India Unveiled, By The Hour

India Travel, By The Hour - From 6.00 am to 6.00 p.m.

- Hector Dsouza

There's never a dull moment in India!!! Is this true? In many ways, yes. Years of traveling often leaves me in wonderment; `there's always something happening' is a more appropriate phrase. Below are a chosen few priceless moments experienced at different destinations across India, at different times of the day - from sunrise to sunset!! Enjoy the read, comments welcome 

6.00 A.M -Jaisalmer, Rajasthan

The early morning hours before and during sunrise often catches the imagination of the freshly woken mind. The 15 minute walk to the bus stand located outside the 12th century Jaisal Fort built by a Rajput King Rawal Jaisal on a dimly lit road on a cold winter morning gave me the jitters. Then, tourists & most locals lived inside the fort, giving it a magical unbelieving feeling during the stay. A favorite with backpackers from Europe and Asia, Jaisalmer preferred all the attractions, many visitors yearned for! Cozy compact town inside a fort (of all places), imposing fort walls carved in an irregular arc, bastions & turrets at regular intervals. Vantage view points from where one gazed; at semi desert arid land, an imposing clock tower, surrounding villages all confirmed it was a perfect spot for collection of taxes and goods from passing caravans in earlier times. Not for nothing did Jaisalmer located in the westernmost part of India, in the state of Rajasthan, earn the sobriquet as the `Golden Town of Rajasthan or for romanticists, authors; fairy tale `Castle Town' of India. There was no dust storm that morning; instead, it was the falling dew that energized me.

6.15 a.m. Binsar, Uttarakhand

Sunrise at Binsar in Uttarakhand in the month of February was equally momentous- a moment of small triumph when the sun made a dramatic entry from behind a cluster of mountains, painting the clear sky with dramatic hues of red, crimson, orange & finally, yellow. Needless to say this lighting created a spectacular effect on the Lower Himalayan mountain range, leaving us bewildered with Nature's Drama, being played out eternally at sunrise! The best part - watching it in comfort from our room!! Speaking of rooms with views, this by far was one of the best. For the record, we saw the snow capped Nanda Devi Peak, surrounded by Chaukhamba,Trishul, Shivling, Panchauli, Kedarnath & Nandakot; from end to end. 

6.15 a.m.Kanha, Madhya Pradesh

Visibility was low at the Kanha Tiger Reserve in Central India. A hurried cup of tea & biscuits followed by a Jeep drive just before sunrise, with headlights guiding our way from the buffer area to entrance gate at the core area was the norm. What followed soon after was unpredictable. We would never see the sun rise in the deeply wooded forest, though there was sufficient light to see the surrounding greenery. It was during these moments a tiger would cross our path or a sloth bear would be spotted in the bushes. The unceasing chirping of birds, call of the langur or a barking deer, happened at irregular intervals, as they only sounded the alarm call when a predator was on the move, not when the predator lay asleep in dense grassland. The suspense would be unbearable, as we craned our necks in all directions to detect movement of a predator or a rare species. Driving past meadows was another story altogether; here the sun was up & shining. Spotted Deer & Sambhar hogged the limelight, as the watchful herd foraged on moist grass, twigs. Lurking somewhere would be 'Panthera Tigris' or a pack of wild dogs, waiting for an opportune moment when one among the prey would error & be left behind.

6.30 a.m Taj Mahal Agra

Shah Jehan left behind a perfect monument to `immortalize love. Surprisingly, sunrise is also the best time to see the Taj Mahal at Agra. The soft light of sun's rays falling on marble is unmatched in beauty & splendor. The brilliantly patterned symmetrical monument looks purely magical. This I discovered on my many visits to the monument, built to commemorate love. Besides we could take our own time, moving at a leisurely pace as the crowds had not swelled, as it would during mid-day when the sun was at its brightest & the Taj glitter in the light. We discovered the softness of the light during the morning hours only added to the charm. The three hundred metre walk from the main entrance (Buland Darwaza) to the mausoleum, past flowing streams, manicured gardens and spots from where photos could be taken was an enduring sight, best experienced in the morning hours.Emperor Shah Jehan had all his calculations in order, building a spectacular monument in white marble for his most endearing wife - Jahanara Arjumand Begum, upon her death. No monument in the world replicates the Taj Mahal in beauty, symmetry, size, aesthetics. 

9.00 A.M City Palace, Udaipur, Rajasthan

Udaipur is called the City of Lakes & Bridges, Romance & Valor. The sight of the City Palace, Udaipur from the entry gate at 9.00 am is forever etched in memory. The grandeur of the huge palace painted in pastel, elaborately carved arched windows, octagonal towers at regular intervals; beehive of activity as the not too bright rays of the morning sun in the palace complex completely overwhelmed my senses. A sense of expectancy filled us as we listened to our guide explain the finer points as well as mention that the Mewars were the oldest surviving royal dynasty of India. The present ruler resides here. Built in 1559, the City Palace is one of India's best maintained monuments; I hardly had any doubts after completing the detailed tour of the `living' Palace, lasting two appealing hours. The eye for detail in miniature painting, pictures of an elephant fight, plentiful supply of painted glass, eye catching views of Lake Pichola, below; Mughal & Rajput artefacts, imposing interiors, narrow doorways & stairs, compact garden on the top floor, and the Peacock square/ Mor Chowk consisting of three Peacocks decorated with around 5000 pieces of glass and mirror mosaics depicting the three seasons - summer, winter and monsoon; the Palace of Mirrors and a breathtaking museum, simply took my breath away.

9.30 A.M Bharatpur Bird Park

It was about the same time in a different era, we commenced our cycle tour inside the Keoladeo Bird Sanctuary in Bharatpur, renowned for hundreds of migratory & resident birds. Though sunrise is the best time, the marshes of Bharatpur fed by a water canal was abundant with bird life all through the day. It was here more than three decades ago that I sighted three Siberian Cranes gamboling playfully; considering they had flown thousands of miles from cold climes of Europe / Central Asia they thoroughly enjoyed the mild mannered morning Sun. Egrets, Cranes, Pelicans, Ducks, Warblers, Kingfishers, Wagtails, Larks, Flycatchers, you name it; the Bird Park had it. Truly, a natural wonder with a peaceful congregation of tens of migratory and resident birds cohabiting, peacefully.

11.00 A.M Hyderabad, Telangana

When the sun reached its highest at mid-morning we walked in the shade of huge trees laid out in a well manicured garden in Hyderabad. Needless to mention it was still cool. We reached the Qutab Shahi Tombs, totaling seven in all, the only place in the world where all seven Emperors of the Qutab Shahi Dynasty are buried in one place. I have seen tombs, cenotaphs, burial grounds; nothing had prepared me for such awesomeness. Three different architectural styles - Hindu, Persian and Pathani were used to build these tombs dating back to the 17th century. Our guide further explained the complex was one of the magnificent historic medieval necropolises anywhere in the world consisting of over a 100 structures including mausoleums, funerary mosques, step-wells, water structures, ha-mams, pavilions and gardens, all built during their reign, lasting 169 years. The conservation, restoration work done by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture in the 21st century was well worth the effort, we concluded. We completed the long walking tour of the largest cemetery; a strange sense of calm enveloped my senses; I left the complex satiated with the experience.

11.30 A.M Pangong Lake, Ladakh

Mid morning was also the time when our van completed an arduous five hour journey from Nubra to Pangong Lake located at 4225 meters above sea level at Ladakh in North India. Hidden behind a maze of the Pangong Mountain Range, this high altitude mountain lake was just a speck. Few minutes later the turquoise lake came into full view, in the background were a series of stark mountains coated in brown; not a speckle of green was visible. Visitors from across India come day after day to visit this natural wonder stretching for 122 kilometres, 40 kilometers lies in India, the rest in China. We trudged down a mud path to the Lake Shore where we sat down cross legged, meditating for a while before soaking ourselves in the splendorous offerings of Mother Nature. How does one describe such an unparalleled experience? Perhaps, the degree of difficulty of reaching, the sights & sounds experienced en-route, arriving at the destination to a sight, exceeding expectations. `Pangong Tso' in Tibetan, meaning high grassland lake had all three attributes. We stepped into the cold waters, spending memorable moments; deep inside we were all overcome with exhilarating joy. We left with a tinge of sadness, one hour wasn't sufficient, we concluded. Nevertheless, it brought us a lifetime of contentment. To this day whenever our travel group speaks of Ladakh, its always - `Pangong, what an incredible sight & what a day it was.' Yes, the changing colors of the lake during the day, due to interplay of the sun & passing clouds creating several hues, shades on the placid lake waters,truly made it euphoric.

12.00 Noon -Gulmarg, Kashmir

At about the same time in a different year,450 kilometers west of Pangong we were greeted by a blanket of snow at Kongdoor, Kashmir at a height of 8530 feet. The cable car from Gulmarg to Aparwat peak brought us here; Kongdoor was our halfway halt. Dressed in winter attire, including gumboots which would help us navigate in loose snow, our group spent precious moments absorbing the crisp, surreal atmosphere.At the western end the Aparwat Peak at 13500 feet stood glistening in the sun; gondolas in an old fashioned manner clambered to the top.On the adjoining cable, gondolas descended.Blankets of snow on a flat plain enabled many sporting activities, like snow boarding, sledging & ski scooters. The more hardy and trained chose to ski down slopes at the far end. Snow bound peaks were visible in the background.Did we anticipate such a splendid afternoon? No,many were pleasantly surprised. I for one, chose to snow board and later relax under a makeshift plastic sheet noodle bar restaurant!! The rest rode ski scooters on sheets of snow. At the eastern end, in the distant horizon, yet another snow covered mountain range was visible.The ride to Phase II the top of Aparwat at 13500 feet was yet another fulfilling ride.We were on top, exhilarated we gazed around. There were no slopes only high peaks ascending into the sky. We politely declined the walk to the Line of Control - a border area with neighboring Pakistan. It was time to return,phew what a day it was. I thanked Father Sun for the brilliant sunshine we were having, though it was close to five in the evening. Normally the sun doesn't last beyond 3.00 pm, when clouds take over in the mountains.

1.00 P.M Big Temple (Brihadeshwara Temple) Tamil Nadu

It doesn't get bigger and better than this. A long drive from Chettinad lasting about three hours, brought us to Thanjavur, where the World Heritage - Brihadeswara Temple is located. It took us awhile to enter; once we got past the elaborately carved entrance doorway, we were greeted by a sight, that defied imagination.Venkat our guide went on to explain the intricacies of this inspiring temple with origins dating back to the 10th century, and built by the Cholas in a record time of seven years. What's special about this Living Temple where worship is conducted on a daily basis. Firstly, it's the size of the tower (vimana) housing the main sanctum; its 200 feet high and made of stone; then Venkat with a glee in his eye mentioned the crown (Shikara) resting on the tower weighed 81 tonnes and was carried on a specially built ramp from a site which was 6.1 kilometers away; this too in the 10th century.Abounding in arithmetically correct measurements,Venkat explained that the temple was built within a fort, while the rectangular shaped boundary wall measured 500 feet in length, 250 feet in width and was carved Shiva Statues,Lingams, Nandis & murals. The main temple itself consisted of four compartments; the Sanctum, a corridor, Assembly Hall & Main Hall, all intricately carved and resting on a platform. We were overtaken with awe, amazement, while wondering how such a massive structure could be constructed 1300 years ago. We left the complex to collect our footwear. The throng of crowds entering through the main gate only seemed to increase. Some devotees, others visitors, tourists and few onlookers.

2.00 PM Puducherry & Auroville

By and large the streets of Puducherry are always deserted, it was no different. The traffic by and large consisted of scooters, auto rickshaws and pedestrians or rather bare-footed tourists waiting to enter Aurobindo Ashram, renowned for the Samadhi (Memorial) of Aurobindo Ghosh and the Mother, as well as a library consisting of 80,000 inspirational books, the Senetuers-Fleurs en Flacon and the bookstore. We went past the entry gate, where a sweet smelling fragrance caught our senses, in the tree shaded courtyard we found a flower shaped tomb of white marble. In it were two chambers containing the mortal remains of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. Thousands of visitors travel from across the world to visit this site and to pay reverence. In pin drop silence we entered the building established in November 24, 1926 by a French Lady - Mira Alfassa who later came to be known as the Mother. We entered the library where a number of books written by them were on sale. Most of the books had a spiritual philosophical touch to them. We stepped outside the Ashram after 45 minutes and drove to Auroville past a densely wooded area, Oriental, Continental, Herbal restaurants. There was a different feel to this drive, it was all so calm, soothing and bereft of traffic. Close to an hour later, we arrived at Auroville where a sea of green greeted us. Huge banyan trees, flat meadows of grass, pure air. Auroville we learned from our guide, Sunder is the only place in the world to realize human unity in diversity. Recognized by United Nations in the 1960, Auroville has people coming from all over the world & living together (not exceeding 50,000), experimenting in human unity and transformation of consciousness. On a grander scale there is research carried out in sustainable living, as well as understanding the cultural, environmental and spiritual needs of mankind. Much to think about as we left the `meeting point' commencing a kilometer long walk to Matrimandir, a striking sphere shaped dome `rising' out of the ground and consisting of golden plates reflecting sunlight, thereby creating unmatched radiance, as well as brilliance. Inside is a large meditation hall to `discover' consciousness. As we didn't have a booking, we bid adieu to an enthralling sight - a man made wonder with few parallels in the universe.A perfect spot to de-stress, regain mental calm and find precious moments of introspection, I concluded.

3.00 - Scindia Museum, Gwalior

It was more of curiosity rather than any special interest that I visited the Scindia Museum at Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh a few years ago. The first visit was in the early 90's; then it was basic and unkempt though some exhibits were truly outstanding.The location at Jai Mahal Vilas Palace added to the flavor, variety. This time I was taken aback by the grandeur of the complex; well manicured garden at the entrance that went up to the shimmering white Palace. Each floor has a different architectural influence: the first storey is Tuscan; the second, Doric while the third is Corinthian. Indo-Saracenic features are conspicuously absent, making it a stand-out European masterpiece in the heart of India. Though the Lalitha Mahal Palace, Mysore & Victoria Memorial, Kolkata has commonality in color and texture, the Jai Mahal Palace touched my senses. Was this the icing or the cake?? Walking past the entry doors, I uncovered various collections of period art, culture; variety of furniture including Crystal and Belgian, Carriages, Pallanquins, Howdah, miniature and 3-D paintings many of which were acquired during the Maharaja s visit to different parts of the world. I looked in amazement at Sculptures from 2nd to the 20th century, as well as print & decorative arts. Watch caught the imagination of my fanciful mind was the Persian Carpet with faces of 140 rulers woven onto it and moving electric train carriages with specially laid rail track on a humungous large dining table. Each carriage carries, wine, specialty dishes. Each time a diner picks up a wine bottle, the carriage stops. This extravagant sight ended my tour of the museum & the palace. To sum it up, the delightful palace, the grand museum both complement each other; both are icing as well as the cake!!!

4.00 P.M Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand

We scoured the forested area for elephants; though there was plenty of Elephant Grass, there was no sign of the largest mammal on our Planet! We were on the dirt track for close to five hours, as it was a morning to evening jeep safari at Corbett National Park in Northern India, named after Jim Corbett - a renowned conservator, who also neutralized man eating tigers in the early part of the 20th century. Our jeep safari began at Ramnagar, the final destination was the core area of Dhikala after which we turned back. Incidentally, Corbett is one of the largest forests of India,beginning at the Ramnagar plains and ending at the foothills of the Himalayas. Our safari brought us spectacular sighting: a large number of avian species, incredible flora & fauna. Both, the elephant & tiger remained elusive. Though we were grateful to our guide Negi for `uncovering' the forests as well as revealing its inner secrets, we longed to sight a herd.The shadows began to lengthen, suspense unbearable; we beginning to tire as well. More than a kilometre away, I detected some movement. It appeared to be an elephant herd moving at a very slow pace. I motioned the driver to stop and drive in the direction of this disruption. As we came closer the sight of an elephant herd became distinct. Their bodies were coated brown, this camouflaged, boding well with the forest. A female led from the front, the rest including calves followed in a single file behind her.Trunks swaying, they foraged on branches, mounds of grass,fruit; everything that was edible to them! At times they bumped into each other. We watched in amazement this spectacular unhurried march, one by one they slowly ambled into the deep recess of the forest before completely disappearing from view.

5.00 - 6.30 P.M. Sunset at Palolem Beach, Goa

Remembering `perfect' sunsets is a perplexing choice, cause there are so many; one I remember distinctly well is the boat ride during sunset at Palolem Beach in extreme end of south Goa. Though it transpired more than a decade ago, the memory is quite vivid. From the early nineties, Palolem was my favorite beach, though one had to drive for over 90 minutes to reach it. We arrived one crowded afternoon, spending an hour at a beach side restaurant sipping our fresh lime sodas. We had our ten month old child with us, which is why I didn't venture into the waters. We decided to walk along the shore, where we were cajoled by touts to join the 30 minute boat ride to Butterfly Beach and back. We finally relented and entered the boat with forty other revelers. If you are lucky, you can spot dolphins we were told. Ten minutes into the ride, we had our first encounter with dolphins. Playful creatures, they kept jumping in and out of the waters. Some flipped, others swam on the waves. Our excitement gave way to relaxation as the boat continued its journey on the placid waters. Occasionally a spray of water hit our faces; the sun at the other end began its downward descent. The sky began to turn orange……few minutes later we were greeted by the sight of cove shaped Butterfly Beach, standing out among the rocks, shining in the evening light. Overcome with glee, marveling at the nature's plentiful bounty, our boat turned back towards Palolem. By now the sun found its `sweet' spot; the sky clear, visibility total. The crowds were flummoxed, many sat staring at this perpetual drama being played yet again, this time at sunset to perfection. I made my wish (as always) when the sun `kissed' the horizon, `to live another day, to see another place & to live happily ever after'!! Guess Nature heard this intonation, so here I am sitting in office, giving finishing touches to my story on journeys & moments when some locales `touched' my innermost senses, kindling a rare calm feeling that can be best described in one phrase - Joe-de-vivre! (Joie de vivre is a French phrase often used in English to express a cheerful enjoyment of life, an exultation of spirit, and general happiness.)