- Life Style
A privileged tour of India reveals wonders old and new
by Priscilla Lister
by Priscilla Lister
I knew that in a country of more than 1.2 billion people sharing a land about half the size of the continental United States, there would be extreme and heartbreaking poverty, causing tiny children to thrust their hands out at foreigners and hawkers to seek sales for their trinkets at most tourist stops. But what surprised me most were the amazing beauties that abound in India - its ancient palaces that literally took my breath away, its exceptional crafts that make shopping a thrill as well as a bargain, and the hotels we chose, which were nothing short of stunning on a world-class scale. Three other friends and I traveled together in India in a way that proved safe, comfortable and even privileged. In all our wanderings, we stayed in Oberoi Hotels, a family-owned Indian firm that owns and manages 30 hotels in six countries. We stayed in three of Oberoi's latest "vilas" collection of resorts, known for architectural designs derived from their historic locations as well as exquisite attention to interior details.
While we briefly touched down in Bombay (Mumbai) and Delhi, the cities that excited us most were Agra, Jaipur and Udaipur. The Taj Mahal in Agra was our first awesome sight. Barun Rawat, our local guide handpicked by Rashida, was a delightful fount of knowledge. He told us that the Taj Mahal had been built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan from about 1631-1654 by some 20,000 craftsmen; the actual day we were there began the monument's 350th birthday. The Taj Mahal is literally a tomb and memorial for Shah Jahan's favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, its name thought to be a shortening of hers. She died in 1631 in childbirth, having borne Shah Jahan 14 children, of whom four sons and three daughters survived. Aurangzeb, one of those four sons, killed his three brothers and imprisoned his father for more than 20 years until he died, Barun told us. Shah Jahan could only glimpse the Taj Mahal from his cell in the neighboring fort through the reflection from a piece of glass. Unable to build the memorial he had planned for himself, his remains were laid to rest beside his wife's, the only disturbance to the perfect symmetry that is the Taj Mahal.
That afternoon in Agra, at Akbar International we saw a demonstration of present-day artisans making tabletops and plates and boxes from the same super-hard Indian white marble using the same inlay techniques with semiprecious stones. This was our first excellent shopping stop thanks to Rashida. Then she took us to Kohinoor Jewelers, a purveyor of exquisite jewelry. All of us being women after all, we each purchased something special for a fraction of what the emeralds and diamonds and rubies we bought would have cost in the United States. Our overnight in the two-year-old, classically designed Oberoi Amarvilas continued our excitement, since it afforded each of us, and every room, a view of the Taj Mahal - the only hotel in Agra to do so. And when we held hands with Rancho, the resident black-faced monkey whose simple presence keeps away the balcony-breakfast-poaching red-faced monkeys, well, we were charmed. On the six-hour drive to Jaipur the next day, Barun first took us to Fatehpur Sikri, the amazing capital built by Akbar the Great around 1570. It remains a remarkably preserved collection of public halls and private residences built from a stately red sandstone.
Another Rashida pick, Hermender Singh was our local guide in Jaipur, and he literally brought the past alive while we wandered through the Amber Fort, a 17th century palace complex that sits atop a steep hillside overlooking a strategic pass. The intricately painted, enormous entryway leading into one of the palace buildings is nothing short of gorgeous, and its facade is original, thanks to the protective wash of egg whites, shells and mica dust that has protected the colors for hundreds of years. Hermender showed us the ingenious carved sandstone water troughs that essentially amounted to the earliest air conditioning devices. And when we reached inside another building adorned with thousands of mirrored mosaics and carvings, our mouths went agape again. Hermender also took us to Jantar Mantar, an observatory that has told time with its sundial since 1728 while also housing other instruments that used astrology and astronomy to "measure the harmony of the heavens." And when we got to Jaipur's City Palace, part of which is still home to Jaipur's royal family, we saw those distinctive Indian miniature paintings that depict how this world once lived amid much pageantry. At Oberoi's Rajvilas in Jaipur, opened in late 1997 as the first of its boutique vilas resorts, we thrilled at a modern version of what seemed like a Rajput palace in this heart of Rajasthan. Little wonder President Clinton and Chelsea stayed here during a state visit. Flying via the privately operated domestic carrier Jet Airways, we arrived in Udaipur at Udaivilas, Oberoi's newest luxury resort, which opened in 2002. Designed to resemble a traditional Rajasthani Palace, Udaivilas overlooks Lake Pichola and is a fairy-tale property of enormously domed and gilded public rooms, courtyards and pavilions; our suites shared a semi-private pool. In the lovely whitewashed city of Udaipur, our guide, Arun, took us to City Palace, a fortress of towers and turrets dating from 1567 that stands high above the lake, its interiors lavishly decorated with painted frescoes, mirrored mosaics and colorful stained glass. Naturally, we continued shopping in Udaipur, following Rashida's excellent advice. When we had a free afternoon on occasion, we'd indulge in one of the Oberoi's Banyan Tree spas at each of these resort properties. Unique traditional treatments included Ayurvedic massage and body treatments, the ancient Indian healing tradition that seeks to achieve balance among the mind, body and spirit. We also ate well, whether in the hotels' exceptional restaurants or in local restaurants chosen by Rashida. I was very careful about what I ate and drank - eating only cooked foods, fruits that I could peel, drinking no ice or unbottled water. I never got sick. And in the Oberoi hotels, all the water was potable and conditions seemed exceptionally clean. Our adventure in India was an amazing experience, eye-opening at every juncture on many levels. I will remember the people we encountered there, from every hotel staff member to friends of Rashida whom we met. They were invariably warm and happy and anxious to share their wondrous country with us. My expectations of India were definitely exceeded. IF YOU GO GETTING THERE We flew Air India from Los Angeles via Paris to Bombay. Round-trip from LAX to BOM is $3,600-$4,300 for executive class, $1,100 to $1,550 for economy. The seats in Air India's executive class on its newest 747-400 aircraft are among the best of any airline, reclining a very comfy 160 degrees. In first class, the seats become flat beds. For more information, www.airindia.com. STAYING THERE We booked a private, customized tour through Cox & Kings, which literally organized and oversaw our entire journey including domestic air flights, trains, escorts, local guides and transportation, as well as the Oberoi Hotels we stayed in and our meals, whether in the hotels or special restaurants. Prices for private arrangements like ours range from $375 to $475 per person per day, based on double occupancy. Cox & Kings also offers small group escorted tours, such as its 16-day Splendors of the North for $6,485 per person, double occupancy, including hotels, all meals, guides, domestic flights and excursions. FOR MORE INFORMATION Contact Cox & Kings at www.coxandkingsusa.com or call (800) 999-1758. Check Oberoi Hotels on its Web site at www.oberoihotels.com, or call (800) 5-OBEROI or (800) 562-3764. For general information on touring India, check www.india-tourism.com. Priscilla Lister is a freelance travel writer. |
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