india’s north-west
I have wanted for many years now to explore more of the country I was born in. India is an extremely vast, interesting and beautiful country that is packed to the brim with history. The culture, the people and the food are highlights to say the least and these differentiate depending on which part of the country you visit. My recent trip in January of this year was kicked off in Mumbai, where I was lucky enough to visit my extended family over there. It was lovely being able to see them after a while and enjoy plenty of good food, laughs and memories. In particular on this trip, I was very blessed to be able to explore the north-west regions of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Punjab with my parents. This region was breathtaking – for not only the sheer vastness but also for the landscapes, architecture and food.
The Taj Mahal in Agra, which everyone knows about was an absolute masterpiece. The stunning white marble - kept in perfect shape – gleams as the sun hits its stone cladding, and its easy to see why this is one of the seven wonders of the world. Commissioned by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, it was built in dedication to his late wife. Ah, the things we do for love.
Moving south; the city of Udaipur sits around two lakes and fosters a beautiful fort that overlooks the Pichola. Learning about the ancient engineering of natural ventilation and handicap-usability at it’s city fort during that time was fascinating.
Further west, the city of Jaisalmer is a Registan, a desert called Thar that borders Pakistan and feels quite removed from the usual built-up of bigger cities in India nowadays. We rode on camels together and enjoyed some local dance and music.
Jaipur, is where the famous Hawa Mahal (Wind Palace) is located. Much to my surprise, its not actually as big as it looks in many photos but nonetheless is it damn beautiful. My parents celebrated their anniversary here too, which was a memorable highlight.
The last stop in this loop was in the state of Punjab, to the Golden temple. A wish my dad got to fulfil and although the incredible waiting lines, the view and experience of the temple was fantastic.
Before, and to end this trip in the north-west we stayed with close family friends in the capital, Delhi. Exploring this city was interesting being the capital, and although parts of it were much cleaner than my birth-city of Mumbai, the traffic was a memory I’d be happy to forget.
Overall, my trip to Mumbai and the north-west was an absolute blast. Although a couple of days of heavy sickness - from each one of us - I was able to experience a part of this magical country with the people that mean the most to me. The architecture blew my mind, the food - well come on, bloody amazing - and learning about the history that dates back further than I have time to count was something I’ll always remember. The places that we visited, the memories that I was able to make with my loved ones here are something I truly cherish. India has still a long way to go, but it has come a long way already. And for that, I am proud of my nation.
Next up was Jodhpur, known as the ‘’blue-city’’ for its old-town homes covered in white and predominantly blue walls and rooftops. The fort here was stunning too, sticking out on a high rock-face.
From Jaipur we headed north to Neemrana, where we stayed at Neemrana fort, a stunning fort encompassed of many old and renovated buildings that’s clustered on a hill to make a beautiful backdrop.
