Free Week: Explore Rajasthan, India

There is perhaps only one country that could be classed as a cultural multiverse. Hundreds of languages, 1.2 billion people, dozens of cuisines, thirty five states over a million square miles, ancient religious practices coexisting with a democracy pursuing a space programme. And it’s all criss-crossed by a reliable and cheap transport network. So yes, you can have any type of holiday imaginable in India; the only shared guarantee is that it will, of course, be memorable.

We set off for twelve nights’ honeymoon attempting to follow a vintage itinerary across Rajasthan, the North West Indian state famous for iconic forts and regal history, which also hosts two of South Asia’s best contemporary international cultural festivals: Jodhpur for folk music, and Jaipur for literature. We chucked in a twist by detouring a 100km off the beaten track to try and stay in Ramathra Fort, a family home now renovated as a boutique hotel near Ranthambore National Park.

The usual initiation to India is arrival in Delhi, but the best thing to do is probably to leave as soon as possible. Like many capitals, Delhi is a town of public monuments and government buildings, lacking the distinct local character of India’s other megalopolises – the culture of Calcutta, beaches of Chennai and sheer electric enthusiasm of Mumbai. There’s enough to fill a whole holiday in Delhi, but unless you love State monuments, your holiday is better spent elsewhere.

First Stop: Taj Mahal

Leaving Delhi, three or four hours away by car or train is Agra, which is a long way to see one thing. But when it’s the Taj Mahal, it really is worth it. Built in the 17th century by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his beloved third wife, it must be one of the most aesthetically beautiful structures ever created, and is managed to the degree that it appears almost as perfect today as it was when it was first completed.

We decided to stay in Agra for two nights, near to the Taj Mahal at the Trident Hotel. This meant we could get up in time for the sunrise, the light reflecting off the white marble and embedded gemstones of the main dome. Plenty of organised tours will offer a trip from Delhi to the Taj Mahal and back in a day, but my tip would be to show some respect to the Taj and yourself and allow a night at Agra so you can properly appreciate one of the wonders of the world.

Next: Ramathra Fort

Around 225km from Agra, it took six hours by car including a stop off at the wonderful Fatehpur Sikri palace complex, a kind of Indian Hampton Court and one of the best preserved collections of 16th century Mughal architecture still standing. The last two and half hours were effectively off road, and as our driver’s nerves increased, our excitement grew, keenly scanning the horizon for a hilltop palace.

Once we finally made it up a steep, narrow avenue of trees, we passed through the gates and in to a courtyard. The 350 year old fort is gradually being renovated by the founder’s descendents, Ravi and Gitanjali, who made a decision around ten years ago to move back there and restore it as a home and boutique hotel, after growing tired of city life. They started with six grand tents across the lawn, and have now added six large suites built in to the walls of the Fort looking west across a vast expanse of fertile countryside.

The rooms have no tv, but the view beats anything an HD screen could offer, especially from our private terrace complete with large outdoor bath. Over four days we gradually wound down in the perfect solitude and tranquillity. With no intrusion from the ‘outside’ world (although they do have wifi), you’re able genuinely to appreciate the environment around you. Time is set by three meals a day – the rate full board, as there’s nowhere else to eat within an hour’s drive – and with all the vegetables and meat sourced daily from their farm at the bottom of the hill, and yoghurt churned fresh from their dairy, I don’t think we ate better anywhere else. And an after-dinner digestif is not to be missed when you have a sunset that cloaks half of Rajasthan.

And finally: Jaipur

Jaipur, four hours drive north east, is another world entirely. Founded in the 18th century, there are four or five major tourist attractions from that era, but it’s also a modern State capital which doesn’t come across as a tourist town. Most of the big hotels are further from the old centre, so we tried the tactic of the best room in a mid-range. The ‘Pearl Palace Heritage Hotel’ offered an enormous suite overlooking a quiet residential area, a ten-minute auto-rickshaw journey from the old walled city. The helpful staff made up for the cold water, and I definitely would recommend staying somewhere central, cheap and very cheerful rather than one of the grander offerings that line Jaipur’s outskirts.

Jaipur’s old walled city was designed to have six sectors, which now are full of trade and manufacturing, textiles and gems being thrust at you everywhere. You can probably buy everything and anything in Jaipur, but you will need a lot of time and patience to find it. However, the central Palace quarter contains not only the famous, five storey ‘Palace of the Winds’, designed with nearly 1000 small windows to allow Royal ladies to observe the busy street life without losing their modesty, but also the Jantar Mantar observatory, a collection of huge astronomical instruments built between 1727 and 1734.

Sir Isaac Newton may have first realised sitting under an apple tree was foolish, but not long after, in Jaipur, Jai Singh II was building a sun dial that could tell him the time to within two seconds. This is just one of fourteen devices, still standing and working accurately today, that make the Jantar Mantar a World Heritage Site and worth visiting Jaipur for alone.

We spent two days wondering through Jaipur’s markets and palaces, and another visiting the awesome Amer Fort, which is visually on a par with Tibet’s famous Potala Palace and has a nice line of walls winding off on ridges in to the horizon, to add to the China comparison. We also managed to fit in a one hour elephant safari through the local countryside, to enjoy the slower side to India away from the rush of a country relentlessly careering in to the future, dragging a billion people with it.

The verdict?

Rajasthan might not be the most ‘off the beaten path’ destination in India, but that’s because it’s one of the best loved areas, and for the right reasons. There will be plenty of tour groups in your path, but you can just as easily copy the itinerary for half the price with a day’s planning from home. Rajasthan is also one and half times the size of the UK so a fortnight will barely scratch the surface, and there are special treasures like Ramathra Fort to linger at. For anyone who likes a week (or two) with a difference, our advice would be to fly to Delhi – and then get out there to sample the country’s heritage.

Words & Photos: Tim Sowula