In the land of kings
Rajasthan, one of India’s northern states, is home to a dazzling array of forts, palaces and temples – and you’ll find some camels too.
Ityped ‘‘camel rabies’’ nervously into Google. I’d just been on the receiving end of a large amount of camel froth. It wasn’t your usual spitting camel – it was full-on foaming, like a geyser.
It turns out it wasn’t rabies, but instead a sign the camel was ready to mate. Compared to rabies, that was great news; I’ll just put it down to one of those ‘‘happens in India moments’’.
If you’re after a holiday of experiences, there is no place on Earth quite like India to give you a kaleidoscope of tales to share when you get back. The jewel in India’s crown is its northern states, most notably Rajasthan. It translates to the Land of the Kings, as many have tried to conquer its vast deserts over the centuries. And those rulers all left their mark, with a dazzling array of forts, palaces and temples.
Here’s what you can’t miss in northern India.
Udaipur – the Venice of the East
Udaipur has a romance about it that’s hard to find elsewhere in India.
The city of 450,000 is built around five interconnected lakes, with palaces and temples around every turn – it has even been dubbed the Venice of the East. But, instead of canals and gondolas – you’ll find tuk tuks, street cows, spice markets and the odd camel. Its extravagant City Palace is the biggest in Rajasthan, built over 400 years. Nearby, in the middle of the lake, is the old Summer Palace, now one of the most exclusive hotels in India. Don’t miss walking around the lake edge at dawn, where hundreds of locals take their morning swim and bath.
Jodhpur – the blue city
When entering Jodhpur you’re immediately struck by two things: first, that many houses are painted a bright cobalt blue, and second – that a formidable fort looms large over the city.
There’s differing theories as to why so many houses are painted blue, but most agree the colour helps reflect the heat from the searing summer sun. The red sandstone carved Mehrangarh Fort towers above all else in the city. Inside its massive wall is an incredible web of palaces and elaborate courtyards, which took more than 500 years to complete.
Pushkar – a camel oasis
Once a year Pushkar turns into one of the largest camel markets in the world. Traders from all over India descend on the tiny town of just 15,000 – to sell more than 50,000 camels.
The fair is normally held in November, but year-round hundreds of camels can also be found roaming the streets. The town itself is built around a holy lake, which devout Hindus must travel to at least once in their lives.
Jaipur – the pink city
The city was painted pink in the 1850’s to welcome Prince Albert – as it was thought to be a welcoming colour. And since then, the colour scheme has been officially adopted.
Being the capital of Rajasthan, the city has plenty of spectacular attractions – the most prominent being the Amer Fort and its four-storey sandstone and marble palace. Near the city centre, you’ll also find the pyramid-shaped Hawa Mahal Palace. It has 953 small windows facing the street, and was originally built for women of the royal household to watch street life below. It meant they could obey the strict rule of ‘‘purdah’’ – where females could not appear in public.
Agra – Taj Mahal
While it’s not in Rajasthan, the Taj Mahal is an easy four-hour train trip from Jaipur.
No trip to India is complete without a visit to the country’s most famous monument, which 20,000 men constructed. They were under orders from emperor Shah Jahan to build an elaborate mausoleum for his favourite wife.
The red sandstonecarved Mehrangarh Fort towers above all else in the city. Inside its massive wall is an incredible web of palaces and elaborate courtyards, which took more than 500 years to complete.
Last year Brook Sabin and his partner Radha Engling quit their jobs and sold everything to travel. Each week Kiwis in Flight takes you on their adventures. See