My husband and fellow NNNS Director, Philip, celebrated a significant’ birthday in October. I asked Philip where he’d like to go to mark the occasion, he replied “India – to some of those places that you’ve been to but I haven’t”. Amritsar, Jaipur and Udaipur were on the wish list and I set about creating an itinerary, adding some of my favourite places to stay in rural Rajasthan and some down time in Goa at the end. We are now at Goa airport after completing a magical three weeks exploring, reconnecting & absorbing a varied range of sights and experiences. We even became shepherds for a morning & witnessed the birth of a goat whilst on a chai break!
Amritsar has a lot to offer and doesn’t disappoint. Cultural capital of the Punjab, the bread basket of India, the highlight is the magnificent Golden Temple. We watched the evening Palki ceremony where the holy Sikh book is carried on a golden palanquin to be put to bed, admired the magnificence of the Golden Temple and strolled around the holy lake absorbing the atmosphere of devotees taking a dip. But the real highlight for us was the community kitchen – cooking on an epic scale to feed around 100,000 people every day. Everyone is welcome to have a nutritious meal, regardless of race, religion or financial means. I’m particularly drawn to this aspect of the Sikh religion. We joined local volunteers grouped amongst the vast urns, to roll chapatis and once cooked, anoint them with ghee. We joined hundreds of others in the dining hall, sitting in rows on the floor as rice, dhal and chapatis were served onto our metal meal trays. Such an incredible, humbling experience. The next day after enjoying a heritage walk through the lanes of the old town, we headed to Atari for the famous Wagah border ceremony. The border itself is currently closed due to the Pakistan terrorist attacks earlier in the year. But the daily closing ceremony still takes place and is as bizarre as ever. Strutting military personnel entice the crowd encouraging loud proclamations of Hindustan aimed at the somewhat somber collection of people across the gates on the Pakistan side. It’s all a bit ridiculous but an experience not to be missed.
Onwards to Jaipur, the pink city, so called because it was once painted pink to honour the visit of British royalty. In reality, it is more terracotta than pink – the Government fund a painting refresh every couple of years to keep the city looking smart. This is classic Rajasthan; the impressive City Palace and imposing Amer fort. Add in the unique Jantar Mantar outdoor observatory with the largest sundial in the world and you’ve covered Jaipur’s main sights. But I urge you to delve deeper as we did and spend a day exploring behind the scenes. An early morning adventure with Pink City Rickshaw was fabulous, especially meandering through the fascinating wholesale fruit, vegetable and flower markets. We have been supporting this organisation since they started – a group of female rickshaw drivers undertaking a range of off beat tours. After some chill time by the pool at the glorious Samode Haveli, we headed out for a guided cultural walk of Jaipur’s crafts and market areas. This was a side of Jaipur that had been missing for me and I loved it – finally, I had found the soul of Jaipur. We ended our day with a bottle of Sula Indian wine at the eclectic new bar nestled within the grounds of the City Palace. Apparently the current Maharaja loves to party and this was a great find!
Enroute to Udaipur I’d planned stays at two of my favourite properties in rural Rajasthan. Lakshman Sagar is a former royal hunting lodge now transformed into a quirky resort with rustic villas scattered around a tranquil lake. A place to enjoy nature, the iconic swimming pool carved into the rocks and explore the local area. We decided to try the goat herding experience which was great fun. Dressed in local attire, we joined a local shepherd and his flock for the morning as he led the animals to grazing land. The mid morning tea break was like none other we have ever experienced – freshly milked goats milk boiled over a makeshift fire with chai and sugar. Absolutely delicious. One goat decided this was the moment to give birth which we witnessed in astonishment. That evening we toasted the new arrival with a local liquor tasting session. A variety of new tipples were tried & tested, some interesting and pleasant, others not so. But good fun with our host at Lakshman Sagar. Shahpura Bagh is a lovely immersive heritage experience in the ancestral home of Jai Singh and his family. Expansive suites, tremendous food, attentive service and a stunning pool are some of the highlights. And of course there’s bed tea – who doesn’t love bed tea! We enjoyed a sundowner drink during a boat ride on the property lake as the sun set – a deep crimson ball sinking into the horizon. We enjoyed a jeep excursion to the local family farm, pausing at local villages where we were met with huge enthusiasm by the locals. This is an insight into real local rural life – we admired ladies re plastering the outside of their houses with a mix of mud & cow dung. An essential maintenance task after the heavy monsoons. Our host guided us through the local Shahpura village where preparations for Diwali were well underway. The markets were thriving with locals eager to purchase their items to celebrate the festival of lights. At one point I found myself sitting in a shack with the store owner who proceeded to seek my advice on his investment portfolio (on his mobile naturally), once he discovered I was a chartered accountant by profession. Let’s hope my suggestions paid off! The ruined fort of Dikola sits majestically on a hilltop in a village around 30 minutes drive from Shahpura Bagh. A visit at sunset is included in your stay with various ‘upgrades’ available. We opted for the champagne sunset setup. Wow! Stunning views across the countryside atop a fort turret with candles, canapés & champagne. An early birthday celebration for Mr A & something that will linger for years to come.
Onwards to Udaipur, the Venice of India. The vibe is different here. The City Palace is regal and magnificent but as we wander through the lanes of the old town, there’s also a traveller’s feel with numerous small shacks and guesthouses. We experience an aarti ceremony at the Jagdish temple before heading for lunch at Ambrai, the lakeside restaurant adjacent to Amet Haveli (a great place to stay) with sublime views across Lake Pichola to the iconic Taj Lake Palace hotel, as featured in Octopussy. Post lunch we take a boat ride to the summer palace for drinks with a view of the beautiful City Palace. It reminds us of Valletta in Malta. Philip’s birthday is spent indulging in the delights of our hotel, RAAS Devigarh which is a 30 minute drive from Udaipur city. This property is outrageously good. Our suite seems to stretch forever and includes a panoramic sit out overlooking the Araveli mountain range. We hit the spa & I have my chakras realigned! Not sure what that involved but this was one of the very best spa treatments I have ever had. Mr A had similar sentiments about his deep tissue massage. The birthday evening was a spectacular event – a private dining extravaganza at the rooftop of the fort amidst many candles and floral decorations. We were joined by our local Indian partner, Anuj & his wife Geetika. It was a magical evening.
And finally to Goa. The monsoon rains should have more or less finished by late October but decided to prolong their stay. So our days envisaged at the beach enjoying the beach shacks didn’t really materialise sadly. Nonetheless, we enjoyed some down time at Alila Diwa where we particularly appreciated the benefits of the Diwa Club; a la carte breakfast anytime from 7am to 7pm, afternoon chai & snacks, and cocktails & canapés hour in the evening. We walked to local restaurants and particularly rated Camron, literally opposite the main gates of Alila Diwa. Super cheap & super tasty!
As I reflect on this trip, one aspect that I think contributed to its success was the pace of travel. We stayed for three nights at each destination, apart from Goa where we had longer. In reality, three nights gives you two full days to explore the area and appreciate your surroundings. I really do thing this should be a minimum. So that’s my advice, do less, but see more and connect at a deeper level. India never disappoints and you’ll be back for more…
