Delhi—forgot to mention the great veg thali for lunch at Sangar in Indian Defense Colony market and the shop next door that sold me on the spot a mobile phone. All over Delhi there are residential areas with squares or blocks of shops crammed together “markets” with odd names. At INA market I managed to find the tailor from 2010 trip and have some nice Indian style clothes sewn up later in the trip. At Indian Heritage Center Peggy attended a great all -male dance performance—honoring Krishna and upcoming Holi festival.
February 24: Mathura
We set off at 8:30 am on the big street (two lanes each way) that is just outside the gates of Nizumaddin east (where our boutique hotel was)—this turned out to be the ancient road south to Mathura (as well as—an hour south—the Delhi airport) and about 350 kilometers further south the great Mogul capital of Agra—famous for the Taj Mahal.
After a quick look at the Baha’i Lotus temple—beautiful even from the roadside—we were off on what soon became a real divided highway. However, it took us more than 7 hours driving (not counting our several stops) to reach the ICU Mogul hotel in Agra.
Being India, not only did we encounter goats and cows on the highway, horse drawn carts, small vans packed with wedding party guests, old buses with men on top or hanging out the doors, vans with women clutching babies out the the back, many huge brightly decorated lorries and occasional small trucks/tractors weighed down with huge loads of hay—but the most hair-raising were the local villagers coming towards us in assorted vehicles on the WRONG side of the highway.
Lise complained about the lack of seat belts in back. And by the next afternoon after a call to the Delhi office of Le Passage to India (mangled french that it is—this was the excellent travel agency in charge of our trip), we had switched to a bigger (and seat belted) Toyota 4WD.
Stopped at a “midway” restaurant—and Lise discovered her first “souvenirs of India” shop with hundreds of mainly hand made items laid out in long rows. She bought a betel nut cutter among other things. We reached Mathura around 2:00.
From the rule of Buddhist Mauryan emperor Ashoka (3rd cen BCE) until about the 8th century CE under the Gupta kings this was a major Buddhist monastic city and where some of the earliest statues of the Buddha (in wonderful red stone) were first produced especially under the Kushan dynasty (1-3rd cen CE).
The Buddhist temples and monasteries were destroyed by rising Hindu fanatics and any remnants flattened by the Huns then Islamic conquerors and finally the Moguls in the 13th century.
Despite more than two decades of disappointing tourists/scholars by most rooms being closed or empty—we arrived to find that one whole gallery of early Buddhist sculptures (excavated after centuries in the ground) had just OPENED at the State Museum. For Peggy this was bliss.
Today, for most Indians who are Hindus, Mathura is famous as the birthplace of Krishna. And so next we visited the main temple dedicated to him (on top of which a major mosque has been built, leading—like Jerusalem—to very tight security and NO bags or cameras) and we also saw a beautiful step well also called a [rain] water tank/reservoir nearby. These are very common in western India especially in the semi-desert state of Rajasthan (although we were still in the western most part of Uttar Pradesh until leaving Agra city).
Close to closing time we dashed in to see Sikandra and the beautiful red mathura sandstone with white marble details of Akbar’s tomb (the greatest of the Mughal emperors d 1605). Magnificent gate and the mausoleum was surrounded by a lovely expansive garden with deer and miniature antelope.
We arrived at the hotel at dusk. Newly rebuilt with gorgeous lobby entrance and nice rooms (although the windows do not open). “Mughal style” lamb in the expensive restaurant.
February 25: Agra
Up early to try to see the Taj Mahal (built 1640-53) at dawn.
Sadly by the time we had stood in line and they let us in (a gov’t site run by Archaeological Survey) the sun was up. Chilly—but wonderfully clear (not foggy as is often the case in Dec and Jan). We did get some nice photos with a bit of yellow/pink light. Truly lovely. Much more carving, and exquisite inlays with semiprecious stones/colored marble than I had expected. The lattice window openings (jali) are also so beautiful.
Back to the hotel just in time for buffet breakfast (10:30) in detached bldg in the garden. Lise claims this may have been her downfall (but I wonder about the dinner we ate Thursday night in local eatery in poor neighborhood of Nizumaddin west and the Sufi shrine)—and by noon she was feverish and feeling very unwell. She holed up in bed. By late afternoon no better. House doctor came.
Peggy and guide went off to see Agra fort—magnificent in the red rays of the setting sun. Emperor Shah Jahan locked up by his son Aurangzeb (the last of the Mughals to rule the full empire of most of northern and central India) in the section of the palace he had earlier built in the fort (mostly white marble—amidst all the red stone) could see the Taj Mahal of his beloved Mumtaz Mahal only reflected on the wall of his cell in those years before he died.
Dance performance in hotel.
February 26: Bharatpur
Lise still too sick to leave room.
Peggy braved Agra traffic to use ATM and visited the delicate white marble tomb of Mumtaz’s grandfather (and chief minister of Emp Jehangir)—Itimad-ud-Daulah—built by daughter Nur Jahan in 1628.
Early afternoon we finally checked out as Lise (after major vomiting) was finally feeling better. We lost an hour in Agra traffic when we returned to hotel because Lise still groggy thought she had left her camera.
Across the state border into Rajasthan—at the check point we saw police pocket a bribe from a lorry driver. Camel carts added to the highway melee. Kos minar—large stone road markers remained in several places along the highway (maybe from Moghul times).
Arrived at Bharatpur and the Bagh hotel which was once the local king’s orchard/garden. Several attractive pavilion buildings in British Raj 1920’s style spaced thru out the large property.
Blazing blue skies, now late afternoon it was hot (33C)—and already the green foliage was covered with dust since the rains won’t come until June or July. After settling Lise in, our great driver drove (far too fast) back (1 hour) to reach Fatehpur Sikri which was Emp Akbar’s short-lived fortified city/capital (abandoned at his death in 1585). Next to it is the magnificent mosque Jama Masjid which contains the white marble tomb of Sufi saint Shaik Salim Chishti (still revered today by women wanting to get pregnant). In the setting sun’s red rays the palace complex (with nice flowers/garden plantings) was unforgettable and the mosque/tomb—open a bit later until dark—with its intricate marble jali also was very beautiful.At night the temperature dropped below 9C.
February 27
Met our local “naturalist” guide Mr. Gupta at the hotel (we liked him despite his limited English much more than our main guide Anshwin).
We set out at 7:30 (go Lise go!) for nearby Keoladeo (pronouced more like Keh-va-dev) Ghana National Park, a Unesco listed bird sanctuary and wetlands that this year had lots of water. From the entrance we took two seater rickshaws pulled quietly along a main path. Although we did not hike far or boat away from this dirt road and encountered briefly one group of noisy tourists, we had a great time including seven sightings of blue kingfishers, hundreds of painted storks, a spoonbill and an ibis, several kinds of cormorants and darters, two types of herons, four or five duck varieties along with teals, grebes and geese varieties, numerous small birds (including warblers and Indian mockingbirds), an Indian morehen, a peafowl, doves, two types of (sleeping) owls, and one very rare longtail nightjar.
In the afternoon a tired Lise mainly dozed in the car as we drove thru the town of Bharatpur—with some local history explanations thanks to Gupta who had come along to show us the summer palace complex of the Bharatpur king at Deeg (about 30k north). Flanking a huge reservoir the 18th cen palace pavilions with intricate arches and filigree (red and local tan sandstone—while not in best state of repair—too much pigeon poo and litter) were quite pretty in the late afternoon light. The extensive “water” gardens and elaborate fountains only have water twice a year—which was disappointing. I liked the tree full of sleeping fruit bats and some of the furniture in parts of the palace that had been in use at least thru the 1960’s. The local kings/maharajahs in Rajasthan (leveraging their own importance along the “dangerous” border with Pakistan in much the same way as they had kept their local power under the British) only lost their privileges and stipends under Indira Gandhi.
Massage after dinner, and nearly froze as I walked back to my pavilion thru the garden.
February 28: Jaipur
Up early—met a local girl “stealing” water out the back gate of the hotel and so staff (to distract me perhaps?) took me on an extensive tour of the old walls, watch tower overlooking the village, and then extensive new tree plantings and the hotel owner’s old automobile collection including a 1940 green Ford convertible.
To Jaipur (4 hours at least on the road). More camels. Highway 18 generally good.Stopped at a “midway” and I bought some wooden tops.
Lunch at a good local tourist restaurant with traditional musician. Lots of bread and less rice in local cooking.
Many city buildings are indeed pink. City was built by Maharajah Jai Singh from 1721 after he moved the capital down from Amber fort.
City center—main street—torn up with widening/gutter construction. We inched along in the traffic.
Check in at Taj Jaimahal hotel. Decline upgrade to a suite (three rooms and sumptuous furniture but overlooks the new metro construction).
Taj staff prove to be incredibly nice.
To City Palace complex, including textile museum (full of Italians when I first tried to go thru).
Could not find the palace art gallery (maybe does not exist?)—liked the courtyard with four gorgeously decorated gates, also the silver huge water vessels that maharajah Madho Singh used to take Ganges water with him on his visit to London in 19th c. and grand audience hall.
I paid the extra 2,500 rupees for a tour of the Chandra Mahal, and parts of the quarters where Singh descendants still live. Guide Anshwin was really angry and shouted at the palace staff why? perhaps peeved that I had insisted on taking the tour (Lise was off enjoying herself). Got all the way to top of the complex. They served me tea back downstairs at the end.
Ashwin was anxious to take me to the large studio where the artists were making the fake “antique” paintings. Now I know where those “old” paintings I bought in Kerala really came from. I ended up buying a kingfisher.
Dinner at nearby restaurant (Spice Box?) with traditional dance performance including the pile of water pots balanced on the dancer’s head. Tour group gave them no tip. Purchase bangles from two smooth talking brothers whose family (father) seem to be major lac bangle producers.
February 29
Again up early (we longed for a slower morning) to take the elephant ride up to the fort at Amber. I enjoyed it, Lise maybe less, and the touts (buy a photo etc etc) were just awful. Anshwin gave us no protection. Enjoyed the grand spaces, main staircase, yellow and pink stone with some in white marble buildings. Very much in Rajput style. Divided into sections with four large courtyards including the fourth which was a garden surrounded by women’s quarters.
At a government shop I bought a “tribal wool “jacket—enamored by the baby sleeping wrapped in tie-dye fabrics.
By late morning it got hot.
To Anoki print museum. We spent a couple of hours. Wonderful textiles and stamp carving demonstration and a hands on chance to do printing on cotton plain fabric—calico. Lovingly restored haveli—painted apricot yellow (multi-storied city residence—built around a courtyard with latticed windows and thick walls to stay cool).
Insisted we go back to restaurant 1135 in the palace/fort. What a hoot—and since we shared a lunch not as expensive as it might have been—dining in maharajah style.
Taken to a jewelers—not our taste. Then to a rug maker/silk retail tourist shop. Exploited workers—but interesting to see some of the handwork at demonstration loom (all real production is farmed out as piece work). Managed not to be sold a rug. But we end up buying too many “fun” silk scarves as well as fabric and two pashmina shawls etc.
Watched the folk dance and puppet shows at the hotel (which turned out to be much more dynamic dancing—and no begging for tips—than the first night). Excellent dinner.
March 01
Up before light to take a balloon ride from up near Amber fort. One hour from hotel by their car pickup. Originally we had wanted to fly later over the lake at Udaipur but the company had lost its license there and so we settled on Amber fort.
A new pilot joined the veteran pilot who was about to leave (summer brings a really slow season since it goes up to above 40c) so we had a more than usually leisurely and LOW flight over the castle town (along side of the fort at first)—seeing people brushing teeth and getting ready for the day on their rooftops and gardens—then up over the ridge and over some of the long winding fortification walls to land in farmland way to the north and west of the fort. Fortunately the field was fallow and we missed the trees. And we were immediately surrounded by villagers—one father and I managed to talk to in English while Lise entertained 20 village youngsters with her iPhone art app. We waited for the ground crew to find us for more than an hour.
With our guide (last day) to Hawa Mahal (1799)—a fairy tale like pink marble filigree (almost honeycomb) edifice on the side of the city palace where the ladies of the harem could view city life from behind five stories of lattice windows. Then to the Jantar Mantar—a series of buildings/sculptures many painted bright yellow originally built in 1728 for various observations of the heavens. I was disappointed that everything had been rebuilt (in 1901) and Lise in their use for astrology not astronomy—even tho it is registered as a world heritage site. We cut short our tour.
Then I went to the exhibits of local crafts etc. in the extravagant Albert Hall (Indian meets British Raj style) built just south of old city for the visit of Prince Albert and only recently restored to being a museum while Lise went shopping at the “mother” Anokhi store. Interesting 19th c ceramics. also textiles, musical instruments, with an Egyptian mummy thrown in.
We stopped by the Rambaugh Palace hotel where we use the toilets but are not permitted as non-guests to even buy a sandwich—may have seen that writer Amartya Ray.
Packed frantically, got a carton from hotel and persuaded travel agency to take it to Delhi.We managed to see just by chance the end of a game of elephant polo on the lawn.
Bye-bye to Anshwin. To train station.
Sloooow express from 6pm to Jodpur. Still light enough at first to see the vast salt flats and lake. Harassed by a noisy 3 year old—while Lise slept on the top bunk. Arrived 10:30.
Lise got the most fantastic bed in her room—and so we were both happily settled in the Pal Inn Haveli—an old haveli complex of the Rajput Pal family. The Mehrangarh fort that looms over the old section of town where our haveli is located not only is magnificent but has been well preserved and well curated for the enjoyment and edification of visitors—opened to the public in the early 1980’s I think. And our stay in Jodpur was further enhanced by a fantastic local guide—”Sham” do I have that right? (yes)—Mr. Shyamveer Kumpa.
March 02: Jodpur
I meet the present (elderly) Mr. Pal (his brother recently deceased). Breakfast on roof top looking at magnificent Mehrangarh fort.
A slow morning start. We visited the palace and spaces inside the Mehrangarh fort. With the city spread out below us many of the city buildings really are that bright “Jodhpur” blue. Walk back in early evening thru the old market (clock tower) area —stopping to load up on spices at MV Spice and for Peg to buy inexpensive cotton fabrics (blue of course) later to have made up into salwar kameez. Dinner at the roof-top Indigo Restaurant, looking at the the fort stone foundations rising up hundreds of meters on one side and a local old reservoir glistening on the other side surrounded by the old town.
March 03
Off about 60k out of town into the countryside to visit a Bishnoi village thru the excellent facilitation of our guide Sham (who actually was one of those who has helped get these tourist visits started about 8 years ago—which have permitted the group economically to hold on to their land and customs)—these are people who practice a unique Hindu tradition holding all animal life sacred and living in strict eco harmony with the semi-arid countryside. They celebrate the martyrdom of 363 village men women and children in 1730 who died trying to save a grove of khejri trees (which provide a bean pod which is an important staple in their diet—we dined on “twigs and berries” ie the bean pods—several times—none better than those served at the veg lunch we had out in the bush).
First visited a potter (mainly makes pottery water jugs—now producing some smaller items for tourists) then a farm family—incredibly interesting talk over tea with the family patriarch—and finally to a rug weaver and head of the local weavers cooperative where we learned about his craft and business and Lise bought large rugs and Peg two small ones. We watched his wife deftly plaster the floor of a main living room with mud and dung in honor of upcoming Holi festival (March 08)—which all over northern India marks the coming of summer.
Bishnoi houses are of thick brick and dried mud—mostly with thatch roofs. We learned that it goes up to 45C in the summer—with no rain from March to June/July. By afternoon of our visit it was about 35C—with no humidity. It was cool in the houses we visited (no electricity/ running or even well water—just rain water in storage).
On the way back into town we stopped at a fine (woman owned) jewelry shop for Mimi’s traditional gold earrings. Then to a huge textile coop/retailer (Shri Ganesham Exporters) where —once it was clear that Lise was indeed serious about buying something special for her family—we were shown some museum quality old textiles—including wedding dresses (for daughters of the maharajahs) in red velvet with gold or silver incredibly intricate and heavy embroidery mostly from the rajasthan area. I particularly liked a paisley embroidered huge wool maharajahs shawl (early 18th c). I bought a tapestry of rajasthani women’s embroidered blouses that were cut up and pieced together (I had it cut in half and backed in navy cotton as smaller wall hangings).
Lise stayed one more day in Jodhpur and went back and bought several pieces (and saw a palace and a Yoga temple).
Peggy flew back in the evening to Delhi (on a JetAirways rescheduled flight thru Mumbai where I made the connection to the Delhi flight with 5 mins to spare—picked up on the runway and whisked over to the departing plane)—thumbs up for the great service (and food) on JetAirways.
March 04: Lise to Udaipur, Peggy in Delhi
Lise waited in vain for hours at the airport for the Air India flight to Udaipur, which got cancelled. LPTI travel came thru and drove her all the way (arriving quite late) to the Leela Palace hotel in Udaipur.
Peggy enjoyed being back at B-19 in Delhi and met with Buddhist friends at Delhi Dharma Center. Late afternoon she visited the nearby “Old Fort” of Purna Quila—Massive walls and gates and a few buildings, including a museum, remain inside the area that is now a big park that was full of families and necking couples on the warm Sunday afternoon. The fort predates the Mughals (indeed the ancient city of Indraprastha is thought to have been at this site—which gives us “India”’s name) but was expanded by Mughal emperor Humayun. The impressive mosque (still extant) and (mostly no longer remaining) palace was then built by his nemesis Emporer Sher Shah. When back in power after Sher Shah’s death and ruling from the site, Humayun fell in the palace library as he hurried to prayers (a building that still stands and I wanted very much to see as I so love Humayun’s mausoleum next to B-19) and died three days later in 1556.
Peg then attended a “rose” traditional song festival for Holi, called “gulab bari in the Banares style” (singers from Varanasi) at the Indian Heritage Center —leaving early to have late dinner with RK Sakesena and family.
March 05: Udaipur together
Peggy enjoyed a relaxed morning and stopped on the way to the airport at INA market and the tailor who was commissioned to use some of the Jodhpur fabric.
Lise enjoying the services of her butler and glorious view did not venture forth from the hotel.
Peg flew without incident direct to Udaipur and was picked up and driven to the boat launch for transport across lake to Leela Palace. New and fabulous—among the best hotels I have ever encountered.
That evening we enjoyed the wonderful traditional dance and puppet performance at the 18th c Bagore-ki-haveli (now a museum) at lakeside at Gangar Ghat area. Dinner on the lakeside terrace of Leela Palace. Chilly in my fancy silk blouse. Shimmering lights in the lake of City Palace, the Lake Palace hotel and the palace on Jagmandir Island. Moon and fireworks. Cannot get any more romantically beautiful than this.
March 06
Morning Jain veg cooking lesson with Meenu of funky Queen’s Cafe. What a fine experience!! A typical old style kitchen all on the floor.
Then off to see the massive City Palace (gorgeously lit up at nigh but quite beautiful—sprawling white buildings in daylight too)—saw many rooms and some old/new photos but may have missed the painting gallery. Discover another branch of Anokhi. Big preparations in biggest courtyard for Holi festivities. Walked back thru old town (our one experience of bathers and clothes washers along the steps of a ghat at lakeside) to retrieve Meenu (and what turned out to be three children) to take them to visit the Leela Palace.They adored riding the golf carts that take people into the extensive hotel grounds from the back entrance.
March 07
Up early (packed ready to leave far too soon the Leela Palace) in order to drive 3-4 hours 80k north to the Jain temple complex at Ranakpur in a steep wooded escarpment (harrowing stretch of hairpin turns on narrow mountain road) in the Aravalli hills.
15th century temple dedicated to first Jain tirthankar—Adinath. Incredible 1444 columns and 80 domes all of lovingly carved white marble.Wonderful sense of peace and light through out.
Jain veg lunch at the temple kitchen (30 rupees). Also visited one other temple and the nearby Sun temple. On the ride lots of interesting rural/village scenes including foresters on camel back.
Stopped in outskirts of Udaipur to buy a white shirt for Holi. We ended up buying more fabrics too.
6:00 pm to train station where young travel agent (Pushpendra Singh) came to see us off onto the sleeper bound for Ahmedabad, in Gujarat.
Dirty station (no restaurants so it looked like potato chips for dinner). Decrepit train pulled in. Then Push said looking at our unhappy faces why did we want to take a 10 1/2 hour (slow) express train when the drive only takes four hours??
Why didn’t somebody tell us before?
One more look at the dirty train accommodations and Lise easily persuaded me to stay one more night in Udaipur—with that Push incredibly invited us to come to his home and with his family that night celebrate the neighborhood bonfires to exorcise evil and the demon Holika and then “play Holi” the next day. We were a huge imposition on the family —literally taking their beds—but had a wonderful time. And I think the whole extended family (uncle next door, cousins down the street) and neighbors enjoyed us too.
And we were forced to reflect once again in private on aspects of that extravagantly wasteful life style we enjoy in Tokyo and DC.
March 08: Ahmedabad
I’ll let Lise talk more about the Holi morning round of family and friend visits where everyone greets each other by patting on (or pouring!) powdered colors. She can tell more about the colors (which the kids augmented with water pistols) and celebration of Holi.
Maybe I can upload here a photo of some of the neighborhood cows I managed to powder in my favorite blue.
Finally our car and driver arrived and with most of the drunken revelers finally asleep—including in the villages and truck stops along the road—we got off around 2:00 pm for the drive to Ahmedabad.
Profuse apologies were sent to the ladies of SEWA who had planned (despite on their holiday) to meet with us in the afternoon.
We arrived in a busy suburbs—university, army bases, high tech industry—and managed to find the home of one of the executive powerhouse women who founded and have nurtured SEWA (the amazing union/coop that empowers and helps poor women). Ms. Pratibha Prandya gave us a power point presentation about the organization and her work over tea.
After our visit our stalwart driver who had refused to come in for refreshments drove us thru rush hour evening traffic in to the city to the heritage hotel “House of Mangaldas Gridhardas” —”House of MG” for short—The Gridhardas were a prominent merchant/textile family who had built the large urban (haveli-style) mansion in 1923. Less than ten years ago it was acquired (I think by an investment group that included one of the heirs) and restored with the addition of two “organic” restaurants—including fabulous Gujarati veg food served on the atmospheric roof terrace—fortunately until 10:30 pm so despite our tiredness we were just in time to experience a bit of real Gujarat. We found that a last part of the original complex was recently purchased and was being renovated to add to the hotel. Throughout the splendid rooms are old photographs of the family including ones of more recent family reunions. The gift store also had wonderful craft items and a commitment to give back fair profits to the producers.
Our car and driver, by the way, drove all the way back to Udaipur that night.
March 09
Peg was awakened early by the noisy sounds of traffic—so unlike the peaceful lakeside of Udaipur—and while reading the bedside literature about the hotel discovered that they offered two or three historic walking tours including one from 7:30 am —and so she immediately called to sign up and a half hour later was off on a personal tour (only me) with a great local historian—an older gentleman who lived nearby—leaving Lise to make a slower start.
Walked thru both Hindu (Jain) and Muslim sections of the old town—saw many magnificently carved haveli urban residences—most in a terrible state of repair—except one that we visited the inside that has been lovingly repaired (and trim/carvings painted an attractive green) by the House of MG group.
Lots of paints left in the gutters from the Holi festival the day before (and one sleeping red powdered dog). Interesting to see the shop keepers and locals setting up for the day—including feeding all the stray animals/birds. Through out the old city—a warren of urban dwellings and shops —are large 2 meter tall wooden birdfeeders that were erected (by the Jains/local raja) when all the trees were cut down centuries ago. We finished at the Old Mosque—quite beautiful with a more “Indian” than Mughal post and lintel construction (in stone).
Dashed back for real coffee latte (so unusual in India) before setting off to our morning (reserved three months in advance) tour of the Calico Museum of Textiles—started in the 1940’s by the Calico Mills company but by 1980’s taken over by the Sarahbi family and foundation.
Exactly twenty visitors, signed in and searched, were—after waiting until precisely 10:15—carefully herded thru the fantastic Indian textile collection by a martinet of a guide (“if you want to know more buy the book”).
Despite the shrink-wrapping of some costumes (the plastic cannot be good) it is indeed a fantastic collection with most pieces in fine condition probably because the sharp-eyed guards are so quick to turn off all the lights in each room as the last of us—usually me and Lise dragging our feet as we drooled over—metaphorically of course or our heads would have been chopped off— one piece after the other. We went thru many, many rooms —usually each room devoted to one type of textile from one locale—of the splendid mansion (also dating like House of MG from the 1920’s).
- Mughal and maharaja court costumes and textiles (15-19th C)
- trade textiles (Peg’s beloved calico/sarasa 15-19THC)
- embroidery from all regions including the northwest—and rajasthan (mostly 19th C)
- tie-dyeing
- woven textiles
The museum has been located since 1983 in the Shahibagh mansion which has been extensively remodeled especially in the “Chawk” complex of our morning tour (including the use of wooden carved facades of old gujarat havelis). It was stuffed full of textiles as well as art/artifact items. And under my persistent questions (dating, techniques and materials) our guide did unbend a little and give us some benefit of her knowledge. The beautiful gardens alone were worth a visit although we could not freely sit/pause anywhere.
After a break for lunch at a local Gujarati veg restaurant—called “Gopi” (no tourists in sight) we came back for the afternoon tour of different rooms devoted to “religious” textiles.
Exactly ten of us, signed in and searched. Many rooms featured textiles used in certain temples for example to Khrisna or for festivals (eg a huge fabric decorated Tamil Nadu parade float) and there were rooms of extensive Jain sculptures and artifacts. Just fascinating.
While waited in vain for the Museum director (hoping to get permission to photograph at least the building) Lise went off to see the SEWA shop of women’s crafts.
Then we were off to the airport for our flight back to Delhi (lots left to see the next time in Gujarat).
Indigo Air served terrible budget airline food.
March 10: Delhi again, and here we part
Leisurely breakfast. One last visit to the Anokhi shop and one last rice pudding. Repacked. Visited post office/ Lise studied fedex website only to find that Peg must take extra luggage (ie the cardboard box) on the plane—no way to ship.
Cake shop and market to pick up tailored items. Left for the airport at 7:30pm. Lise left several hours later and headed back to DC.
March 11: Kuala Lumpur
Peggy arrived to the warm and humid weather (it rained three out of four days) of Kuala Lumpur—I loved the soft air, extensive greenery all around in the city, and the warm welcome from old friends and acquaintances. Big lunch with IALRW—including a contingent of sisters up from Singapore. Visited the museum of Islamic design and the National Mosque (i am forced to wear the purple hooded robe of the non-believer). Went to dinner with a Japanese Trading company family—old family friends—who are about to leave for a new posting. Palatial “company” house.
March 12
National Museum. Lunch in central market. Almost buy a far too expensive 15th c blue under glaze painting of horse and rider on an afghan vo. Out to International Islamic University of Malaysia. Toured. Gave a talk to about 50 students of Kamar-sensei about japanese religion and values.
March 13
Early morning visit to the new Textile Museum.
