Kolkata is where we are going to be spending the majority of our time. Udayan is based here, and most of the children in Udayan are from the slums of Kolkata.rnrnIt may have changed its name, but for many Kolkata (formerly Calcutta) still conjures up images of squalour, poverty and urban disaster. Too few bother to discover its enchanting colonial beauty, the energy and humour of its people and the charm of the city’s distinctly Bengali soul.rnrnWhile the teeming humanity, chaotic streets and crumbling colonial heritage are all too real, Kolkata is also acknowledged as the cultural capital of India and its friendliest metropolis. It is also home to India’s heaviest concentration of political activists, poets and artists. rn rnThe city undoubtedly has its share of problems – chronic labour unrest, population overload, political ineptitude, environmental degradation and traffic snarls that bite. Yet time and again entranced visitors tell of its beauty and the dignity and altruism of its people.
Sarnath lies 10 Km from Varanasi. In 528 BC Prince Siddartha, having found enlightenment under a banyan tree in Bodhgaya in the neighbouring state of Bihar, gave his first sermon here to just 5 of his disciples. An enormous stupa now marks this place and is dotted with gold leaf, placed there by pilgrims. Sarnath became a monastic centre, and gained official patronage under the Emperor Ashoka in around 250 BC, when Buddhism became the state religion. India today has fewer Buddhists than Christians.rnrnThere is a good archaeological museum in Sarnath, with some wonderful sculptures, along with a colourful Tibetan temple and a large number of Buddhist students and monks from around the world.
For over 2000 years, Varanasi, the ‘eternal city’, has been one of the holiest places in India. Built on the banks of the sacred Ganges, it is said to combine the virtues of all other places of pilgrimage and anyone who ends their days here, regardless of creed and however great their misdeeds, is transported straight to heaven. The easternmost city in Uttar Pradesh, Varanasi is an important seat of learning, and is the home of novelists, philosophers and grammarians. This has been reflected in its role in the development of Hindi – the closest thing to a national language in India.rnrnVaranasi lies alongside the Ganges where the Varuna and Asi rivers are tributaries. The site was originally called Kashi, or city of light, possibly after the aboriginal Kashia tribe who inhabited the riverbanks. From well before 1000BC, the city was already a centre for learning, attracting philosophers, poets and pilgrims. In the 6th century BCrnPrince Siddartha gave his first sermon near here at Sarnath, the very origins of Buddhism.rnrnThe considerable revenue from pilgrimages has, over the centuries, led to competing interests for control of the area. Invaders, including the Moghuls and the British, also sought influence here. Every day is devoted to some saint in the Hindu pantheon, and there is a never ending round of devotions.
We are going to visit the Taj Mahal on our way down to Udayan. Be prepared for some stunning pictures!rnrnThe Taj Mahal, described as the most extravagant monument ever built for love, has become the de facto tourist emblem of India. This poignant Mughal mausoleum was constructed by Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his second wife Mumtaz Mahal, whose death in childbirth in 1631 left the emperor so heartbroken that his hair is said to have turned grey overnight. Construction of the Taj began in the same year and was not completed until 1653.rn rnFamed for its World Heritage Site, the magnificent Taj Mahal is sited on a bend in the river Yamuna. This has proven definitive of its history, making it easily defended. The city was a stronghold of the last Hindu Kings of the Lodi dynasty in the 16th Century but was subsequently taken as capital by the Moghul rulers Babur, Humayun and Akbar. The British also recognised the strategic importance of Agra. They established a mighty garrison here on the edge of the plains of Panipat, where India’s fortunes have so often turned foul or fair.
Delhi is situated roughly in the middle of North India, and has been the gateway to many invasions. As a result, the city you see is an amalgamation of seven previous cities, the first dating from around 1200BC, and the most recent completed in 1931.rnrnFor the visitor interested in history, Delhi is an absolute goldmine, with thousands of designated archaeological sites scattered over the city, with few visitors for many of them. In addition, Delhi houses many museums and galleries of national and international importance along with countless buildings of architectural note. rnrnThere are currently two main areas to Delhi, Old Delhi to the North, next to the banks of the river Yamuna, and New Delhi to the South, away from the river.rnrnThe contrast between them is typical of India. Old Delhi is a labyrinth of narrow streets, constantly crowded markets and traffic jams consisting of bullocks, cycle rickshaws and large trucks ploughing their furrows through the entire melee. New Delhi, with so much space, light and air combined with the imperial buildings, suburban houses and villas tucked away along quiet avenues, is a world away from its older neighbour. In fact, both cities are a delight to walk around in for different reasons, though larger distances mayrnbe covered more easily by rickshaw.
Amritsar means ‘Pool of the Nectar of Immortality’, so named after the pool within the Golden Temple. Deep in the Punjab, it is the holy city of the Sikhs and as such is intimately linked with the history of the Sikh peoples. All Sikhs endeavour to visit the Golden Temple at some point in their lives and bathe in the holy water. A prosperous city, Amritsar’s income is mainly from agriculture, commerce and industry.rnrnClose to the border with Pakistan, Amritsar holds strategic importance. It has seen much bloodshed over the years, especially during partition. As recently as the 1980s, Indira Gandhi famously ordered the storming of the temple to remove Sikh militants in Operation Blue Star, an act which ultimately led to her assassination by her own Sikh bodyguards in revenge. Since then both the temple and peace in the city have been restored.
This is a map showing the journey we are going to be taking through India. The dark red line shows our journey down from Amritsar to Kolkata (Calcutta) via Dehli, Agra, Varanasi and Sarnath. Whilst we are in India, we are going to be travelling by train, mini bus, boat, rickshaw and plane.rnrn
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