Overland to London Agra to Jaipur

The skyline across Fatehpur-Sikri

Day 9     Tue 3 June           AGRA – JAIPUR

Departure time: 8am               Tach reading: 133,058            Distance run: 259kms

We leave Agra this morning, with our guide, for Fatehpur-Sikri, the red sandstone city of the Moghul Emperor Akbar the Great, built in the countryside some 20 miles from Agra. This city was built by Akbar on the spot where an elderly dervish, Sheikh Salim Chishti, had lived. This Moslem saint had bestowed blessings on Akbar and his wife when no heir to the throne had been forthcoming. After Akbar’s Hindu wife gave birth to prince Salim, latter to become Emperor Jahangir, Akbar decided to move his capital and court to the site of a completely new city. Fatehpur-Sikri was built in 7 years at the place where Shaikh Salim lived. Craftsmen and artisans from all over Asia were brought in and, for 17 years, the city flourished until what is believed to be a lack of an efficient and regular water supply, and also Moghul military campaigns,  took Akbar away to Lahore. The city was subsequently deserted, leaving behind what is now a remarkable monument.

Exterior city walls & the Buland Gate & courtyard, Fatehpur-Sikri

The marble Tomb of Sheikh Salim Chishti & carved red sandstone panels

After Fatehpur-Sikri we will head into Rajasthan, to Bharatpur and the Keolodeo Ghana National Park, which was once the shooting preserve of the local Maharajah and is now a bird sanctuary of international renown. Depending on conditions and timing, we may have lunch here.

'Kill' Board from the days of the Raj & painted storks in the Keolodeo Ghana Bird Sanctuary, Bharatpur, Rajasthan

    During the days of the British Raj, many British administrators and visitors were hosted by the Maharajah of Bharatpur for 'shooting parties'.  The 'kill' boards  are horrendous, thousands of birds were killed just to boost the egos of the 'aristocracy' of the Raj. For example on 3rd December 1914, the 49 guns of Viceroy Lord Harding's party 'bagged' 4062 birds. On 20 November 1916, the 60 guns of Viceroy Lord Chelmsford's party 'bagged' 4200 birds - mainly ducks but presumably also all other species, and on 8 December 1922 the 53 guns of the 2nd shoot of the Prince of Wales party; bagged' 2221 birds. Fortunately for the birds, the killing slowed down after Independence in 1947 although the Maharajah of Bharatpur retained shooting rights until 1972. The area became the Keolodeo Ghana National Park in the late '70s, and is now a UNESCO World Heritage site.

The Khloe Ke Hanuman Ji Temple, near Jaipur & langur monkey taunting a Brahmu bull!

Langur monkeys at the Hanuman Temple

As we approach Jaipur we will stop at the Khole Ke Hanuman Ji Temple dedicated to Hanuman the monkey god, where we will probably be mobbed by dozens of langur monkeys. Here we will meet Eugene Pram, our guide for the next two days in Jaipur. Eugene is a wealth of knowledge about Jaipur and will keep us entertained during our stay in the 'pink' city. Eugene will accompany us to Khetri House, a palace still owned by a minor Maharajah (of Ketri) who takes up residence here for a short while each year. Here we will be staying for the next two nights. Eugene will oversee a programme of entertainments for you tonight, over a few beers, or something a bit stronger!! 

Comments from the Passengers with their 'special' write up of the Party Games 

DID YOU KNOW THAT A CERTAIN GENTLEMAN ON THIS TOUR IS SO ATTACHED TO HIS MONEY BELT THAT HE GOES SWIMMING IN IT?  (I know, ‘cos I was there!)

“SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT”

PARTY GAMES AT JAIPUR 3-6-80

Order of events.  *(NB. The judges are unable to vouch for the validity of                                                                                                                                order of the events.)

1)    “The final of the Commonwealth bottle competition.”

WINNER:  Colin    ENG

(the 2 judges afterwards complained of distraction, as they were seated behind the competitors).

2)    “Indian Rope Trick”

The competitors had a little trouble with this event. However Ken and Carol, and the Canadian couple of Gail and John succeeded in this event. Jane and John required a little help from the referee. Pippa and Longjohn failed miserably at this event, and were eventually disqualified.

3)     The next two events involved Ken (ENG) who somehow succeeded in ruining both of them by

A.   Refusing to be levitated by four enthusiastic girls, and

B.    By negatively reacting to Eugene’s interference in the spoon game.

4)    There was a previously unadvertised event, whereby two young athletes took it upon themselves to see how long it would take to get a turban off a Sikh’s head. Unfortunately the result of this event cannot be published in the Guinness Book of Records, as the afore-mentioned turban was not of standard size.

5)   “Charades”. We are reluctant to declare a winner in this event since all participants displayed an obvious lack of dramatic talent. The judges feel they all lost!

6)   “Under the Sheet”. No doubt this was the highlight of the evening. The first competitor, Jane (AUS) utilised her power of perception by quickly offering the right article. However, the same cannot be said of the second competitor, Diana (ENG).

We, the judges, feel that at this particular time, a picture is self-explanatory: 

7)   “Concentrations”

Participants: Eugene and the latter competitor in Game 6 (My, what a busy evening she had).

In this event, Diana surprised us all with her artistic finger-painting ability. (Congratulations from us all).

8)   The evening seemed to degenerate rapidly after Game 7, consequently we will but mention three words:

SIMON                            SAM                                MOCKINGBIRD

9)  
The evening’s closing ceremonies began with Colin’s HAPPY HOUR, consisting of a variety of drinking games, which brought the few remaining participants into a condition parallel to Colin’s.

The site of the competitions was then transferred to the pool, where the few tenacious competitors entered enthusiastically into the frog-throwing event. The various categories included i) Johnny Woops ii) Repeatly throwing Carmen into the pool, and iii) Carmen’s laundry-orientated revenge.

The judges retired respectfully at 2am, but it is rumoured that events thrived until 4am.

Day 10    Wed 4 June                JAIPUR

  Departure time   8.30am                   Tach reading: 133,317            Distance run: 9 kms                                                                                  

Hawa Mahal, or Palace of the Winds, the zenana of the City Palace, Jaipur

    This morning Eugene will take us on a tour of the old 'pink' city of Jaipur. The city was painted pink in 1876, by order of Sawai Ram Singh I to welcome the Prince of Wales, who later became King Edward VII, and the city has remained pink ever since. Our tour will begin with the Palace of the Winds (Hawa Mahal). This is the zenana (women's quarters) of the City Palace, where the royal ladies, obeying the strict rules of purdah, could observe the everyday life in the streets below without being seen.

The City Palace of the Maharajahs of Jaipur

    The City Palace dates from the early 18th century when the city of Jaipur was founded by Maharajah Sawai Jai Singh II. He moved his court here from Amber in 1727.  Part of the City Palace is still used by the Maharajah of Jaipur and his family, and the other sections now house three museums  - a textile & costume museum, an armoury and a picture gallery. All three have interesting exhibits associated with the Maharajahs of Jaipur since the establishment of the city. 

Jantar Mantar, the Observatory of Maharajah Sawai Jai Singh II, Jaipur

    Perhaps the highlight of Jaipur is the amazing Observatory, known as the Jantar Mantar,  begun by Jai Singh II in 1728. This amazing series of instruments includes a giant sundial, the Samrat Yantra, which is the world’s largest gnomon (arm that casts a shadow) sundial, capable of measuring time in two-second intervals, using the shadow cast.  Other instruments include metal astrolabes;

Jaipur guide Eugene Pram making a point
at the Jantar Mantar

instruments enabling the observers to measure the zenith distance, declination and diameter of the sun; instruments that measure ecliptic coordinates of stars, planets and the 12 constellations and many other interesting constructions measuring the various coordinates of celestial bodies in azimuth and equatorial systems, etc.  - whatever all that means!! Jai Singh II also built similar observatories in Delhi, Mathura, Varanasi and Ujjain. Eugene gives a good indepth explanation of the workings of several of these fascinating instruments and it is a great place for photography.  

Street scene - decorated for Diwali - in downtown Jaipur

An adherent of Hanuman, the monkey gods, leaves a cart load of bananas for Jaipur's rhesus monkeys

    After the city tour we will return to the hotel and the afternoon will be free to shop or lie by the pool. In the evening Eugene has arranged for some Rajasthani puppeteers to perform their traditional art of entertainment at the hotel.

Crafts of Jaipur - enamelling, carpet weaving & Rajput puppets.

You may have noticed the large fort on the Aravalli hills overlooking Jaipur City.
This is the Tiger (Nahangarh) Fort, also built by Jai Singh II, in 1734.

 

Text & photographs ©Neil Rawlins 

Instagram accounts  @dustonmyfeet     and    @antipodeanneil

My paperbacks and ebooks on my Overland travels in Asia, Europe & Africa in the early 1970s and the experiences of a tour guide on the Asian Overland routes & leading Camel Safaris in Rajasthan in the 1980s are available from Amazon.