Shiv Niwas Palace Hotel

Shiv Niwas Palace Hotel was originally Maharana Fateh Singhji's royal residence. Later Maharana Bhagwat Singhji of Mewar with his visionary ideas converted the palace into a luxury hotel. The Shiv Niwas Palace Heritage Hotel offers stunning view of Lake Pichola.

Blogging away with 007!

Checking in at the Shiv Niwas Palace hotel where Octopussy was filmed, in part, and a Mr J Bond was a guest. One masala tea please - shaken not stirred.!

Chittorgarh

On the way from Jaipur to Udaipur, a stop off at Chittorgarh will not disappoint.

Chittorgarh, the town of the brave, known for its massive fort atop a hill, which can be singled out for its glorious past. The fort has a chequered history, it has witnessed some of the bloodiest battles in history, three great sakas and some of the most heroic deeds of valour, which are still sung by the local musicians.

The antiquity of Chittorgarh is difficult to trace, but it's believed that Bhim the legendary figure of the Mahabharata, visited this place to learn the secrets of immortality and became the disciple of a sage, but his impatience to perform all the rites deprived him of his goal, and out of sheer anger he stamped on the ground creating a water reservoir, this reservoir is called as BhimLat.

Later on, it came under Mauryas or Muri Rajputs, there are different opinions as to when it came under the Mewar ruler, but it remained the capital of Mewar till 1568, when it was shifted to Udaipur. It's believed that Bappa Rawal the legendary founder of Sisodia clan, received Chittorgarh in the middle of 8th century, as a part of the dowry after marriage with lst Solanki princess, after that his descendants ruled Mewar which stretched from Gujrat to Ajmer, up to the 16th century.

The fort, a standing sentinel to the courage and valour of Chittorgarh, it stands tall over a 180 meter high hillock covering a massive area of 700 acres. The fort is believed to have been built by the Maurya rulers in 7th century A.D. The fort is a treasure house of history and historical monuments, the approach to the fort is very difficult. the one mile steep serpentine thoroughfare is exhaustive and the fort is reached through huge seven pols or gates, which are in fact the strong points having a watch tower and massive iron spiked doors. it was ravaged thrice, and each time phoenix-like it rose again. Allaudin Khilji was the first who invaded Chittorgarh in 1303, legend and history corroborate that this was because of his passionate desire to abduct Rani Padmini. .But she preferred death to dishonour, and committed Jauhar along with the other ladies of the court.

Chittorgarh was plundered again in 1535 by Sultan Bahadur Shah of Gujrat and finally by the Moghul Emperor Akbar, in 1567, in and attempt to subdue Maharana Udai Singh.
The fort is approached through massive pols or gates.

Near Bhairon Pol, is a cenotaph or "Chattri" in honour of the chivalrous Jaimal and his cousin Kala, who laid down their lives whilst defending Chittorgarh against the Mughals. Jaimal who was carried seriously wounded, but was not ready to die in his bed, thus he was carried into battle on the shoulders of his cousin Kala, both of them died while showing exemplary courage.

At Rampol is a memorial to Phatta, who was only 16 years old and had just been married, his father has already died defending Chittorgarh , and was sent into the battle by his mother, to free her son from any affection towards home she herself picked up a sword along with his bride and jumped into the battle field both of them died in front of Phatta. Next day the women folk of the palace ended their lives by committing Johar. Phatta leading the safron robed men from the front thundered down like lightening from the mighty fortress to die fighting. The other major gates are Pada Pol and Hanuman Pol, with a distinct Rajput style of architecture.

A bit of a facade

Seen in every coffee table book about Rajasthan and on nearly every tourism poster.

Built in 1799, by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh the 'Hawa Mahal', Palace of the Wind, is one of the major landmarks of Jaipur. It is an integral part of the City Palace, an extension of the Zenana (women's chambers) standing away from the main complex. This five storey building of unusual architecture designed by Lal Chand Usta, is a stunning example of Rajput artistry made of red and pink sand stone, beautifully outlined with white borders and motif's painted with quick lime. The monument with a spectacular view of Jaipur city with road avenues, intersections and colourful crowds in the market, was originally conceived with the aim of enabling ladies of the royal household to watch the everyday life and royal processions in the city without being seen by others.

Its facade from the road side makes Hawa Mahal look more like a delicate screen than a palace. This five-story, pyramid-shaped structure has tier after tier of 953 small casements, each with tiny lattice worked (Jali) pink windows, small balconies and arched roofs with hanging cornices, exquisitely modeled and carved. These small windows circulate cool air (Hawa) even in hot months. The pyramidal outline is even throughout by cramming and multiplying casements; and uses repetition of motifs to enhance its beauty.

The entrance to Hawa Mahal is from the City Palace side, through a stately door which opens into a spacious courtyard. The courtyard has a double storeyed building on three sides. There is a small archeological museum here. Only the eastern wing has three more storeys above, which are just a single room thick. The building, standing on a high podium, is a fifty-foot high thin shield, less than a foot in thickness, with small intimate chambers , which give this palace its unique facade.

Fatehpur Sikri

I nearly forgot Fatehpur Sikri, 40 kilometres outside of Agra on the way to Jaipur.

Built during the second half of the 16th century by the Emperor Akbar, Fatehpur Sikri (the City of Victory) was the capital of the Mughal Empire for only some 10 years. The complex of monuments and temples, all in a uniform architectural style, includes one of the largest mosques in India, the Jama Masjid.

Food for thought

The finest cuisine in India was derived from the Mughals and, along with European cooking, influenced the royal kitchens of India.But in Rajasthan the common man's kitchen remained untouched. Rajasthani cooking was influenced by the war -like lifestyle of its inhabitants and the availability of ingredients in this region.

Cooking here in Rajasthan has its own unique flavour and the simplest ingredients go into preparing most dishes. Scarcity of water and fresh green vegetables have had their impact on the cooking in the desert areas of Jaisalmer, Bikaner and Barmer. Instead of water the women prefer to use milk, buttermilk and clarified butter. Dried lentils and beans from indigenous plants are used liberally. Gram flour is a major ingredient and is used to make delicacies like 'khata', 'ghatta ki sabzi' and 'pakodi'. Bajra and corn, the staple grains, are used to make rotis, 'rabdi' and 'kheechdi'; and various chutneys are made from locally available spices like turmeric, coriander, mint and garlic.

Gram flour is a major ingredient here and is used to make some of the delicacies like Khata, Gatte Ki Sabzi and Pakodi. Powdered lentils are used for Mangodi and Papad. Bajra and corn are used all over the state for preparations of Rabdi, Khichdi and Rotis.

A soup of legumes, flavoured with red chilli peppers, yoghurt or milk and sometimes a vegetable such as Okra, Jackfruit, Eggplant, Mustard or Fenugreek leaf. The wealthy can afford to eat meat regularly, but many abstain for religious reasons.

City Palace

The City Palace was built by Maharaja Jai Singh II of the Kachhwaha clan of Rajputs, but a lot of changes and additions were made to the original structure by his successors.

The architecture of the City Palace is a synthesis of Rajasthani and Mughal styles. The Complex comprises of many structures, courtyards, gardens and buildings. There are many splendid small palaces and halls in the complex, such as the Chandra Mahal, Mubarak Mahal and Badal Mahal. There is also a famous temple called the Shri Govind Temple and a museum inside, named the City Palace Museum.
As one enters the first courtyard, one comes across the Mubarak Mahal, which was built in the 19th century by Maharaja Madho Singh II. Here is a splendid gateway, which leads to the Diwan-I-Khas (Hall of Private audience). It is an open hall, where there are two silver vessels on display, which are in the Guinness book of World Records! One can also check out the Diwan-I-Aam (Hall of Public Audience).

As one moves on, one sees the Chandra Mahal, which many consider being the highlight of the whole tour of City Palace. It has a lot of paintings, mirror work on walls, and floral decorations that make the Moon Palace truly magnificent.

It is a seven-storied Palace, where each level has a distinct name. The lower two levels have the Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Museum, which has a large collection of 15th century weapons, carpets and rarities. There is also the Sukh Nivas or the 'Hall of Rest', which has the drawing and the dining area. On the fourth floor is the 'Shobha Nivas' or 'Hall of Beauty' which is decorated with mirrors all over and has gold leaf and mica decorations.

The fifth floor is the 'Chavi Nivas' or the 'Hall of Images' and the sixth floor is known for the beautiful view it offers of the surrounding area. The uppermost floor is called the 'Mukut Mahal' or the 'Crown building'. When one moves forward to Badal Mahal from the Chandra Mahal, one comes to the Govind devji temple, which is also quite like the others, a must-see.

The colours (and puppets) of Rajasthan

Jaipur Blue

There is only one place to get the famous Jaipur Blue pottery:
Jaipur Blue Pottery Art Centre
Near Jain Mandir
Amer Road
email hemant_78@yahoo.com
Ph 91 141 2630116

If you dont believe me ask Senator Hilary and William Jefferson Clinton!

Mods and Chockers

Akbar The Greatest

When his father, Humayun, died in 1556, Akbar became padshah ("ruler of the empire") at the age of thirteen. Under the guidance of Bairam Khan, who had been instrumental in Humayun's reconquests of Panipat, Dehli, and Agra, Akbar instantly began seizing more territory throughout Hindustan. Bairam Khan fell from power in 1560, but Akbar continued his conquest of India and Afghanistan. By the time he died in 1605 (his reign, 1556 to 1605, corresponds almost exactly to that of Elizabeth I of England), his Empire was greater than that of Babur and included almost all of northern India.

The Mausoleum of Akbar the Great is situated about 10 km from Agra, in Sikandra. Akbar started the construction but it was completed by his son Jahangir in 1605. It is built partially in red sandstone and in marble, with a mixture of Hindu and Moslem design elements. It can be seen as a transition between the older architectural style, based on red sandstone and the new, with marble as the main element and finer ornaments and carvings.

The complex consists of two buildings, one being the mausoleum and the other a gigantic gate, connected to each other via a wide paved walkway.The gate, known as Buland Darwaza (gateway of magnificence) itself consists of a huge archway and 4 marble minarets. It is more impressive than the mausoleum itself, which is wider but not as overwhelming. The architecture of the mausoleum is very interesting as is it a good example of the mixture of the use of sandstone together with marble.

Exquisite surprise

Before the Taj Mahal was built, its design was already standing in the form of Itmad-ud-Daulah's Tomb. Built to represent a silver jewel box in marble, this mausoleum houses the body of Mirza Ghiyas Beg, the father of the Mughal Empress Noor Jahan.

After Noor Jahan married the Mughal Emperor Jahangir, Mirza Ghiyas Beg was appointed the Lord Treasurer of the Empire or Itmad-ud-Daulah. After her father's death, Noor Jehan built this mausoleum in memory of Mirza Ghiyas Beg, from 1622-1625 A.D.

The first example of a tomb built on a riverbank in India, Itmad-ud-Daulah's tomb situated on the banks of the Yamuna, has many design features that were later used in the Taj Mahal. Itmad-ud-Daulah's tomb marks a significant departure from the tombs of the Mughal dynasty built earlier, because this tomb follows the central Asian pattern of a domed structure, set in a formal garden, with waterways and paths laid out in a geometrical pattern, a design followed while constructing the beautiful Tajmahal.

The marble inlay work or pietra dura style was first used in India at Itmad-ud-Daulah's tomb and later in the Taj Mahal. The inlaid designs on the wall of the tomb include flowers, trees, fruit, animals and birds as well as wine jars and even people, which is surprising since Islam does not permit the use of human images as decorative forms.

The richness and variety of artwork on the walls of the tomb of Itmad-ud-Daulah are truly breathtaking and well worth seeing when you travel on a tour to the enchanting city of Agra.

Tres Tres Fort

Agra Fort was built by Akbar in Red Sandstone when he was through with the consolidation of his power after accession to power in 1654, Agra Fort worked both as a military strategic point as well as the royal residence. Many of the palaces inside the fort were later added by next generations of Mughal Emperors like Jahangir and Shahjahan.

Most of the buildings within the Agra Fort are a mixture of different architectural styles. The assimilation of these different styles has given the buildings within the fort a distinctive look. For instance, the Jahangiri Palace built by Akbar is a good blend of Islamic (Persian) and different local Hindu styles. Other buildings either have a mixed style or conform predominantly.

Akbar, king at 14, began consolidating his empire and, as an assertion of his power built the fort in Agra between 1565 and 1571, coeval with the construction of Humayun's tomb in Delhi. The Agra fort retains the irregular outline of the demolished mud-wall fort of the Lodis. The lofty battlements o the new fort cast its protective shadow over the far stretching mansions of court that nobles and princes built along the riverfront. The magnificent towers, bastions and ramparts and majestic gateways symbolized the confidence and power of the third Mughal emperor, Akbar.The fort contains splendid palaces both in red sandstone and white marble built by two generations of prolific builders Akbar and later Jehangir and Shahjahan. Of the nearly 500 Akbari buildings built in the Bengal and Gujarati traditions only a few have survived, arrayed in a band on the riverfront.The fort is auricular in shape and its colossal double walls rise 20 m in height and measure 2.5 m in circumference. The fort is encircled by a fetid moat. The lofty battlements of the Agra fort cast its protective shadow over the far stretching mansions of nobles and princes built along the riverfront. The magnificent towers, bastions and ramparts and majestic gateways symbolized the confidence and power of the third Mughal emperor.

To Mumtaz Mahal love Shah Jahan

What more is there to say: Simply Stunning!

Taj Mahal stands on the bank of River Yamuna, which otherwise serves as a wide moat defending the Great Red Fort of Agra, the center of the Mughal emperors until they moved their capital to Delhi in 1637. It was built by the fifth Mughal emperor, Shah Jahan in 1631 in memory of his second wife, Mumtaz Mahal, a Muslim Persian princess.

She died while accompanying her husband in Burhanpur in a campaign to crush a rebellion after giving birth to their 14th child. The death so crushed the emperor that all his hair and beard were said to have grown snow white in a few months.

When Mumtaz Mahal was still alive, she extracted four promises from the emperor: first, that he build the Taj; second, that he should marry again; third, that he be kind to their children; and fourth, that he visit the tomb on her death anniversary. He kept the first and second promises. Construction began in 1631 and was completed in 22 years. Twenty thousand people were deployed to work on it. The material was brought in from all over India and central Asia and it took a fleet of 1000 elephants to transport it to the site. It was designed by the Iranian architect Ustad Isa and it is best appreciated when the architecture and its adornments are linked to the passion that inspired it.

It is a "symbol of eternal love".

The Taj rises on a high red sandstone base topped by a huge white marble terrace on which rests the famous dome flanked by four tapering minarets. Within the dome lies the jewel-inlaid cenotaph of the queen. So exquisite is the workmanship that the Taj has been described as "having been designed by giants and finished by jewellers". The only asymmetrical object in the Taj is the casket of the emperor which was built beside the queen’s as an afterthought. The emperor was deposed by his son and imprisoned in the Great Red Fort for eight years but was buried in the Taj. During his imprisonment, he had a view of the Taj. (SEE NEXT POST TRES FORT)

As a tribute to a beautiful woman and as a monument for enduring love, the Taj reveals its subtleties when one visits it without being in a hurry. The rectangular base of Taj is in itself symbolic of the different sides from which to view a beautiful woman. The main gate is like a veil to a woman’s face which should be lifted delicately, gently and without haste on the wedding night. In indian tradition the veil is lifted gently to reveal the beauty of the bride. As one stands inside the main gate of Taj, his eyes are directed to an arch which frames the Taj.

The dome is made of white marble, but the tomb is set against the plain across the river and it is this background that works its magic of colours that, through their reflection, change the view of the Taj. The colours change at different hours of the day and during different seasons. Like a jewel, the Taj sparkles in moonlight when the semi-precious stones inlaid into the white marble on the main mausoleum catch the glow of the moon. The Taj is pinkish in the morning, milky white in the evening and golden when the moon shines. These changes, they say, depict the different moods of woman.

India's first mosque at Qutb Minar complex

Built in the early 13th century a few kilometres south of Delhi, the red sandstone tower of Qutb Minar is 72.5 m high, tapering from 2.75 m in diameter at its peak to 14.32 m at its base, and alternating angular and rounded flutings. (photo not shown)

The surrounding archaeological area contains funerary buildings, notably the magnificent Alai-Darwaza Gate, the masterpiece of Indo-Muslim art (built in 1311), and two mosques, including the Quwwatu'l-Islam, the oldest in northern India, built of materials reused from some 20 Brahman temples. (See photo)

Humayan's Tomb

The second Mughal Emperor Humayun died in 1556, and his Persian wife, Hamida Begum, supervised the construction of his tomb from 1562-1572, designed by the Persian architect, Mirak Mirza Ghiyuath.

The beautiful mausoleum, and it is stunning, built of red sandstone and red and white marble, sits in the centre of an enclosure on a large platform and has a series of cells with arched openings.

On the bank of River Yamuna next to the shrine of the famous Sufi saint Nizam al-Din Awliya, this tomb is said to have been a precedent of later Mughal mausolea. The style of geometrically arranged garden, criss-crossed by numerous water channels, can also be seen in the Red Fort in Delhi and at the Taj Mahal in Agra.

The tomb was also the end of the line for our Zafar.

After a period of hiding he gave him self over to the British who spared his life but order his exile to Rangoon where he died.

Humayun's tomb is a UNESCO Heritage building and was the first Indian building to use the Persian double dome.

Inside the Red Fort

The walls of the fort are smoothly dressed, articulated by heavy string-courses along the upper section. They open at two major gates, the Delhi and the Lahore gates. The Lahore Gate is the main entrance; it leads to a long covered bazaar street, the Chatta Chowk, whose walls are lined with stalls for shops.

The Chatta Chowk leads to a large open space where it crosses the large north-south street that was originally the division between the fort's military functions, to its west, and the palaces, to its east.

The southern end of this street is the Delhi Gate. On axis with the Lahore gate and the Chatta Chowk, on the eastern side of the open space, is the Naqqar Khana ("drum house"), the main gate for the palace, named for the musicians' gallery above it. Beyond this gate is another, larger open space, which originally served as the courtyard of the Diwan-i-Am, the large pavilion for public imperial audiences. An ornate throne-balcony for the emperor stands at the center of the eastern wall of the Diwan, conceived as a copy of the throne of Solomon.

The imperial private apartments lie behind the throne. The apartments consist of a row of pavilions that sits on a raised platform along the eastern edge of the fort, looking out onto the river Yamuna. The pavilions are connected by a continuous water channel, known as the Nahr-i-Behisht, or the Stream of Paradise, that runs through the center of each pavilion. The water is drawn from the river Yamuna, from a tower, the Shah Burj, at the northeastern corner of the fort. The palace is designed as an imitation of paradise as it is described in the Koran; a couplet repeatedly inscribed in the palace reads, "If there be a paradise on earth, it is here, it is here". The planning of the palace is based on Islamic prototypes, but each pavilion reveals in its architectural elements the Hindu influences typical of Mughal building. The palace complex of the Red Fort is counted among the best examples of the Mughal style at its Shah Jahani peak.

The two southernmost pavilions of the palace are zenanas, or women's quarters: the Mumtaz Mahal (now a museum), and the larger, lavish Rang Mahal, which has been remarked for its gilded, decorated ceiling and marble pool, fed by the Nahr-i-Behisht. The third pavilion from the south, the Khas Mahal, contains the imperial chambers. These include a suite of bedrooms, prayer rooms, a veranda, and the Mussaman Burj, a tower built against the fortress walls, from which the emperor would show himself to the people in a daily ceremony. The next pavilion is the Diwan-i-Khas, the lavishly decorated hall of private audience, used for ministerial and court gatherings. This finest of the pavilions is ornamented with floral pietra dura patterns on the columns, with precious stones and gilding. A painted wooden ceiling has replaced the original one, of silver inlaid with gold.

The next pavilion contains the hammam, or baths, in the Turkish style, with Mughal ornamentation in marble and colored stones. To the west of the hammam is the Moti Masjid, the Pearl Mosque. This was a later addition, built in 1659 as a private mosque for Aurangzeb, Shah Jahan's successor. It is a small, three-domed mosque in carved white marble, with a three-arched screen which steps down to the courtyard.

To its north lies a large formal garden, the Hayat Bakhsh Bagh, or 'Life-Bestowing Garden', which is cut through by two bisecting channels of water. A pavilion stands at either end of the north-south channel, and a third, built in 1842 by the last emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar, stands at the center of the pool where the two channels meet.

Jama Masjid

Jama Masjid (the mosque of Friday), Delhi is India's largest and perhaps its most magnificent mosque.

It stands across the road from Red Fort. The great mosque of Old Delhi is the final architectural extravagance of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan with a courtyard capable of holding 25,000 devotees.

(from The Last Mughal page 351-2:

[The second column of the British Force] advanced through an eerie silence as far as the north gate of the Jama Masjid. They had just realised that they had brought no powder charges to blow open the mosque gates, when in silence the doors slowly opened of their own accord, and the massed jihadis waiting inside emerged screaming down the steps...the jihadis hurled themselves upon the English who, over-matched, fell back with the loss of two guns and around forty dead.

The mosque measures 65m by 35m, and its court forms a square of 100m.

Built in 1656, it is an eloquent reminder of the Mughal religious fervour. Its spacious courtyard holds thousands of the faithful who offer their prayers here.

It's also known as 'Masjid-i-Jahanuma' or ‘Mosque commanding view of the world’. It was designed as Emperor Shahjahan's principal mosque. A sprawling esplanade separates it from the main road.

Situated in the ancient town of Old Delhi, this monument was built by five thousand artisans. This magnificent structure stands on the Bho Jhala, one of the two hills of the old Mughal capital city of Shahjahanabad. On the east, this monument faces the Lal Quila (Red Fort) and has three gateways, four towers and two minarets. It is constructed of alternating vertical strips of red sandstone and white marble. In the three domes white marble has been used extensively and they have been inlaid with stripes of black.

The structure was placed on a high platform so that its magnificent facade would be visible from all the adjoining areas. Broad flights of steps lead up to the imposing gateways in the north and the south. Wide staircases and arched gateways are the hallmark of this popular mosque. The main eastern entrance, probably used by the emperors, remains closed on weekdays. The main prayer hall on the west side is adorned by a series of high cusped arches, standing on 260 pillars which support about 15 marble domes at various elevations. Worshippers use this hall on most days but on Fridays and other holy days. The premises of the south minaret are 1076-sq-ft wide where 25,000 devotees at a time may sit together for namaaz (prayer).

It is said that Emperor Shahjahan built Jama Masjid at the cost of Rs 10 crore.

Shahjahanabad - the old city

I have read a few times that Delhi is not a great destination. Well nothing can be further from the truth. I admit that Dalrymple's Last Mughal has brought Shahjahanabad alive for me but the place is captivating. This view from high up within Jama Masjid gives you some ideal of how the Uprising was played out in 1857 and particularly the re-taking and destruction of the Red Fort. Can only imagine the blood and stench. (the Red Fort is just out of picture to the middle right and the infamous Ridge (home of the British Field Force in 1857 and their siege position) in the distance.

The street fighting in the narrow streets and lanes must have been horrific:

"From every window and door, from loopholes in the buildings, and from the tops of the houses, a storm of musketry salute us on every side...Officers and men fell fast."

Santawallahs!

On the way to Shahjehanabad -Who said Christmas isn't over commercialised?

The Red Fort

The Red Fort or Lal Quila is a spectacular piece of Mughal architecture and was bulit on the west bank of the river Yamana (now diverted).

It is in the NW corner of Shahjahanabad surrounded by two kilometres of red sandstone walls.

Shah Jahan (1628-58) after reigning for 11 years in Agra transferred the capital back to Delhi and built the Red Fort as his royal residence within Shahjahanabad.

His reign was the golden era of architecture.

The main halls of the palace were draped in rich tapestry and the walls still reveal the delicate, detailed Mughal work despite the thieving efforts of Lord Curzon. Unfortunately

after the Uprising many of the gardens and buildings were demolished.

The British offering was a series of of hideous barracks which unfortunately still stand, perhaps as a reminder of what their did to Shahjahanabad and its people in September 1857. The photo is the Lahore Gate on the west of the Red Fort.

Praise for William Dalrymple

This latest offering from William Dalrymple is an absolute feast and together with White Mughals and his City of the Djinns provides the ideal backdrop for this trip. THM was four years of solid research which then took Dalrymple five months to write. The central character is Bahadur Shan Zafar II and the book portrays the events of 1857 the Uprising or so-called Mutiny and the re-taking of Old Delhi by the bloodthirsty, barbaric and destructive British Field Force led by the psychopathic John Nicholson.

Dalrymple deserves some serious recognition for TLM, a five hundred page stunner.

Off to the Shang with Manoj

Late arrival at the airport but our driver for the next two weeks or so was there waiting to take us to the Shangri La- our Xmas home for 2 days.

Manoj from Udaipur works for Travel Made Easy and we hope to meet up with his wife and three year old daughter when we get to his home town next week.

A foggy start

Arrived at Delhi International one and a half hours late from Singapore. Fog had devasted Delhi travel all day - bad, but not up to Heathrow standard.

Anyway I had time to finish The Last Mughal - more about that after a good sleep!

Here we go

17 days of the best that Delhi, Agra and Rajasthan can offer.

A year in the planning and here we are as always with our faithfall Lonely Planet.

Never leave home without one!l