Photos of Tuli Tiger Resort inside Kanha Tiger Reserve…

 
The spacious veranda outside the door to our lovely suite.

We’re having some technical issues. Maybe I should have bit the bullet and purchased another Windows laptop instead of a Chromebook. As it turned out in my haste to order, the HP Chromebook I ordered doesn’t have a slot for an SD camera card.

A small, casual bar in the dining area.

Subsequently, I’ve had to use my phone to take photos and although many come out well, using zoom is a missing aspect of using a smartphone as a camera. Now that we’re in the midst of another nine safaris after nine at the last location in the Bandhavgarh National Park, today I broke down and used the camera, getting many better shots than ever possible using the phone.

Now, I’m left with no way to load them. A few minutes ago I purchased an adapter from Amazon India with a proposed receipt date of Monday, March 1st, the date we arrive at our hotel in Udaipur. Hopefully, once again a shipment within India will work out as well as the last.

The spacious pool is near the dining and bar area.

As a result, in the interim, I will be uploaded only those photos we’d taken on our phone while continuing to use the camera. Once the adapter arrives on Monday when we’ll have more time, I’ll be able to share the many fine photos we took at Kanha Tiger Reserve.

After going out on four safaris as of today, with two more remaining tomorrow that encompass 10 hours of each day, we decided to split up today with me taking the 5:30 am session and Tom out right now on the afternoon session.

The grounds are filled with named indigenous vegetation befitting this type of resort.

Doing so left me with time to post today’s story and photos and to work on the Amazon order which is trickier than compared to ordering supplies from the US.

The bathroom is small but nicely appointed.

Since we don’t have a tremendous number of tours during our three nights in Udaipur, we’ll have time to upload the camera’s photos and get more caught up posting.

Plus, the WiFi in both safari resorts has been sketchy at best, in each case, off and on all day and only accessible from the reception office. Not being able to put up my feet and relax while preparing a post is a bit annoying, but soon we’ll be in a hotel with good service in our room (so says the online information).

There are several seating areas in our suite.

This resort is beautiful and well-appointed otherwise. Besides Tom’s disappointment with the food, we’re enjoying our time in this premium property.

So far, our 55-night tour of India is going quite well and we have a fabulous company, Tailormade Journeys continuing to work with us for any questions or concerns. We’ve been very pleased with their service working with rep Rajiv and his support staff in making this a seamless series of events, a highly complicated scenario for this extended period. They can be reached as follows:

Rajiv Wahie
Tailormade Journeys Limited
25 Grangewood , WEXHAM , SLOUGH , SL3 6LP , South Bucks. United Kingdom.
United Kingdom Tel : 01753 577330, 01753 201201 Mobile: 07739716978.
USA & Canada Toll Free : 1 – 855- 9 – 526526 , Canada :416-619-7795
Australia : 61-2-86078986Emailgreat-vacation@btconnect.com
The king-sized bed is very comfortable.
Well, that’s it for today folks. We’ve included photos of the lovely Tuli Tiger Resort. We’re looking forward to sharing more photos soon.
 
Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, February 28, 2019:

Mom and Babies hanging out by the recently cleaned cement pond. For more photos, please click here.

A noteworthy artist at Tiger’s Den Resort…A wildlife artist beyond comprehension…Rakesh Prajapali…

Perfection!

Over the past 48 hours at the Tiger’s Den Resort, we’ve been so wrapped up in going out on safari twice a day (8½ hours a day) and dining on delicious food three times a day, we’ve had time for little else.

With the resort’s WiFi connection only available in the reception area, preparing posts in our room using my phone hotspot technology has been slow and laborious. The only position I’d uploaded from here was yesterday’s story after our first tiger sighting. Please click here for details.

Endearing…

However, getting up at 5:00 am and being safari-ready by 6:00 has left me a little weary and preferring to stay in our beautifully appointed room when not in the jeep or dining room.
Today, I decided to bite the bullet and head to the reception area, where the signal is perfect. Also, today, after last night’s heavy rain and hail, this morning’s sightings were few in the safari areas of the park. 

After a five-hour foray of searching for the elusive tiger, after yesterday’s great success, we decided to forgo the afternoon game drive and stay in at the reception area to do a post that was nagging at me… The stunning work of Rakesh Prajapati, a young and vibrant wildlife artist like none we’ve ever seen in our over seven years of world travel.

Darling cubs are so beautifully represented.

We happened across his fine work by accident. When staying in a hotel or resort, we may breeze through a gift shop paying little attention to the typical trinkets-type inventory offered to impulsive tourists, often overpriced and often unused and unappreciated once returning to one’s country of residence.

When we casually entered the “Souvenir Shop” after dinner our first night here, when at that point, we’d yet to embark upon the first of many safaris and weren’t quite as tired as we are now, our mouths were agape at what our eyes beheld.

There before our eyes, lie the most exquisite paintings we’d ever seen of any wildlife, let alone the mysterious Bengal Tiger, only found in India, with only 2500 remaining nationwide. 

Stunning!

Leaning against a glass countertop stood a handsome young man, Rakesh with a tiny paintbrush in his hand, painting an exquisite rendition of a tiger from a photo he’d taken here in the Bandhavgarh National Park with its 1536 square kilometers (593 square miles) surrounding this and other safari resorts.

After being engrossed in his work, I asked him if we could highlight him with a story and photos of his actual paintings, and, let me stress, these aren’t photos of photos.  These are photos of his real paintings.

Of course, the tiger is a perfect subject for the skilled and determined artist, but Rakesh has taken this advantage to an incomprehensible level. After seeing hi

Such fine detail.

Today, we share a few of Rakesh’s stunning works (painted, not photos) and invite any of our readers who may so wish to contact him directly if you’d love one of his masterpieces. 

He ships his works worldwide in a secure cardboard tube for your framing preferences once received. Prices range from INR 5000 (US $70) to INR 75000 (US $1043) plus shipping. The sizes of each original painting vary. Feel free to inquire as to the size of each masterpiece. Many would ideally encompass a substantially sized wall.

To reach Rakesh, contact him at his email here: prajapatirakesh73@gmail.com.

Rakesh paints a wide array of subjects, human and animal, besides tigers. Outstanding work!

As for this resort, Tiger’s Den Resort, we couldn’t be more pleased. The grounds, rooms, and public areas represent a vast wildlife and safari persona. The service is impeccable. Monkeys, birds, and a few lovely German Shephard dogs protect the guests and yet are friendly and welcoming. The area is safe and unhindered by many risks one may find in more populated areas.

We will leave here tomorrow but will take many good memories of Rakesh, Tiger’s Den Resort, and its staff.

Happy Day!
(Today, it is one year ago that I resumed posting after a two-week break after open-heart surgery).

Photo from one year ago today, February 25, 2019:

Tom had cut several stalks of celery, saving the scraps for the kudus, bushbucks, and zebras, all of which love celery.  For more photos, please click here.

Safari luck prevails in India…The elusive Bengal Tiger…How lucky could we be?…

There she was. We couldn’t have asked for a better vantage point.

We never expected to see a tiger in India. However, we’re scheduled for six whole days on safari in two different national parks. We are now at Tiger’s Den Resort in Bandhavgarh National Park and upcoming on the 26th, Tuli Tiger Resort in Kanha National Park.

We were up bright and early at 5:00 am and having coffee tea (as they call morning beverages here in India) by 5:30 am in the dining room of our lovely resort. Both of us were still tired but also pumped for our first-morning game drive that began at 6:00 am while it was still dark.

Our hearts were pounding with excitement while we attempted to take photos.

We were bundled up with blankets on a chilly morning as we headed to Gate 1 of 3. Our diligent travel agent for India planned for us, a driver and a naturalist, alone in a small open-sided vehicle Jeep with elevated seats.

The naturalist sat in behind us on the seats usually reserved for additional guests to ensure we could easily hear him and provide him with an elevated view.

After the first hour and a half without seeing more than some spotted deer, monkeys, and bush chickens, we resigned ourselves to the fact that spotting the elusive tiger may be more of a dream than a reality. 

Such a beautiful animal!

And then, around 8:00 am, it happened. Our guides were able to predict a tiger in the area when varying antelopes were rapidly on the move, monkeys and birds were particularly noisy.

Suddenly, we were hopeful but still kept our enthusiasm in check. And that, she caused no less than ten other safari vehicles to jockey for position to get a glimpse of her majesty.

She was walking perpendicular to the road, and as shown in our photos, she bravely crossed the road at one point. Our guide explained the tigers weren’t as intimated by safari vehicles as one might think. They grew up in the park, a popular destination for many wildlife enthusiasts for decades.

Oh, yes, I wish we could have been able to get better photos with more closeups. But, since my new laptop arrived, I sadly discovered it didn’t have a slot for a camera data card. I tried to Bluetooth the camera to the laptop, but that didn’t work.

She didn’t seem to be disturbed by all the gawkers. 

The only option for the future is to purchase an adapter to fit Chromebook, but for now, we’re sadly stuck using our phones. And, although the photos are adequate, they surely aren’t the closeups we’d have been able to get with the camera.

Right now, using my phone as a hotspot, since there’s no WiFi in the rooms at the resort (not good), I was having trouble gaining access to the photos in a timely fashion. Hopefully, by dinnertime, the images were in my cloud, ready to be uploaded to this post. 

A pretty scene we spotted in the national park.

Hopefully, as you are reading this, we’ll have plenty of photos we could upload.

This afternoon at 2:30 pm, after the 1:00 pm lunch, we’ll go out on our second game drive of the day. After seeing this morning’s tiger, we can sit back and relax and enjoy nature, and whatever may come our way.

Happy day to all. We’ll be back with more soon.

Travel day…We’ve arrived in Bandhavgarh National Park…Here we go eight days of safari in India…

 
“The Khajuraho Group of Monuments is a group of Hindu temples and Jain temples in Chhatarpur district, Madhya Pradesh India, about 175 kilometers southeast of Jhansi. They are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The temples are famous for their nagara-style architectural symbolism and their erotic sculptures.”

These five or six-hour road trips teach us a lot more about India than any other tourist venues we’ve been visiting day after day. Traveling through the countryside of this country with a population of over 1.3 billion is, without a doubt, eye-opening.

Today on our way to the Tiger’s Den Resort in Bandhavgarh National Park, we acquired yet another perspective of life in India away from the big cities we’ve visited date.

We couldn’t have been more thrilled with our private tour guide, Dr. Anand Tiwari, who had a doctor’s degree in Hindu idols. He explained he’d done a tour the previous day with guests on the Maharajas Express! What a coincidence and an honor for us! He can be reached here for tours.

The distance between towns is often as little as two to three kilometers. Then suddenly, we were caught in yet another dilemma of honking horn traffic, tuk-tuks, trucks, motorbikes, bicycles, cows, goats, and dogs in the streets.

Again, vendor lean-tos line every possible surface with impoverished sellers soliciting passersby, mainly tourists like ourselves. The amount of poverty before our eyes is unbelievable, yet these cheerful people seem to take their circumstances in their stride. 

It’s ironic, but we visited this historic site on a particular day, the wedding anniversary of the revered Lord Shiva, as part of an annual festival. This stairway to his temple was packed with visitors coming from all over India to honor him.

Sure, there are apparent homeless beggars in the street, but overall the people seem to be preoccupied with their work and tasks at hand, often with a smile on their faces. We are the “odd-man-out,” and they may look at us in a state of sheer wonder and curiosity. F

The carvings on the temple resulted in many years of work by skilled artists.

Our India travel agency and rep Rajiv didn’t let us down. Upon arrival at the beautiful upscale safari camp, Tiger’s Den Resort, we were escorted to our beautifully appointed “luxury accommodation” (as they described our room) to find it to be perfect. 

It’s not a tent. It’s a series of rooms, each with its small veranda connected as duplexes might be by a common wall, each with direct access to the outdoors. The furnishes remind us of India in the 1920’s such as the former retail shop in the US, Bombay Trading Company.

The various temples are breathtaking.

As soon as we arrived and explained my special diet, our reception host brought my food list to the chef, who met with me to discuss options. I made it easy for him. Prepare chicken or fish in butter (not harmful oils) with a side of steamed vegetables without starch. Add two hard-boiled eggs at breakfast and lunch, not dinner. Easy peasy.

Visitors climbed these steep, uneven steps, but we opted to observe rather than rise.

We had a nice lunch in the nearby dining room, and now we’re situated in our room or outdoors on the veranda until dinner at 7:30 pm. Perhaps we’ll order a glass of wine for me and a beer for Tom to enjoy on the veranda. Humm…sound familiar…just like South Africa.

Tomorrow at 6:00 am, we’ll experience the first of six safaris we’re scheduled for during our four days at this camp. Our travel agent booked us for “private” safaris each time, with a driver and a naturalist on board in the vehicle. We didn’t expect this but are delighted. It was included in our package. 

We’re posting only two Kamasutra photos etched into the temples here, but they are a part of the history and needed to be represented.

Unfortunately, there’s no WiFi in the rooms, so at the moment, I’m using my Google World phone as a hotspot, and although the signal isn’t great in this area, it’s working. It will cost us quite a lot for the data we expect to use, but sometimes, we have to bear such expenses.

Most likely, when we head to our next location on the 26th, there will be more of the same. The only expenses we’ll incur at either of these safari camps will be tips and beverages. Three meals a day are included in the package. A picnic breakfast will be provided when we go on safari in the morning. Nice.

Another hand-carved representation of Kamasutra as it was practiced centuries ago. It is no longer accepted based on the polyamory (multiple partners) premise frowned upon by the Hindu people.

So now, I must get to the photos of the fantastic tour we had yesterday in Khajuraho to some of the most stunning temples we’ve seen to date. Again, we don’t have much time until dinner, so I need to wrap this up quickly.

This is a goddess surrounded by servants and admirers.

Gosh, I’m excited to be here. It reminds me of Africa, and nothing warms my heart more than that! Will we see a tiger? Maybe, maybe not. But whatever we see, we’ll share here with all of you.
Happy day.

Last post with Varanasi photos…Visit to a textile company…King of Brocade Weaving Centre…

                           Exquisite handmade silk brocade made on-site at Tiwari International.

 
We are experiencing awful Wi-Fi issues at the Ramada Hotel in Khajuraho, India. The town is considerably smaller than many we’ve visited over the past three weeks and without a doubt, this is the worse signal we’ve experienced.
The quality of the work is evident in every piece.

For the past several hours, I have been trying, off and on, to complete and upload today’s post about a fantastic silk-weaving facility we visited on our last day in Varanasi.

Neatly arranged shelves with countless fabrics in varying designs and colors.

From time to time, over the past seven-plus years we’ve been traveling, we’ve had an opportunity to describe and subsequently promote a small business we encounter along the way. 

Whether it is a barbershop, gift shop, street vendor, or luxury shop as we describe today, we’ve always enjoyed sharing details with our many worldwide readers.

Shelves are lined with stunning fabrics suitable for the wardrobe for Indian women and men, tourists, and many household goods such as draperies, furniture, bedspreads, pillows, etc.

Should any of you decide to visit Varanasi in the future, the stunning shop is worth a visit. I drooled over the gorgeous Pashmina shawls and scarves and only wished I’d had room in my luggage for one or two.

The staff was busy working with customers.

Unfortunately, after recently paying the airlines for overweight baggage, there was no way I could purchase even the lightest item and have it make sense. Plus, I cannot wear scarves often when I attempt to keep my clothing accessories to a minimum.

But, as we travel throughout India, we find most women, Indians, and tourists wearing scarves and shawls. Once women arrive in India from other countries, they immediately adopt the scarf concept to blend in with the population.

The shop also offered a wide array of ready-made clothing, including scarves and Pashmina shawls.

On the Maharajas Express, we all received no less than eight scarves as gifts at various stations as welcome gifts. I will have no choice but to give them away along the way. No doubt they contributed to my bag being overweight when some of them were pretty heavy.

But, few travelers have the same issue of “traveling light,” and many tourists come to India for shopping which is exceptionally exciting in this land of diversity and color.

The owner escorted us to the fabricating area, where a diligent weaver was hard at work.

Tiwari International appears to be a family-owned business. With the shop so busy when we arrived, we had little time to speak to the owner/manager Keshav Tiwari who was extremely kind and welcoming, even knowing we were “lookers,” not “shoppers.”

He was excited to share that actress Goldie Hawn had recently visited the shop, as he pointed to the framed photo on the wall as shown here in our photo. They were so proud to have a celebrity visit but equally enthused to welcome us.

This photo of actress Goldie Hawn hung on the wall in the shop. The staff was proud she’d come to visit and purchase several products.

We told Keshav about our visit to India and our site and promised him a story with today’s photos as a thank you for showing us around. He couldn’t have been more pleased, as were we.

The quality of their products is breathtaking, and we reveled in every category of cloth he showed us. Of course, we were in awe of the artistry he showed us by one of his workers, diligently at work on a loom. 

The finest of detail went into this lovely brocade, almost completed.

When he explained how time-consuming and deliberate the work is, we were all the more in awe of his massive inventory. Prices are reasonable, and support staff is available to assist in selections.

From their website, the following:


“Banarasi Brocades, as the world knows it, is called by the name kinkab in Varanasi. A high-quality weaving is done using gold and silver threads. Silk Threads are also used as well. The most common motifs include scroll patterns and butidars designs. The other designs are Jewelry designs, birds, animals, flowers, creepers, paisley motifs. Hindu religious and Mughal motifs also influenced brocade designs. When a Gold embellishment is done on a silver background, it is called Ganga-Jamuna in the local language.
This elderly weaver spent long days working at these looms.

The designs are first drawn on paper. The person who draws the layout is called Naqshbandi. The main weaver is assisted by a helper. This design is then woven on a small wooden frame to form a grid of warp and weft. 

The process is slow and painstaking, requiring intense concentration and expertise.

The requisite number of warp threads and the extra weft threads are woven on the loom. The famous tissue sari of Varanasi is unbelievably delicate, combining the use of gold and silver metallic threads.”

It was fascinating to observe the complicated and time-consuming process.
Finally, attention from Keshav was required, and we bid him thanks and good day with a typical Indian hands-together-bow, and we were on our way back out into the crazy traffic of Varanasi.
We had an opportunity to handle this finest of silk made by worms and of great value.

It was delightful, as always, to see how local products are made, adding even more substance and interest to sightseeing outings.

That’s it for today. Now, the challenge of uploading this post. Tomorrow, we’re embarking on an exciting road trip which begins at 8:30 am, taking us to one of our most sought-after adventures in India…eight days of safari in two distinct national parks where we’ll live in camps. Yeah!

Artistic design, coupled with great skill, produces such fine works as this.

Thanks to all of you for the many birthday wishes. Your kindness means the world to me!

Travel day…We’ve arrived in Khajuraho…The evening Hindu ritual at the Ganges River…Great news to celebrate my birthday today!…

The nine umbrellas represent the nine planets. Hindus value every aspect of the earth and the universe.

Wow! What a fantastic surprise last night when the email came in from the law firm notifying us that our visa waiver had been approved. No longer are we “undesirables” in South Africa for overstaying our visa by three months while I was recovering from open-heart surgery. We can’t stop smiling.

Also, today is my 72nd birthday. It became significant as the best birthday gift I could receive when material items didn’t fit into our bags, and thus, we didn’t purchase gifts for one another.
One of the seven of the priest stations celebrating with fire.

We just arrived at the beautiful Ramada Khajuraho. We found our room impeccable and luxurious, on the first floor with a stunning view of the flower gardens surrounding the gated property. What a relief from our last less-than-desirable hotel in Varanasi that is behind us now.

The flight from Varanasi to Khajuraho was quick and uneventful on pleasant India Airlines. However, we boarded a half-hour later than anticipated and didn’t know the gate number until moments before boarding. Otherwise, everything was smooth.

The priests are young and agile, performing the ritual perfectly synchronized and with grace and ease.

It feels good to be in somewhat of a remote area for the next 48 hours, and then we’re on the move again. However, for now, we have two stories to share with photos of Varanasi before we detail our visit here.

For today, we’re posting the photos from the nightly celebration on the Ganges River after we’d experienced the sunrise ritual earlier in the day. With little time remaining until we head out for dinner to celebrate my birthday, which by the way, is on 02 20 2020 (that will never happen again), I am forced to rush through some of the details of the nightly Aarti celebration as I include these photos.
From the balcony where we were seated, we had a bird’s eye view.

The experience was breathtaking. By luck or planning by our tour guide Avi, we ended up watching the entire spectacle from a balcony above the crowd. As we looked around, we realized we had the “best seats in the house.”

There were thousands of people in attendance, many standing, seated in plastic chairs lined up row after row for the early attendees. It was quite a crowd. Many were tourists, but the majority appeared as locals and other Indian people who’d traveled from all over India for this important pilgrimage.

This is a view of all seven priests during the ceremony.

This celebration was unique from the border ceremony we’d posted a few days ago. The crowd was respectfully quiet and in awe of the several priests serving the ritual from a designated station, decorated with flowers, incense, and fire. It was quite a spectacle, especially with bells and cymbals clanging and loud music wafting from a massive speaker system.

Here are some details about the ritual from this site:

“Ganga Aarti is one of the most beautiful experiences in India. The spiritually uplifting ceremony is performed daily to honor the River Goddess Ganga. Every day, as dusk descends on the Earth, the ghats of the River Ganga witnesses a spectacular ceremony. Hundreds of divas, mantras, the aroma of incense, flowers, and musical instruments created an ambiance of divine bliss.
Smoke from the fire rituals wafted through the air.

The Aarti ritual is of high religious significance. Fire is used as an offering to the river. You need to witness the event to comprehend its grandiose. In this blog, we will provide a complete guide for Ganga Aarti.

Aarti is a Hindu religious ritual of worship, a part of the Puja. This ceremony includes fire, songs sung to praise the worshiped, flowers, incense, music, etc. The purpose of Aarti is to show humility and gratitude to God’s divine form.

The priest in the center of the seven had a more elaborate station.

Ganga Aarti is a holy offering to the River Goddess. Lit lamps and flowers are floated down the river. This offering is made to the Goddess Ganga, also affectionately referred to as Maa, the Mother Goddess of the holiest river in India.

The Ganga Aarti is performed on the banks of River Ganga. The spiritual ceremony happens every evening in different cities of India, after the sun sets, be it rain, hail, or shine! The most popular Aarti ceremonies are held in the towns of Varanasi, Haridwar, and Rishikesh. It is an event one must attend once in their lifetime. However, the tradition is very different in each of these places.

VIP seating for dignitaries and officials.

Varanasi Ganga Aarti is one of the most beautiful religious ceremonies in the world. It takes place every sunset at the holy Dashaswamedh Ghat, near Kashi Vishwanath Temple. This divine ritual is a highly choreographed ceremony. The Aarti is performed on a stage on the river banks. A group of young Pandits, all draped in saffron-colored robes, raise huge brass lamps in honor of the River Goddess. The extravaganza is fantastic, and you will certainly want more of it.

The ceremony commences with blowing a conch shell, which is believed to eliminate all negative energy and heighten your senses. The waving of incense sticks in elaborate patterns and the circling of large flaming lamps follow. The movement of the lights is synchronized to the rhythmic chants of hymns and the music of cymbals. The heady scent of sandalwood thickly permeates the air. The Aarti is not just a ritual. It is a display of complete devotion to the River Ganga.”
A well-lit boat on the river.

The ceremony commenced around 6:30 pm and continued until 7:10 pm, where Avi reappeared to walk us through the narrow alleys to return to our hotel for dinner. 

We made our way back through many alleys and narrow streets, maneuvering our way past cows, dogs, motorbikes, and people. In the dark, the displays we encountered dozens of food vendors, fabric sellers, and trinket shops were mind-boggling. It was unbelievable. We’d never seen anything like it anywhere in the world.
The young priests are highly skilled in presenting this ceremony every evening.

We arrived back at the hotel by 8:00 pm, had a decent dinner, and wandered off the bed by 10:00 pm. We’d been up and about since 5:00 am, and a good night’s sleep was on the agenda.

As the crowds filtered into the area as many boats moved closer to the ceremonies.

The following day we began another tour with details we’ll share in tomorrow’s post. The pace we’re keeping, moving every two to three days, early mornings for flights and tours, but surprisingly, we’re both holding up well.

We were thrilled with our excellent seats on a balcony.

We arrived in India three weeks ago today, and we’re one-third of the way through our 63 days of touring (including seven days on the Maharajas Express). It’s incredible, it’s enlightening, and most of all, it’s unique beyond all of our expectations.

Chanting and music bellowed from this historic temple.

Thanks to everyone for the zillions of birthday wishes! I couldn’t feel more honored and blessed. Whew! What a day! What a life! What an experience!

The morning Hindu ritual during sunrise boat ride on the Ganges River…Cremation…

Sunrise over the Ganges River.

The amount of history and information flooding our minds is astounding. We’ve learned an incredible amount about the culture and history of India than we ever dreamed possible, even on this extended tour.

There were numerous narrow alleys to navigate to arrive at the Ganges River. 

Our guides have been articulate and knowledgeable, accompanied by a passionate sense of pride about their country, its rich history, and its exceptional people.

Many open stalls are located in narrow alleys.

We feel safe here except when walking on the streets with volumes of vehicles trying to make their way around us and us around them. We don’t have a sense of impending doom as we may in some areas of the world with significant populations, but we still proceed with considerable caution.

Having a local as our guide each time we step outside the doors of our hotel provides an added layer of peace of mind as we work our way through one heavily populated area after another.
Walking down these alleys is dangerous when motorbikes come whizzing while honking their horns. Our guide Avi and Tom, kept me safe from being run over.

Varanasi has 3,676,841 people and covers an area of 43.28 square miles which is relatively small compared to many other cities in India, thus, the density of the traffic and people on the streets.

From this site: “Varanasi, also called Benares, Banaras, or Kashi, city, southeastern Uttar Pradesh state, northern India. Varanasi is one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. It is located on the left bank of the Ganges (Ganga) River and is one of the seven sacred cities of Hinduism. Its early history is that of the first Aryan settlement in the middle Ganges valley. 
Cows are sacred animals in India. Hindu people do not eat any meat. The cow is revered for its milk, for making and other dairy products, and for their dung used to build fires. They are sacred and adored, well-fed, and nurtured well into old age. They often wander the streets during the day, always returning home to their owners at night.
Varanasi was the capital of the kingdom of Kashi during the time of the Buddha (6th century BCE), who gave his first sermon nearby at Sarnath. By the 2nd millennium BCE, Varanasi was a seat of Aryan religion and philosophy. It was also a commercial and industrial center famous for its muslin and silk fabrics, perfumes, ivory works, and sculpture. 
The city remained a center of religious, educational, and artistic activities as attested by the celebrated Chinese Buddhist pilgrim Xuanzang, who visited it in about 635 CE and said that the city extended for about 3 miles (5 km) along the western bank of the Ganges.”
One of several cremation sites along the Ganges in Varanasi. Women prepare the bodies while men attend the cremation for however many hours it takes. Bodies are cremated within six hours of death when possible. The cremation fee is typically INR 14306.31, US $200, and most families have enough funds to cover the cost. The ashes are pushed into the river. Note the firewood in this scene.

These stunning facts resulted in yesterday morning’s enthusiastic visit to the Ganges River. Most of us have heard about the significance of the Ganges River with preconceived notions of what it’s actually like. 

Having the opportunity to take in all the wonder of this mystical place and learn about its history and its people left us reeling with excitement. At precisely 6:00 am, our guide Avi arrived at the hotel to escort us on foot through the meandering narrow alleys and roads, already packed with citizens preparing for their day.

Local workers sift through the ashes in hopes of discovering some treasure they can resell.

That walk to the Ganges River was an experience in itself. We wandered past cows that had to move to let us pass, stray dogs awakening from the night’s sleep atop carts and tables, and goats meandering in the doorways of their places of residence.

There were countless puddles and slippery areas from the residents washing the cobblestone walkways overnight to reduce the dung produced by all the wandering animals. We never saw this much dung while in the bush in Africa.

Centuries ago, maharajas built many fine buildings and palaces along the river, most of which are currently occupied regardless of their condition.

The shopkeepers had begun to set up their various wares, hoping early morning passersby might partake of some of their offerings on the way to the river. Already the smells of incense and spices wafted through the air.

The uneven and sketchy walk transpired over no less than 20 minutes as we carefully observed every footfall along the way. It would have been easy for me to fall when I’m still not as stable as I’d like to be, while Tom hung onto me, so surefooted himself.

The evidence of architectural expertise and creativity remains today. 

We walked up and down no less than 20 total flights of steps. Although I don’t get too out of breath (no more than anyone), my legs aren’t steady especially heading down steps instead of climbing up. 

I felt like a puppet dangling my legs over each step in an attempt to avoid falling while heading down the steep stairs of the ghats. But, I continued with nary a complaint, with Tom and Ari offering a firm hand to guide me along.

The many stairways down to the river are called “ghats” as described here: Ghats in Varanasi are riverfront steps leading to the banks of the River Ganges. The city has 88 ghats. Most ghats are bathing and Puja ceremony ghats, while two ghats are used exclusively as cremation sites. Most Varanasi ghats were rebuilt after 1700 AD, when the city was part of the Maratha Empire. The patrons of current ghats are Marathas, Shindes (Scindias), Holkars, Bhonsles, and Peshwes (Peshwas). Many ghats are associated with legends or mythologies, while many ghats are privately owned. Morning boat rides on the Ganges, across the ghats is a popular visitor attraction.

Once we arrived at the river, getting onto the rowboat was tricky when we had to step from one of the last steps directly onto a little wooden platform that was hardly secure. A molded plastic chair was awaiting me, and we situated ourselves for good photo ops. 

Of course, there were no life jackets on the boat, but we didn’t worry. With so many boats near the bank of the river, should a boat begin to sink, plenty of helping hands would reach out in need of a rescue?
Shiva, the Goddess, and Vishnu the God, of many, are represented in blue on these two structures.

We were on that boat no less than 75 minutes while the boat owner continually rowed. The experience was more significant being in a rowboat as opposed to a fancy motorboat. This was an authentic experience.

As shown in our photos, there was so much to see. It was fascinating to hear how the locals wander to the river each day to bathe. They disrobe enough to maintain a certain level of dignity, but not entirely as we witnessed each bather tugging at their sarongs and other clothing to avoid embarrassment.
We purchased these two offerings to light and placed them into the river with a prayer. The cost was INR 40, US 56 cents for the two. Of course, after the lengthy rowboat ride, we generously tipped the driver.

After the women bathe, there are curtained areas where they can change into dry sarongs and make their way back to their designated city areas for the day. Most street workers and vendors are men, although women are seen in some of the more upscale women’s clothing shops.

The priests were engaged in the ceremonial sunrise rituals, enacted specific decorated areas, which we’ll share in tomorrow’s post about the evening ritual at the river, again a unique and fascinating experience, one we’ll never forget.

Two dogs, most likely siblings, are checking out the scenery. Stray dogs are often fed by the locals. They don’t bark and are gentle around people.

But, there we were, sitting in a small rowboat scouring the shores of the Varanasi side of the Ganges River, where people were bathing, priests were chanting, deceased bodies were being cremated, and the sun was rising on the horizon. 

Tom looked at me as he often did with a wide grin and said, “Who would have thunk?”

Yes, and in my usual manner, I said, “Pinch me. Is this happening?”

Tom and the sunrise over the Ganges River.

We smiled at one another, knowing in our hearts that continuing on our journey to see the world was what we were meant to do. And, there’s so much more yet to come. Please stay with us as we share India with all of you through our eyes, through our hearts, and our minds.

Varanasi…Adaptation, once again…

Yesterday we met this lovely Indian couple at the airport.

In a perfect world, of which there is no such thing, every travel day, every tour, and every hotel would be to our liking. But, as we so well know, the world is an imperfect place, and our world travels are no different.

Last night we checked into a hotel, Ganges Grand Hotel, located in midtown Varanasi, that wasn’t of the caliber of the hotels we’ve stayed in during the first ten days following the Maharajas Express week-long train excursion.

When we arrived at the hotel by our assigned driver Ojuh, the hotel staff met us a few blocks away to collect our bags. No parking or stopping was allowed in the direct vicinity of the hotel. 
Last night during dinner, we noticed this cow entering a dress shop.

Fortunately, we only had a five-minute walk through the excessive honking of horns from tuk-tuks, cars, trucks, and motorbikes as we darted in and out of the traffic on uneven ground in an attempt to avoid getting hit or tripping and falling. This was the most traffic we’d seen in India thus far.
Finally, we reached the hotel to climb a steep set of uneven stairs to enter the lobby. The small reception area reminded me of “motels” from many decades ago when I traveled across the country with my parents as a child. 

We were welcomed and handed the box from Amazon India containing my new laptop, which had arrived earlier in the day. I am preparing today’s post using it, and so far, I’m pretty impressed. 

We were escorted to our room on the second floor. As soon as the door was opened, our hearts sank. This couldn’t hold a candle to the other hotel rooms of days (or years) past.

Lanterns and fabrics were carried on the heads of locals in preparation for a wedding.

The bed is hard as a rock; the room shows considerable wear and tear; the bathroom and shower are all-in-ones. In other words, the bathroom sink is in the same spot as the shower. 

Water covers the floor and doesn’t drain well, leaving the bathroom a slippery danger zone with the potential for falling on the marble floor. We asked for extra towels to cover the bottom to prevent falls while in the bathroom and when stepping outside the bathroom. 

After getting settled as best as possible in the room, we headed to the dining room for dinner. We hadn’t eaten a thing in over 12 hours. We giggled when we commented that it felt as if we were in a movie centered around international intrigue and espionage in the 1930s.

In our situation, I must be able to get food befitting my way of eating. There was nothing on the menu I could order. I asked for the chef (cook), and he kindly prepared a roast chicken and vegetable dish that met my criteria and tasted fine. 

Bleary-eyed and tired from a long travel day, we shared a few beers (no wine available). Since alcohol isn’t allowed in many Indian cities, this restaurant covers its beers with tin foil. Go figure.

Once again, Tom had chicken and egg-fried rice. It looks like we’ll repeat these same items over the next two nights until we leave for our following location that online appears to be more suitable for our desires and expectations.

Yes, I know, this is India, and yes, we’re adaptable and accepting of cultural differences, but we paid a lot of money for this tour and didn’t expect to stay in this particular type of hotel.

We looked up all the hotels booked over the next few weeks, and it appears this particular hotel was out of character for our 55-night tour of India. We breathed a sigh of relief and settled back into the reality we so often pursue, “love the one you’re with.” We’ll be fine.

I suppose our tour guide selected this hotel due to its convenient location to the Ganges River and other points of interest. This morning at 6:00 am, we met with our Varanasi tour guide, Avi, and proceeded on a tour of one of the most exciting and unusual tours we’ve done to date… a rowboat ride on the Ganges River at sunrise.

Need I say, we have some stunning photos to share tomorrow while today, in the short time we have left until our next outing, to continue to set up my new laptop with all the apps and files I typically use.

We’ll be back with more tomorrow. Have a peaceful day and evening.

Travel day…Amritsar to Varanasi…Two flights with layover…Excitement at the India-Pakistan border…

The soldier prepared for the big event.

As I write here now, it’s during our original two-hour layover in Delhi. After the first flight on Vistara Airline (owned by Singapore Airlines) was late by 40 minutes, the wait to board was dramatically reduced.

We boarded the flight 35 minutes after check-in at the airport, so my choice was to rush through today’s post or try to finish this tonight after dinner. Since we didn’t arrive at our hotel in Varanasi until around 7:00 pm, I tried to rush through to get this post uploaded so we could have a less hurried evening and leisurely dinner, but it didn’t quite work out that way.

The bleachers were packed with enthusiastic Indians.

With our driver Prince arriving at our hotel in Amritsar at 9:30 am to take us to the airport (our last contact with him), we wanted to have breakfast in the hotel after we’d packed everything and were ready to go.

At 9:40, the van was loaded with our bags, and we were on our way to the Amritsar International Airport. We were arriving two hours before our flight left plenty of time to kill.

Note the headdress o the performers/soldiers.

We met a lovely Indian couple who now live in Australia and visiting family in India. The lively conversation with this particular couple made the time fly while we awaited our flight. Before we knew it, we were boarding the first of the two flights.

I’d preferred to spend more time preparing today’s post about the exciting visit to the India/Pakistan border ceremonies. Still, this schedule is the “nature of the beast,” as we spend two hectic months of travel through India, staying in each new location for two or three days.

Aligned and ready to perform.

Is this pace tiring us? Surprisingly, it’s not. Sightseeing for one or two days with one day of rest in between is working perfectly for us. We’re rested, well-fed, and enthusiastic as we continue.

This is not to say we’d do a tour such as this again. This scenario in India is unique. Most likely, such an extended private tour such as this in any other country would far exceed the cost we paid for these extra 55-days over and above the Maharajas Express seven-day tour through India. 

The crowds roared, particularly from the Indian side.

Below is information regarding the extraordinary experience we had been a part of the electrified festivities. 

The Indian people are dedicated to protecting their borders, evidenced by their loud and enthusiastic participation during the ceremonies, dancing, chanting, and reciting their national expressions of love and patriotism to their country.

The soldier lined up to perform their classic high kicks.

We couldn’t wipe the smiles off our faces during the almost two hours we sat in the tiered seating in the bright sun in the VIP/foreigner’s seats, only about eight rows up from the performance.

Unfortunately, my photos aren’t as good as I would have liked. The sun was in my eyes, and it was impossible to see the subjects of the photos. I could only point and click.

Military police from either side of the border.

Now, as I write again, we’ve arrived at our hotel in Varanasi close to bedtime. The city is beyond description. We are sharing what we were able to come up with during the ceremonies. We’ll share details in the next few days.

Tomorrow, we have to be in the hotel lobby at 6:00 am tomorrow to head to the dock to board a boat for the Ganges River for the sunrise and more. We had a nice dinner in the hotel restaurant. It’s not quite the caliber of the hotels we’ve stayed in so far in India, but we’ll make the best of it. 

Military guards protected the perimeter.

Time to wind down for the night. We’ll be back with more tomorrow. Hang tight. Thanks for traveling along with us.

Here’s information on the ceremonies:

“The lowering of the flags ceremony at the Attari-Wagah border is a daily military practice that the security forces of India (Border Security Force, BSF) and Pakistan (Pakistan Rangers) have jointly followed since 1959. The drill is characterized by elaborate and rapid dance-like maneuvers and raising legs as high as possible, described as “colorful.” It is a symbol of the two countries’ rivalry, brotherhood, and cooperation between the two nations. Similar parades are organized at Mahavir/Sadqi border near Fazilka and Hussainiwala/Ganda Singh Wala border near Firozpur.”

Every eye in the stadium was focusing on these professionals.

We’re going to give this ultra-hard bed a try and see how we do. Nighty night to all!

Amritsar…Many treasures to behold…The Golden Temple…

The Golden Temple is seen through a decorative archway on the religious grounds of the historic Sikh location.

Yesterday morning, our highly competent Amritsar guide Amit met us at our hotel to begin a walking tour of the historic city focusing on the world-famous Golden Temple of the Sikh people.

India’s Sikh population is approximately 24 million, only 1.72% of the country’s total population. Out of the total Sikhs in India, 77% are concentrated in Punjab, where we are now located.

We didn’t go inside the Golden Temple when the queue could easily have resulted in waiting in the line for four hours. This photo is only a tiny portion of the queue.
Sikhism may be found predominantly in the Punjab state of India. Still, Sikh communities exist on every inhabited continent, with the largest emigrant population being in the United States, Canada, and United Kingdom.
 
Please click here for a comprehensive view of the Sikh principles, too detailed for us to include. We were fascinated when Amit explained the Sikh ideology, so far removed from the perceptions many possess about this and other religions of the world.
Many rules surround the reading of the Holy Book, one of which includes, once the lesson begins, it cannot be stopped until completed. There is a 17-year waiting list to receive a copy of the sacred book. This and many other priests sit quietly day after day reading the sacred text written in a language few Sikhs can translate.

There are so many aspects to this faith. We could spend years attempting to explain. However, the purpose of our posts is to share our travel and daily life experiences, leaving little time or space to elaborate. The web provides millions of entries to explain details further and answer questions curious readers may possess.

In any case, Amit provided us with an overview that undoubtedly enhanced our experience of seeing the Golden Temple, its people, and its exquisite surroundings.
Shoes are not allowed in the temple area, and women must wear scarves, and men must wear some form of a turban.

Below, we’ve included the history of the Golden Temple, which may appeal to those fascinated with religious history.

From this site: “Sri Harmandir Sahib, also known as Sri Darbar Sahib or Golden Temple, (on account of its scenic beauty and golden coating for English speaking world), is named after Hari (God), the temple of God. The Sikhs worldwide wish to pay a visit to Sri Amritsar and pay obeisance at Sri Harmandir Sahib in their Ardas.

Amit helped Tom fashion a turban. I thought he looked good with it!
Guru Arjan Sahib, the Fifth Nanak, conceived the idea of creating a central place of worship for the Sikhs, and he designed the architecture of Sri Harmandir Sahib. The planning to excavate the holy tank (Amritsar or Amrit Sarovar) was chalked out by Guru Amardas Sahib, the Third Nanak. Still, it was executed by Guru Ramdas Sahib under the supervision of Baba Budha ji. The land for the site was acquired by the earlier Guru Sahibs on payment or free of cost from the Zamindars (landlords) of native villages. The plan to establish a town settlement was also made. Therefore, the construction work on the Sarovar (the tank) and the town started simultaneously in 1570. The work on both projects was completed in 1577 A.D.

The land for the site was bought by the Guru Ram Das Sahib on payment from the Zamindars (landlords) of native villages.

This building is being renovated on the grounds of the Golden Temple.

Guru Arjan Sahib got its foundation laid by a Muslim saint Hazrat Mian Mir ji of Lahore on the 1st of Magh, 1645 Bikrmi Samvat (December 1588). The construction work was directly supervised by Guru Arjan Sahib himself. He was assisted by prominent Sikh personalities like Baba Budha ji, Bhai Gurdas ji, Bhai Sahlo ji, and many other devoted Sikhs.

Unlike erecting the structure on the higher level (a tradition in Hindu Temple architecture), Guru Arjan Sahib got it built on the lower level. Unlike Hindu Temples having only one gate for the entrance and exit, Guru Sahib got it open from four sides. Thus he created a symbol of the new faith, Sikhism. Guru Sahib made it accessible to everyone without distinction of caste, creed, sex, and religion.

Two Sikh men were standing at the edge of the holy body of water. Men and women bathe separately in this man-made lake for its healing powers.

The building work was completed in 1601 A.D. on Bhadoon Sudi 1st, 1661 Bikrmi Samvat (August/September 1604). Guru Arjan Sahib installed the newly created Guru Granth Sahib in Sri Harmandir Sahib and appointed Baba Budha ji as its first Granthi, i.e., the reader of Guru Granth Sahib. After this event, it attained the status of ‘Ath Sath Tirath.’ Now the Sikh Nation had their own Tirath, a pilgrimage center.

Sri Harmandir Sahib is built on a 67ft. square platform in the centre of the Sarovar (tank). The temple itself is 40.5ft. square. It has a door each on the East, West, North, and South. The Darshani Deori (an arch) stands at the shore end of the causeway. The door frame of the arch is about 10ft in height and 8ft 6inches in breath. The door panes are decorated with artistic style. It opens onto the causeway or bridge that leads to the main building of Sri Harmandir Sahib. It is 202 feet in length and 21 feet in width.

During the year but especially during the heat of the summer months, metal glasses are used to serve tap water to visitors. The glasses are washed by these women using a trough of ash, not water.

The bridge is connected with the 13 feet wide ‘Pardakshna’ (circumambulatory path). It runs around the main shrine, leading to the ‘Har ki Paure’ (steps of God). On the first floor of “Har Ki Pauri,” there is continuous reading of Guru Granth Sahib.

The main structure of Sri Harmandir Sahib, functionally as well as technically, is a three-storied one. The front, which faces the bridge, is decorated with repeated cusped arches, and the roof of the first floor is at the height of 26 feet and 9 inches.

As we walked down a road toward the temple.

At the top of the first floor, 4 feet high parapet rises on all the sides, which also has four ‘Mamtees’ on the four corners, and precisely on the top of the central hall of the main sanctuary rises the third story. It is a small square room and has three gates. A regular recitation of Guru Granth Sahib is also held there.

On the top of this room stands the low fluted ‘Gumbaz’ (dome) having lotus petal motif in relief at the base inverted lotus at the top which supports the “Kalash” having a beautiful “Chhatri” at the end.

We walked through the old part of the town of Amritsar on our return to the hotel.

Its architecture represents a unique harmony between the Muslims and the Hindu’s way of construction work, and this is considered the best architectural specimen of the world. It is often quoted that this architecture has created an independent Sikh school of architecture in the history of art in India.”

Of course, we’re excited to share photos we’d taken at the temple. Excessive photo taking is frowned upon, and thus we were discriminating in choosing what appealed to us most. 
Although not maintained, many of these old apartments are still occupied a few centuries after being built.
Our few hours at the palace were enhanced by the knowledge and expertise of our guide, who works extensively with visitors of the US Embassy. We were truly honored to have him to ourselves for the day.
 
After the Golden Temple, he walked us through back roads and narrow alleyways to further enhance the scope of our experiences. Seeing famous landmarks is undoubtedly a huge plus, but the ins and outs of “where the people live and interact” are equally important.
We were fascinated by the historic architecture.
In the early afternoon, we took a short break from the tour to allow us time to prepare and upload yesterday’s post. By 2:15, Prince, our driver, arrived. He and Amit took us to our next adventure, witnessing the closing ceremony of the equivalent of the “changing of the guard” and the nightly closing of the gates at the India and Pakistan border. Fascinating! We’ll be back with photos and stories in tomorrow’s post.
 
Tomorrow morning, we’re heading for the airport for a full travel day with two flights and a 2¼ hour layover in between. We don’t expect to arrive at our hotel, the Hotel Ganges Grand in Varanasi, until after 7:00 pm, where we’ll stay until February 20th when we’ll fly once again Khajuraho. More on that later.
Back on the busy street, we reveled in the strong cultural influences.
We had a fantastic day yesterday, and we’re enjoying a quiet day off today to work on our zillions of photos for today’s and tomorrow’s posts. 
 
Have a spectacular day, dear readers!