15 February 2016
INCREDIBLE INDIA
Nothing can quite prepare you for the assault on the senses while travelling in India. The thick dust that crowds out the sun and turns every sky grey, the endless cacophony of horns and noisy animals, the vast array of smells that range from fragrant to stench, and the vivid colour displayed by this race of happy, busy people was constantly overwhelming. While most New Zealanders sensibly took to the beach in the hot spell that January brought, I was lucky enough to join a terrific group of patrons of the Auckland Writers Festival on a jaunt to the Jaipur Literature Festival in the chilly winter of northern India.
We started out in New Delhi, where that aforementioned dust lay thick on every tree and the Lutyens-designed web of boulevards was constantly heavy with traffic ranging from modern cars to camel drawn trailers and the occasional lumbering elephant. We ate superbly in the magnificent Imperial Hotel and ventured out to visit many monuments of note and buy an array of pashminas.
We moved on to see the Taj Mahal in Agra. Suffice to say this is an outstanding wonder of the world that is not to be missed. The highlight however was a serendipitous stop at a nearby ancient stepwell where hundreds of local village school children lined up in disciplined fashion to receive a free samosa to mark a winter festival day. The band played on.
For our five days in Jaipur, we stayed at Narain Niwas Palace Hotel which has been renamed by our group of Kiwis, the Third Exotic Marigold Hotel – funky, authentic and pure, pure Indian from the colourful saffron washed exterior walls to the lumpy but roomy beds. Our arrival coincided with an engagement party. Hundreds of elegantly turban wrapped men of the family celebrated complete with brass band, camels and an elephant, while the women took tea on the back lawn. That’s India!
Jaipur, the Pink City, turned on a real welcome. Street food excursions, a stunning party for hundreds in a private garden, the Amber Fort, G&Ts on the terrace, a beautiful chicken biriyani at the revered Rambagh Palace hotel, constant fun and the excitement of the crowds and literati at the Jaipur Literature Festival all kept us so busy we were exhausted. Some festival attendees even climbed trees to get a better view of their heroes on the crowded outdoor venues.
No trip is ever complete without a visit to the food markets for a foodie like me, as this is where to get to grips with the culture of the country. The markets of Jaipur took my breath away, albeit for both the amazing display of stunning fresh vegetables and the pervading pong of rotten fruit that lies thick in the gutters nearby. Couple that with the brilliant sari-clad women crouching over their produce and I could have sworn I was on a film set.
Our final stop was just what we needed. Samrode Palace Hotel, only an hour from Jaipur was restful and relaxing. A couple of cool swimming pools, a lovely spa, magnificent food, luxurious surroundings and clear blue skies above – the only time we saw those in the whole of our trip. India is incredible.