s most recognisable landmarks, Hawa Mahal (also known as the Palace of the Winds) is a five-storey facade of pink sandstone and the second most photographed edifice in India after the Taj Mahal.
Constructed in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, it allowed the women of the royal household to watch the comings and goings of the city below without partaking in them. The best photo opportunities are with elephants walking past outside.
14. Bollywood movie, Jaipur
A visit to the Raj Mandir cinema is a Jaipur activity not to be missed. Entering this overdecorated rosehued edifice is like stepping inside a giant strawberry pavlova. There are no subtitles but don’t worry if your Hindi is a little rusty; you’ll easily pick up the plot. If there’s not a boy meets girl, boy loses girl and boy finds girl again theme, then it can’t be Bollywood.
15. Amber Fort, Jaipur
Jaipur’s star attraction, the honeyhued Amber Fort is a spectacular 17th-century edifice about 11 kilometres north-east of the city. A superb example of Rajput architecture, it comprises a royal palace built of white marble and pink and yellow sandstone, with four distinct sections, each with its own courtyard, rising up the hill. You can ride elephants from the base to the first courtyard although responsible tourism operators avoid it, because of fears about the mistreatment of the animals.
16. Fatehpur Sikri
Travelling from Jaipur to Agra, as many do, you’d be mad not to stop at the magnificent fortified city of Fatehpur Sikri, 40 kilometres west of Agra. This Unesco World Heritage site was the shortlived capital of the Mughal empire during the reign of Emperor Akbar (1571-1585), and a fascinating place to explore. He built palaces for each of his three wives – one a Hindu, one a Muslim and one a Christian – and a magnificent mosque still in use today. The settlement was abandoned due to water shortages not long after Akbar’s death.
17. Ranthambore National Park
India is not as famous as Africa for its safaris but if it’s tigers you want to spot, this national park open from October to June each year is the place to do it. The 1334 square kilometres of jungle scrub is dotted with ruined forts and crocodile-filled lakes, and is home to about 28 tigers. Safari drives operate in the early mornings and late afternoons.
18. Agra Fort, Agra
This extensive complex is one of the finest Mughal forts in India, made of red sandstone and white marble. Because it’s in Agra, home to the Taj Mahal, it doesn’t get the airtime it deserves. The rambling complex was begun by Emperor Akbar in 1565 as a military structure. His grandson, Shah Jahan, transformed it into a palace and it later became his prison when his son seized power.
19. Souvenirs
From Jaipur block-printed fabric, sewn into tablecloths, napkins, pyjamas or loud shirts, to carpets designed and woven in Agra, souvenirs from Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh are easy to collect.
20. Taj Mahal
You might worry that the world’s most famous monument to love won’t live up to expectations. Don’t. Despite being one of the world’s most recognisable and photographed monuments, seeing the Taj Mahal in person is still a thrill. If you can, visit at dawn when the first pale rays of sun cast an almost ghostly glow over the white marble edifice, and you’re more likely to find the complex free of crowds.