BY Mary Lu Laffey

The non-stop flight from Chicago on American Airlines takes a little under 15 hours to travel the 7,466 miles to India's capital. To fly to the other side of the world into the Eastern Hemisphere, the jet first headed north from Chicago toward Canada. Then, crossed the Atlantic toward Denmark, flew very close to Moscow, and on to Delhi. If I left for India at the same time you sat down after work to read this copy of PINK, I would be landing in Delhi about the same time you poured yourself a second cup of coffee the following morning.

DELHI—Nothing prepares you for India, where men riding elephants share boulevards with chauffeur-driven automobiles. The language of car horns and simple etiquette rule the road over speed limits and rights of way. Monkeys, not squirrels, scamper along walled gardens, and colorful exotic birds fly freely in the air.

The coastline of India is twice the length of two cross-country drives from New York to Los Angeles. It yawns across an area so large it is a subcontinent. India stretches over 741 million acres from the Himalayan Mountains in the north, across desert climates to the wet, density of a rain forest in the south, and to rice fields along the Arabian Sea.
It's huge.

In the morning a haze lingers near the ground and burns away as the day lengthens. The haze isn't from fog, but from overnight fires that warm the city residents who live outdoors. These fires use dried dung for fuel that produces an acrid scent that lingers into the morning. It is one of the reasons greeters at our hotel, the exquisite Taj Mahal Hotel at Number One Mansingh Road, offer garlands of fresh flowers for your neck or wristlets of blooms for your wrist. The scent of the flowers serves as a foil to the remnants of the fires. Sometimes a greeter will use a bruised rose petal to apply a bindi or a third eye to your forehead. The added sight is said to help guide you through the unknown.

Delhi has been settled for over 2,500 years. Ruled by different dynasties and a cadre of foreigners, the city gained independence in 1947. The entire country remains both ancient and new, the manager of our hotel explained. Not old, but ancient customs thrive in this modern society. Dashing in his purple turban wrapped in highly-tailored Sikh fashion, he explained that the shape of his turban had religious and historic significance, but not the color. He chose it to match his tie.

Like other world capitals, Delhi has great art, theater, universities, and cinema. The Indian film industry is the largest in the world with more than 12,000 theaters found across the country—reportedly at least 70 in Delhi alone. Many are located in Connaught Square, a thriving business and entertainment area.
Yet unlike other capitals, Delhi is divided into two cities: “Old” Delhi and “New” Delhi. The narrow streets of Old Delhi are home to bustling bazaars, colorful buildings, and many, many people. There are bargains to be had in textiles, flowers, spices, and endless racks of clothing. The vendors provide an extraordinary palate of color and flavors to ignite all your senses. It is noisy and crowded, exhilarating and exhausting, and, with the crush of humanity, almost overwhelming.

New Delhi is more like Washington, D.C. with broad streets, boulevards, plantings and formal gardens, and lots and lots of monuments. Also like Washington, it is best to see the sights with a guide. (See “Not to Miss”).

Most cities in India are connected by rail. India's rail system was developed in the mid-19th century and handles nearly three billion passengers each year. One morning we joined a goodly number of them on the Shatabdi Express to Agra. It is of paramount importance to be accompanied by a guide in Agra as you will want details about what you see, and you will need someone to lead through the crush of people that line the road to the main gate of the Taj Mahal.

Circa 1653, the Taj Mahal is the tomb of Emperor Shah-Jehan's queen, Mumtaz-Mahl. It was built with pristine symmetry as his tribute to immortal love. Open 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., it is wise to go early to experience the morning mist from the Yamuna River as it rolls over the formal gardens. The reflection pools in the garden are still filled with rose water.
In the late afternoon, the long rays of the sun change the color of the marble from white to a pink-like blush. It is magical. The building is so recognizable. Yet when you see it in the distance, it looks like a matte painting or a theater scrim. Be cognizant of the time of day as the Taj Mahal is not illuminated; if you stay until sunset, it will be dark when you leave and you will be playing follow-the-leader back to the bus.

On another excursion we flew to the city of Udaipur, which is surrounded by lakes in the foothills of the Aravalli Mountains in the colorful state of Rajasthan. With a thriving economy, the serpentine streets of the city are filled with shops, colorful stalls brimming with foodstuffs, and flowers. Even an antique car museum filled with the best of classic American cars.
The main street exits into Lake Pichola where one side of the gate is reserved for women to bathe and the other side for men. Bathing is a fully clothed affair. At an adjacent dock, a private water taxi takes guests to the Taj Palace Hotel, located on an island in the middle of the lake where it appears to float on the water.

Built in 1746 as a pleasure palace, the property was home to Maharana Jagat Singh. His descendents lived at this location during the summer months. They lived at the palace in the hills during monsoon season, and the maharana still lives at the winter palace in town. If you like James Bond films, you have seen the Taj Palace Hotel. It was the location for the filming of Octopussy, starring Roger Moore. Most tour guides in Udaipur claim one association or another with Mr. Moore; some clubs even show the movie during happy hour. Like the Taj hotels in Delhi and Agra, guests are treated as royals, greeted with floral leis, a bindi and warm wishes.

Departing from our hotel in Delhi for the airport, I was stopped once again by a greeter who applied a rose-tinted bindi to my forehead. This time, she smiled, to guide me safely home.

Not to Miss

Delhi
A look at Parliament House is a must, although concerns of security have cancelled tours. Adjacent to Parliament House is the official residence of the President of India. Called Rashtrapati Bhavan, it is not open to the public.

At the other end of the boulevard is India Gate, an arch that is patterned after the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. This stop is a must. There are 90,000 names inscribed on the monument to commemorate the Indian soldiers that died fighting for the British in World War I.

Between Parliament House and India Gate are great swaths of green spaces, which are used for picnicking and gatherings, much like forest preserves are in the U.S.

Humayun's Tomb, reportedly the inspiration for the design of the Taj Mahal, is another monument to relish. Built around 1565-66 by a grieving widow, the structure sits in the center of a large, walled garden. The garden is divided into smaller squares by water channels and green space.

Agra
If you visit during wedding season, you'll find an astrologer on call at the Taj View Hotel. For about $15 USD, he will enlighten your life with a palm reading.

Be certain to stay for the hotel's luncheon buffet; the Taj View has an award-winning kitchen.

Udaipur
Tour the City Palace museum to see the English crystal gallery, which includes a four-poster bed made of cut crystal.

Spend a morning in the Taj Palace Hotel spa and bask near mango trees by the pool. The pavilions that corner the pool area, and other locations around the hotel, were once used by the queens to see out without others seeing in. Those found poolside are now jacuzzis.

Ask your personal butler to take you shopping. Plenty of government approved shopping stalls and artisans on the island property (jewelry and textiles) and on land in what used to be the maharana's stables. Gentle haggling is acceptable.

What to Buy

• A saree! In India it is spelled saree, not sari. Sarees are priced by weight; the more elaborate the fabric, the heavier the 5-meter length of cloth. Look for material that includes an extra meter—that can be used to make a blouse to wear as a top. Hint from the shop assistant: Wear only two-inch heels with a saree so you will appear to float when you walk.
• Textiles are terrific buys: soft cashmeres, wonderful silks, and table linens!

What to Eat

• Dining in India is easy. Menus are presented as vegetarian or non-vegetarian. Plus a la carte items. Foodstuffs are usually offered in threes, so you can choose which you want. Don't be surprised if your waiter keeps coming by with other things to try.
• Drink bottled water. Dispose of bottle in authorized containers to keep the black market from reusing with refilled unsanitized water.

For information on travel to India:

American Airlines: www.aa.com

India Tourism: www.tourismindia.com

Taj Hotels: www.tajhotels.com

U.S. citizens traveling abroad: www.state.gov/travelandbusiness

STORY BY Mary Lu Laffey

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