Bollywood movies are notoriously long and overflow with drama and eye candy. So, I've dubbed this post "Just Like Bollywood" because it is chock-full of colorful visuals, a few plot twists, and is twice as long as any post I've ever written! India does that to a person.
So, if a picture is worth a thousand words, these two posts on the seven cities we visited in India are worth a small fortune. Every moment in India seemed photo-worthy, from the chaos of Tuk-Tuk traffic to serene sacred cows (everywhere) to markets seething with people and fiery riverside rituals. From women cloaked in vibrant saris to ghost-like holy men coated in white ash, these photos tell the story in ways that words cannot.
Chaos and serenity went hand in hand in India, often shifting from one extreme to the other within hours.
New Delhi—so many people! And so much to take in. We were not surprised by the sea of humanity, but we were surprised by how green the city is. Our hotel was near all the prestigious embassies, so I am sure that was a part of why it seemed that way, but there were also many parks and tree-lined streets.
Fellow travelers advised us to choose the best hotel we could afford for our first few days in India. This would allow us to acclimate and avoid sensory overload. We chose The Claridges, an elegant hotel built in 1955 that still has a British “upper-crust” atmosphere.
Michael had a troublesome cough that started while we were in Oman but got worse in New Delhi. After just one call to the front desk, a dapper doctor in his seventies arrived at our door the following morning. He pulled a stethoscope from his classic black leather kit, and after giving Michael an exam, he prescribed an antibiotic and a strong cough medicine. We were not looking forward to finding a pharmacist - but the doctor said, "You are not in America, sir. Here, the medicine will come to you." And 45 minutes later, it did. His visit and the prescriptions were charged to our hotel bill, which totaled around sixty dollars.
Michael felt well enough to continue our plans to attend a 2024 World Cup of Cricket Match that afternoon. We've watched matches in the past, but nothing compared to attending a session in Cricket-Crazy India.
Our taxi driver braved the disorderly traffic near the stadium and dropped us at our gate. I got my face painted by an entrepreneurial ten-year-old, and we enjoyed the charged atmosphere. The World Cup would continue for our entire stay in India, so talking ‘bats and bowls’ with just about anyone we met was fun. Locals were curious (and impressed) by these two American, silver-haired tourists who knew so much about their favorite sport!
The next day, we were booked on an all-day Airbnb Experience called the Tuk Tuk Tour Delhi Experience. Michael wasn't feeling much better, so the doctor sent him to the hospital for more tests and treatment. He had a five-star experience. He was given new medicine and told to rest. I carried on with the tour while he watched Cricket in bed!
I had Vinod, our tour guide, all to myself. He took me to so many places that it became a blur, but I felt I saw the best of New Delhi that afternoon. And we ate well, too - including lunch at Vinod’s favorite hole-in-the-wall restaurant - a place he’d never taken a client to before. I also interacted with locals along the way. Often, people waved at me or asked if I would have a photo taken with them (I was told I looked a bit like the Queen of England). These encounters were always enjoyable. But when we were sitting in traffic, women, often holding infants, would reach into the cab and pull my arm while begging. Vinod said to ignore them - easier said than done! He feels the city has many charitable programs to help the poor and that these people pray on tourists. As he pointed out - they weren’t crowding around other Tuk Tuks near us. I saw his point, but this was so stressful that I carried plenty of small change to give out for the rest of our trip.
Standing outside the Guruwara Bangla Sahib Community Center. During Covid, they often fed 100,000 people a day.
One stop we made that day has stuck with me. The Guruwara Bangla Sahib is the largest Sikh temple in India.
Originally a palace built in the 17th century, it became a pilgrimage site and temple when the waters of the reflection pool were declared to have miraculous healing powers. Today, the sprawling temple is a calm oasis in the center of Dehli. Upon arrival, you are given a scarf to cover your head. Then you remove your shoes and wash your feet.
But this is what amazed me—the resident Sikhs and an army of volunteers feed 30,000 to 40,000 people daily and thousands more on the weekend for free, regardless of caste, color, or creed. Even tourists line up for a delicious, hot vegetarian meal. I was invited to tour the kitchens that were run with military precision, as was the never-ending meal service. The temple also provides temporary housing and free medical care.
That evening, we were committed to another Airbnb Experience called Old Delhi's History, Street Food and Bazaars. It was challenging to find the meeting place because of the throngs of people and all manner of transport vying for space. We finally connected with our host, Ashkay, and the other guests using WhatsApp. Ashkay was one of the best and most knowledgeable guides ever. He truly loves what he does. We spent three hours working our way down one long street because there was so much history to cover - and so many delicious foods to try. I’m sorry I don’t have any good photos because it seemed risky to have our phones out.
Agra - home of the Taj Mahal. And that's about it. But it is worth a map pin to see this iconic landmark. Our journey from New Dehli to Agra was our first opportunity to use India by Car and Driver—a service we would use several times during our stay. It was a three-hour drive, and the first time we caught glimpses of real India.
Many people in neighboring vehicles waved and smiled as we passed by. And they often snapped a photo!
The road to Agra. The movie below is a sample of what we passed on all of our road trips between cities. The road conditions were pretty rough, and often there were cows languishing on the side of the road - or stepping into traffic!
Our hotel in Agra. What a complete contrast to what was just outside the gate. Again, hard to reconcile these two worlds.
We stayed at the ITC Mughal, a beautiful hotel with a mid-century vibe. The next day, we took another Airbnb Experience called Private Taj Mahal Sunrise and Agra Fort Tour . We were picked up at 5:00 a.m. to be at the head of the line for 6:00 a.m. when the doors opened. Our host was very organized and kept us moving through the congregation so we'd be near the head of the line. It would have been challenging to do this on our own. The building was a fantastic sight—almost surreal, as it gradually appeared through a light haze.
Unfortunately, I was sick that day and probably should have stayed behind - but I wasn't going to miss this once-in-a-lifetime experience. Michael carried on to the fort and did another Airbnb Experience called The Mysteries of Agra with a Local that evening. Meanwhile, I was in bed, using India's scratchy brown "tissues" by the dozen. I felt better in the morning and we carried on to Varanasi on Indigo Airlines.
Varanasi - Spiritual Nirvana! We were so glad we had this mesmerizing city on our itinerary. We stayed at a sweet family-run boutique hotel called Stay Banaras. Varanasi is famous for its location on The Ganges, the epicenter of the Hindu religion - the city thrummed with spiritual energy! We took two excellent tours on Airbnb. The first one was a pre-dawn Photo Tour of Holy Varanasi. We had another 5:00 am start - this time to be in place to witness sunrise rituals along the Ganges river bank. There was so much to take in that I wish we’d booked a second morning to see it all again!
There were many prayer groups like this one gathered along the river. There are two cremations taking place in the background. The people in the foreground are family members. Cremations take place around the clock.
Cremations take place 24 hours a day, every day. Watching this sacred ritual up close was quite the spectacle for Western eyes! We saw several bodies wrapped in colorful linens placed on a platform with kindling reverently tucked around all sides, and then set alight! If you are going to die in India, the closer you are to Varanasi, the better because if you are cremated here, you are that much closer to Nirvana. After the bodies are reduced to ashes, the remains are swept into the river. The very same river where the faithful (and just about everyone else) are bathing or washing clothes just a short distance away.
As we strolled, we encountered elders bedecked in vibrant linens and beads or wearing very little and painted white with ash. They would gladly accept (actually, insist) on a few dollars for a blessing and a photo together.
In the late afternoon, we headed out for an evening tour with Varanasi Walks, an excellent source of things to see and do in Varanasi. We wound our way through alleyways and hidden temples along the river. This time, we got a glimpse of how people live and worship. We tried our best to keep the many Hindu Gods straight, but there is a God for almost any situation, so we gave up. I did bring home a tiny statue of Ganesha to bring us luck and keep our home safe.
The street food in India was so delicious. We trusted anything that spent a few minutes in a bath of hot oil, and this man's Falafal and samosas were addictive.
The hallway to our room at the Stay Banaras Hotel and the delightful courtyard dining area.
Jodhpur - The Blue City. Many legends explain why this city is blue. My favorite is from 400 years ago, when the ruling sultan decreed the entire city be painted in shades of blue so that from the royal palace, high above the city, it resembled the ocean because the Sultan’s youngest wife missed her home near the sea.
We spent three nights at The Arch Boutique Hotel, which was more like a hostel. But we enjoyed its quirky decor and coffee shop, where we continued to follow Cricket on the telly.
Our hotel was funky and fun. The coffee shop turned into a bar at 4:00 and the Cricket was on at all times. It is located next to one of India's best preserved step wells. As you can see, the steps allow access to fresh water whatever the level. Young boys spend their afternoons daring each other to jump from the highest stairs into the pool below!
Jodhpur seemed like a city time forgot—especially around the central clock tower. It was one big, bustling outdoor marketplace with not much in the way of bricks and mortar. There were an equal number of cars as there were donkey carts and the ubiquitous cows. However, My MacBook was acting up, and we found a certified Apple repair service on the outskirts!
Michael making new friends along the way. Here he is with fellow travelers and Cricket fans in our hotel and with a rug vendor.
Our Free Blue City Walking Tour guide, Ravi was very engaging. We were his only customers that day, and he seemed in no hurry - so we wandered the city for almost four hours. He introduced us to many of his friends and merchants along the way. At one stop, we had an enjoyable conversation with the owner of a large shop that sold fantastic fabric, clothes, rugs, and decorative antiques. One of their biggest wholesale clients is Anthropology.
We also met a woman who does manicures and pedicures in her home so I made an appointment for the following afternoon. It was challenging to find our way back through the tangled alleyways, but people along the way helped us find the neighborhood “beauty parlor.”
Our gregarious walking tour host, Ravi, and the woman we encountered on our tour who has a beauty parlor in her home.
It was so interesting to be invited into Hema's home for my treatments. Her family was all around me - including grandpa in a bed, and children running in and out. Her husband prepared my Chai drink, while her Mother-in-law fussed over me. It was great.
For just ten dollars, I enjoyed a meticulous manicure and facial threading by Hema, whose mother-in-law supervised. Almost every married couple we met had their union arranged, and the wife moved in with her husband's family - with mixed results!
One afternoon, I took a cooking class. Once again, it was an Airbnb Experience. This one was called Cooking with Mamata Prajapat. I was the only guest, so I had a lot of personal attention. That meant I also had a lot of prep work if we were going to make all five courses on the menu. The venue was a homestead about an hour's drive away. There were several modest houses for the extended family. Goats, chickens, and cattle seemed to have free range - including poking their noes in the kitchen.
The family’s principal income came from weaving cotton rugs. I spent some time watching my host Chhataram and his father weave, and the rugs were beautiful—but alas, we have no home. The host bemoaned that none of his teenage children were interested in making rugs or farming, so he was confident their days on their land were numbered. However, this Airbnb experience was a steady source of income, especially when there are several guests.
The cooking took place in a rudimentary kitchen. Still, Mamata worked magic with just two hot plates, a wok, a large mortar and pestle, a kettle, a fireplace set with a cauldron and various levels of brick, and a tub for water. There was a small refrigerator, but she pointed out they eat whatever they gather each day, so it's primarily used to keep beer chilled for their guests. Her most precious possession is the wooden spice box that belonged to her grandmother, where she keeps cumin, cardamom, turmeric, mustard seed, ginger, pimento, garam masala, pepper flakes, coriander, dried garlic, black pepper, and salt.
My host, Chhataram, worries that his progeny doesn't want to weave rugs for a living. And the delicious meal we prepared.
Together, we made roti (a flatbread), roasted skewers of goat meat marinated in yogurt served with preserved fruit, a salad of fresh herbs with peppers and tomatoes, creamy Dahl, and a spicy chickpea curry. Dessert was a plate of dates stuffed with sweet almond paste. It was all delicious.
The palace and the surrounding fortress felt like we'd stepped back in time. There were only a few other tourists so you could appreciate the beauty of the architecture and the solitude.
The opulent Mehrangarh fort and palace on the hill are worth visiting. From the highest parapets, there is an incredible view of the blue “sea” below. Looking back, I feel we had our most authentic experiences in this royal city.
It's time for popcorn! After the break, I will share our stories from Udaipur, Jaipur, and Mumbai.
I N T E R M I S S I O N
Thank you for following along,
Debbie and Michael Campbell
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