A Pictorial Journey Through India - AsiaRooms by Sarah Lim

11/10/2014

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Posted on 16th Jun 2014 by Sarah Lim

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Sarah Lim takes us on a pictorial journey through India as she travels across six cities in two weeks, beginning with New Delhi in the north and ending in the backwaters of Kerala in the south. A few friends and I had been talking about making a reunion trip together and with the words “epic adventure” in mind, we

finally embarked on an ‘incredible India’ expedition covering six amazing cities and states in the span of two weeks! Our travels brought us from wandering the dusty streets of New Delhi in the north, all the way to the calming backwaters of Kerala down south. We were confronted with glimpses of hard life on the streets and also came across some of the wealthiest parts of the country. Witnessing the contrast and everything else in between was heartbreaking and astounding all at once, making our Indian experience a truly remarkable one.

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Recent Comments Starting off in New Delhi, we found quaint little shops like this pop up bookstore in the Paharganj district. Small businesses here cater to tourists, however not many have been to this side of Delhi except for veteran backpackers who prefer the ghetto experience. That would be us I guess. Real life abstract art. Many sights on our trip made it to the ‘Only in India’ list but this topped them all. We had never seen such a massive convolution of electric cables spewing out of a building’s windows and walls!

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Barber shops seem to be just around every corner you turn. The best part about running this business is that you can forgo rent if you like – we actually spotted a few makeshift barber “shops” under a tree in the open! I grew up with a father who often got his fuss-free haircuts at “the Indian barbershop” back in Malaysia, so it was a (cheap) thrill for me to unexpectedly discover its source! Childhood has a different meaning in this part of town as we saw children like these who were left to play on their own near a construction site. The deafening noise of danger from a concrete drill nearby didn’t seem to faze them as they huddled over an open fire to keep warm in Delhi’s snowless winter. In Agra, It’s almost impossible to get a tourist-free photo of the famed Taj Mahal. But it doesn’t matter, as one only needs to experience its grandeur and keep that memory for a lifetime. I was in complete awe of those who toiled tirelessly for 22 years to build this world wonder. This is the red sandstone interior of one of two buildings that flank the main tomb. If you’ve seen photos of the Taj Mahal glowing on a full moon night, do not be fooled – it’s real! The marbled building is embedded with beautiful precious stones that have various chemical properties. This orange one in particular is a type of agate that gives off an amber glow when light is cast on it. The beauty of the Taj Mahal and other furniture designed after it does not come without a cost. For these men, the cost often means eventual blindness due to a lifetime of intense focus when chiseling stone bits using this manual stonecutting machine. Food for thought as you purchase that next souvenir, perhaps? Rajasthan is India’s largest state and home to two national Tiger reserves. The state is part desert land so it was only fitting that locals use camels like this to transport heavy items. We took turns counting passing tattooed camels on our eight-hour drive from Agra to Ranthambhore National Park on the outskirts of Sawai Madhopur city. As with all travels, disappointments are sometimes part and parcel, but it’s really about what you make of it. We didn’t get to see the Bengal Tiger as hoped but we did get to observe India’s national bird in its natural settings! It was quite a

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magical few moments as we sat quietly watching the animals slowly come out at dawn. No National Park experience is complete without the enthusiasm of an entertaining park guide! Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s true when they say

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that the people you meet make all the difference when traveling and our park guide was no exception. Jaipur, also known as the Pink City, was my favourite city of all for its beautiful palaces and famous saree cloths. This is a

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view of the courtyard area in the Amber Fort and Palace against a magnificent mountainous backdrop. The palace is now a famous tourist attraction where tourists can ride elephants around the premises for a certain fee.

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So apparently snake charming is an attraction in Jaipur as well but I can’t be certain. These guys did put up a good show for us though. Behind, a brave tourist gracefully handles the hypnotised creature.

Shopping for the perfect saree (a traditional Indian dress for women) is sometimes a whole day affair for women in Jaipur, especially if they are looking for a grand wedding saree. They come with their families and step into one of these alleyway shops that are built on a raised cement platform. Here is a saree shop owner dealing with the aftermath of his last customer before the next one comes along.

We took a 16-hour overnight train ride (first class bunks) from Jaipur to Mumbai and I must say India’s train system is pretty impressive! Most people commute by train across states and within cities throughout India. Although their stations aren’t too fantastic looking, you can sorta pick up that these great machines are well-maintained and trustable. No ricketyracket or smelly toilets! Walking the streets of the Colaba in South Mumbai is like taking a stroll in just about any other city that was once colonised by the British. Building architecture and design here is simply gorgeous and the whole area has a certain charm about it. This photo was taken near Colaba’s famous Parsi-Indian restaurant, Britannia & Co – a must try for anyone travelling through this part of town. South Mumbai is a fascinating city that runs on a lively mix of both traditional and modern cultural elements. Here is a man we spotted at a street art festival making music using a woodwind instrument in an unconventional way. We spent the last three days of our trip in Kerala, unwinding on a houseboat that gave us an enchanting experience of the region’s unique geographical disposition, the lush backwaters of Alleppey. The boat we booked from Kerala Canoe Tourism was just nice for the seven of us and we even had our own personal chef onboard! If you were wondering where all the food pictures were throughout the trip, its because I’ve waited for this one. I can safely say that for shameless food-loving Malaysians like us, having home cooked South Indian food with fresh ingredients

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served for three days in a row was probably the highlight of our trip! Life along the backwaters is simple. Most families survive on the villagesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; shared fishing business. There is one school

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that all children in the area attend. Bathing, washing and cooking is all done by the water. With the exception of slowmoving passing houseboats, this place remains beautifully untouched. No questions to why the state of Kerala is also known as “God’s own country”, a perfect end to our epic adventure.

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Sarah currently resides in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. She appreciates the outdoors, loves travel, photography and coffee (with milk). More articles by Sarah

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