DAY 19: Monday 19th May 2025 NEW DELHI & SOUTH DELHI; INDIA

May 07, 2025

Our driver Jagdish was waiting for us at 09:00 and we then began the tortuous drive to South Delhi, a distance of about 10 km but in the super heavy traffic the journey took over an hour.

Motorbike with chooks in morning traffic

On arrival at the Mehrauli Archaeological Park in the south-western part of South Delhi we stopped and spent the next hour visiting the Qutb Complex; (Qutb also spelt Qutab).

This is regarded as one of the most spectacular sites in all of Delhi as it houses a number of historical buildings including the remains of the city’s oldest mosque.

However, the Qutb Complex is most famous for the Qutb Minar an impressive sandstone and marble victory tower which is 73 m high making it the tallest brick minaret in the world.

The founder of the Delhi Sultanate, Qutbuddin Aibak commenced the building of the complex in the 12th century and the two principal structures that remain are the Quwwat-ul-Islam (‘Might of Islam’) mosque and the Qutb Minar.

Quwwat-ul-Islam (‘Might of Islam’) mosque

Both the mosque and the minaret are earliest examples of a synthesis of Hindu and Islamic architecture. In fact, some sections of the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque were constructed from carved stone pillars retrieved from or possibly raided from an abandoned Hindu Temple. The intricacy and range of stone carvings on the mosque’s remaining walls, arches, ceilings and pillars is quite remarkable.

'Borrowed' Hindu pillars, Quwwat-ul-Islam (‘Might of Islam’) mosque

The five storey high Qutb Minar was completed in the reign of Aibak’s successor in the late 12th century and at some later stage there was an intention to build an even more impressive minaret but this plan was for some reason abandoned. All that remains of this intended giant minaret are the ruins of base section which is twice the diameter of Qutb Minar base!

Nearby amidst the ruins of the Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque stands the famous “Iron Pillar” which is over 1600 years old and seemingly immune to rusting. Analysis suggests that it was cast from pure ‘malleable’ iron with there being no hint of alloying. This particular iron pillar commonly features in chemistry textbooks in chapters on corrosion. The only explanation for the lack of corrosion must be the very dry atmosphere or, as we were told, the ingenuity of Indian metallurgists in the 5th century!

Before departing this fascinating site we followed the perimeter alleyway towards the domed Alai Darwaza temple. The internal stonework of the dome comprised multicoloured stone rings around a central lotus flower.

Still in South Delhi we then drove north-eastwards towards the Lotus Temple.

Unfortunately, it being Monday the temple was closed so our best efforts were to try taking photographs through the surrounding fence.

This temple is the Baha’i House of worship, an ultra modern 34 m high building comprised of twenty seven marble ‘unfurling petals of a lotus flower’. The building was completed in 1986.

We were then given the opportunity of viewing items for sale in a high quality market. There was vast range of goods for sale with Kashmir sapphires as well as many other precious stones and silk rugs being very special and expensive options.

The day’s activities were now being affected by the heat as the temperature reached 38C. Our final destination for visiting was Humayun’s Tomb in Eastern Delhi.

This magnificent tomb is the final resting place of Humayun who was the second Mughal emperor. The tomb rises spectacularly above the surrounding palm fringed gardens. Its design was presumed to be the inspiration for the impressive Taj Mahal which we hope to visit sometime tomorrow.

Humayun’s tomb was built between 1565 and 1572 by the Persian architect Mirak Mirza Ghiyas. The building houses the tombs of over 150 of Humayun’s Mughal family members.

The imposing white hemispherical marble dome is surmounted by a finial (ornamental terminal feature) with a crescent indicating the Persian architectural influence. The tomb’s exterior is principally red sandstone with marble inlay around multiple arches. Closer examination reveals the fine trellis work and geometric patterns carved into the sandstone walls.

At the very centre of Humayun’s Tomb, marking the emperor’s grave is a white marble sarcophagus set on a black and white marble platform. Directly above the sarcophagus is the inner dome of the dual domed structure.

White marble sarcophagus marking the emperor’s grave

Wandering around the tomb’s external plinth we noticed gleaming in the distance the white dome of the Sikh’s Temple. Adjacent to the Humayun’s Tomb in the same garden area is the Barber’s Tomb built in 1591. It is thought to be the resting pace of Humayun’s barber who was an important and trusted court official.

Barber’s Tomb adjacent to Humayun’s Tomb complex

By this stage at 14:00 we were suffering from the 38C heat and the long distances we’d walked in the hot sun, so a decision was made to finish the day’s activities at this point.

We said farewell to our Delhi guide Keshav then Jagdish drove us back to our hotel. We thanked both our guide and driver for making our visit to Delhi so interesting and informative.

Tomorrow we head south east for about four hour’s road journey with a new driver as we change location to Agra.

DAY 20: Tuesday 20th May 2025 DELHI - AGRA; INDIA

May 06, 2025

We had to undertake 185 km of travel this morning and in the first hour after 09:00 we made little progress as we were competing with the Delhi traffic which has to be seen to be believed.

Our driver Vikram buying ice to keep our water cool in the esky on our bus

Having overcome this initial traffic congestion, our new driver Vikram managed to speed up considerably and we were now able to join the Yamuna Expressway.

For the next two hours we followed the expressway southwards through flat, dry agricultural areas where many of the fields of grain and other crops had been harvested. There were still some patches where maize and potatoes were a long way from harvesting.

This rich agricultural ‘food-bowl’ of northern India survives on the availability of ground water which is pumped up from artesian wells for irrigation purposes.

After about three and a half hours of driving south we took a fairly quick comfort and drinks stop at a large roadside centre featuring amongst the usual coffee and drinks facilities the joys of KFC, Pizza Hut and Subway. The temperature was now just on 42C and the surrounding atmosphere subject to considerable smog with it being sufficiently dense in some places that visibility was down to less than 250 m.

From this rest point we were only an hour away from our primary goal of Agra. We reached our Mercure Hotel in Agra at 14:30 and settled into our very comfortable room on the fifth floor at the very end of a corridor that seems to be over 80 m long or more. The bonus is that from our bedroom window we have a very clear view of the Taj Mahal about one kilometre away.

View of the Taj Mahal from our hotel room

At 15:30 we met up with our Agra guide Pawam and were driven to Sikandra, a small village just northeast of Agra where the Mughal emperor Akbar is buried.

Akbar ruled in India from 1556 – 1605. He is credited in having established an empire that extended from Kabul to Assam and Kashmir to Ahmednagar in western India.

At this site is an extraordinarily spectacular mausoleum designed by Akbar himself and then modified later after Akbar’s death in 1612 by his son Jahangir.

The result is the impressive, perfectly symmetrical complex with the tomb in the centre of a vast walled garden.

On each corner of the mausoleum are four graceful marble minarets considered to be forerunners and standards of those used in the construction of the Taj Mahal.

Encompassing the main mausoleum is the building holding the grave of Akbar. The tomb area has a raised white marble sarcophagus on a raised marble platform.

The heat of the day was taking its toll but we ventured on to the final site for the day and that was to watch the sunset on the Taj Mahal.

We were driven to Mehta Bagh (Moon Garden) which is a garden cum orchard with neatly maintained lawns and trees. From this garden location the Taj Mahal was just across the Yamuna River which is barely a trickle at present.

Mehta Bagh (Moon Garden) with Taj Mahal in background

We’ll be learning a lot more about the Taj Mahal tomorrow but one piece of information that caught our attention concerned the wife of the builder, Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. This now world famous building was built in memory of Jahan’s wife Mumtaz Mahal who died at the age of 39 during giving birth to her 14th child. She also had several miscarriages. Much more detail will be revealed tomorrow.

As sunset approached the brilliant white marble of the ‘Taj’ took on a distinctive lemon colour and looked amazing.

Taj Mahal with Yamuna River in the foreground

Dripping in sweat but full of joy at this encounter, we were driven back to our hotel where cold drinks and a light evening meal brought this awe inspiring day to a close.

Tomorrow morning we leave our hotel at 05:00 to watch the sunrise at the Taj Mahal.

DAY 21: Wednesday 21st May 2025 AGRA; INDIA

May 05, 2025

The very early start was to offer three distinct advantages to us but the principal reason was that we would see the Taj Mahal at sunrise. The other benefits were that the crowds would be least at dawn and the air temperature would be more tolerable than later on where 40C was expected.

Our visit to the Taj Mahal commenced at 05:30 with a preliminary security check and we then entered the complex through the Western Gate.

The initial sighting of the Taj Mahal this morning was highly memorable as there were only a few clouds in the sky and the streaks of first sunlight cast a soft light across the glorious marble structure in front of us.

The name Taj Mahal means ‘Crown of Palaces’. As mentioned yesterday, it was built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favourite wife, Mumtaz Mahal.

This sublime garden tomb occupies an area of about 20 hectares. The building required a team of 20,000 paid artisans (definitely not slaves) working over a period of nearly 20 years before it was completed in 1648.

The very high-quality white marble was quarried 300 km away and transported to the site supposedly by a fleet of 1000 elephants! In today’s currency the total cost would be around US$700 million.

The central mausoleum is framed at each corner of the main raised platform by four white marble minarets. Each minaret is 40 m high and crowned by a chhatri (an open octagonal pavilion). One unexpected feature of the minarets is that they were built such that they are not perfectly vertical. This intended modification is barely noticeable and was done so that in the case of a major earthquake the minarets would fall away from the central tomb and prevent any further damage.

The Taj Mahal complex exhibits perfect symmetry with the central mausoleum being octagonal, with four main ‘square’ sides and four smaller sides where the corners of the square have been removed.

The internal structure of the tomb’s chamber is similarly octagonal with the geometrical centre housing Mumtaz Mahal’s sarcophagus on a raised platform next to Shah Jahan’s. In reality, these are replicas because the actual graves are in a dark crypt immediately beneath the replicas. Around the replicas is a marble filigree screen intended to veil the area of the royal tombs.

Whether you view the Taj Mahal from north, south, east or west the image is identical. The Taj Mahal is topped with a 44 m massive double-domed cupola capped with a bronze finial including a crescent moon. The original finial was constructed from 165 kg of pure (24 carat) gold which was conveniently removed sometime after 1858 when the British Crown took power in India.

The dome of Taj Mahal in early morning light

Closer examination of the walls of the Taj Mahal reveals the intricacy of the marble-inlay work called ‘pietra-dura’.

The Mughals were great naturalists who believed that flowers were symbols of the divine realm. Using pietra dura the artisans created images of tulips, lilies, irises and poppies by inlaying precious and semi-precious stones such as carnelian, lapis lazuli, turquoise and malachite into the white marble.

Panels of exquisite Arabic calligraphy in the form of verses from the Qur’an reach up and over the entrance arches on the four main sides to the mausoleum. The text in the form of inlaid black marble increases in size as it gets higher creating the optical illusion of uniform script.

It was widely believed that the Taj Mahal was designed to represent an earthly replica of a house in paradise and we left with the impression that it is certainly one of the most elegant, harmonious and stunningly attractive buildings we’ve ever seen.

The ‘Taj’ indeed manifests the wealth and luxury of Mughal art as seen in architecture, garden design, jewellery and calligraphy. This visit has been inspirational!

With the temperature steadily rising we decided to visit the Agra Fort next before conditions became too unbearable.

The fort is situated on the west bank of the Yamuna River and was built by Emperor Akbar between 1565 and 1573.

Its red sandstone ramparts from a crescent along the river bank and these mighty walls enclose a major complex of courtly buildings. A deep moat, once filled with water from the Yamuna formerly surrounded the fort.

Amongst the various buildings we visited the more impressive were the Khas Mahal an elegant marble hall with a vividly painted ceiling, the Sheesh Mahal with its royal baths and the Amar Singh Gate to the south that we entered through initially.

At this point it was 08:45 and we’d had enough exposure to historically significant grandeur and headed back to our Grand Mercure Hotel for a well earned breakfast and lots of cold fruit juice.

Our guide Pawam was insistent that the day definitely couldn’t finish until we had visited Itimad-Ud-Daulah’s Tomb and how right he was. It turned out to be a visual jewel high on the list of architectural delights we’ve encountered so far.

Also known as ‘Baby Taj’ the tomb is lyrically described as a ‘jewel box in marble’!

Entrance gate to Itimad-Ud-Daulah’s Tomb

It is the garden tomb of Mirza Ghiyas Beg a Grand Vizier and former Persian Amir in exile who became a minister of state in the Mughal Court. The tomb was built by his daughter Nur Jahan, the favourite wife of Mughal emperor Jahangir.

The building began in 1622 and took six years to complete. Somewhat like the Taj Mahal it is exquisitely made from white marble, coloured mosaics, stone inlay and lattice work with its style being regarded as highly innovative for this Mughal period.

Four squat minarets form the corners of the tomb and the centre of the building is capped with a square dome.

Itimad-Ud-Daulah’s Tomb with square dome

The polished external marble is covered in stone inlay, the very first time that the pietra dura technique had been extensively used.

Most impressive was the mosaic and stuccowork lining the interior section of the tomb, especially the upper dome mosaics.

Decorations inside Itimad-Ud-Daulah’s Tomb

We returned to our hotel via a highly up-market arts centre specialising in crafts like pietra dura as well as carpets, textiles, bronzes and carved wooden items. It was all of the highest imaginable quality but with prices to match, no purchases were considered. Apart from the cost, we have weight limits on our luggage and we keep reminding ourselves that we have already collected far too much memorabilia in the past.

Tomorrow we leave Agra and move westwards towards Jaipur with our next stop being at Ranthambore tomorrow evening.

Our short stay in Agra has been amazingly memorable despite the steamy conditions we’ve had to endure.

DAY 22: Thursday 22nd May 2025 AGRA - RANTHAMBORE; INDIA

May 04, 2025

We departed our hotel at 08:30 and then headed south-westwards towards the region of Jaipur.

After about one hour’s driving whilst still in the Uttar Pradesh locale we stopped to visit an ancient site of Fatehpur Sikri regarded as one of the greatest and best well preserved examples of Mughal architecture in India.

The massive and sprawling city complex was built by the very famous ruler Emperor Akbar between 1571 and 1585 and was the Mughal capital for 14 years.

Fatehpur Sikri is a walled city with large private and public areas with imposing gateways showing a blend of Hindu and Islamic architectural styles which reflected Akbar’s secular vision and his style of governance.

Diwan Khana-I-Am (Hall of Public Audience) & grounds, Fatehpur Sikri

After the city was abandoned many of its treasures were plundered until the legendary conservationist, British Viceroy Lord Curzon ordered the preservation of the Taj Mahal as well as the protection of Fatehpur Sikri. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

We were only at the site for just over an hour but even during this brief exposure we encountered numerous points of interest.

The grand Diwan-i-Khas (Hall of private audiences) showing the balcony where Akbar sat

We visited the three palaces of Akbar’s wives; one a Hindu, one Islamic and one a Christian from Portugal.

Pachisi Court named for the ludo like gsme played her by the ladies of the court

Pool of Anoop Talao outside Akbar's private chambers

The emperor had about 1000 concubines so he was kept busy no doubt controlling all his female companions. We visited the Khwabgah which was the emperor’s private sleeping quarters. He had a huge bed made from sandstone rock supported two metres above the surrounding floor.

Sandstone bed in Emperor's private sleeping quarters (Khwabgah)

We passed the white marble tomb of Salim Christi and and then viewed the five storey open pavilion of Panch Mahal where Akbar’s Queens gathered to savour the cool evening breeze.

All the buildings within Fatehpur Sikri are clustered on a series of terraces and are constructed from red sandstone, consequently the structures become very hot in these 40C summer conditions. It was hard to find cool retreat areas during our visit and we consumed lots of water.

One fact that caught our attention was that Akbar had a pet elephant which lived within the Fatehpur Sikri complex.

The elephant was used by the emperor to inflict capital punishment upon those who may have transgressed accepted behaviour.

In the middle of one of the garden lawn areas is a large rock embedded in the ground with a hole cut through it used to attach the poor soul so he could not flee. It was then up to the elephant to trample the person to death or leave them untouched. The elephant's judgement was regarded as jury and judge in one. When the elephant died, Akbar constructed a memorial tower and tomb for his pet.

Rock for elephant to inflict capital punishment

Memorial for Akbar’s favourite elephant, Fatehpur Sikri

The gardens were very well maintained and there were lots of bouvardia shrubs in flower with their delightful jasmine-like smell. At this point we said farewell to our Agra guide Pawan and thanked him for his efforts in making our visit to the Taj Mahal and the Baby Mahal so memorable.

We departed Fatehpur Sikri around 11:30 and then spent much of the remaining daylight on the road to Ranthambore.

There were comfort stops along the way but the overall distance travelled must have been close to 350 km.

We eventually arrived at our accommodation, the Ranthambore Heritage Haveli and were given plans for our jeep safari in the National Park early tomorrow morning.

Our room at Ranthambhore Heritage Haveli

DAY 23: Friday 23rd May 2025 RANTHAMBORE; INDIA

May 03, 2025

We were up well before dawn and in our jeep heading off on safari by 05:45.

Sunrise, Jeep safari, Ranthambore National Park

The road from our Ranthambore Heritage Haveli out to the main road is about a kilometre of rocky, sandy track that winds its way in amongst the now deciduous thorn bushes. On the way out, we spotted kingfishers, little green bee-eaters, drongos and several other non-identified species.

Once on the main road we drove back through Ranthambore township where evidence of poverty and over-population are sadly, all too clear.

After half an hour or so we left the main road and turned off into one of the entrances to the Ranthambore National Park.

The Ranthambore National Park is amongst the largest national parks in northern India covering and area of 392 square kilometres. It is internationally famous as a wildlife park and especially for sighting the illusive and nocturnal Bengali tiger and the even rarer leopard.

Our initial travels were through thorn bush scrub where blue, samba and spotted deer were photographed. A number of peacocks and peahens were seen but the beautiful golden orioles were the birds gaining most of our attention.

Blue deer (Boselaphus tragocamelus) - female

Our meanderings along dusty and bumpy tracks were proving to be fruitless and then the track was blocked by a fallen tree which meant a change in the safari plan.

Guides & drivers discussing plan B given the tree across the track

We retraced our path and then accessed the national park via another entrance that led to a more mountainous region. We reached a high point overlooking a small stream in the deep valley below. In this parched environment the best chance of seeing a tiger or leopard would most likely be near access to water.

Our vehicles parked at the top of the hill

The gully where it is likely to see a tiger or leopard

As we descended, our guide heard a distinct ‘distress’ or warning call from a samba deer suggesting a major predator was somewhere nearby.

We initially caught a glimpse of a large male leopard behind thorn bushes down by the shaded stream. He then began moving along the water course and then sat still.

Through the undergrowth we obtained semi-reasonable photos at this point but the leopard then came even closer and crossed the road immediately behind our jeep. As we’d experienced in Botswana, this magnificent predator seemed to be completely unperturbed by our presence. Our cameras worked overtime!

Despite not seeing a tiger this morning, our guide stressed that leopards are ‘ten-times’ rarer sightings in the Ranthambore National Park so we should not be too disappointed.

At 08:30 we returned to our hotel for a hearty breakfast knowing that we have free time until 15:30 this afternoon before we head off on jeep safari journey number two.

White throated kingfisher (Halcyon smyrnensis), Ranthambhore Heritage Haveli

Spoiler alert: there were no tigers spotted during the afternoon safari.

There were only three of us for the afternoon safari as the 42C shade temperature meant that it would be very hot in the jeep with no overhead cover.

We had the same, very knowledgeable guide as this morning and a new driver who drove us further afield and deeper into the National Park than we’d ventured earlier in the day.

Despite the intense heat there were a surprising number of birds and animals sighted along the park’s 4WD tracks.

We saw large numbers of samba and spotted deer gathered around small water holes and we were lucky enough to get photos of the rarer India blue ‘bull’ or nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus) which is also a member of the deer family.

India blue ‘bull’ or nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus)

At a nearby shallow lake we photographed (or attempted to photograph) at least ten different species of birds. These included two different species of kingfishers, herons, lapwings, drongos, paradise flycatchers, thick-knees, bee-eaters, bulbuls, peacocks, coucals, cormorants, quails and oriels…..

Red wattled lapwing (Vanellus indicus indicus)

Despite our pre-occupation with bird photography, just nearby a family of wild pigs entered the water and spent a minute or two cooling off before scurrying away into the thorn bush undergrowth.

We spent some time watching an extended family of gray langur monkeys put on an acrobatics display involving rapid tree climbing, aerial jumps, back-flips and prehensile tail tricks.

Most intriguingly, a pair of pied kingfishers performed for us right next to the jeep. They’d take it in turns to leave the nearby tree and then hover over the pond right next to the jeep before doing a dramatic dive into the pond to catch a small fish. This cycle recurred a number of times and was fascinating to watch the skilful performances.

Woolly-neck storks (Ciconia episcopus) in nest

There was momentary sighting of a sloth bear but by the time we’d moved closer to its last seen position, it was no longer visible because of being hidden by thick bushes. Our disappointment was later alleviated when the bear decided to venture down to the nearly dried up river bed for the few traces of water. We then spent a considerable time photographing the sloth bear, albeit from a fair distance.

Sloth bear (Melursus ursinus), with drongo

An alarm call from a samba deer gave us the clue that either a tiger or leopard was in the immediate vicinity. We, together with three other jeeps waited patiently as sunset approached but to no avail. After about thirty minutes we decided that it was not to be our lucky tiger sighting day today.

Nonetheless, it had been a most interesting, entertaining and enjoyable safari afternoon and when we finally arrived back at our hotel at 19:30 we expressed much gratitude to our guide and his driver. Cold beers, G&Ts and a light evening meal provided an entirely desirable conclusion to a long and busy day.

Tomorrow we leave Ranthambore and drive northwards to Jaipur where we will spent our last two nights in India.

DAY 24: Saturday 24th May 2025 RANTHAMBORE – JAIPUR; INDIA

May 02, 2025

This morning, it was nice for a change to be not rushing and to be able to have a leisurely breakfast session and enjoy the Ranthambore Heritage Haveli setting with its delightful gardens and lawns.

At 09:30 we left Ranthambore National Park and were soon on the main highway north towards Jaipur.

Even at 10:00 the temperature outside was in the high 30s and we could see the locals predominantly seeking cover in roadside cafes and under canvas awnings. Few seemed to be involved in any physical labour. Even the Brahman cattle that mingle with the cars, motorbikes and food stalls seemed to find the conditions oppressive.

We spent about half an hour visiting a ‘Women’s Craft Centre’ in Ranthambore where the goods on sale have been largely made by local women and women control the sales and general functioning of the co-operative. The quality of dresses, materials and rugs was exceptional and the same can be said for the water colour paintings, many of which were unsurprisingly of tigers.

Staff saying farewell, Women's Craft Centre, Ranthambhore

For the next two hours we continued on the expressway through flat, parched agricultural country looking like it’s desperately awaiting the summer rains due in late June.

Despite the drought conditions the farms looked well maintained with much of the land presently under fallow. Where there were plantations, the dominant preoccupation seemed to be growing guava. There were hundreds upon hundreds of hectares of guava orchards which we were told will be in maximum production by early new-year through to late February.

A very common sight, particularly in these farming areas is to see many Massey-Ferguson tractors (models 1035 and 241). At one point on our travels two days ago, we went past a dealership of Massey-Ferguson tractors and there must have been 100 shiny red new tractors in their sales yard.

Whilst still in the eastern part of the province of Rajasthan our travels then took a slight detour from the main road towards the little township of Abhaneri.

The purpose of this diversion was to visit the Chand Baori Stepwell and what an extraordinary surprise were we to experience!

Abhaneri, which means ‘city of brightness’ is now in ruins with much of the Hindu Temples and ancient buildings now in pieces like a yet to be solved jig-saw puzzle.

However, it’s the Chand Baori Stepwell that attracts tourists from across the world and we were very soon to see why. On entering, the scene before us was mind boggling. The three-dimensional geometric spectre can best be described as exquisite.

The Chand Baori Stepwell was built by King Chanda Raja during the 8th and 9th centuries AD to harvest sufficient rainwater to last throughout the year particularly as this region of Rajasthan is subject to severe droughts during winter and spring.

The structure has 3,500 narrow steps arranged in perfect symmetry with 13 levels which descend 20 m to the bottom of the well making it India’s deepest and largest stepwell. The steps form a magical maze and the consequent play of light and shadow give the stepwell an utterly captivating appeal.

The stairs encircle the central water well on three sides while the fourth side has a three storey pavilion with galleries supported on pillars and two projecting balconies enshrining beautiful sculptures.

Stairs encircling central water well, Chand Baori Stepwell

These days the well is not used as a reservoir anymore but this 1300 year old Indian treasure has featured in a number of movies including Hollywood productions such as one of the Batman films.

Just across the road from the stepwell is the Harshat Mata Temple built at the same time as Chand Baori in the 8th century AD.

This Hindu Temple was dedicated to Harshat Mata the goddess of happiness and joy who spread her glow and brightness to all who visited the temple.

The temple is architecturally splendid and sculpturally beautiful despite the fact that it was partially destroyed and damaged during the horrific raid by the Afghan sultan Mahmud Ghanaian.

Many of the Harshat Mata Temple’s pillars, columns and statues now lie scattered around the temple courtyard and associated corridors.

Some of Mata Temple’s pillars, columns and statues now lie scattered around the temple courtyard

It is thought that the original temple was built as a main shrine surrounded by four subsidiary shrines but now only parts of the main shrine survive. The now existing roof dome was thought to have been a later structure replacing a tall central tower called a ‘shikara’.

The temple is now protected by the Archeological Survey of India and remains in Hindu religious use.

At around 14:00 and the temperature at 42C we had a lunch break at a nearby restaurant in air-conditioned comfort and then continued for a further 95 km to Jaipur where we’re staying at the Ramada Hotel.

Tomorrow is our final full ‘touristy’ day in India and during the day we intend to visit this so called ‘Pink City’ and see a number of its attractions.

DAY 25: Sunday 25th May 2025 JAIPUR; INDIA

May 01, 2025

Jaipur is popularly known as the “Pink City” and is the capital and largest city in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It was founded in 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II. In 1876 many of the buildings were coloured in terracotta pink to welcome the British Prince Albert and thus the name “Pink City” was born.

Jaipur was one of the finest planned cities in India and now has a population of around six million.

Our first visit for the day was to be the Amer Fort and to get there we had to drive north along a major street where all the buildings were terracotta pink. One of the more impressive buildings in this district was the Hawa Mahal (“Palace of Winds”). This iconic five storey palace was dedicated to Lord Krishna and was built in 1799. It was designed to allow the ladies of the King’s harem to watch the lively streets below whilst remaining unseen. The Hawa Mahal is presently undergoing a major renovation and is smothered in bamboo scaffolding but even so, the tiered Baroque-like structure has the appearance of a crown fit for Krishna’s head.

We drove about 11 km north of Jaipur and parked adjacent to Maota Lake where the grandiose Amer Fort towered above us perched on the Aravalli Hills.

Amer Fort was effectively the ‘capital’ of this whole region from 1037 until 1727 when the capital then moved to Jaipur.

To get to Amer Fort we were driven in an old ‘jeep’ from Maota Lake level to the main entrance called Chand Pol (Moon Gate) where we were immediately pestered by masses of people with souvenirs to sell.

The large courtyard we’d now entered was on a lower level to the fort complex and we were able to see the Suraj Pol (Sun Gate) that is the entrance formerly used by royalty only.

From the Chand Pol we walked up a series of gentle ramps to access the Amer Fort Complex through the Shila Devi Temple’s ornate entrance.

Diwan-e-Aam (Hall of Public Audience) from courtyard

We first visited the “27 Sattais” with its elaborate marble pillars and arches making this a stunningly attractive building.

From the windows of these offices for recording revenue petitions we could look down and see the Kesar Kyari Bagh, a square garden of star shaped flower beds built in Maota Lake. We were informed that it was once a garden for the production of saffron.

Kesar Kyari Bagh (square garden) on Maota Lake viewed from Amer Fort

We spent some time observing the intricate marble and sandstone carvings of the multiple columns in the Diwan-i-Aam courtyard. The architecture here in this so called “Hall of Public Audience” is a blending of Hindu and Islamic elements.

We then moved up a level by passing through the magnificent three storeyed gateway of Ganesh Pol built in 1640.

There was again so much to take in visually but most memorably was our time spent in the Sheesh Mahal (Mirror Palace).

In the mid 1640s the Maharajah imported many mirrors from Belgium to have as decorations for this palace. The effect is dramatic and despite their age, many of the mirrors and mirror ‘mosaic’ fragments are still in near perfect condition. Many photos were taken but the fisheye shots were especially effective in showing the opulence of this grandiose structure.

Nearby we photographed Aram Bagh which was the palace’s pleasure garden.

Palace garden viewed from Sheesh Mahal (Mirror Palace)

We moved next to a further inner courtyard where the king’s wives had their private living quarters around a central pavilion. The King (Maharajah) could look down from his private suite on the level above and watch his twelve wives relaxing or dancing in the courtyard. From this elevated point he would decide which particular wife would accompany him for the evening!

Despite the King having never lost any of his 110 battles/wars, he met his death in an accident when he fell from the high upper tower just along from his bedroom.

Sheesh Mahal (Mirror Palace) and Garden, Amer Fort

We were mentally exhausted with the amount of information to take in at this point and with the heat of the day ever increasing, we decided we’d had enough and departed the Amer Fort after an intriguing couple of hours.

On leaving, we photographed a musician playing a type of ancient sitar. The music was hauntingly attractive but excessive exposure may have been hard to take.

We then had a brief but interesting visit to the Anokhi Museum of Hand Printing. The museum is located in a restored haveli or mansion.

Our group visiting the Anokhi Museum of Hand Printing sign, Jaipur

The museum displayed a varied selection of block printed textiles alongside equipment used for hand printing. Two of the museum’s craftsmen demonstrated their skills with one making a small printing block and the other showing how five different colours were added in sequence with five separate blocks to make a final coloured picture on cotton material. This short encounter with this ancient traditional art was most enlightening.

On our return to Jaipur we stopped briefly at the Man Sagar Lake to photograph the Jal Mahal (Water Palace).

Built in the 18th century by Madho Singh I when no water was present, the king then had this artificial lake formed by damming the river such that the depth of water made it look as if the palace was floating on water. The palace is not accessible to the general public.

We next arrived at the City Palace Museum which lies in the heart of the city and has been the home to the rulers of Jaipur since the 19th century. The Palace is a sprawling complex of open-air public buildings involving a blend of Rajput (Royal) and Mughal (Mongolian) architecture. The museum comprises a complex of several palaces, gardens and courtyards. We were fortunate to be able to enter the recently opened Sabha Niwas or Durbar Hall. The hall has a major collection of royal portraits and regal artefacts but the crowning glory is the vast chandelier in the central gallery.

Chandeleir, Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II Museum

We briefly viewed the seven storeyed Chandra Mahal (Moon Palace) completed in 1734 which is not open to visitors because the building is continually occupied by the descendants of Jaipur’s former Maharajas.

With limited time we took photos in one of the main courtyards where, strategically positioned around the yard were four finely painted gates; each one representing a particular season. The peacock gate dedicated to Lord Vishnu represents autumn.

Peacock artwork above Autumn Gate, City Palace

For a change of diet we made our final visitation to the ancient astronomical observatory of Jantar Mantar.

It was built in the early 18th century by Sawai Jai Singh II in order to follow and predict the movement of the sun, moon, planets and constellations across the kingdom.

The equipment is beautifully presented and extreme care has been taken to ensure the many astronomical instruments offer precise, accurate and sensible information. The data from the different and complex sun-dials offer accuracy to within 20 seconds. Some of the equipment helps predict monsoonal intensity and the possibility of floods and famine. The tracking of the celestial arc of the sun from horizon to zenith throughout the year is used in the ‘Yantra’ to monitor the twelve signs of the zodiac and hence provide horoscopes!

Jantar Mantar (Astronomical Observatory)

We finished the day with a quick trip to a fancy and expensive jewellery outlet and then to a textiles shop selling amongst other things nice hand-made carpets and rugs.

We returned to our hotel at 15:00 for rest and preparation for packing. Tomorrow we have a seven hour drive back to Delhi airport to commence the long journey home to Australia.

DAY 26: Monday 26th May 2025 INDIA – SINGAPORE – SYDNEY

April 30, 2025

This was to be an extended period of international travel over two days as we headed for home after our three and a half weeks of travelling and sight seeing on the sub-continent.

With there being a degree of uncertainty as to the road travel time from Jaipur to Delhi we opted for a relatively early start and left our Ramada Hotel in Jaipur at 09:00.

Once we’d cleared the city traffic of Jaipur we were soon on the four lane freeway heading north to Delhi. Despite the term ‘freeway’ there were numerous bottlenecks along the way with major roadworks, slow moving trucks and tractors and many slow checking toll-booths to contend with.

After nearly two hours our driver Vikram stopped the bus on a section off the freeway and invited us to join him and feed a group of macaque monkeys. The concept was utterly contrary to our former experiences with the thought of them stealing our cameras or being bitten and then getting rabies being major concerns. However, the brief stop provided an opportunity for Vikram to stretch his legs so we agreed to join him. A roadside hut sold old bananas and water melons and these provided the food for the extended monkey family assembled dutifully along the nearby concrete wall. No simian misbehaviour was noted and the macaques seemed appreciative of the free sustenance providing some liquid refreshment in the high temperature conditions.

Our driver Vikram feeding watermelon to the monkeys

Roadside stall selling watermelon & bananas for feeding the monkeys

The remaining three hours of travel northwards was mostly through farmland and ‘small’ villages and included a coffee break along the way.

After five hours since departing Jaipur we encountered the sprawling metropolis of South Delhi and the traffic, once again became ultra-high density.

The 30 km left to finally reach the Indira Gandhi International Airport took close to another hour.

On arrival at the IGIA we thanked Vikram profusely for his extraordinary efforts over this last week. His skill as a driver under the most testing of traffic conditions can best be described as phenomenal.

At 15:00, on entering IGIA terminal three, we were informed that check-in for our Singapore flight this evening wouldn’t open until 17:30 so we plonked ourselves down in the departure hall and occupied ourselves with up-dating diaries, naming photos and reading. At this point, it would have been appropriate to ask the question; “what could possibly go wrong”?

Having already checked in ‘on-line’ for our 21:30 flight from Delhi to Singapore we were informed by Singapore Airlines staff that the flight would now be delayed by two hours which would mean that we’d miss our connecting flight back to Sydney.

The staff at the check-in counter were exceedingly helpful and issued us with new tickets for the Singapore - Sydney and Sydney - Hobart legs of our journey, albeit with a 12 hour stop over in Singapore!

We eventually boarded our ‘maxi’ A380 plane at around Monday mid-night and commenced the five hour flight to Singapore. After an evening meal we managed to get some rest but the quality of sleep in these circumstances is always questionable.

DAYS 27-28: Tuesday 27th May - Wednesday 28th May SINGAPORE TO HOBART

April 29, 2025

At 07:15 Tuesday 27th May local time, the Airbus A380 made its final approach to the Changi Airport main runway. Then at about 60 m altitude and with only twenty seconds before touchdown, the plane lurched and dropped suddenly and then there was dramatic noise change as the engines were thrown into maximum ‘power-on’ and we started climbing quickly. The landing had been aborted. The second attempt about ten minutes later was perfect with no ‘wind-shear’ problems thankfully.

The Singapore Airline’s staff greeted us in the terminal and explained that we would have access to an airport hotel for the next twelve hours before our replacement Sydney flight on Tuesday evening.

We spent much of the day in the luxurious Crowne Plaza hotel where the costs of breakfast and meals were covered. Hot showers and then sleep in comfy beds partially compensated for the past twenty four hours of travel, drama and frustration.

We had an excellent and gratis mid-afternoon meal in the Crowne Plaza and then spent an hour in the Air Singapore lounge before boarding our Singapore to Sydney flight at around 20:00.

The overnight fight to Sydney was in a Boeing 777-300ER where we were assigned seats in separate rows.

Our Boeing 777-300ER plane Singapore to Sydney

On landing at 05:30 Sydney time on Wednesday 28th May we had a dream run through immigration, baggage collection, customs checks and transfer from international to domestic. This was probably due to the fact that our plane was the only one having arrived a this very early hour and subsequently there were no queues.

Without there being any need to rush, we then had coffees and relaxed before boarding our final flight for the day to Hobart arriving in Tasmania at midday. Frances’ daughter Geraldine very kindly provided transport for us back to Howrah and the great ‘sub-continent’, month long adventure terminated.

In these past four weeks we’ve had an amazing experience with the three countries we’ve visited being unexpectedly very different in terms of the people, culture, scenery, religions and opportunities for visiting tourists.

There are numerous highlights and it’s inappropriate to list just one or two that may stand out. However, it is certainly true to say that this was an extraordinary month’s holiday that opened our eyes to three new countries with so much to offer and opportunities galore to learn more about our fascinating planet and its people.

We are eternally grateful to our wonderful travelling companions for joining with us and providing ongoing support during this travel amazing adventure.

A very special thanks goes to our travel agent Jean Abel whose efforts to tailor this difficult itinerary and her preparedness to provide prompt assistance when flights were cancelled and/or delayed, immeasurably reduced the stress we might have been forced to endure. Thanks Jean!