Amazing India!
Leading Tour Operator to India, Greaves Travel asked one of their regular guests about their latest holiday in India.
Thank you for taking the time to answer our questions, we would love to hear about your holiday in India and find out some of your highlights.
Q.Was this your first time travelling to India? If not, where had you visited previously?
We love returning to India and this was trip number six. Rajasthan is a favourite and we have returned quite a few times to several places: Udaipur, Jodhpur, Deogarh, Bikaner, Samode, Mandawa and Jaisalmer. Otherwise we have travelled extensively around the country visiting Mumbai, Delhi, Agra, Kolkata, Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Orissa, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Ranthambore, Darjeeling and Kerala.
Q.You started your trip in Patna, one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the world. It must be teeming with things to see of so many different periods – what did you see and what was the highlight?
Our sight-seeing in Patna was limited. Quite surprisingly the highlight for us was the zoo, it’s a wonderful space to stretch out and amble around under the trees and we loved seeing the animals, including some powerful looking tigers and leopards. We had to laugh when one of our charming guides managed to confuse a giraffe with a zebra. Aside from the zoo we went to see the Golghar, an extraordinary round house that was built in 1786 by the British army to store grain, it was amazing to see from the outside and the museum had a few interesting exhibits. The real reason we visited Patna was to visit an NGO who works with schools throughout the region, Bihar.
Q.Following Patna you had five days in Delhi, most people can’t wait to get out of the city and somewhere less crowded – what did you find to see and did you have enough time?
Surprisingly, we really like Delhi! We always have a few people to visit in the city and we always stay at the stunning Imperial, which feels like a home from home. This trip we visited the President’s Palace and the highlight was the beautiful garden that is very well set out, but only open at this time of year (February).
In the past we have seen all of the main sights and when we return we always try to sneak a visit to one of them, particularly Humayun’s Tomb, the Red Fort or the Qutub Minar. If you are interested in the various schools of Indian art the Museum of Modern Art in Jaipur House is really worth a visit and everything is well explained.
The parks and gardens of Delhi are peaceful, precious green spaces, often dotted with old Mughal buildings. Our favourite is the lovely Lodi Gardens. We have also managed to visit some of the old Mughal ruins in Hauz Khas, where there are so many fascinating relics of the era. Charles Lewis and his son, Karoki, have written some wonderful books about Delhi’s historic villages and in particular the Mehrauli, now a district in the south-west of Delhi.
One of our most memorable trips was when we visited the site where Queen Victoria was crowned Empress of India, Coronation Park. The park is filled with statues of former colonial bigwigs and the day we visited was extremely foggy, the statues eerily loomed out of the mist as we wandered along.
Q.Pune was the summer capital of India and typified the British Raj, is the British effect still very much imprinted on the city?
We went on a walking tour with our guide, which gave us a great opportunity to see some of the back streets of Pune. The main reason for visiting was to see an NGO – so most of our time was taken up with this. But I had promised a family friend that I would try and track down her mother’s grave, who had died in Pune in 1921, so we spent time wondering through the huge St Sepulchre’s cemetery, an altogether different side of Pune. In the city itself little has changed for decades and the city is full of old colonial buildings, Pune is a very pleasant and very clean town and one we would have liked to explore in greater depth.
Q.Did your experience in Bengaluru differ significantly from your time spent in Delhi? How do the two large cities compare and contrast?
Before we visited Benagluru we had heard so much about the destruction of the green spaces and the number of trees that had been sacrificed to build housing and offices – but when we arrived it was a total surprise to drive into the lush green gardens of our hotel, the Taj West End. The hotel is lovely, set within some stunning grounds, dotted with vast tropical trees, waking each morning to the sound of birdsong. It is worth visiting Bengaluru just to stay at the Taj! We were visiting another NGO so didn’t have time to see a great deal: several large government buildings, a temple and stroll in one of the parks.
Q.You also did an extensive tour of Rajasthan visiting Udaipur, Jodhpur, Samode, Jaipur and Deogarh, particularly Udaipur – they are all very different but what was the highlight for you?
There is something about Rajasthan that lures us back time and time again. One of our favourite spots is the Raas Hotel, which is located near to the gorgeous Mehrangar Fort in Jodhpur – it’s nestled amongst old buildings and has a stunning garden as well. Greaves introduced us to the Raas, and we’ve been happy to take in the stunning views there ever since. We always make sure to stop at Deogarh Mahal, an old palace that’s easy to explore with the help of an audio tour that’s narrated by the previous Rawat and William Dalrymple. Last time we were there, we enjoyed getting to chat with the widow of the late Rawat (the former Rani) as well as her son, the current Rawat. They’re a remarkably accessible royal family, and as they’ve lived there so long, they enjoy reaching out to the palace’s guests. Samode Palace is one more Rajasthani spot we love to visit. A sumptuous palace that used to be a fort, it’s got fascinating hidden corners to explore – it’s tucked away in the hills so you’re underneath its walls before you even realise it. It also offers two refreshing pools and a friendly village to explore.
Q.When you travel do you tend to eat in the hotels you stay in or do you venture out into really local restaurants? Did you have any particular memorable meals this trip?
The food in India is excellent. Although we most frequently eat in our hotels, we have also had great experiences whilst dining out. We have friends in Delhi, and enjoy going out with them there – recently, we visited a restaurant close to Jami Masjid in Old Delhi called Karim’s. The place has a long history, and a great ambiance. Another memorable meal was at a place called the Potbelly Rooftop restaurant, a new Bihari eatery – that was a great experience!
Q.You must have covered a lot of miles by car, any hair-raising experiences on the notorious Indian roads, or did it all work like clockwork?
We haven’t had any truly hair-raising experiences, which is a testament to Greaves’ drivers – they’ve all been very reliable. Still, we aren’t likely to be getting behind the wheel in India anytime soon! We’ve seen a few very surprising things while on the road, like new, dual carriageways being treated by drivers as two parallel, bidirectional roads. That kind of thinking means you find yourself facing big trucks head on in what you thought was your lane! We also saw a farmer using a new highway as his personal grain drying area, and noticed many drivers in Udaipur drove without their headlights on after nightfall. That was a bit worrying.
Despite all that, the drives were really enjoyable, as there’s so much to see in the area. One particularly memorable experience occurred when we were passing a small Rajasthani village and decided to stop at the sight of many colourful, twirling umbrellas. We had stumbled upon a birthday party without realising it, and were invited to join in the festivities as soon as we walked over. It was great fun, though John was invited to dance and given an umbrella before being offered opium! Our new hosts were dismayed when he politely turned down the offer.
Q.During your extensive tour of India you must have seen some amazing buildings, monuments and temples – which really stuck in your mind?
If we had to choose, we would probably say that Ranakpur’s spellbinding Jain temple was our favourite of the sights. The building is absolutely stunning, and features over 1,400 white marble pillars that are each carved with totally unique designs. We also really enjoyed the journey from Udaipur to the temple, which took us through the golden fields, water wheels, and other rural sights of the Aravalli hills.
We also never get tired of seeing Rajasthan’s many palaces and forts, especially in Udaipur, Jodhpur, and Jaisalmer. When we were last in Udaipur we were lucky enough to see a festival leading up to Holi, which involved music recitals and dance performances at the City Palace. It was especially interesting as we were with a friend experienced in classical Indian dance, so they were able to explain many of the techniques to us. Otherwise, we’ve been lucky to see Orissa and Tamil Nadu’s temples, and also enjoyed our time at the temples in Konark and Madurai.
Q.What was your experience of travelling with Greaves India?
Greaves has really impressed us over the course of our five times travelling with them. Every aspect of each trip has been well-planned and tailor-made just for us. Varuna and others on the Greaves team have also always been patient when we have needed to readjust our schedules, and their deep knowledge of each area’s hotels is really impressive. Greaves has always provided us with uniformly top-notch guides and drivers, and their staffers have never let us down.
The only time we were ever displeased was by a Delhi hotel that wasn’t what we expected, but Greaves helped us rebook at another hotel right away – they truly are available around the clock. And it’s always a pleasure to meet Giri at the airport whenever we arrive in Delhi – she’s so friendly and welcoming that it helps you forget the displeasure of lengthy flights.
To book a holiday to India please contact Greaves Travel http://www.greavesindia.co.uk or call 0207 487 9111
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