Colourful, incredible India

Just like Taj Mahal, one of the eight wonders of the world, India is a labour of love with its rich history etched in the faces of the millions of its citizens and in the tourist attraction sites, writes NJOKI MWANGI

Whenever I imagined India, thoughts of serene Himalaya Ranges, a calm Ganges, colourful saris,

On arrival at the Delhi International Airport, our guide advised that we change our currency at the airport to avoid unscrupulous money changers in the city who take advantage of foreigners and exchange fake rupees. I was met with a cold breeze and polluted sky; the guide explained that the city is somewhat polluted but for this night the construction around the airport exacerbated the dusty menace.

Sheer splendour

A recent survey reported Indians to be the happiest people in the planet, with majority of the 1.2 billion population living in abject poverty, millions milling the noisy streets and dusty pavements begging for money. I was keen to take a closer look, to understand the happy-go-lucky attitude of these industrious people.

After spending the first night in Delhi, I travelled to Agra City, which is five hours away by road. I couldn’t help but notice the few outstanding similarities between New Delhi and Nairobi — a couple of the streets and residential areas there still retain the British guise, just like the Parklands and Pangani areas of Nairobi.

Unlike a majority of Indian cities, Agra in the state of Utapradesh is not an industrial state and mainly depends on tourism and is home to the world famous Taj Mahal. Factories that existed before were closed down and singular effort placed in developing tourism particularly centred on the Taj Mahal, one of the eight wonders of the world and a great attraction to tourists in India.

I visited this magnificent sight in the morning and was awed by its sheer splendour and art. Built by Shah Jahan for his beloved departed wife Mumtaz Mahal, the details in the inlay marble work and the semi-precious stones epitomises the great love the king had for his wife. Shah Jahan started building it in 1631, a year after she died, and completed it in 1653. These two lovers are buried here.

Hot and spicy

After taking in all I could of this magnificent Unesco world heritage site, I headed over to Agra Fort which is less than two kilometres from the Taj Mahal. Upon entry I came to the great courtyard similar in shape to the squares, which have been the centre of the Arab spring spreading across the Middle East and North Africa. There are pavilions, palaces, beautiful mosques and a bazaar.

Construction of the fort started in 1156 and was not complete until 1605. From its balcony, one is able to have a view of the Taj Mahal. Several Indian emperors governed the country from this red fort, which also held great State treasury and mint believed to have been lost to the British who occupied it in 1803.

We had a quick lunch at an international cafe where burgers are mainly chicken-based and extremely hot. If the worldwide standard of Mcdonalds diffuses your sense of location in the world, the hot burgers easily remind you that you are in India.

After an eye popping lunch, I headed off to shop. I found a marble inlay factory where the artisans shape and set precious and semi-precious stones in marble.

I spent the evening unwinding in the mixed sights and sounds and started out early in the morning to Jaipur, popularly known as the pink city in the Rajastan state.

The streets in Jaipur are better organised, clean and less noisy compared to New Delhi and Agra. There are also fewer children in the streets begging for money. I stayed in Hotel Vesta International overnight and woke up to the colour of Rajasthan with the pink and orange buildings, women in colourful saris and veils, which they traditionally use to cover their faces.

With the assistance of a local guide I headed to the astronomical observatory, Jantar Mantar built in 1728. One of the instruments in this stone observatory is an equatorial sundial, which appears as a triangle placed on the local meridian line, with two quadrants on each side, which have a slope in the plane of the celestial equator.

The quadrants are graduated in size to represent the hours, thereby showing the time of day or night. Because of my love for beautiful architecture and ancient things, I had to feast my eyes on the city palace, which is next to the observatory. I got to see The Chandra Mahal building, museum and the temple. These buildings are beautiful and captivating.

Elephant ride

With little time left to start my journey back to Delhi, I had to go to Amber Fort for the popular Indian elephant ride. My husband believes that no serious tourist visits India and goes home without riding the elephant and had suggested that I take the ride before I embarked on my trip. The elephants are a little different from what I am used to.

Indian elephants are humongous, beautifully decorated and very friendly to people. The ride on top of these mammoth creatures made us feel light and powerful at the same time. The climb up the ramparts is slow and a rickety old jeep took me down the massive fort.

To savour the penultimate Indian urban experience, I headed back to Delhi. The next morning after a delicious, pleasant, variety-filled breakfast — which the hotel offers at 350 rupees regardless of quantity, I proceeded for a city tour of both old and new Delhi.

In the old city I first visited the Raj Ghat, the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi who is regarded as the father of the Indian nation. By employing non-violence civil disobedience, he led India into independence. He also fought against apartheid and influenced many civil rights and freedom movements across the world.

I then visited Jama Masjid, which is one of the largest mosques in India. Built by Shah Jahan who also built the Taj Mahal. The architecture resembles many buildings constructed during the Moghul dynasty, which was heavily influenced by Islamic art.

Later I drove past the Red Fort and Qutab Minar, which is the tallest tower in India, built in 1199. I also drove past the president’s house and parliament building, which are in New Delhi after doing some shopping on Connaught place.

The guide informed me that due to the advancement in technology, Apple will be selling an ipad for USD60 to Indians.

With his assistance I found a shop sewing saris as you wait and decided to make myself one. After shopping for more souvenirs I headed back to the hotel for an invigorating massage that one can only find in the hands of a skilled Indian masseur.

Fish massage

On my last day in India I decided to savour the cuisine and requested the chef to make my chicken curry extra hot as I felt I was already used to the spicy, hot food. I relaxed and browsed the free of charge Internet in my room and watched a Bollywood movie. With a craving for more massage I ventured outside the hotel to a feet massage palace where fish is used to eat away dead skin, leaving feet invigorated. The experience is at first ticklish but I got used to it fast and enjoyed the massage.

It appeared interesting that in a country of 1.2 billion people governed by a female president, the plight of women is still wanting. A majority of the beggars in the streets are women and girls, some as young as three years. While the economy of this history-rich country grows, the population is also rising and now is being projected to surpass that of China in a few years. With only a week to sight see and enjoy this great East Asian country, I left feeling that I had only captured a few highlights of a marvellous land.