Chp 2.

Although I had named him Field Marshal Jango, we all called him Chinoo. He was a complete odd ball. He made up for what he lost in height with his personality. Mischievous to boot, he always got his way. Couple of days after he was a month old, I gave out an ad in our local newspaper the Times of India for adoption of the six puppies. Including him and his brethren - all mix breed. A young guy of 24 year living in Dahisar (close to where we stay) walked in one day to adopt a pup.

His mistake, he chose Chinoo. Adamant Chinoo barked, nipped and refused the invitation outright, he tore the trouser leg of this visitor completely. Eventually, the visitor laughed and requested my sister not to give him away, for this dog was precious and had expressed quiet well that my sister was his owner and no one else could take this place. Eventually she gave away four pups, keeping back two, the first born Chinoo and the last born the youngest Snowy, his sister (cause she was and still is pure white in colour) in her family. They became the newest members of her family.

(Well, it seems appropriate that I mention here that one of the male dogs given to a Sepoy in Central Excise Department, died ten months after Chinoo died. He was being kept on a chicken farm near Pune, Maharashtra and was bitten by a poisonous snake, the doctors could not really decipher which antidote to administer he treatment in time. Maybe if he had been in the city he could have survived.) My sister had kept insisting that it was a mistake to breed my male dog with her female dog was a mistake. She kept insisting that we will not be able to give them all a loving and caring home. The two female pups are living pretty far from where we stay, and there is almost no news except a call that we make once in a while. One pup stays close to our place and has now become a father to four pups. He has shifted base from the city and is staying on a farm with his large family close to his owner’s father.

Chinoo, means Chinese in Hindi, a name given to him, cause someone in the family found his eyes too close to his forehead which gave him a little flat and chinky look. His sister Snowy, the last born in the litter of six , all of whom had a combination of black, white and golden hairs. She was pure pink in colour when born and is white where her hair covers her but pink in places not covered.

Chinoo had floppy ears, one that fell over his ear and the other almost stood sideways, giving him sort of a wonky look that made him look as though he was born mischievous. Short legs, a tailed that curled around twice and remained tight against his back, and would spring back into shape no matter how long we held it straight out. He walked with pride, his head always held high. His only problem was, he could never hold his bladder for long and always needed to go ‘every hour on the hour’ for a pee.

He usually sat with his head on his paws, and could remain asleep for hour’s altogether; no amount of noise from the TV would wake him. But an intruder's knock on the door and he would be on his feet, growling and barking. He would stop only to wag his tail if the visitor was known to him. He never slept at night, no matter what time you got up, he would be awake, to keep an eye on things and give you company.

He loved one person fiercely and that was my sister. He always waited for her to sit crossed legged on the floor, and he would promptly find a reason to jump into her lap and cover himself with her dress. Pick himself and work his paws on the dress and settle down again, closing his eyes and catching a nap. There was no way he could be forced to move till he finished his nap.

He had a glint in his eyes that stole everyone's heart. I noticed many people getting irritated with his behaviour, going to pee every hour, growling and barking incessantly when he did not like somebody, but no amount of anger and reprimand could dissuade him from doing exactly what he wanted to do. He jumped, ran and scrambled all over the house, the entire a one storey cottage space. No corner was left un-smelt and untouched. There was no barrier that could stop him - the sofa was meant to be jumped over to reach the window and the grill. People were meant to be scared with a speed run that imitated an express train coming towards you but halted just in time.

Each escapade brought a nervous laughter from the newcomers and the householders. For they knew he meant no harm, it was his way of playing games and may be it was a 'test of strength of character'. This seemed to hold a lot of importance for this tiny dog.

Sher Shah suri’s tomb

The tomb of Sher Shah Suri and his son here reflects the life style of a 16th century Afghans who were dubbed in history as usurpers of the Mughal throne. However, the Pathan history discounts Babur and Humayun as interlopers, for they have been important in India for more than 300 years previously to Mughals. Sasaram, although just a medieval basti (village) and a small trading outpost today. It is bifurcated by Sher Shah’s Grand Trunk Road, on which no less than 25,000 trucks pass every day.The Puranas tell a story about Sasaram. The enmity between the Kartavirya Sahasrarjuna (literally thousand hands) and Parasurma led to the death of Sahasranjuna by Parasurma. The followers of Sahasrarjuna settled here calling it Sahasrarjuna-pura or Sahsaram. The discovery of Ashokan inscriptions on a small rock cut cave have eight lines of Brahmi script inscribed on the rocky boulder. This cave, overlooks the town, and is on the summit of Chandan Shaheed hill, named after a saint whose tomb is located close to the cave. Chandan is believed to be one of the Sufi saints who accompanied Muhmud of Ghazni.Bahul Lodi who had encouraged the migration of his countrymen to Hindustan was ultimately disappointed with their disunity. Hasan Khan and his father Ibrahim Khan Suri came to India and were granted jagirs (land lordship) in Punjab. Their fortunes swayed with that of their masters and later Hasan moved to Jaunpur and finally to Sasaram. Sher Shah was born in Narnaul and spent his childhood at Sasaram. Early in the 16th century, Sasaram, under Hasan Khan Sur was a part of the Sharqi kingdom of Jaunpur. Sher Shah developed Sasaram into a successful administrative unit. It was an important trading post and often people came here to buy horses and later Sher Shah built a mint here. His currency reform was followed by the Mughals and maintained by the Britishers. These tombs were built under the genius of Alawal Khan, the master architect. He was first commissioned to erect the tomb of Hasan Khan in 1535. A high compound wall encloses Hasan’s mausoleum with gateways on its sides and domed turrets at the corners. Attached to the tomb is the flat roofed prayer hall and madarsa. There is no plinth. The main tomb consists of a large octagonal tomb chamber surrounded by a wide verandah on all the sides. On each of the eight sides, the verandah is provided with three arched openings and three corresponding domes above it. The main tomb chamber rises higher than the domed roofs of the verandah and supports the larger central dome. Within the tomb chamber there are 25 graves, including that of Hasan Khan Suri in the center. The middle story of the monument appears to have been executed hurriedly with just bare walls instead of the kiosks and jalis. Sher Shah’s tomb is larger than the original model. The tank appears to have been excavated solely for the purpose of providing a quaint view of the tomb. The multi coloured glazed tiles and painted decoration must have added to rich reflection. Unfortunately few traces remain. This three-storied mausoleum rises to a height of 45.7 m and was originally planned to be a typical island tomb with no access to the mainland. There are stairways on each side of the tomb leading to the water, the landing platform on the eastern side and finally a causeway between the tomb and the guardroom. The guardroom or the entrance porch on the edge of the northern side of the lake is flanked by two mosques on either side, and was meant to provide crew and rafts to the serious visitors willing to see the tomb properly. A bridge of arches was provided to link the entrance porch and the tomb. The bridge did not last and the visitors used rafts made of earthen pots until 1881, when the present causeway was constructed.The mausoleum appears to be perfectly symmetrical but its base is believed to have a slight deviation at the cardinal points. However, they have been skillfully adjusted to give the impression of perfect alignment. The mausoleum is built on a large square terrace, the corners of which support the octagonal pavilions with small kiosks between them. The entrance gives way to a wide verandah on all sides, shaded by a series of 24 small domes supported on arches and each corner of the verandah is provided with a cupola. The tomb chamber is plain with traces of faded inscriptions on the western wall. The interior is well ventilated and the light comes through the large windows on the top portion of the walls fitted with jalis. The grave of Sher Shah is surrounded by 24 of his compatriots. The dome surpasses that of the Taj Mahal by 13 feet, and is based on the beam and bracket principle, allowing eight sides to fuse into a circle. The exterior was originally glazed and painted with a definite colour combination of red, blue, gold and white. Traces of colours can still be seen on the parapets and battlements.Sher Shah’s body was brought from Kalinjar after being injured in an explosion during the final assault on the fort. He managed to survive until the news of the final victory. Salim Shah, his son lies in a tomb half-a-kilometer NW of here. His tomb is grand but incomplete. New architectural designs included are - a larger lake, eleven small passages covered by stone beams, minars and pillars at all angles of the outer octagon. Alawal Khan’s tomb lies on the outskirts of the town he was the superintendent of tombs constructed.

Gothic Bombay

Bombay grew as an urban centre under the direction of the British who brought their aesthetic values with them from ‘home’. In the 18th and early 19th centuries, they experimented with the neo-Classical style of architecture, but then, suddenly, the city charted a new course that reflected contemporary European fashions. Gothic architecture of the medieval ages became high fashion, admired for its human scale and the manual construction techniques its appearance evoked.Gothic style buildings express their purpose quite directly on their exterior form. So, vertically, articulated by externally perceptible staircases, large open halls, functional areas, or visible methods of managing load, is observable on the outside of these buildings. This legibility of function is a hallmark of the Gothic.The Classical aesthetic strives to achieve restfulness with an orderly monochromatic presence, whereas the Gothic style is expressive, disturbing and disjointed with lively coloured surfaces. Flying buttresses, lancet windows and stained glass are noteworthy features of such architecture, and its buildings are often embellished with carved and narrative elements.The various Gothic styles employed in Bombay do relate both in appearance and in practice with contemporary structures in Britain. Magazines, photographs and the ease and frequency of travel between Bombay and Britain all contributed to the thorough and accurate dissemination of the latest design theories within India.The buildings of Bombay are, in many ways, unmistakably different from structures erected for similar uses in Britain. Some of these dissimilarities are naturally related to the climate and the construction materials employed, as even Smith had heartily argued that Gothic architecture had to be adapted to the climate and sunlight of the Indian subcontinent.The Victorians first employed science, engineering and imported products to solve their perceived architectural problems in India. But over time, creative architects who chose to work and live in the city became the dominant component that determined Bombay’s appearance. Architects such as Emerson, Stevens, Adams and Murzban adapted the accepted theories of architecture to the particular needs of India.Bombay Gothic’s heyday ended for many reasons. As political events in India became associated with stylistic preferences in architecture and nationalism began to coalesce into a recognizable movement, the architectural profession responded accordingly.The younger architects were actively looking for fresh solutions to stylistic and formal questions in architecture..

(Excerpted from Bombay Gothic By Christopher W London Published by IBH)

Lake Sasaram

The noblest specimen of Pathan architecture lies amidst the artificial lake at Sasaram, the envy of many an emperor.
The tomb of Sher Shah Suri and his son here reflects the life style of a 16th century Afghans who were dubbed in history as usurpers of the Mughal throne. However, the Pathan history discounts Babur and Humayun as interlopers, for they have been important in India for more than 300 years previously to Mughals. Sasaram, although just a medieval basti (village) and a small trading outpost today. It is bifurcated by Sher Shah’s Grand Trunk Road, on which no less than 25,000 trucks pass every day.The Puranas tell a story about Sasaram. The enmity between the Kartavirya Sahasrarjuna (literally thousand hands) and Parasurma led to the death of Sahasranjuna by Parasurma. The followers of Sahasrarjuna settled here calling it Sahasrarjuna-pura or Sahsaram. The discovery of Ashokan inscriptions on a small rock cut cave have eight lines of Brahmi script inscribed on the rocky boulder. This cave, overlooks the town, and is on the summit of Chandan Shaheed hill, named after a saint whose tomb is located close to the cave. Chandan is believed to be one of the Sufi saints who accompanied Muhmud of Ghazni.Bahul Lodi who had encouraged the migration of his countrymen to Hindustan was ultimately disappointed with their disunity. Hasan Khan and his father Ibrahim Khan Suri came to India and were granted jagirs (land lordship) in Punjab. Their fortunes swayed with that of their masters and later Hasan moved to Jaunpur and finally to Sasaram. Sher Shah was born in Narnaul and spent his childhood at Sasaram. Early in the 16th century, Sasaram, under Hasan Khan Sur was a part of the Sharqi kingdom of Jaunpur. Sher Shah developed Sasaram into a successful administrative unit. It was an important trading post and often people came here to buy horses and later Sher Shah built a mint here. His currency reform was followed by the Mughals and maintained by the Britishers. These tombs were built under the genius of Alawal Khan, the master architect. He was first commissioned to erect the tomb of Hasan Khan in 1535. A high compound wall encloses Hasan’s mausoleum with gateways on its sides and domed turrets at the corners. Attached to the tomb is the flat roofed prayer hall and madarsa. There is no plinth. The main tomb consists of a large octagonal tomb chamber surrounded by a wide verandah on all the sides. On each of the eight sides, the verandah is provided with three arched openings and three corresponding domes above it. The main tomb chamber rises higher than the domed roofs of the verandah and supports the larger central dome. Within the tomb chamber there are 25 graves, including that of Hasan Khan Suri in the center. The middle story of the monument appears to have been executed hurriedly with just bare walls instead of the kiosks and jalis. Sher Shah’s tomb is larger than the original model. The tank appears to have been excavated solely for the purpose of providing a quaint view of the tomb. The multi coloured glazed tiles and painted decoration must have added to rich reflection. Unfortunately few traces remain. This three-storied mausoleum rises to a height of 45.7 m and was originally planned to be a typical island tomb with no access to the mainland. There are stairways on each side of the tomb leading to the water, the landing platform on the eastern side and finally a causeway between the tomb and the guardroom. The guardroom or the entrance porch on the edge of the northern side of the lake is flanked by two mosques on either side, and was meant to provide crew and rafts to the serious visitors willing to see the tomb properly. A bridge of arches was provided to link the entrance porch and the tomb. The bridge did not last and the visitors used rafts made of earthen pots until 1881, when the present causeway was constructed.The mausoleum appears to be perfectly symmetrical but its base is believed to have a slight deviation at the cardinal points. However, they have been skillfully adjusted to give the impression of perfect alignment. The mausoleum is built on a large square terrace, the corners of which support the octagonal pavilions with small kiosks between them. The entrance gives way to a wide verandah on all sides, shaded by a series of 24 small domes supported on arches and each corner of the verandah is provided with a cupola. The tomb chamber is plain with traces of faded inscriptions on the western wall. The interior is well ventilated and the light comes through the large windows on the top portion of the walls fitted with jalis. The grave of Sher Shah is surrounded by 24 of his compatriots. The dome surpasses that of the Taj Mahal by 13 feet, and is based on the beam and bracket principle, allowing eight sides to fuse into a circle. The exterior was originally glazed and painted with a definite colour combination of red, blue, gold and white. Traces of colours can still be seen on the parapets and battlements.Sher Shah’s body was brought from Kalinjar after being injured in an explosion during the final assault on the fort. He managed to survive until the news of the final victory. Salim Shah, his son lies in a tomb half-a-kilometer NW of here. His tomb is grand but incomplete. New architectural designs included are - a larger lake, eleven small passages covered by stone beams, minars and pillars at all angles of the outer octagon. Alawal Khan’s tomb lies on the outskirts of the town he was the superintendent of tombs constructed.

Sloppy Licks and Shifting Sands

Domesticated thousands of years ago, tamed and trained by the Frankincense traders to make long journeys, camel became the desert dweller’s primary source for everything -- almost.
BY HARPREET KAUR
They are tall, funny to look at and smell. They tag along and do their own thing where food and water are concerned. They sport a personality, are cute and you might get a sloppy lick in return for a little petting. Their rolling gait and the ability to carry weight has given them the nickname the ‘Ship of the Desert’. You will either love them or hate them. But the Arabs call them Ata Allah, which means 'god’s gift’ for their good temperament, patience and intelligence, contrary to what people think of them.
Origin
Camels originated in North America about four million years ago (40,000,000) and about a million (1,000,000) years ago, they had spread across to South America, Africa and Asia. Belonging to the family of camelidae (artiodactyla order), there are only two species, camelus dromedarius (dromedary-one humped) and the camelus bactrianus (bactrian-two humped) which have survived. The dromedary (road in Greek) camel has always been used as a saddle animal, that can cover more than 100 miles a day. They can be found in arid regions from north-western India to the Arabian Peninsula, Somalia and across African deserts and are better known as Arabian camels. Herodotus’s book – Histories has referred to this particular camel. The bactrian are found all over the highlands of Central Asia, from Turkey to Mongolia. In comparison to the Arabian camels, these are able to maintain a steady pace for a longer time, normally averaging 50 km per day while carrying a heavy load.
Indian breed
Camels in India are mostly of the dromedary type. India is listed among the top ten camel countries with 1,520,000 camels. They have a long-curved neck, a deep chest and a single hump; hair is long, falling on the shoulder and hump and they vary in size according to the nutrition intake. Their approximate lifespan is 50 years and wherever you find them, they will be in a group of two to 20. Close to their human owners, they provide these desert dwellers with milk, meat, leather, hair and fuel (dried manure). A few double-humped camels can be found in the valley of Jammu and Kashmir. Major Indian breeds are called bikaneri, which has draft capability, jaisalmeri a racing camel and the kachchhi, which is usually bred for milk. Bikaneri is the most popular and widely-used camel breed in India. Found in the Bikaner district, they are built heavily and have a larger body frame compared to others. Jaisalmeri camels are lightly built and medium sized. The kachchhi have a strong body and long thick neck. Marwari, mewari, bagri and mewati are some other breeds found in India.The Thar Desert stretches infinitely into the horizon and is as harsh as it is beautiful. You may see the footprints of camel or hear the sound of the camel driver’s cry, for this is the transport here, the ship of the desert.In India, when a camel is bought, the first thing you do is peg it. A hole is made in its nose and a peg is put through it -- it can be wood, plastic or metal. This causes very little discomfort to camels if done the proper way. A wooden peg is preferable than a metal peg because in most of the hot arid regions, metal peg heats up easily than its wooden counterpart, irritating the camel’s nostril. A string is attached to the peg and a rope is passed around the camel’s neck (like a bit in the horse’s mouth). Nose pegs are preferred for better control. It took a long time to invent a saddle for the camel and its hump. It was around 500 AD, when somebody in West Asia invented a good packsaddle and after this, they began to use the camels a lot. This saddle was also responsible in a way for the development of trade routes between different countries. Indian camels have been exported all over the world and are highly prized as transport animals in dry regions. Thousands of camels are exported to countries like Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Africa priced at $100,000 to $250,000 for one camel!
Their travel and survival skills help them live nine days without food and water. But this has to be compensated after the journey with a rest for about a month with loads of food and water, till their body fat reserves are built up again. The ability to travel great distances led to the creation of Caravanserais with tight securities for the goods that were brought in. Here, they could rest and eat (both the animal and the owner). With the dawn of the modern age, the ship of the desert is no longer needed to carry goods, but is still a mode of transport vital to this particular region, even in the 20th century.
Over the years
Rajasthan has become the centre of attraction for several camel fairs and festivals held at Pushkar, together with a religious festival celebrated here in October-November, the Jodhpur Marwar Festival in October, Bikaner Camel Festival in January and the Jaisalmer Desert Festival in January-February. These fairs showcase, hundreds of camels – gaunt, well-fed, velvety brown, and sand coloured gather with their respective owners, perhaps waiting for new owners or to perform in various competitions including races. The most popular event is the camel race, where only the quickest camels participate.During these festivals, bedecked camels hover around the sand dunes in ornate saddles with tassels, mirrors and thread work. It is next to impossible to keep your eyes off them. Camel decoration has an important part in any camel festival in India, for the best decorated camel bags the prizes. According to a Jaisalmer-based camel driver and decoration artist, it takes 10 to 12 months to complete the decoration of a single camel. Price of the full decoration varies from Rs 2,500 to Rs 4,000, says an owner of 32 camels. Geometric symbols and realistic motifs are part of their body art. These motifs represent the village they come from and are meant to symbolise a variety of experiences associated with life and death. Camel products are created, marketed and used worldwide. Shoes made of camel leather are very popular throughout India. Camels here work on land, ply fodder, pull carts with material for building, work as a means of transportation, do threshing, oil transport and also lift water for irrigation. The most prestigious job among all certainly is being with the Indian Army along with Border Security Force (BSF) guarding the India-Pakistan border.Indian camels are facing extinction, with many of them exported to Bangladesh for meat. Working on tar roads exposes them to noise and serious injuries. Research is under way to find how these camels can survive on thorny bushes - it has been noticed that they eat from one place and then move on, thus allowing the tree/plants to grow at a faster rate. The idea is to allow the camels to chew cud in arid regions to foster faster growth of plants and reduce the desert and arid conditions.

SOME CAMEL FACTS
* Camels were important even 7,000-years ago and this can be seen in an old painting found in the UAE. * Camels do not pant and perspire very little. Their body has a unique thermostat that raises their body temperature by six degrees and conserves body fluid. Their body temperature is less than the air temperature around, so they conserve body heat by pressing against each other.* They come in colours varying from brown to almost black.* Their ears are small, but have acute hearing and are fur lined to stop dust and sand from entering into their ears.* Their eyes are large with a doe-like expression and are protected by a double row of long curly eyelashes that keep out dust and thick eyebrows shield the eyes from the desert sun.* Their flat and leathery pads have two toes. While walking the pads spread and prevent their feet from sinking. They walk by moving both legs on one side, simultaneously hence the rolling motion gait. * They can carry a weight of 450 kg and can work 6 to 8 months in a year and need to take rest of the year off.* The gestation period before birth is 13 months and the newborn camels walk immediately on birth.* Camel hair is most sought-after for coats, garments and artists' brushes. They shed around 2.5 kg of hair every spring. Average height is six feet at the shoulder and seven at the hump.* A camel gulps its food without chewing and later regurgitates it in cud form. They can drink 100 litres of water in ten minutes and store it in the bloodstream. However, they need very little water, as camels get the required moisture from the rich pasture they eat. They weigh around 700kg and can run at speeds of 20kph at a gallop. * The hump does not store water but it is fatty tissue. From here, the camel draws its energy. The hump shrinks and hangs to the side on excess usage, which after a rest and good food returns to its normal position.* Their bones are replacing Ivory.

Desert Storm

When the wheels of time turned, empires rose and fell. With the end of kings and kingdoms, the new generation of the royal families adapted to change, instead of remaining glued to the solemnity of past gory. They have moved on. Look to Raj Mahal Palace, feel it for yourself.Many former palaces have been successfully turned into hotels after the government abolished privy purses of the royals. This has proved a successful venture, saving many of the imposing royal structures from sale and destruction. One such palace-turned hotel is the Raj Mahal Palace Heritage hotel, near Jaipur. Smaller than the Rambagh Palace, it holds its own.It was on a short three-day trip when I got the opportunity to stay at Raj Mahal. Now a Taj property, it has maintained its grandeur after conversion to a hotel and the addition of many modern facilities.
History of Raj Mahal, Jaipur
Raj Mahal was originally known as Ranawatji-ka-Bagh and it was home to HH Sawai Bhawani Singh. Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, builder of the Pink City of Jaipur, also built this Bagh (named Maji-ka-bagh) and a palace here for his favourite queen Maharani Chandra Kumar Ranawatji (daughter of Maharana of Udaipur) in 1729.The birth of a son -- Madho Singh -- after 20 years of marriage in 1728 fuelled a power struggle within the family, leading to many palace intrigues. Finally, this forced Maharani Chandra to permanently shift here. The throne was denied to Madho Singh again in 1743 and his elder brother Ishwar Singh was installed after the death of Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh. Madho Singh finally ascended the throne after Ishwar Singh killed himself in 1750. But his mother continued to live here, which is still known by its second name - Maji-ka-Bagh. In 1821, this palace was converted into the official residence of the Resident Political Officer of the Agent General of Rajputana. The year 1821 also saw cricket being played for the first time on its lawns. The British government had started tightening its grip on the state administration. After this, a prolonged spell of insignificance followed for Raj Mahal., when it became a mere guest house. Only when the last Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II moved back from Rambagh palace to Raj Mahal did it regain its lost glory. The palace was converted into the royal residence and renamed Raj Mahal. In 1958, Rambagh was converted to a hotel and the Maharaja moved into Raj Mahal making it the official residence of the king. Many additions and alterations later, Raj Mahal was fit to be occupied by the royal family.
The Raj Mahal Hotel in Jaipur
It was in 1980 that Raj Mahal was converted to a deluxe hotel when the royal family moved out to live in other palaces. Today it is classified as a Heritage hotel. The original building forms the southern line of the present group and faces the Shahan Chabutra and an imposing gateway of the Amber Palace. Within its high walls, it covers an area approximately 10 acres and has 23 rooms that depict the royal history, and are well-furnished. The imposing gateway sports an old-fashioned fort doorway with a canon looming above..The path opens up to the huge lawns, which are provided for functions and ceremonies. When I was there, there were weddings and music performances in its lawns. The hotel has been divided into three categories with two royal suites (Maharaja and Maharani suites), three suites, eight superior rooms and ten standard rooms.My room had a picture of Maharani Gayatri Devi on the back wall. Though I had reached at night, I remember feeling intrigued and switched on every light in the room to get the feel of the place. Beautifully laid out, it had a settee near one of the windows, and a sofa and table close to the fireplace. There was also a TV and tiny fridge to contend with. But what I liked most was the writing room, which had a small table and chair with letter pads, envelopes and pen lying on the table away from a window which overlooked the same lawns that held the first cricket match in Jaipur. A beautiful site, I would open the curtains everyday early in the morning to see the peacock walk in the lawns, hear birds sing and breathe the fresh and cool air that blew across. With its authentic royal furniture and looks, Taj has maintained the feel of the palace in its original state with modern amenities.A poolside restaurant and a lush green garden sit-out are ideal for those who would like to enjoy their tea, breakfast etc. out in the open under the azure skies. Food can also be had at the inside restaurant which is quaint and quiet, with mirrors on both sides, the Maharaja’s painting on the right above the fireplace and a fantastic 200-year-old chandelier hanging from the ceiling. There is also an in-house library bar with rosewood panelling, which stocks a wide range of beverages, conference and healthcare facilities. Just outside this bar lined across the corridor are polo pictures of the Maharajas of Jaipur. The east wing rooms and the billiard room were added at different times and have a modern feel to it. Climb the stairs to the top-most level and walk onto the terrace, and an eagle's eyeview greets you. You can see the entire complex from end to end. You come away from Raj Mahal with the feeling that it was a truly royal experience. I would love to go back any day.This palace was also witness to lavish receptions and hectic political meetings with historical figures like Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Phillip, Lady Diana, Prince Charles and Lord Mountbatten attending them.
Jaipur Factfile
The nearest airport is Jaipur, 11 km away. The railway station is 3 km away. It is located on the Sardar Patel Marg. Places to visit in Jaipur:Amber Fort and Palace, City Palace and Hawa Mahal, Raj Mandir, Rambagh Palace, Jal Mahal. Experience the desert on a jeep safari, get a camel ride. You can also book for a private taxi from the reception to take you sightseeing. Things to buy in JaipurBlock printed clothes, camel skin accessories, wooden toys and puppets, kundan jewellery, blue pottery, silver jewellery and cotton fabrics of all types.

Haji Ali - The shrine off the shore

Built in 1431, this monument has been sentinel to the shores of Bombay since a long time. 500 yards into the sea from the shore, Haji Ali is said to be the tomb of an ancient merchant saint, who died on his way to Mecca. His casket was brought to Bombay, where the dargah was built by Haji Usman Rangikar, the man who owned the ship that took pilgrims to Mecca.

The white dome and the solitary minaret of the mosque behind the dargah stands out on the west shoreline of Mumbai. Behind the huge marble doorway lies the tomb enclosed in a white structure lying in an exquisite silver frame supported by marble pillars. The inside of the dome is covered in colourful glass arranged in a kaleidoscopic pattern, which spells the names of Allah in 99 different forms.

Every day, thousands of pilgrims from Mumbai and beyond walk from the shore to the dargah on the concrete walkway to say their prayers and ask for wishes, which the devout claim, do come true. The walkway some years back had just beggars lined up, but today, it has shops on its left up to the entrance of the dargah -- on the right, beggars have the full advantage of the space – they eat, sleep and make themselves at home here.

The dargah is taken care by a trust which earns approximately Rs 30 lakh a month. For the past two years as I have watched and visited it, no repairs have been carried out to the entire structure. Being thrust into the sea, the structure faces massive damage each year and repairs, plastering, reconstruction and painting are required every year.

As you walk into the Haji Ali dargah compound, and you notice the side structure is covered in the brocade cloth offered at the dargah, the pillars are cracking and almost split in half, almost ready to tumble down. With crowds of pilgrims and visitors around, one fears to imagine the consequences.

According to a stall-owner here, there is a tussle between the trustees of the dargah and the municipal corporation (BMC) . The trustees want the BMC to do the repairs and the BMC wants them to do it. In fact, he says, a suit is going on in the court and nothing can be done until the final verdict comes. So, the ancient monument awaits the final decision, braving salty winds and corrosion of time. One hopes the Haji Ali dargah gets the badly-needed repairs and the throngs of devotees spared of a calamity. Unless the urgent work required is done at the earliest, this historic structure may degenerate into a dilapidated structure, with a "NO ENTRANCE" board hung outside.

The Magic House of Jantar Mantar

Mankind has been interested in the mysteries of fate since the beginning of consciousness and when he learnt astrology and astronomy, his interest resulted in the creation of instruments that would help in making accurate predictions based on the positions of the stars and the planets. Every ruler ancient and modern had an official astrologer associated with the royal family apart from their courts. Many also ventured to create more awareness among the general public about these sciences. Sawai Jai Singh II was one of them.
The ruler of Jaipur (1699-1743), he ascended the throne when he was barely eleven years old, and the name Sawai was given as a token of respect by Emperor Aurangazeb – though short in height, he was equal to Sawai (one-and-a-half times more than any individual). Jai Singh had twin passions - the arts and the sciences, chiefly astronomy.

He was a keen astronomer and a noble in the Mughal court. Dissatisfied by the errors of brass and metal astronomical instruments, he set about correcting the existing astronomical tables and updating the almanac with more reliable instruments. He built five Jantar Mantars, located at Delhi, Jaipur, Varanasi, Ujjain and Mathura. All were built between 1724-1730 AD considered the dark age of Indian history. All these huge instruments were made in masonry.

An incident finds specific mention in history books. Muhammad Shah wanted to travel and needed an auspicious moment to do so. This resulted in a standoff between the Hindu and the Muslim astrologers. He tried to get accurate readings from brass instruments but all of them inherent flaws – they were too small and their axes were unstable; so their centres got displaced. Frustrated, he sent his mission to Samarkand, where Arab astronomer Prince Ulugh Beg had built an observatory in the 15th century housing massive stone instruments. In 1730, he also sent a mission to Lisbon, to gather all the latest information on astronomy. The mission came back with a telescope -- and the famous astronomer Xavier de Silva.



This resulted in the building of Jantar Mantar at Delhi, an observatory where the movements of the Sun, Moon and all other planets would be observed by practising astronomers and the importance of this science would be introduced to the general public. It was built at Dar-al-Khilafat, Shahjahanabad and was well away from the inhabited area of the city. Development brought it right into the heart of the city.

After its erection in 1724, it remained functional only for seven years. Observations were made each day and noted down. Later, a chart was created and was called Zij Muhammad Shahi and was dedicated to the reigning monarch.

The original name Yantra (instrument) mantra (formula) has been corrupted over the ages to Jantar Mantar. The Sun dial dominates the par and is also known as the Samrat Yantra or Brihat Samrat yantra – the huge sundial. It is an imposing structure in yellow on the far right and has a 27m high arm set at an angle of 27 degrees. The other yantras in this observatory tracked the various stars and planets. The Mishra Yantra helped to determine the longest and shortest days in the year In December, one pillar overshadowed the other and in June, it did not cast any shadow at all.

This observatory is the largest and the best preserved today, compared to the four others that he built in Jaipur, Varanasi, Ujjain and Mathura. The one in Ujjain is in complete ruins and the one in Varanasi is in a state of decay. Jaipur is the well-preserved as Raja Ram Singh in 1901 refurbished this observatory with the help of a British engineer and lined the gradations on the instrument with marble, so they would not get worn out. The Jaipur observatory was meant to collect data on a daily basis and did. Raja Jai Singh consulted his guru Pandit Jaganath. This observatory was in use in the 1940s too. Time was read, important moments were announced with the firing of a canon and less important moments announced via a drummer form the Nahargarh fort.

But many experts in this field mention that these observatories fell into disuse because of lack of thought on the part of the king – he used the old method of Ptolemy; for better results, he could have made use of the changes made by Copernicus and that his political leaning (working for Muhammad Shah) affected the building of this scientific astronomy, for Muhammad Shah withdrew his patronage.

The dream of making astronomy more accessible to the general public to make it easy for them to understand never took off. But these observatories are an important part of our scientific heritage. It will always remain an intrigue and a puzzle to all observers from the modern generation. Astronomy or astrology, everyone is intrigued and want to know what the future holds for them, but few make the effort to create a path that would make it easy and very scientific to check it out.

Destination Antarctica

The Great White Continent and the Great White Dessert are two names of Antarctica, a land of extremes and the most inhospitable continent in the world, but you will find life here too!
The fascinating great white continent of Antarctica is located 60 degrees below S latitude. It is the most distant continent, with the nearest land being South America at a distance of 965 km and India (Goa, from where the Indian expedition generally begins) at more than 11,000 km. We left India for Frankfurt, by Lufthansa Airlines, which takes about 9 hours travel time…After having spent an entire day in Frankfurt, we took our connecting 12 hour flight to Brazil where we spent some days enjoying the Amazon jungles and then we were off to Santiago, Chile (6 hours flight) where we met our co-passengers (mainly of U.S. and German nationality) for the Antarctic expedition.
The Amazon is truly the “Lung of the world.” The green belt spreads over a 2,030,000 square mile ecosystem that includes the Amazon River and Amazon Forest (the largest and most dense rainforest in the world having about five million animal species)…It’s here where the Rio Negro flows into the muddy Amazon. For many miles, the black and white waters flow side by side in separate, clearly defined streams before they finally intermingle…Though there are a 170 odd Indian cultural groups living in the Amazon, they add up to only 2,00,000 population as of today.From Santiago, the expedition agents had organised a chartered flight (LAN Chile at 8.30 am) to Ushuaia, Argentina (arrival – 12.20 pm), (flight duration 4hrs)…Ushuaia is the primary embarking port for ships heading to Western Antarctica.The tour ended at Ushuaia pier where we found our ship – ‘The World Discoverer’ and her 100 crewmembers busy, preparing for our expedition.
Journey through the Antarctic Current
The second day was onboard, wherein experts made presentations on seabirds and the marine mammals of Antarctic waters, whilst sharing their current researches. One of the talks on ‘Plate tectonics-or how earth works’ was the most interesting of them all and is the current hot favourite of every geologist. Due to the cold Antarctic summer, the southern hemisphere circulation is meteorologically stronger than that of the Northern hemisphere and the Southern Circumpolar Westerly winds remain strong throughout the year.This creates the “Brave Westerlies” as known in sailing terminology and lying between the “roaring” 40-degree, “furious” 50-degree and the “screaming” 60-degree S latitude. While passing through these latitudes (called the Drake Passage) to reach Antarctica, one often gets seasick inspite of the several medicines, acupressure wristband and medicated patch behind the ear (the effect of apatch lasts for 3-4 days), as the sea is very rough.The Drake Passage is approximately 600 miles in length and it marks the convergence of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans…Fifteen totwenty feet (5-6 feet) waves are considered “gentle” in the Drake Passage. It is not really a recommended itinerary for the “weakhearted” (or those with “weak stomach” like me). Because of the rough sea, utmost care was taken to avoid any damage and casualties in the ship. The tables and chairs are all tightly fixed to the floor. The crockery was placed on a wet tablecloth to avoid sliding. There were handrails in the passages and toilets, without which we would have surely bruised ourselves.At times the ship would sway to such an extent, that while seated in the restaurant, one could see the ocean from one side of the window and the sky on the opposite side. The four days spent to navigate through the Drake Passage, while traveling to and returning from Antarctica, were no less than a nightmare. Sometimes during the night, the shutters of the wardrobe in our rooms (although perfectly shut) would open with a bang and all our belongings would be scattered. It was like a scene straight out of a horror film. If you happened to walk without support during a big swell in the ocean, you would definitely resemble a drunkard. On our third day we woke up to the spectacular scenery of huge tabular icebergs (almost 10-15 storey high) all around the ship. An iceberg is a floating mass of freshwater ice that breaks from the seaward end of a glacier or a polar ice sheet. Broken by winds and tide, the icebergs drift for years, gradually changing in shape, until they finally melt in warmer water, further north. They form mostly duringthe spring and summer. An iceberg can weigh from 20 lac tonnes to 4 crore tonnes. The blue colour is due to the compressed ice,which is often thousands of years old. And the blue range of sunlight is thus reflected, instead of absorbed...

Excerpted from Artic And Antarctic, Journeys To The Extremities Of The Earth by Urmi Popat and is published by Manas

City By The Sea

A geographical history of Bombay (Mumbai) Mumbai originated from seven different islands that were joined together to create a single island called Mumbai ...

It took over a 150 years to join the original seven islands of Mumbai. These seven islands were lush green thickly wooded, and dotted with 22 hills, with the Arabian Sea washing through them at high tide.Mumbai or Greater Mumbai today encompasses 436 sq km. It has been a natural shipping and trading centre throughout its history and has grown in spite of lying in a seismically active zone. The original island of Mumbai was only 24 km long and 4 km wide from Dongri to Malabar Hill (at its broadest point) and the other six were Colaba, Old Woman's island, Mahim, Parel, Worli, Mazgaon. Though the list does not exhaust the number of islands that were merged into the modern city of Mumbai. In particular Salsette the large northern island, which remained under Portuguese control til 1739 is not counted among the seven.

A massive stone causeway across the Flats of the island of Bombay (low lying areas between Dongri and Malabar Hill, separated by Island of Worli), is the only proof of work that was probably done to join the islands before the arrival of the Portuguese. But, after the British arrived, the demand for land steadily increased, and by 1730; it was becoming impossible to accommodate the entire population of Mumbai inside the Fort. The sea was making inroads at Worli, Mahim and Mahalaxmi, which turned the ground between the islands into a swamp, making travel between Mumbai islands hazardous. Many commuters going to Fort by boat between the islands lost their lives whenever there was a storm during the monsoons.

The first major reclamation took place in 1708, to construct the causeway between Mahim and Sion. The second major reclamation took place in 1772, to stop the ingress of water and the consequent flooding of central Mumbai, and to connect Mahalaxmi and Worli. This is regarded as the oldest unauthorised construction that took place in Mumbai and the offender was the erstwhile Governor of Mumbai, William Hornby at a total expenditure Rs 1,00,000. The approval for the reclamation had been sought from the company of directors in England, Hornby did not expect a rejection and went ahead with the construction. The rejection arrived a year later, but, the causeway was complete and Hornby was sacked. This causeway was named Hornby Vellard, sealing the Great Breach (Breach Candy) between Dongri, Malabar hill and Worli. At the fortified Dongri hill, an esplanade and parade ground was cleared, from the walls of the Fort to the present day Crawford market.

The flat lands (from Mahalakshmi to Kamathipura, named after the Kamathi workers from Andhra Pradesh who settled here) were reclaimed only after the completion of construction at Breach Candy by Hornby in 1784. In 1803, Mumbai was connected to Salsette by a causeway from Sion. Colaba Causeway joined the island of Colaba to Mumbai in 1838, and Mahim and Bandra were connected by a causeway in 1845 at a total cost of Rs 1, 57, 000 donated entirely by Lady Avabai Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy, wife of the first baronet Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy (the government refused to build these causeways).Colaba CausewayThe Thane and Colaba causeway were built during the tenure of Sir Robert Grant, the Governor of Mumbai. He was also responsible for the construction of a number of roads between Mumbai and the hinterland.

The Colaba Causeway was completed in 1838 joining Colaba, Old Woman's island and the H-shaped island of Mumbai together. Land prices shot up and Colaba became the centre of commerce. The Causeway was widened and strengthened in 1861 and again in 1863 (Cusrow Baug is built on the causeway). The horse drawn tramcars revolutionised transport in Colaba. The Prongs Lighthouse was constructed off the island in 1875 and in the same year the Sassoon Docks were built by David Sassoon on reclaimed land. The BB & CI (Bombay and Central India ) Railways established a terminus at Colaba. 90,000 sq. yards of land was reclaimed on the western shore of Colaba by the City Improvement Trust, though opposed by eminent citizens like Sir Pherozeshah Mehta the work was completed in 1905.

A seaside promenade (Cuffe Parade) was completed the next year and was named after T W Cuffe of the Trust. The next reclamation came in 1836, when the development of the Mumbai port had already begun. Major quarrying had already begun in 1870. The hills of Chinchpokli and Byculla were quarried and dumped into the sea, to fill the land near the railway line, the swamps and also the port to prevent the accumulation of stagnant water. The first railway line was laid down in 1855 from Bori Bunder to Thane.

Byculla soon became a fashionable place to live in, bungalows of the British and affluent Indians came up. The armoury was moved from the Bombay Castle to Mazgaon in 1760 and the docks were completed in 1790. It was in 1793, that William Hornby built Bellasis Road to join Mazgaon with Malabar Hill. This left Mazgaon landlocked with the reclamations of the docks, mills came up and became the work area for the next 30 years. The fumes from the mills drove the people out from Mazgaon and into Byculla. With the closure of the breach, Byculla came into great demand as a prosperous and an elegant suburb with grand British and Parsi homes with a church that eclipsed St Thomas's Cathedral in the Fort area. The Byculla Railway station was completed in 1857.

By 1862 the town become widespread and the constructions that took place began to give rise to the modern city of Mumbai. This became a regular feature in the succeeding years. The Fort walls were demolished and the tanks right up to Parel were filled. From 1870 to 1970, industrial and commercial development prospered, which increased the spate of reclamation that ended with the famous Backbay reclamation. The opening of the Suez in 1869 made the city prosperous, additional plans were made to reclaim more land for building roads and wharves. Mumbai began to attract fortune hunters and the population grew from 13,726 in 1780 to 644,405 in 1872 in less than a hundred years. By 1906 the population of Mumbai was 977, 822.

Backbay ReclamationMumbai recognised its potential as a centre of maritime commerce. Gerald Aungier, second Governor of Bombay, developed the harbour, docks and industrial base, especially for the Parsi, Jain, and Muslim merchants and manufacturers from Gujarat. Its growing cotton trade gained momentum with the American Civil War, which had stopped the American supplies of cotton to Europe, and increased further due to the opening of the Suez Canal.Mumbai's prosperity was seen in its impressive civic and commercial buildings that came up in the second half of the 19th century. Many still exist to give Mumbai its character as the repository of Victorian architecture. A blend of colourful bazaars, religious structures, and vernacular houses, crowded into narrow winding lanes, collectively display an incredible dynamism.

The first Backbay Reclamation Company (BRC) was formed in the 1860s with the express purpose to reclaim the whole of Backbay. With the end of the American Civil War in 1865, land prices fell. The government took over the narrow strip of land created by the BRC and gave it to the BB & CI Railways (Bombay Baroda and Central India) to construct a new line between Churchgate and Colaba. A proposal was made in 1917 to reclaim 607 hectares of land between Colaba and Backbay by a group of prominent citizens and a private company. The project was taken over by the Development Directorate who planned to reclaim 463 hectares and would have to relocate the Colaba terminus, which was moved to Bombay Central. Eventually, in the meantime, W R Davidge proposed a development of wide-open spaces into recreational spaces, residential and commercial areas. It would take them until 1945 and cost them a total of Rs 11 crores, to complete the project.

The Backbay Enquiry Committee spearheaded by K F Nariman found irregularities such as an inefficient dredging craft and a newly constructed sea-wall, which had already let slip 900,000 cubic yards of mud through it. Eventually 177 hectares was developed by 1929 of which 94 hectares was sold to the military for Rs 2.06 crores and 6 hectares was incorporated into the Marine Drive and its sea wall.Independence did not end the reclamation work but a third Backbay Reclamation was put into effect and yielded the acreage on which stand the high rises of Nariman Point and Cuffe Parade. East of the Naval Dockyards some land was reclaimed and work was done to the north too. Eventually, the Supreme Court injunction protecting the shoreline and access for fishermen has slowed down the work since 1970. And the Supreme Court has added more restriction in 1990s with the Coastal Regulatory Zones. The Backbay Reclamation Project symbolised a major shift in the spirit of the city from Victorian to an International city.

Sources Bombay - The Cities within by Rahul Mehrotra and Sharda Dwivedi; Introduction to India by Toby Sinclair and Marie D'souza and http://www.theory.tifr.res.in/

Our luxury bus stopped close to the wire bridge. Across lay Manikaran, the place famous for its hot water springs, a gurudwara, temple and a mosque, all of which lie in close proximity. The bridge crossed the span of one mountain to another with a gushing river that lay in between. It was not that cold here. It is boxed in at the bottom of a vast sheer-sided chasm. It is a damp, dark place and all the action revolves around the springs. It is also called Parvati Valley. It is a good spot for trout fishing too. Everyone took off towards his or her places of worship. We were intrigued to find that the hot springs rose in bubbles close to the shore of the river, with people bathing, drinking, collecting or trying to cook rice in the hot water.

Legend has that Shiva and Parvati loved Manikaran so much that they chose to stay here for over a thousand years - until the day Parvati lost one of the gems she wore on her ear ring. Shiva searched high and low for the gem, but to no avail. The furious God opened His third eye, which would lead to the destruction of the Earth. Fearing the worst, the Gods requested Shesh Nag to search for the lost piece of jewellery. The Nag (snake) hissed and hissed, creating bubbles and hot water in the river, which threw up many precious stones including the one which Parvati lost. Legend has it that the bubbles sometimes reached and became waves 15 feet high.

Ram Temple
Since then, the water here boils and spews sulphur gas close to the shore. The water of Manikiran is used by people of all faiths for general and religious purposes. The temple has created a kund, which is used by the pilgrims coming to the Ram temple to cook rice and dal. The temple is carved in pale gray stone. There are several other temples in Manikaran, but the temple of Lord Ram has an image, which was from Ayodhya and brought by the Raja of Kullu. It has since disappeared. On one of the stones of this ancient temple, its entire history is written, but the script is not readable. During festivals, the devatas or lords of the temples in Manikaran pay regular visits here. They are carried in ceremonious processions to the Ram temple on auspicious days.

Guru Nanak Devji Gurudwara
We passed the temple to reach the Gurudwara, a two-storeyed building. After praying, we went for lunch. I found the food quite different from other Gurudwaras, with two dishes which have always been my favourite. It was a combination of dahi kadi (curd gravy), meethe chawal (sweet rice), palak (spinach) and roti (Indian bread). You may find this combination an odd one, but it was very well cooked.This Gurudwara is open to all and is highly venerated by the Sikhs. Guru Nanak visited this place with Mardana, and he is said to have performed many miracles here. This is mentioned in the autobiography of Bhai Mardana. One of the hot water baths is within the Gurudwara, while the other two are privately-owned. Some of these hot springs have been tested to contain a high dose of Uranium and radioactive minerals.

FACT FILE

You can take the HPDC bus/luxury bus; taxies can be hired. There are all types of hotels, where you can stay and cafes where you can eat.t is 45 km from Kullu. The nearest airport is at Bhuntar in Kullu. In winter, the temperatures become quite low and heavy woollens are required. In summer, cottons are recommended. The nearest railheads are at Chandigarh, Shimla and Jogindernagar.Manali is also close by, and there is a lot to see and do in Manali, including adventure sports.

Rajmahal in Jaipur

When the wheels of time turned, empires rose and fell. With the end of kings and kingdoms, the new generation of the royal families adapted to change, instead of remaining glued to the solemnity of past glory. They have moved on. Look at Raj Mahal Palace, and feel it for yourself. Many former palaces have been successfully turned into hotels after the government abolished privy purses of the royal families. Hotels have proved a successful venture, saving many of the imposing royal structures from sale and destruction. One such palace-turned hotel is the Raj Mahal Palace Heritage hotel, near Jaipur. Smaller than the Rambagh Palace, it holds its own. It was on a short three-day trip when I got the opportunity to stay at Raj Mahal. Now a Taj property, it has maintained its grandeur even after the additions of modern facilities.
History of Raj Mahal, Jaipur
Raj Mahal was originally known as Ranawatji-ka-Bagh and it was home to HH Sawai Bhawani Singh. Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, builder of the Pink City of Jaipur, also built this Bagh (named Maji-ka-bagh) and a palace here for his favourite queen Maharani Chandra Kumar Ranawatji (daughter of Maharana of Udaipur) in 1729.The birth of a son -- Madho Singh -- after 20 years of marriage in 1728 fuelled a power struggle within the family, leading to many palace intrigues. Finally, this forced Maharani Chandra to permanently shift here. The throne was denied to Madho Singh again in 1743 and his elder brother Ishwar Singh was installed after the death of Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh. Madho Singh finally ascended the throne after Ishwar Singh killed himself in 1750. But his mother continued to live here, which is still known by its second name - Maji-ka-Bagh. In 1821, this palace was converted into the official residence of the Resident Political Officer of the Agent General of Rajputana. The year 1821 also saw cricket being played for the first time on its lawns. The British government had started tightening its grip on the state administration. After this, a prolonged spell of insignificance followed for Raj Mahal, when it became a mere guest house. Only when the last Maharaja Sawai Man Singh II moved back from Rambagh palace to Raj Mahal did it regain its lost glory. The palace was converted into the royal residence and renamed Raj Mahal. In 1958, Rambagh was converted to a hotel and the Maharaja moved into Raj Mahal making it the official residence of the king. Many additions and alterations later, Raj Mahal was fit to be occupied by the royal family.
The Raj Mahal Hotel in Jaipur
It was in 1980 that Raj Mahal was converted to a deluxe hotel when the royal family moved out to live in other palaces. Today it is classified as a Heritage hotel. The original building forms the southern line of the present group and faces the Shahan Chabutra and an imposing gateway of the Amber Palace. Within its high walls, it covers an area approximately 10 acres and has 23 rooms that depict the royal history, and are well-furnished. The imposing gateway sports an old-fashioned fort doorway with a canon looming above. The path opens up to the huge lawns, which are provided for functions and ceremonies. When I was there, two weddings and a music performance was held in the lawns. The hotel has been divided into three categories with two royal suites (Maharaja and Maharani suites), three suites, eight superior rooms and ten standard rooms.My room had a picture of Maharani Gayatri Devi on the back wall. Though I had reached at night, I remember feeling intrigued and switched on every light in the room to get the feel of the place. Beautifully laid out, it had a settee near one of the windows, and a sofa and table close to the fireplace. There was also a TV and tiny fridge to contend with. But what I liked most was the writing room, which had a small table and chair with letter pads, envelopes and pen lying on the table away from a window which overlooked the same lawns that held the first cricket match in Jaipur. A beautiful site, I would open the curtains everyday early in the morning to see the peacock walk in the lawns, hear birds sing and breathe the fresh and cool air that blew across. With its authentic royal furniture and looks, Taj has maintained the feel of the palace in its original state with modern amenities.A poolside restaurant and a lush green garden sit-out are ideal for those who would like to enjoy their tea, breakfast etc. out in the open under the azure skies. Food can also be had at the restaurant inside which is quaint and quiet, with mirrors on both sides, the Maharaja’s painting on the right above the fireplace and a fantastic 200-year-old chandelier hanging from the ceiling. There is also an in-house library bar with rosewood panelling, which stocks a wide range of beverages, conference and healthcare facilities. Just outside this bar lined across the corridor are the polo pictures of the Maharajas of Jaipur. The east wing rooms and the billiard room were added at different times and have a modern feel to it. Climb the stairs to the top-most level and walk onto the terrace, and an eagle's eyeview greets you. You can see the entire complex from end to end. You come away from Raj Mahal with the feeling that it was a truly royal experience. I would love to go back some day. This palace was also witness to lavish receptions and hectic political meetings with historical figures like Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Phillip, Lady Diana, Prince Charles and Lord Mountbatten attending them.
Jaipur Factfile
The nearest airport is Jaipur, 11 km away. The railway station is 3 km away. It is located on the Sardar Patel Marg.

Places to visit in Jaipur:Amber Fort and Palace, City Palace and Hawa Mahal, Raj Mandir, Rambagh Palace, Jal Mahal. Experience the desert on a jeep safari, get a camel ride. You can also book for a private taxi from the reception to take you sightseeing.

Things to buy: JaipurBlock printed clothes, camel skin accessories, wooden toys and puppets, kundan jewellery, blue pottery, silver jewellery and cotton fabrics of all types.

Attar, the fragrance from India

During ancient times when people wanted to freshen or liven up their rooms or wanted a soft lingering fragrance around them, they collected fresh sweet-smelling flowers in a basket and kept them in rooms, bathed in them or wore them in their hair or on their shoulder with a pin. Even now, some people keep dried flowers in cupboards and spices like kali mirchi, lavang etc tied in a small packet, to give clothes a fragrance of their own. Even barks of trees and leaves are placed in cupboards.
The art of extracting oil to create perfumes was acquired later. These attars are in great demand today, extracted from various oils and mixed with others to get wonderful smelling non alcohol-based perfumes. They come in sprays, roll-ons, or just dab-ons and are priced between Rs 50 to 10,000 for a mere 10 gm attar bottle.
Attar is a Persian word meaning fragrance, or essence, and is used to describe both the manufacture and application of these oils. Perfume describes a range of products that contain alcohol, heavily diluted with synthetic additives.
Attars are derived from plant extracts and have a range of rich scents. Although attars are simply individual oils, others may be composed of careful blends of various oils, resins and concentrates (two or more) and placed in a natural base oil.
Attar was first produced by the great Persian physician Hakim Ibn Sena (Avicenna in English). He was regarded as the greatest physician of his times, and used these for medicinal purposes. Attars include some individual essential oils, suitable for fragrance such as sandalwood, amber and patchouli. Sandalwood is both - an attar (used for its smell) and an essential oil. Attars can be blends of multiple oils, sometimes as many as 30 or 40 are blended together (a secret that many Attar-making families hold dear).
Process
Traditional attars of India are rarely found in their pure form today. Often, they are adulterated with synthetic chemicals or more of the base oil to give it a distinct smell. Often, they are stretched with liquid paraffin and other substances. In the traditional process, various flowers, roots, herbs, spices, etc are hydro-distilled in copper vessels into a receiving vessel containing sandalwood oil.
A certain proportion of flowers or other aromatic plants are put into a copper vessel containing water, sealed and heated. Their aromatic vapours rise through bamboo pipes and pass into another copper vessel containing sandalwood oil, sitting below the larger distilling one.
Sandalwood oil is the base with which each extracted oil has to be mixed to give a distinct smell and whiff. These vapours condense, and after days of distillation, the water and oil separate, allowing most of the aromatic molecules to become adsorbed into the sandalwood oil.
The water is decanted and added back to the distilling vessel for the next day’s distillation. The process, in the case of flowers like rose, jasmin, kewda, raat rani (night queen), is repeated for a minimum of 15 days until the sandalwood becomes totally saturated with the perfume of that particular flower. The process for making heena and amber is much more sophisticated and requires numerous other steps and as many as 60 natural ingredients go into their production, which takes months.
Great care is taken in maintaining the proper heat and pressure, so that the floral material suspended in water does not burn. As the proper pressure is reached, the flowers begin to release their aromatic chemicals and these pass along with the steam into the receiving copper vessel. As it gets warm, the water is changed in the water bath, since it is critical that it should stay cool for condensation to occur.
After four hours when the condensed material and sandalwood have filled the receiver, a new one is fixed and the process continues for another four hours. At the end of it, the process is stopped for the day and the two receivers are allowed to cool overnight before the oil and water. Once this occurs, the water is siphoned off and added to the cauldron for the distillation to take place.
The most expensive attar is rooh gulab, which said to have been discovered by Noorjehan, wife of Emperor Jehangir of the Mughal era. The story goes that she went for a morning bath and was delighted with the fragrance of the oily layer on the water which had been left overnight to cool. When distilled, it turned out to be rose attar. Old texts mention that the floral group primarily used for attar manufacture was rose, bela, jasmine, champa, molesari and tuberose, along with roots like vetiver and ginger. Sandal, cinnamon and aloe bark were also used. Heavy odours like musk, myrrh and ambergris, were also used with khus. Sandalwood oil forms the base as, during distillation, the original smell of sandalwood vanishes and the oil captures the fragrance of the flower.
Uses of attars
Place one drop of essential oil on a tissue and inhale (to ensure that you do not have a reaction to the oil.)
Use the steam inhalation and use up to 10 drops of oil. You can use a diffuser or lamp scent ring.
Add a few drops of oil to your laundry wash, drain, vacuum bag filter, or on a tissue for placement in your drawers.
You can add up to 20 drops to almond oil for a massage. Keep away from sensitive areas. (Do not apply essential oils to the skin without first diluting them).
Add them to your bath water and come out smelling lovely.
These oils can be used to make home-made lotions, facial toners, shampoos, perfumes, soaps, shower gels, and other natural products.
These essential oils come in very small bottles, commonly sold in 5ml, 10ml and 15ml sizes. The more expensive oils are common in sizes starting at 2ml and 1 dram sizes.
Although essential oils do not become rancid, they can deteriorate and lose their therapeutic benefit over time. Oils such as the citrus oils will oxidize and begin to lose their aroma and therapeutic properties. Some oils such as patchouli and sandalwood improve with the passage of time.
Avoid deterioration and protect the aromatic and therapeutic properties of your oils by keeping them in amber or cobalt blue bottles. Dark glass helps to keep out sunlight which can hasten deterioration. Essential oils should also be stored in a cool, dark place.
Some of the well known perfumers available in India are from Nemat Enterprises, AA Attarwala and Habib International.

The Iron Pillar

Many legends surround the Iron Pillar in Delhi. Unknown to many, this pillar has been in existence for the past 1600 years, with many scientists trying to decipher its mystery. Several theories later, it was found that flaky rusting and white spots have appeared on the pillar, but due to this very fact, it has remained resistant to massive corrosion.Many believe it’s the climate of Delhi, others give credit to the material used, and yet others point to the way it was forged to be the secret behind its strength. It was subsequently discovered that the pillar was not cast, but painstakingly constructed by a welding process. An important factor in determining corrosion resistance is the presence of ancient massive iron objects in areas with high humidity for significant periods - the iron beams in the Surya temple at Konarak in coastal Orissa and the iron pillar at Mookambika temple at Kollur. It is obvious that ancient Indians produced iron capable of withstanding corrosion, this many believe is due to the high phosphorus content of the iron produced during those times. The pillar stands next to the famous Qutb Minar in the Quwwat ul Islam Mosque courtyard. It has a rectangular courtyard, 43.2 sq metres by 32.9 sq metres, and is enclosed by cloisters erected by Qutb-Ud-Din Aibak, with carved columns said to have belonged to various temples. The construction of the mosque began in 1193 AD by Qutb-Ud-Din Aibak of the Mamluk (or the slave) dynasty and was completed in 1197 AD. A massive stone screen with high five arches was put in front of the prayer hall, giving the building an Islamic character. The screen is carved with borders, inscriptions, geometrical and arabesque designs. The mosque was enlarged by Shansuddin Iltutmish (1211 - 1236 AD) and Alauddin Khalji (1296 - 1316 AD). The screens of these two sultans are carved with purely Islamic motifs with geometric patterns.
Belonging to the fourth-fifth century AD, this metallurgical wonder is 24 feet in height, 16.4 inches in diameter at the bottom, and 6 1/2 tons in weight. It stands in the courtyard of the mosque and has a Sanskrit inscription written in the style of the fourth century Gupta rulers. The inscription says that the pillar was probably a dhvajastambha or flagpole of a Vishnu temple, made at the request of Chandragupta II Vikramditya who ruled between AD 375 and 413. It is said to have been brought to Delhi by the Tomar king Anangpal, somewhere in the 11th century. There is a hole on the top, where there might have been a sculpture of Garuda.
The identity of king Chandra behind the Delhi iron pillar has been addressed. It has been firmly established that the king was Chandragupta II Vikramaditya and numismatic evidence also proves that Chandra was a shorter version of his name. Scientists believe it was made during his lifetime and also that Chandragupta’s religion gives sufficient evidence to support his being Chandra. It is only the name of Vahlika and Vishnupadagiri which have to be proved, although according to archaeological and historical evidence, Udayagiri could be considered as ancient Vishnupadagiri, where the iron pillar was originally erected. But archaeological excavations are necessary to confirm it as the original city of location of the iron pillar.The inscription at the top of the pillar indicates it was King Chandra's monument of victory, while another further down mentions King Anang Pal II of the Chauhan dynasty who ruled in northern India during the late eleventh century. This has led to confusion and a lot of myths that surround this pillar. The mystery of the pillar continues to intrigue, till more evidence can be garnered.

Silent Sentinel

The 40-km drive from Agra to Fatehpur Sikri through wide open spaces can be described long and tiring. On way, the monuments keep you company and break the monotony of continuous landscape. A complete planned city within its fort containing palaces, mosques and administrative buildings, Fatehpur Sikri is worth a full day's stop. The story goes that Emperor Akbar was without an heir and a worried man in 1568, when he visited Sheikh Salim Chisti, a Sufi saint at Sikri. He blessed Akbar with three sons and in gratitude, Akbar ordered a great mosque and a palace to be built under Salim Chisti's supervision in the small village of Sikri.The third Mughal emperor Jalaluddin Muhammad Akbar ascended to the throne at the age of 14. He established his dominion over the north and central India, including Bengal. He also secured the North West frontier by controlling Kabul. Akbar’s most important territorial gain was Gujarat, which as a commercial centre, would provided the Mughal empire with enormous wealth. It would also give open access to the Arabian Sea and the opportunity to do trade with Europeans and the Turks.Situated on the Vindhya range overlooking a lake, Fatehpur Sikri dominates the skyline for miles. The hamlet of Sikri was named Shukri (thanks) by Babur. Akbar named it Fatehpur (fateh - victory) making it the city of victory after his conquest over Gujarat in 1573. He was also the first great Mughal patron of the arts. Of his various building projects, the most ambitious was this new capital city - Fatehpur was built mostly between 1571 and 1585, when Akbar had adopted Lahore as his principal residence. Akbar proceeded to transform Fatehpur into a complete planned city. A fine blend of Islamic and Hindu architecture, Fatehpur has north-Indian style post and beams roofed with Islamic-style vaults and domes. Several elaborate palaces, courtyards, pools, harems, tombs and a great mosque were built here. A large number of masons and stone carvers toiled in an area over two miles long and a mile wide; they used locally available bright red sandstone which provides the buildings with much of their sheen. Fifteen years later, lack of adequate water supply and no means to bring it up from the lake led to the city being abandoned.The sprawling city is divided into two parts, the Palace Complex which has nine monuments and the Mosque Complex. The Mosque complex houses the Bulund Darwaza (the entrance) which leaves any visitor mesmerized. This massive doorway was built to commemorate the victory over Gujarat and is visible for miles at a stretch. Walking in through these gates is quite an experience. It leads into the huge mosque and a vast courtyard. Herein lies the white marble mausoleum of Sheikh Salim Chisti. Pilgrims come here to pray for a child and tie strings to the jali -- lattice work which is the most outstanding work of this mausoleum). Originally built in red sandstone by Akbar, it was later converted to marble by Jehangir. To the right is the mosque constructed under the saint’s supervision. Further down are a set of buildings, also referred to as the palace complex.The Palace complex hosts nine monuments within. The Ankh Michauli built in white marble, is a single-storey building with huge galleries and rooms behind it covered in jali. Here, the queen and her friends played hide and seek. From this building, one can take a peek behind into what was called the Meena Bazaar with a victory tower in the centre. It has a wide path with open structures on the side. It was here that the royal women organised a weekly market selling clothes, jewellery, food stuff etc and showed off their skills in all fields possible including the art of war. The invitees were men of the royal family and the royal entourage.The Panch Mahal or the five-storey building has pillars and is open on all sides. It was built with pierced stonework forming walls, behind which there was the royal harem. From here, the women could observe all that was going on in the yard. Diwan-i-Khas, from the outside, appears to be of two storeys, but has only one. It is supported by a central column with ornate brackets, and has nine seats in small galleries positioned strategically from across the centre. Here, Akbar sat in the centre and listened to his navratans or nine gems, the advisers. Across this building stands the Anup Taloa, with a central stage with four paths leading to it. According to historical evidence, this is where Tansen sat and performed many of the beautiful ragas for Emperor Akbar. On the periphery of the city and away from the administrative buildings in the centre are the personal palaces like the Sunehra Mahal (golden palace) sporting vivid wall murals. Nestling alongside this palace lie Jodhabai's and Birbal's Palaces. Diwan-i-Am is where Akbar took general audiences with the public. Close to it lies the Pachisi court or the pavilion, where the floor is marked in black and white and chess was played with humans as chessmen, with both players sitting on either side. The Panch Mahal and the Bulund Darwaza are today marked as the finest specimens of Mughal architecture with Fatehpur Sikri as a World Heritage Site. Fatehpur's innovative architecture has a vast array of disparate styles with a fusion of Indian and Islamic details. Both are used in a distinct manner and not repeated anywhere else. The palace buildings at Fatehpur Sikri reflect a synthesis of Timurid traditions of Iran and Central Asia with indigenous traditions of Hindu and Muslim India.During his reign, which lasted nearly fifty years (1556 to 1605), Akbar succeeded in consolidating the empire and establishing a strong administrative system. He was deeply interested in spiritual and religious issues, and in 1582 formulated a new code of religious behavior. It was here that Akbar held his famous religious discourses with leaders of many faiths. And it is only fitting that Fatehpur should be a blend of various styles

Baroda - a vibrant city

Baroda is also called the cultural and business capital of Gujarat. Baroda or Vadodara was originally Vadapadraka (a village amidst the banyan trees). Historical and archaeological findings date this place back to the 9th century when it was a small town called Ankottaka (present Akota) located on the right bank of the river Vishvamitri. It was flood-pronel; so Vadapadraka became the administrative headquarters.Ankottaka was a famous centre of Jainism in the 5th and 6th century AD. Some of the Akota bronze images can be seen in the Vadodara Museum.
History of Baroda
The Gaekwads, a Maratha clan who were originally the generals of the Peshwas in Maharashtra, carved out a kingdom for themselves in Baroda. Twenty years later, Damaji's nephew Pilaji became the founder of the house of Gaekwad. Although an English Resident was appointed to the Court of Baroda in 1802, the rulers had a good equation with the British. The wealth of the family is legendary, and stories abound of their priceless jewellery and works of art. The city witnessed a golden age when Maharajah Sayajirao Gaekwad came to the throne in the late 19th century. He brought about many reforms in education, medicine, religious tolerance and administration. Sayajirao was one of the three princes who rated and got a 21gun salute.Maharaja Sayaji Rao Gaekwad III (1875-1939) is a legend; he was the adopted son of Queen Jamnabai. He took Baroda through a golden age with the help of an astute statesman - his chief minister, Diwan Madhav Rao. Sayaji Rao began constructing the Laxmi Vilas Palace, naming it after his first wife (a princess of Tanjore). Baroda can boast of one of the finest palaces in India. Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad commissioned the famous British Architects, Major Mant and Chisolm to work on Laxmi Vilas palace. Designed in the Indo-Saracenic style, it is quite a long drive from the huge wrought iron gates with the mounted royal emblem, to the portico. You look around in amazement as you step inside - the colourful frescoes in Italian style on the walls of the palace surprise you with their splendour. Beautiful statues, marble fountains, Moorish arcades and stained glass windows adorn the structure. The palace is a marvellous work of eclectic architecture, with a mix of all styles. Built in 720 acres, it was landscaped by Mr Gonderling of Kew. The work started in 1878 and was completed in 1890; it is still the residence of the royal family. The Fatehsinh Rao Museum, located in the palace grounds, houses the royal collection of paintings, sculptures and other objects of art. Here also existed the Raja Ravi Verma studio, where he painted some of his famous works which today belong to this royal family. A garden house which remains shut today and a dargah (mausoleum) also find place here, (which is also shut); besides a pond with crocodiles. Many cricket ball and limb were lost here, when those playing cricket close by ventured into the pond;. There is an in-house cricket club too.Massive black bulls with blue eyes stand in the doorway leading into the palace and the grounds,-- real ones, but stuffed ages ago. The gold gilt work on paintings is a sight to behold; models of the palace can be found under the impressive staircase leading to the top floor, where the personal chambers of the royal family are located. Its ornate Darbar Hall has an Italian mosaic floor and walls with mosaic decorations, lie empty since the day the Republic took over.The convention hall has the entire gamut of carpets, painting, photographs of the royal family, silver, gold, ivory, furniture, Venetian chandeliers, domes and a decorous ceiling, There is a huge garden and a Navlakhi Vav (lucky stepped well) which is dry and covered in creepers said to contain a treasure worth millions, though no one has found it yet. There is a small mandir by the riverbank and the palace is surrounded on all sides by a modern colony - large sections of the palace grounds have been taken over by the government for them. Heritage maintenance does not seem to be a priority in Baroda. Family disputes over property seem to have taken their toll, including the literature on the royal family and the architecture of the palaces is also almost impossible to obtain. Baroda makes for an ideal weekend getaway spot. You can visit the following places:
Maharaja Fateh Singh Museum
A royal collection of art treasures by masters like Raphael, Titian and Murillo as well as modern, western and Indian paintings, Graeco-Roman exhibits, Chinese and Japanese art and a large collection of contemporary Indian art are open to the public and well worth a visit. It was established in 1961, and has an outstanding collection of the portraiture of Raja Ravi Verma, a 19th century portraitist. Another interesting section houses Chinese and Japanese porcelain artefacts, while two rooms on the ground floor are treasure troves of the Roccoco period in art. The ground floor also has a set of crystal furniture specially made for Sayaji Rao Gaekwad. The bed and chairs were part of his personal chambers. They also have royal rooms decorated as they had been in the olden days, which are also open for the public to see.
Nazarbagh Palace
Built in old classical style, the Gaekwads used this palace on ceremonial occasions. It now supposedly houses the royal family heirlooms.
Makarpura Palace
A beautiful palace designed in Italian style, the Makarpura is now used as a training school of the Indian Air Force.
Pratap Vilas Palace at Lalbagh
This was originally built as the residence of the royal family. It is an extravagant mansion built in the Indo-Sarcenic style. It houses a remarkable collection of old armoury and sculptures in bronze, marble and terracotta. The palace is a riot of columns and arches drawn from a variety of traditions including South Indian, Central Indian, North Indian and Islam. The entrance has exquisite carvings as well as stuffed tigers placed on the walls. The Darbar Hall has mosaic floors, seven domes, 12 chandeliers, intricately sculpted cedar balconies and a silver throne. It is spread over an area of 720 acres with gardens and a golf course. One can visit Shastragar (weapons room) to see the Royal armoury.
Kirti Mandir
The family mausoleums of the Gaekwad rulers are decorated with murals made by Nandlal Bose. The memorial busts are shown by the eager old caretaker happy to have a rare visitor. The central spire is 110 ft high and an inner dome decorated with a series of specially commissioned frescoes.
Tambekarwadi
This is an 8th century Narayan temple, is famous for its wall paintings.
Vadodara Museum and picture gallery

Founded by the Gaekwads in 1894, this museum houses, among others, miniature paintings and narrative paintings by different artists. Maharaja Sayajirao III Gaekwad of Baroda acquired choice items from across the world - Silver plated Copper Trays from Tanjore, a Shiva Natraja from 11th Century South India, 6th Century Sculptures from Shamlaji in Gujarat, an exquisite 9th century ivory-inlaid book box from North India, and a Jain bronze dating to 5th century AD. The upper floor of the building has a section each on natural history, ethnology and geology. The adjoining Art Gallery has a great collection of European old masters - Veronese, Giordano, Zurbaran, some Flemish and Dutch scholl paintings; Turner and Constable, a collection of Mughal miniatures, and valuable palm-leaf manuscripts of Buddhist and Jain origin and even an Egyptian mummy. There are dusty Egyptian artefacts, Greek sculptures and 18th Century Paithani textiles. Not even the museum officials are aware of that wonderful contraption, the Delhi Bungalow, located on the premises - a solid looking structure, it used to be dismantled and taken by the rulers to the Delhi durbars.
Nyaya Mandir
This is the home of the Baroda district court today. It was constructed in Byzantine style.
MS University Building

This was constructed in 1880 and boasts of the second largest masonry dome in India and towers to a height of 144 feet.Other places too are the Narsinhji haveli temple, the 1763 AD Maratha Brahmin Ganesha haveli, the Mandvi pavilion, Jumma Masjid, the Maqbara and the 1586 AD stepwell in Qutub Ud Din masjid.Baroda is also known for its bustling bazaars of silver and gold ornaments. A stone's throw away is the Sayaji Gardens a popular haunt for weekend visitors with its small zoo, mini railway museum, art gallery and the relatively new Sardar Patel Planetarium. The museum was completed in 1904, has a landmark collection of Tibetan and European art and also houses the famous Akota bronzes dating back to the 5th century AD.
Close to Baroda city
Dabhoi Fort – is a 13th century Rajput fort, rated among the greatest in India with 4 magnificent gateways. Champaner: An Islamic citadel, rivalling Fatehpur Sikri and Bidar, it has some grand Indo-Saracenic architectural monuments in India.The hill fort of Pavagarh, on the outskirts of Baroda, is a must-see. Pavagarh literally means a quarter of a hill. According to mythology a chunk of the Himalayan mountain fell from the grasp of Hanuman, as he was transporting it to Sri Lanka during the war between Rama and Ravana. Earlier, the fort and its temple were accessible only via a tedious climb but with a ropeway they are able to transport devotees right to the doorstep, and makes the trek all the more enjoyable. (Must-see here are the temple of Kali Ma and Dargah of Sajan Shah Sarmast.)
Baroda Factfile
By air: Baroda is connected by regular flights of IA., jet airways.

Rail: Baroda is situated on the main rail link between Mumbai and Delhi. The township also boasts road links to the major towns and is situated on National Highway Number 8, connecting Delhi to Mumbai via Jaipur, Udaipur, Ahmedabad and Baroda.

Best Season to visit: October to March Baroda is 112 km south of Ahmedabad and 419 km north of Mumbai. The city is well connected with other cities by road, rail and air.Besides princely palaces, stately homes and museums, short excursions outside the city limits, the traveller can visit local handicraft centres, old temples, the ruins of ancient townships, long ago forts and, of course and places of pilgrimage.