Agra Fort, which was once the residence of the emperors of the Mughal Dynasty, is a Unesco World Heritage Site. -- Photos: FU AH PING
Three things are needed to drive in India, says the man who was to embark me on a road trip to the Golden Triangle of Agra, Jaipur and Delhi.
“Good honk, good brakes and good luck.”
With these words, the driver by the name of Jee began weaving and honking his way through Delhi’s chock-a-block streets where auto rickshaws and what-nots reigned.
“No problem, we have all three. You relax, I am experienced,” he assured me.
That was how my journey began after weeks of planning and fretting over safety as I would be holidaying alone in a country which once made headlines for cases of sexual assault on women.
Despite encouragement from friends who have visited India multiple times, I had been hesitant to proceed with the plan until a co-worker remarked: “You have a higher chance of being shot in the United States than getting raped in India.”
The initial agenda was just to be in Delhi and Agra for the Taj Mahal, but another colleague was incredulous when she heard the itinerary.
“How can you not include Jaipur?” she asked, and proceeded to show me Instagram posts of her visit to the Pink City.
I was sold, completely, upon seeing her lovely photos.
There is much honking on the streets of India. In fact, trucks would feature messages, telling drivers behind them to honk as a way to announce that they are coming through to overtake.
Since I would sort out my own hotel and flight bookings, the next task was to find a travel agent to arrange for the ground tour of the Golden Triangle.
The two Kuala Lumpur-based companies which I contacted never got back to me, despite constant reminders. And I was not keen to book via digital travel platforms.
A former colleague then gave me the name of an Agra-based agent, who promptly responded to my enquiries. It took 10 days of WhatsApp exchanges between the agent and I before I decided to sign up with him.
Going by the plan, a guide would meet me in Agra for visits to the Taj Mahal, and the 16th-century Agra Fort.
Patrika Gate in Jaipur features exquisite architecture.
Once that is done, the driver will send me to Jaipur, which is about 4.5 hours away, for an overnight stay. The next morning, another guide will show me around at Amber Fort, the City Palace, the 16th century stepwell Panna Meena ka Kund, Hawa Mahal which is the iconic image of Jaipur, Jantar Mantar (an astronomical observatory declared a Unesco World Heritage Site), and the photogenic Patrika Gate.
Based on this Delhi-Agra-Jaipur-Delhi route, the lone driver would spend at least 36 hours with me, hence I requested for a female chauffeur but the Agra agent said there was no such availability.
So that was how Jee turned up at my Delhi hotel lobby at 6.30am one bright September morning. He was courteous and professional, his Toyota spotless with strong air-conditioning.
The unique stepwell in Jaipur known as Panna Meena ka Kund was built for water harvesting in ancient times. Though the steps are out of bounds now, it is said that its complexity means that a person who goes down the steps won't be able to use the same stairs to come back up.
All the landmarks mentioned above were captivating in its own way; the splendour of the Taj Mahal cannot be overstated and the bench where the late Princess Diana sat was much in demand by visitors seeking the best photo.
But since these acclaimed destinations have been written about countless times, let’s focus more on the journey instead. And what a road trip it was as it opened my eyes to at least 101 amazing shades of northern India amid the rough and tumble of life.
The expressways were impressive, but did I just see people waiting for their transport in the middle of the highway?
“In India, anything is possible,” Jee quipped.
At one point, he gestured to me a small van with at least 20 men crammed inside it.
We passed by temples and Mathura city, said to be the birthplace of Lord Krishna. Along the way, there were groups of people performing lively rituals of their faith.
Fatehpur Sikri, founded by a Mughal emperor in 1569 and now another Unesco World Heritage Site, is one of the cities that I glimpsed during the drive.
Over in Rajasthan state (of which Jaipur is the capital city), there is the Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, if you are keen to check out what is said to be one of the most important bird breeding grounds in the world.
Peckish for pickles? You could stop along the way to get some famous ones, too.
The humble shop Lassiwalla in Jaipur, which is famed for its fresh lassi.
And for a taste of the quintessential yogurt drink of lassi, there is Lassiwala, which opened for business way back in 1944.
From a snake charmer near Amber Fort to a man herding his goats by the roadside, my eyes (and mouth, sometimes) were wide open throughout the wondrous ride.
Cows were a common sight, but the camels made me do a double take as I had not expected to see them by the road.
It was nightfall when we returned to Delhi, passing by the bright lights of the cyber city of Gurgaon, India’s second biggest IT hub.
As for the Delhi leg of the tour the following day, there were stops made at India Gate, Qutub Minar, and Raj Ghat – the Mahatma Gandhi memorial which was visited by the presidents of France, Indonesia, Brazil and the US when they attended the G20 summit on Sept 10.
A quote from Mahatma Gandhi at Delhi's Raj Ghat, a memorial for India's independence leader.
Aside from these historical landmarks, I wanted to see Delhi’s underbelly so I asked for a brief visit to a slum (bursting at its seams!) and GB Road which is a red-light district.
“It’s not a place for you,” Jee replied stiffly but he had no option to say no.
GB Road is a narrow strip, crowded with automotive shops and men going about their work. It was early in the day, and just two women were seen waiting around.
Next, it was off to see another side of Delhi so Jee drove to the opulent hotel, The Oberoi, and to view the houses at Sundar Nagar, described in one website as “the ultimate address of the uber rich in Delhi”.
Throughout the drive, peddlers would approach us at traffic lights selling all manner of things, even books like Robin Sharma’s The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari.
My visit to Delhi took place just days after India came under global spotlight when it hosted the G20 summit; posters of the summit logo welcoming delegates were everywhere. And just three weeks earlier, India made history as well when its space mission became the first to land near the moon’s south pole.
Since returning home after the holiday, I find myself paying more attention to news about India, a country so diverse, so multi-layered and vibrant, its people hardy and innovative.
Its tourism promotions tagline “Incredible India” is spot-on; Planet Earth’s most populous nation is all that, and more.
