Travelblog-India Part 1

Travelblog-Minha Viagem à Ìndia, 1a Parte Viagem à India em setembro/outubro de 2000
Primeiras Duas Semanas

Como cheguei:Miami-Roma ALITALIA; Roma-Moscou AEROFLOT; Moscou-Delhi AEROFLOT: Delhi-Moscou AEROFLOT: Moscou-Roma AEROFLOT; Roma-Miami ALITALIA

Para viagens dentro do país usei a Jet Airways, a única com check in decentes, horários seguidos à risca e ótimas refeições a bordo. Oferecem um "India Pass" de três semanas que deu para conhecer uma parte do país e com muito conforto e mordomia.

Depois de chegar ao aeroporto de Delhi, fui recepcionado por um guia, que me levaria ao hotel, e me apresentaria ao meu motorista e carro privado que teria pelos próximos 6 dias. Nesse mesmo dia, encontrei com dois conhecidos que tinha conecido pela internet, e visitei boa parte de Delhi no meu carro particular. Vi muito porque quase não saí do carro, tal era o assédio de vendedores e pedintes em cada parada "turística."

Na manhã seguinte, continuei conhecendo Delhi, dessa vez Old Delhi, e no dia seguinte embarquei com o mesmo carro e motorista no Golden Triangle Tour: Delhi - Jaipur - Agra - Delhi, cujo recorrido aparece aqui em inglês, tendo copiado e adptado a maior parte dos meus comentários do site da minha operadora turística.

So, after breakfast, I went off on a sightseeing tour of New Delhi where ornate buildings recall the days when India was the Jewel in the crown of the British empire. Visit the 11th century Qutab Minar ,India Gate and the grand government buildings, the President’s House , Red fort , Mahatama Gandhi Memorial. I also visited Laxmi Narayan temple popularly known as Birla Temple. Night: stayed at hotel

Next day: Delhi - Jaipur. We drove through the arid state of Haryana to the state of Rajasthan, perhaps the "most Indian looking" state in the way foreigners stereotypically see India. I arrived in Jaipur in the afternoon at the Holiday Inn, a pleasant hotel with architecture perfectly blending with Jaipur's beautiful buildings. I was greeted by my tour operator's local guide.

Day 4: In the morning I had a sight seeing tour of Jaipur, covered the CITY PALACE - A delightful blend of Mughal and traditional Rajasthani architecture, the City Palace sprawls over one-seventh of the area in the walled city. It houses the Chandra Mahal, Shri Govind Dev Temple and the City Palace Museum.

I also visited JANTAR MANTAR - This is the largest and the best preserved of the five observatories built by Jai Singh II in different parts of the country. This observatory consisting of outsized astronomical instruments is still in use.

HAWA MAHAL - The ornamental facade of this "Palace of Winds" is a prominent landmark in Jaipur. Their five-storey structures of sandstone plastered pink encrusted with fine trelliswork and elaborate balconies. The palace has 953 niches and windows. Built in 1799 by Pratap Singh, the Mahal was a royal grandstand for the palace women. Night stay in Jaipur with a great dinner at the hotel restaurant.

The next day (Day 5) would be a highlight: Morning visit the majestic Amber Fort, is one that cannot be easily described. I rode up on an Elephant to the former capital of the royals set against the backdrop of the wooded hills. In the late afternoon, I met two more friends I had made on the Internet (who lived in Jaipur), and had a wild party in my hotel. Unforgettable day!

In Portuguese, I'll add:
Jaipur é a capital do Rajastão. Por isso, é uma cidade barulenta, caótica, cheia de atividades, enfim tudo aquilo tudo que se espera da India. Camelos, elefantes, macacos, vacas e uma buzinacao de gente, bicicletas, scooter e rickshaws foclorica. Jaipur é conhecida como cidade rosa, "the pink city. O centro astronomico do seculo XVI nao funciona infelizmente. O marajá da época morreu sem deixar instrucoes de uso dos mega monumentos matematicos). Mas ele deixou um belo palacio. É comum ver o atual maharajá tranquilo passeando de carro com o filho. O monumento de Vishnu e Lashmi, que tem pouco mais de 20 anos é o predio mais lindo da cidade, riquissimo.

Back to English, on the sixth day we drove, about 5 hours, frpm Jaipur to Agra enroute visiting Fatehpur Sikri-a perfectly preserved red sandstone “ghost town” which was the estranged capital of mughal emperor Akbar, built in 1569 and deserted when its water supply failed.

On the way, it was interesting to see how very traditionally dressed young girls stood on opposite sides of the highway in several stretches. My driver explained that these were road side whores (mainly for truck drivers). On onene side there stood Muslim whores, and on the other Hindu whores. The distinction between Hindu and Muslim comes exists right down to the prostitutes each group uses for pleasure. I arrived in busy Agra late in the afternoon, and met yet another friend made on the internet, at the Holiday Inn in Central Agra.

The next morning, sunrise visit to the magnificent Taj Mahal - one of the seven wonders of the world surely the most extravagant expression of love ever created. 20,000 men laboured for over 17 years to build this memorial to Shah Jahan's beloved wife, Also visit the Red fort - the rusty and majestic red- sandstone fort of Agra stands on the banks of the river Yamuna and the construction was started by Emperor Akbar in 1566. In the afternoon, I returned to the hotel, and walked around Central Agra with my local friend Rahul.


THE TAJ MAHAL




The next day, the same driver took me back to Delhi in the same car. This time I stayed at the centrally located Broadway hotel, as the next day I would take a JET Airways flight to Jammu, to discover the foothills of the Himalayas and the twin capitals of Indian Kashmir: Jammu (the city of temples) and Srinigar, located in a valley surrounded by the towering snow-capped Himalayan Mountains.

In Jammu, I stayed at a hilltop hotel overlooking Kashmeri valleys. One of the nights, a Sikh friend, Harry, whom I also met on the internet, came from neighboring Punjab state where he worked as a doctor in a local hospital. This made my stay in Jammu and Kashmir even more special.

After two nights in Jammu, and flying over the Himalayas four times on the JET Airways flights - both the flight in and out stopped in Srinigar, I got great panoramic views of that part of Kashmir, and of the Himalayas, a feat which a year later became impossible due to the ongoing friction between India and Pakistan

From Jammu, I flew on JETAirways, with a stop in Srnigar, to Delhi, where I had to overnight for a morning flight to Khajuraho, an amazing city, full of (very erotic) Hindu sights, and great food, nice people.

So, on Day 08, I arrived there on JET Airways. After transferring to yet another wonderful Holiday Inn, a resort like Inn, with a huge pool, lots of activities, I went out with my private guide on his personal motorcycle and had dinner at a nice local place.The Holiday Inn, by the way, also offered excellent dining. It caters to vacationing upper-income Indian families, unlike the other two more mixed clientele Inns I had previously stayed at, in Jaipur and Agra. Khajuraho boasts legendary temples. It's location, away from the railway and main trunk roads, make Khajuraho very special, with no teeming masses of population. It's the odd Indian city a tourist can enjoy in peace, and really get to know how families live. People know each other; they'll invite the foreign tourist to their homes. I felt special here.

KHAJURAHO

Acknowledged as one of the world’s artistic wonders, these temples dedicated to the Hindu pantheon of Gods are covered in carvings that are a paean to life and love. Built within a short span of a hundred years by the Chandela Rajputs, the 10th century temples lay forgotten until they were discovered in the present century. Khajuraho has achieved fame for the sensual appeal of its erotic sculptures.

On Day 09, I visited the fascinating temples of Khajuraho, India's unique gift of love to the world, in the state of Madhya Pradesh. They were built between 950 and 1050 A.D. The divine sculptures in these temples, are a tribute to Life itself, embodying everything that is sublime and spontaneous about it. The murals depict the life and times of the Chandelas, and celebrate the erotic state of being.

The next day, my guide and I explored the Western, eastern and southern temples of Khajuraho while my guide explained the intricate meaning and legends behind each describable sculpture. The Western Group Kandariya Mahadeo is the largest, and most typical Khajuraho temple. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, it soars 31 m high. The sanctum enshrines a lingam, while the main shrine is ornately carved and depicts various gods, goddesses, apsaras (heavenly maidens) in elaborate detail.

Chaunsat Yogini is the oldest surviving temple in the group (900 A.D.), this is the sole granite temple dedicated to Goddess Kali. Another Kali temple, which was originally dedicated to Lord Vishnu, is the Devi Jagdambe temple. Chitragupta Temple: Dedicated to the sun-god, Surya, this temple faces eastwards to the rising sun. The Vishwanath Temple enshrines a three-headed image of Lord Brahma. Lions guard the northern entrance to the structure, while elephants flank the southern flight of steps that lead upto it. A Nandi bull faces the shrine. The Lakshamana Temple has a lintel over the entrance, dedicated to Lord Vishnu, showing the holy trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva with Goddess Lakshmi, Vishnu's consort. The sanctum is adorned with a three-headed idol of Vishnu's incarnations, Narasimha and Varaha.

The Adinatha Temple is the last of the Jain temples. My young, well educated guide was a Jain, by the way. This temple is dedicated to the Jain saint, Adinatha, and is gorgeously adorned with sculptures of yakshis among others. The three Hindu temples in this group are the Brahma temple, which has a four-faced lingam, The Vamana temple which is embellished with images of ravishing apsaras at their alluring best. That Night, I enjoyed a wonderful "Souind and Light" Spectacle against the backdrop of Khajuraho's central temples.

Day 11/ Khajuraho - Varanasi (By JET Airways, of course) After breakfast, I transfered to the airport to board the flight for Varanasi-said to be the India’s most sacred city situated on the western bank of the holy river Ganga. It is also the oldest living city in the world. As a place for devotion and worship, with hundreds of temples dotting the city , sunrise on the river front as seen from a boat can be a spiritually uplifting sight. It has a fascination uniquely its own, a quality of sublime beauty, a timeless eternal appeal.

Varanasi is the city which cannot be described, only experienced, the oldest and holiest city of India with Temples, Aurangazeb’s Mosque and one of the biggest universities in India. Evening viewing of the “Aarti” ceremony on the Ghats. Night stay in Varanasi.

Varanasi (or Benares) - the Hindu Holy City on the mighty Ganges. Varanasi is the city which cannot be described,only experienced. Sight seeing in Varanasi (the oldest and holiest city of India) covered Temples, Aurangazeb’s Mosque and one of the biggest university of India. Evening view “Aarti” ceremony on the Ghats.




The next day started with another unforgettable experience, a private sunrise boat ride at the river Ganges to observe the daily ritual of pilgrimage visitors to the Ghats. Later I t was taken on an excursion to Sarnath, 10kms east of Varanasi. This is one of Buddhism’s major centers in India. After attaining enlightenment, the Buddha came to Sarnath where he gave his first sermon. We also visited the deer park and the museum and retuned late to Varanasi . Night stay in Varanasi.

Next day: Varanasi - Calcutta. Calcutta will be described in the blog covering the other half of my trip to India.

Then from Calcutta, I flew out of the relatively modern (it had jetwalks!) Domestic terminal, and took the cross country flight between India's two largest metropolis. I arrived about two hours
later in Bombay. My next blogs are about Bombay, and my final 2 weeks in India.

De Calcutá, viajei direto a Bombaim, e depois a Delhi novamente. Meus próximos blogs relatam as minhas últimas duas semanas na Índia.



Delhi é a mais ocidental das cidades, com partes que lembram outros lugares do mundo. Apesar de datar de tempos imemoriais, foi destruída e reconstruída várias vezes. A última pelos ingleses. em Nova Delhi, trata-se na verdade de uma cidade planejada, com largas avenidas arborizadas e grandes monumentos, como o bucólico samadhi (memorial) de Gandhi e o conjunto de palácios dos ministérios e presidência.

No centro do centro fica Connaught Place, ou simplesmente CP. Trata-se de um conjunto arquitetônico insosso de colunas brancas que reúne lojas e restaurantes. Bem do lado se situa o mercado, um subterrâneo enorme com muitas lojas que chega a ser divertido, apesar de um pouco claustrofóbico.

Old Delhi é o que há de especial em Delhi. uma trama de micro-ruas que lembram o que seria um grande centro comercial medieval. Pouca luz solar, higiene quase alguma, uma gritaria, o lugar é um delírio - mas só para quem não sofre de pânico. O comércio é impressionante, se vende de tudo, tudo, tudo mesmo.

No centro de tudo fica a segunda maior mesquita do mundo. O clima é pesado e ocidentais não são bem vistos, como sempre, principalmente pelos muçulmanos. Portanto dê um pulinho penas para cumprir o ritual turístico.

Eu fiquei hospedado na primeira e ultima parada em Delhi no Rajendra Place, um bairro simpático de classe média alta (novamente, para padrões indianos) com um bom comércio e bons restaurantes em volta de uma praça relativamente charmosa.

O que mais interessa a muita gente em Delhi é a visita a Qutb Minar. Construído por volta do século XI, o centro muçulmano usou pedras e pedaços de um templo hinduísta erguido no século IV. Mistura imagens de deuses dentro de uma mesquita.

A vida noturna em Delhi na verdade se limita a três noites em três clubes da cidade:
. Pegs and Pints, às terças. Perto do Chanakya Cinema em Chanakyapuri. Bar e restaurante que vira clube à noite entre 22h30 e 1h. Enche bastante, toca música de Bollywood.
. Concorde, no Westend Inn, aos sábados. Perto do Radisson Hotel no caminho do aeroporto.
. Pacific Blue, aos sábados. Atrás do Anupam PVR em Saket.

Vem aí a segunda parte que falará de Bombaim, Calcutá, Chennai (ex-Madras) e Kerala, a "Bahia" da Índia.