Dust on My Feet: Overland to London

Morning reflection of Jal Mahal, the Water Palace, on the road to Amber

Day 11 Thu 5 June JAIPUR – DELHI

Departure time: 8.30AM Tach reading 133,326 Distance run 252kms

We leave Khetri House at 8.30 with Eugene for the short drive to the remarkable Amber Fort and Palace in the nearby Aravalli Hills.

The Amber Fort & Palace

The Amber Fort we see today was built by the Kachwaha Rajputs in the 16th century on the site of an earlier fortification. Moghul architecture greatly influenced the architectural style of several buildings in the Fort, including the Diwan-i Aam (Hall of Public Audience) and the Diwan-i Khas (Hall of Private Audience). Amber was the capital of the present Jaipur region from the 10th century and when its spectacular position in the Aravalli Hills became to small for the expanding population, Maharajah Sawai Jai Singh II founded modern Jaipur and moved the capital there in 1727. There is a fairly steep climb up to the fort from the bus park, but you can ride an elephant up at a cost of 13 rupees.

The main courtyard & columns of the Baradari Pavilion, Amber Fort

Ganesh Pol, the entrance to Maharajahs' rooms of Amber Palace & delicate marble inlay work

The Palace at Amber has some incredibly detailed frescoes, sculptures and inlay work. The richly decorated Ganesh Pol is the entrance to the private palaces of the former Maharajah and dates from 1621-27. The Diwan-i Aam has 27 columns with elephant-shaped capitals.

Mirrored ceiling of Sheesh Mahal

But perhaps the highlight is the Sheesh Mahal, or Palace of Mirrors, built by Maharajah Man Singh in the 16th century. The walls and ceiling and covered with mirror mosaics and coloured glass and at night were a "glittering jewel box in flickering candlelight." Unfortunately over the years unscrupulous visitors have picked out many of the lower mirrors, and just one man is currently skilled enough to replace them.

Eugene will explain in some detail the uses of the different buildings within the ancient city walls and tell us the history of Amber.

High on a promontory, known as the Cheel ka Teela or Hill of Eagles, overlooking Amber Palace is the Jaigarh Fort, built in 1726 by Jai Singh. Although not currently open to the public (in 1980), Jaigarh Fort, in its day, had one of the world’s most efficient cannon foundries. Jaigarh is connected to the Amber fort by an underground tunnel which was built as an escape route to enable members of the royal family to move to the more defendable hilltop fort in time of war.

We will take our leave of Eugene here at Amber and after lunch drive on to Delhi where we will be staying at the Ranjit (Rat-shit) Hotel. It's not as bad as its nickname makes out!

The nut & spice seller in the courtyard of Amber Fort

COMMENTS from passengers: Gopher seems to be in for a lot of verbal comments today! Could it have something to do with the watermelon punch or, perhaps, a rather tasty cookie?

The Queen of Hearts brought some tarts, but the picnic is cancelled due to unexpected monsoon.

Day 12 Fri 6 June DELHI

Departure time: 9AM Tach reading: 133,538 Distance run: 71kms

This morning our guide, Captain Vohra (ex-Indian Army), will meet us at the hotel and take us on a half-day tour of the Indian Capital. First stop will be the Lakshmi-Narayan Hindu Temple (Birla Mandir), opened by Mahatma Gandhi in the 1930s. All materials used and craftsmen involved in the construction were from India and the contemporary art work is rather interesting.

Lakshmi-Narayan, or Birla, Temple; Qutb Minar & the unfinished Alai Minar

From Birla Temple, the Captain will take us through the Parliament area of New Delhi to the Secretariat and the President’s House, designed early in the 20^th century by the British architects, Sir Herbert Baker and Sir Edwin Lutyens. In fact all of New Delhi was laid out by the British specifically to be the capital of British India and on December 23 1912, the capital was moved here from Calcutta. The President’s House was originally the Viceregal Palace. The current President of India (1980) is Neelam Sanjiva Reddy.

Indian Army Lancers at the Presidents House, New Delhi

After passing through the diplomatic area we come to the original site of Delhi and the oldest Moslem remains in the area. Here is the famous Qutb Minar, the world’s largest minaret, and the ruins of the unfinished Quwwat-ul-Islam, or Might of Islam Mosque both of which date from the late 12th century. Here also is the Rustless Iron Pillar that Erich von Daniken, a Swiss writer who theorised that there was extraterrestrial influences on ancient civilisations, recently made a big fuss of, claiming it was made of ‘unknown alloys’. The pillar is 99.9% pure iron and dates from the reign of Chandragupta II in the early 5^th century AD. This fine piece is a tribute to the skill of the ancient Indian metallurgists and certainly didn’t come from outer space as von Daniken claimed. In fact, he did concede he was wrong in a later interview with Playboy Magazine saying, rather flippantly, of the ‘Rustless’ Iron Pillar: “we can forget about this iron thing.”

The Rustless Iron Pillar from Qutb Minar & the Courtyard

From the Qutb Minar we head back to Old Delhi via Raj Ghat where Matahtma Gandhi was cremated after his assassinated in Delhi in early 1948. We then continue past the Red Fort to Connaught Circus, the commercial centre of New Delhi and back to the Ranjit Hotel. Afternoon and all tomorrow is free time.

Buildings in Connaught Circus, the centre of New Delhi

Day 13 Sat 7 June DELHI

Today is free to shop or sight-see further. Places to visit include Delhi Zoo with its white tigers; Chandni Chowk, the crowded shopping street of old Delhi; the Jama Masjid (Great Mosque); the 17th century Red Fort of Delhi, commissioned by Shah Jahan; Ferozshah Kotla, the 14th century fort with an Asokan Pillar and the 16th century Purana Qila, or old palace.

Old Delhi from a minaret of Jama Masjid, the Great Mosque

The Jama Masjid, one of the largest mosques in India, was built on the orders of Shah Jahan between 1650 and 1656 at a cost of one million rupees, and was to be the focal point of Shahjahanabad, his new capital. Jama Masjid is one of the best examples of a blend of white marble and red sandstone in the Islamic world.

The Ashokan column atop 14th century Ferozshah Kotla

Ferozshah Kotla fort was built by Sultan Firoz Shah Tughlaq who ruled Delhi from 1351 and 1388. The Ashokan Pillar dates from the 3rd century BC and was moved to its present position in 1356. The Pillar has what is prehaps the best know of Ashoka's decrees: 'Along the highroads I have caused fig trees to be planted that they may be for shade to animals and men...'

16th century Purana Qila, the Old Fort built by Humayun

Purana Qila means the 'Old Fort' and was constructed by Moghul Emperor Humayun in the first half of the 16th century on what was said to be the site of Indraprastha, the city of the legendary Pandavas whose story is told in the epic Mahabharata.

It was in Purana Qila that the second Moghul Emperor, Humayun, tripped on his robes while he was answering the call to prayer, and fell to his death in 1556.

The beautiful Tomb of Humayun, built in the late 16th century

The Tomb of the second Moghul Emperor Humayun was commissioned by his first wife and chief consort, Empress Bega Begum. Designed by Persian architects, this was the first garden-tomb to be built on the Indian sub-continent.

Jai Singh Ii's Delhi Observatory; white tiger at Delhi Zoo & a place of quiet contemplation

Emperor Sawai Jai Singh II of Jaipur's Delhi observatory is not quite as complex as that in Jaipur but still worth a look around - if you can find it.

St. James, or Skinner's Church, one of the oldest in Delhi

Near the Kashmir Gate in old Delhi is St James Church, better known as Skinner's Church. The Church was built between 1826 & 1836 by the Anglo-Indian Colonel James Skinner, Sikandar Sahib, who, in the early 19th century raised two regiments of irregular cavalry for the East India Company which became known as 'Skinner's Horse' which are still units of the Indian Army. The Church was, for a number of years, the church of the Viceroys and a number of prominent British administrators and soldiers, including Skinner himself, are buried in the Churchyard.

This evening I will arrange a meal of tandoori chicken at Moti Mahal, a popular restaurant in Old Delhi, then we will visit the ‘Sound and Light’ show at the Red Fort.

PASSENGER COMMENTS: Got a good run for our money at Moti Mahals!!!