India (Frommer's, 4th Edition) (8 page)

2 The Best Temples, Monuments & Lost Cities

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Cave Temples at Ajanta & Ellora
(near Aurangabad, Maharashtra): Fashioned out of rock by little more than simple hand-held tools, the cave temples at Ajanta (created by Buddhist monks btw. the 2nd and 7th c.) and Ellora (a marriage of Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain temples, created btw. the 4th and 9th c.) are the finest examples of rock-cut architecture in India, and deserving of their World Heritage status. The zenith is
Kailashnath Temple,
effectively a mountain whittled down to a free-standing temple. See “Aurangabad & the Ellora and Ajanta Caves” in chapter 5.

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Lord Gomateswara Monolith
(Sravanabelagola, Karnataka): One of the oldest (ca.
A.D.
918) and most important Jain pilgrimage sites, this 18m (59-ft.) statue of the naked Lord Gomateswara—a representation of Bahubali, son of the first Jain
tirthankara,
said to have sought enlightenment by standing naked and motionless for an entire year—is the tallest monolithic statue on earth. See “Exploring the Hoysala Heartland: Belur, Halebid & Sravanabelagola” in chapter 9.

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Hampi
(Karnataka): Scattered among the Henri Moore–like boulders in the heart of Karnataka’s rural interior, Hampi was once the royal seat of the powerful Vijayanagar kingdom, its size and wealth drawing comparisons with imperial Rome. Today, the city has crumbled away to a few starkly beautiful leftovers, but the remote setting couldn’t be more romantic. See “Hampi & the Ruined City of Vijayanagar” in chapter 9.

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Shri Meenakshi-Sundareshwarar Temple
(Madurai, Tamil Nadu): Alive with prayers, processions, garland-makers, and joyous devotees who celebrate the mythological romance between the beautiful three-breasted goddess and her mighty Lord Shiva, this colorful and lively complex of shrines, halls, and market stalls is almost Disneyesque, marked as it is by numerous entrance towers tangled with colorful stucco gods, demons, beasts, and mythological heroes. It truly embodies the spirit of Tamil Nadu’s deeply embedded temple culture. See “Madurai” in chapter 8.

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Taj Mahal
(Agra, Uttar Pradesh): Nothing can prepare you for the beauty of the Taj. The perfect symmetry, the ethereal luminescence, the wonderful proportions, the sheer scale—virtually impossible to imagine from staring at its oft-reproduced image—and the exquisite detailing make this bejeweled monument to love a justifiable wonder of the world.

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Fatehpur Sikri
(near Agra, Uttar Pradesh): From the intricacy of the glittering white marble screens that surround the
dargah
(tomb) of Salim Chisti, to Parcheesi Court, where the emperor played a ludolike game using the ladies of his harem as live pieces, this magnificent ghost city—built almost entirely from red sandstone in 1571 and deserted only 14 years later—is a testament to the secular vision of Akbar, one of the great players in India’s most dynamic dynasty.

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The Temples of Khajuraho
(Khajuraho, Madhya Pradesh): Built between the 10th and 12th centuries by the Chandela Rajputs, these World Heritage Site monuments are most famous for the erotic sculptures that writhe across the interiors and exteriors. But even the temple designs—their soaring
shikharas
(spires) serving as metaphoric “stairways to heaven”—are striking, and are considered the apotheosis of medieval Hindu architecture. See “Khajuraho” in chapter 10.

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Mehrangarh Fort
(Jodhpur, Rajasthan): The impenetrable walls of this 15th-century edifice to Rajput valor rise seamlessly from the rocky outcrop on which they were built, literally dwarfing the labyrinthine city at its base; from its crenelated ramparts you enjoy postcard views of the “Blue City” below. In the distance is the grand silhouette of Umaid Bhawan Palace, heritage hotel and residence of the current maharaja. Within the fort is one of the best palace museums in India.

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Jain Temples of Rajasthan
(Ranakpur and Mount Abu, near Udaipur, Rajasthan): The Jains put all their devotional passion (and not inconsiderable wealth) into the creation of the most ornate marble temples; with exquisitely detailed relief carvings covering every inch, they are all jaw-droppingly beautiful. Make sure you visit at least one while you’re in India, preferably either Ranakpur Temple or Dilwara Temple in Rajasthan.

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Kumbhalgarh Fort
(near Udaipur, Aravalli Hills, Rajasthan): Protected by impenetrable bastions and a towering perimeter wall which is the second most visible object from space, this 15th-century rambling hilltop fort was only besieged once by Akbar when he poisoned the water supply. Steeped in history and well preserved, march to the top and survey the beautiful Aravalli countryside and the Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary that surrounds you.

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Golden Temple
(Amritsar, Punjab): Arguably the greatest spiritual monument in India. The name derives from the central gold-plated Hari Mandir—the inner sanctuary featuring gold-plated copper cupolas and white marble walls inlaid with precious stones—which sits at the center of the “Pool of Nectar.” Every day thousands of disciplined devotees pay their respects, touching their heads to the glistening marble floor while singing devotional songs continuously—a wonderful, welcoming, and humbling experience. See “Amritsar and the Golden Temple.”

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Tabo
(Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh): This 1,005-year-old Buddhist complex houses magnificent frescoes and brilliant stucco and relief figures that recount ancient myths and celebrate the deities and demons that make up the Buddhist pantheon. You’ll need a flashlight to adequately explore the dark, smoldering halls and shrines lit only by thin shafts of natural light, and brought to life by the resonant chants and ringing of bells by the monks and nuns who populate this sacred center of Tibetan Buddhism. See “Exploring Kinnaur & Spiti” in chapter 13.

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The Sun Temple at Konark
(near Bhubaneswar, Orissa): An enormous war chariot carved from a massive chunk of rock during the 13th century, this masterpiece of Indian temple art is covered with detailed sculpted scenes, from the erotic to the mythological. Guarded by stone elephants and lions, the immense structure is seen as the gigantic chariot of the sun god emerging from the ocean, not far from Orissa’s 500km (310-mile) beach. See “Orissa’s Golden Temple Triangle.”

3 Unique Places to Stay

Not surprisingly, most of these are in Rajasthan, which has almost 80 heritage properties—castles, palaces, forts, and ornate
havelis
(traditional mansions), now hotels offering varying degrees of comfort.

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Taj Mahal Palace
(Mumbai): George Bernard Shaw famously claimed that after staying here, he no longer had any need to visit the real Taj Mahal in Agra. Built just over a century ago by an Indian industrialist after he was treated abominably by the colonial snobs at the city’s then leading hotel (since demolished), the Taj Mahal Palace was recently reopened after a year of renovations following the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai—it continues to host the world’s rich and famous, and remains the most celebrated address in Mumbai.

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Boutique Getaways in Goa:
Parisian fashion stylist Claudia Derain and her husband, Hari Ajwani, came to Goa on vacation and—like so many—never left. Together with Goan architect Dean D’Cruz, they’ve created an
Arabian Nights
fantasy in
Nilaya Hermitage,
with only 12 “cosmic-themed” guest suites and gorgeously informal public spaces overlooking paddy fields and coconut-palm groves. Derain and Ajwani are also responsible for the superbly located, beautifully renovated
Fort Tiracol,
a seven-room “hotel” that locates you at the northernmost tip of Goa with only a small, undiscovered village and spectacular views for company. But if you’d prefer the atmosphere of a homey, intimate, and delightfully designed guesthouse set in a village not too far from a gorgeous beach, then head south and kick back at Simon Haywood’s
Vivenda dos Palhaços
(“House of Clowns”) in Majorda—a place of simple-yet-sumptuous enchantment where you set the rhythm. See chapter 6.

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Fabulous Beachfront Villas in Goa:
As Goa catches a wake-up call and rediscovers that the neo-hippies are arriving in an altogether more sophisticated avatar, the recent trend has been towards creating wonderful self-sufficient hideaways where you call the shots and there’s no chance of fellow guests disturbing the peace or gate crashing your party—which, of course, you’re welcome to throw. There are a few special villas to choose from but amongst our favorites are the ultra-luxurious
Aashyana Lakhanpal;
the back-to-basics toes-in-the-sand
Elsewhere…;
and
The Hobbit,
a fashionably quirky rustic chic “house” built into the rocks and furnished with most modern conveniences.

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Adrift aboard
Discovery
(Kerala): The best way to experience Kerala’s backwaters is floating along on a traditional
kettuvallam
(houseboat), but the stylish Malabar Group has upped the ante with
Discovery,
a funky modern interpretation of the Keralan houseboat concept. Accommodations comprise a comfortable and stylish bedroom with well-plumbed en-suite bathroom, separate lounge (can double as a second bedroom), and a rooftop deck (furnished with dining table and loungers) where you can while away the day, looked after by a dedicated staff of three, including a private chef. The packages can include a night at the aptly named
Privacy,
our favorite backwaters villa.

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Gracious Keralan Homestays
(Olavipe, Backwaters): Experience life on a working plantation, then dine on exquisite home-cooked meals at the family dining table, personally hosted by urbane, charming owners—that’s what the best homestays are all about. It’s like finding yourself at a private house party, where you are the guest of honor. Our top pick is
Olavipe,
a stately home on an island in the backwaters, where Anthony and Rema provide the warmest welcome this side of Fort Kochi, ensuring that you leave replenished and heartsick to leave.

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Green Lagoon
(Backwaters, Kerala): Not only do you get a reconstructed Keralite villa all to yourself, but an entire island, complete with a superb pool, full-time butler, and a sense of being in the midst of an entirely different reality. This is the ultimate escape for the well-heeled individualist.

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Dune Eco-Village
(near Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu): This is the coolest, most individualistic lodging option in Tamil Nadu: An ever-evolving seaside “village” with totally unique cottages, from eco-designed traditional thatched single-room units on stilts right on the beach, to luxury walled L-shaped villas with private plunge pools set amidst sprawling grounds. Under the expert hands-on guidance of director Sunil Varghese, service and cuisine are now superb and Dune has developed into a destination in its own right, yet a hop from the gorgeous seaside town of Pondi, our favorite shopping destination in the south. See chapter 8.

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Mahua Kothi, Banjaar Tola, and Pashan Garh
(Bandhavgarh, Kanha, and Panna, Madhya Pradesh): Ultra-luxurious safari lodges from India’s Taj hotel group and South Africa’s &Beyond, each one is not only eye-catchingly pretty and filled with whimsically stylish details, but the sumptuous guest villas or tents are an idyllic retreat after a day of tiger-spotting with the best-trained naturalists in the country.

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Amarvilās
(Agra, Uttar Pradesh): If you’ve always dreamed of seeing the Taj Mahal, this is the place to celebrate that achievement. Built within the green belt that surrounds the monument, you can literally see the Taj from your bed, but you’ll probably spend just as much time gazing at your immediate surroundings. With its huge reflecting pools, colonnaded courts, terraced lawns, inlaid murals, and pillowed pavilions, this palatial hotel is worth every cent.

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Rajvilās
(near Jaipur, Rajasthan): The first of the Oberoi’s flagship Vilas properties, built like a traditional fortified Rajasthani palace, Rajvilās may not have the history of an authentic heritage hotel, but it offers a level of comfort, luxury, and service other properties cannot match, enabling even the most world-weary guest to “live in the princely style of Rajasthan.” .

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Aman-i-Khás
(Ranthambhore, Rajasthan): Located a stone’s throw from India’s most famous tiger sanctuary, the superb accommodations—huge temperature-controlled Mughal-style royal tents stylishly divided by cool white drapes—and impeccable service are distinctly Aman. At night, lanterns light your way to the giant flaming
uruli
(large metal vessel) around which guests gather to enjoy the night sky and the ethereal calm, broken only by the occasional call from the wilds.