A week on India's 'Palace on Wheels'

Advertising materials call it ‘A Week in Wonderland.’ That’s not hype. Among my own memories:

- A glittering mountaintop palace-within-a-fortress that you reach on the backs of elephants.

- A 17th Century obervatory the size of a city block, that can tell time with two-second accuracy, determine latitude and longitude, and track planets through the signs of the Zodiac.

- A sunset camel ride across an empty, undulating expanse of sand dunes.

- The Taj Mahal, world’s greatest monument to the love of a man for his woman. You’ve probably seen pictures of it; we walked inside it.

- The Golden City of Jaisalmer --- a community of 3,000 persons living entirely within the walls of a sandstone fortress.

All this and more in one incredible week on the Indian Railways’ Palace on Wheels. Never really intended for ‘train buffs’, it’s a cultural and historical tour that uses rail because it’s the most convenient and efficient way. Destinations include Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Chittaurgarh, Sawai Madhopur (for a tiger refuge), Bharatpur and, for the Taj Mahal, Agra. You’ll also go by bus to Udaipur and the abandoned city of Fatehpur Sikri.

Quick Tips:

Hot-weather clothing is essential, as ore sunblock and sunglasses. Temperatures were in the nineties or more. The train staff and tour guides will provide all the purified drinking water you request --- keep yourself hydrated.

Serious photographers should be prepared for both outdoor scenes in very harsh sunlight, and glass-studded interiors that require faster films or lenses. I carried my backup camera, non-automatic, and seriously regretted not having a quality exposure meter. I could and did ask other photo enthusiasts to take readings for me at times, but felt I was imposing on them.

Best Way To Get Around:

During the off-train excursions, you will be riding on: - Elephants - Camels - bicycle-powered rickshaws - air-conditioned buses usually but not always - Open-top safari trucks - jeeps.

This isn’t a typical ‘cruise train’, where the train ride itself is the principal attraction. The train is more a haven to return to after a strenuous day of sightseeing.

Rajasthani palaces and fortresses were usually built on hills or mountaintops, with steep entry ramps and multiple stories and lookouts to explore. And, invariably, a hundred feet or more of stairways to ascend and descend. In 90-plus degree heat. We’d usually spend the better part of a day doing this, then return to the train, wash up and have cocktails and dinner, and sleep as the train moved on to the next morning’s attractions. The itinerary provided just enough daytime running to remind us that a properly-appointed train is one of the most intimate and relaxing ways of getting aquainted with an unfamiliar country.

Life aboard was blessedly informal. Several of the Indian women did wear traditional dress costumes for dinner on their last two nights on the trip, and some Western women wore dressy gowns they’d acquired during their travels --- but if you didn’t feel like dressing up you didn’t have to and never felt out of place. The fact that our train only slept 64 guests --- and was barely half full during this off-season trip --- probably helped people to mingle easily.

With only four bedrooms per car, and cars built for broad-gauge track, sleeping quarters on board the Palace on Wheels are far roomier than you’ll find on most American and European trains. Each bedroom has twin beds, two large picture windows, and reasonably adequate luggage space. There was a full bathroom --- not a cubicle --- with sink, Western-style toilet, and shower. With only two couples and me on the car, the TWO attendants smothered us with attention. In fact, they occasionally acted as ‘baby-sitters’, herding us back to the car if we strayed too far during station stops.

In space, comfort and furnishings, my room compared favorably to economy-class cruise ship cabins that I’ve paid considerably more for. And, the ride was a lot smoother, at a leisurely pace over generally good track. One of my fellow passengers had trouble sleeping because he was too tall for his bed, but I always slept well.

Some of wood finishes showed signs of wear, as did some of the bathroom fixtures, but the Train Manager said that the cars will be extensively refurbished during summer 2001. Also, for the 2001-2002 season, a new luxury train, with bar cars and open-air observation platforms, will replace the 2-1/2 hour bus ride from Chittaurgarh to Udaipur. (The track is narrow-gauge, so the Palace on Wheels can’t use it.)

The Palace on Wheels is an extremely comfortable, and reasonably priced, way to get acquainted with the history and mysteries of Rajasthani India.

The Park Hotel is just a few hundred yards from the perimeter of Connaught Place, the principal shopping and theater district of New Delhi. I found it to be very comfortable with generally superb service --- though at the hotel’s rates, you’d expect that.

My ‘Executive Class’ room offered two King-size beds, plenty of storage space and a very-well appointed bathroom. There was a 26-inch TV --- large for overseas hotel rooms --- with cable that provided free H.B.O. and such English-language news channels as CNN and CNBC. The large windows actually opened, and offered a pleasant city view.

Arriving guests were greeted with a very spacious, classy looking lobby that several clusters of deep, upholstered chairs and settings for persons waiting for their tour guide or transportation.

Food service was through a 24-hour coffee shop just off the lobby, which also included --- surprise! --- a 24-hour bar. Behind and partially separated from the coffee shop was a more traditional dining room that was quieter and much more nicely furnished, but which was a smoking area. Indian foods dominated the menu, with a barely-adequate selection of entrees mild enough for this traveler’s Midwestern U.S. palate. I’d rate the restaurant good but not great.

Connaught Place consists of two huge, concentric rings of boulevard lined with colonnaded stone buildings. The Park Hotel was just beyond the outer circle, but there was a problem: It was on the opposite side of Connaught Place from the better shops, and several people warned me that the streets between the hotel and the shopping zone harbored pickpockets and other street criminals. I didn’t feel intimidate walking the sidewalks near the hotel, but turned back at what local told me were the rougher streets. (It was hard to telll whether the threats of crime were real, or whether they were intended to persuade me to pay for a taxi ride.)

My travel agent had been there a month earlier on a familiarization trip and suggested that I upgrade to the Park from the hotel I was originally book in. Based on my walking tour of the neighborhood, the Park certain appeared to be the best in the vicinity.

Published rate for a ‘Superior’ room, single, was U.S. $225. My stay was included in a prepaid tour package, and I undoubtedly paid somewhat less.

The train had two elegantly-furnished dining cars which, if anything, were over-staffed for our passenger load. It was during the off-season, just before the service shut down for the summer, so everyone was served in a single seating.

Food and service quality were easily equal to that of a quality land-based hotel, though the selections may not have been as large. To adjust for cultural differences, they wisely offered a ‘tasting menu’ where diners could sample various dishes from Continental, Indian, and other Asian cuisines. A parade of servers would pass through the car, each bearing platters of a specific item.Given a choice of ten or more. we could always find at least a few we liked, in sufficient quantities for a satisfying meal. (They served one of the best samples of seafood Florentine that I’ve ever had --- and brought me a second helping that I suspect was specially cooked for me.)

Menu selections varied from meal to meal --- in India, lunches were often bigger and better meals than dinners --- and usually offered at least one choice each from poultry, meat or vegetarian. Usually there were at least two of each --- one seasoned to Indian tastes and another for the rest of us.

(Make the most of those hearty lunch offerings; dinner won’t be served until 7:30 or 8:00.)

Wines were available by the bottle only, but if you didn’t have a tablemate to share it with, or didn’t care to finish it in one sitting, the wine steward would mark the bottle with your name and cabin number and store it for you. The wines were high quality but priced accordingly. (Unlike the American Orient Express and some other luxe trains, the Palace on Wheels didn’t offer complimentary wine with dinner.)

We had two lunches and two dinners off the train, all at palatial (literally!) five-star hotels. Two especially memorable ones --- both still serving as living quarters for local maharajahs --- will get separate reviews.

Breakfasts were served in a sitting room at the end of each sleeping car. They were basically Continental, supplemented by eggs cooked to order by one of the car attendants.

Lighting in the diner was too subdued for photography, but a photo of the lounge car interior will give you a good idea of the decor.

This is one week where you’ll DEFINITELY eat well.

The Umaid Bhawan Palace Hotel at Jodhpur is one of many luxury hotels in Rajasthan that were once --- and occasionally still are --- homes to royal families. Unlike most, however, this one is relatively modern. Construction began in the mid-1920’s and took 10 years to complete. Our guide said the palace was built not so much as a royal residence as it was as a project to create jobs during a severe economic depression. The then-reigning maharajah intended to reserve one wing as his family’s personal residence and build the rest of the complex as a hotel that he hoped would attract wealthy tourists who would require lots of employees to feed and pamper them. That’s still the case today.

The luncheon buffet the hotel laid on for us was certainly fit for royalty. We had a private banquet room, lushly carpeted and decororated largely in dark woods. The buffet tables offered wide ranges of entrees and appetizers, both Indian and Western, plus fruits, salad items, the traditional ‘nan’ and other Indian breads and a large dessert bar. Our meal was paid for by the Palace on Wheels, so I can’t advise on prices. The one glass of wine I had during lunch (not included in the tour package) was expensive --- U.S. $8 or so, as I recall. Hotel rooms began at U.S. $165 single, $185 double.

While awaiting lunch, guests whose legs were worn out from sightseeing could lounge in easy chairs under the 110-foot high central dome, gazing up at the overhead mosaics and being cheered by the songbirds flying freely in the atrium beneath the dome. When people were again ready for more strenuous activity, there were tennis courts, an indoor swimming pool and health club, sauna, billiards room and other diversions (including a palm-reader).

An especially worthwhile site to visit in Jodhpur is the massive mountaintop fortress, dating to the 15th Century, that dominates the city and still bears the cannonball scars of centuries-old battles. Plan on spending at least two hours. There’s an elevator, but you’ll see much more if you forgo it and take the slightly daunting uphill ramp instead. A short distance away from the fort is the lovely marble cenotaph of Jaswant Thada. Since 1899, this has been the official crematory site for members of the Royal Family.

Once a maharajah’s summer palace (the present Maharajah lives a short boat ride away), this elegant retreat sits on an island in the middle of Udaipur’s Lake Pichola and is now a five-star hotel operated by the Taj chain. Judging from the luggage tags spotted in the lobby. It’s obviously designed to cater to Western tourists.

Our luncheon buffet here was easily the most lavish of the four off-train meals we had during the Palace on Wheels experience. We were greeted with flower necklaces ---everybody seemed to do that in India --- then seated in a private dining room overlooking a sunlit courtyard. The three buffet counters combined must have covered at least 60 feet; the dessert bar alone had at least a dozen belt-expanding choices. People who’d already had enough to eat sometimes went back just to try a new dish they’d previously overlooked.

After lunch, I explored the hotel. On-site amenities included high-end gift shops, a swimming pool (not as large or as deep as I’d have liked), beauty and massage parlors and a coffee shop less formal than the restaurant we ate in. I had a glimpse inside a few guest rooms while the housekeepers were working; they looked spacious, comfortable, and well-illuminated by sunlight streaming in off the lake.

The Lake Palace appeared to be a favorite property of tour groups, which might be a recommendation to some people and a turn-off for others. It certainly has location: Just a few hundred yards over the water is the entrance to the Maharajah’s current palace. It’s now a triple-purpose operation: part private residence for the Royal Family, part museum, and part luxury hotel. This was one of more rewarding tours on our itinerary, with a fine collection of clothing, weaponry and other artifacts, marvelous interior glass, silver and marblework, and many fascinating rooms.

As for the Lake Palace Hotel, I’d thoroughly recommend the property for persons wanting superbly comfortable --- shall we say ‘luxurious’ --- accomodations with all the amenities and who are willing to pay. A standard room here lists for U.S. $210 per night single, $230 double. A Superior Lake View costs $270 single, $290 double.

The palace at Amber, near Jaipur, is one of the most magnificent examples of ancient Hindu and Muslim architecture. But when I first learned that we’d have to ride elephants to reach the place, I had serious doubts about my ability to safely climb onto --- or stay on --- one. It turned out to be safe, easy, and FUN.

First, you don’t actually ‘climb onto’ the elephant. You use a boarding platform and sit down on it the way you would a sofa. The ‘saddle’ is a mattress for two people to sit on each side, back to back. Before takeoff, the attendant hooks an iron safety bar --- just like the ones they use on amusement park rides --- over your thighs.

Once you get used to having your legs dangling ten feet or more above the ground, it’s actually pretty comfortable. I had no qualms about using both hands for my camera instead of holding on for balance.

And what photo ops there were! Rajah Jai Singh II built his palace/fortress on one of two steep mountain ridges that form a narrow valley. The entrance ramp, intentionally steep and narrow to deter invaders, works its way up the side of one of those cliffs. Across the valley, outer defense fortifications wind up the opposite cliffside like a miniature Great Wall of China. Unfolding directly below you are the gardens that decorated the palace grounds and helped to feed its inhabitants. You can look back and photograph another ‘elephant taxi’ easing herself through one of the massive narrow stone gates guarding the entryway. (Tourists ride only female elephants, since they have milder temperaments than the males.)

The ride was a bit like being on a very slow boat working its way through moderately choppy water: Pitch downward and roll to the left, pitch upward and roll to the right. But all very slo-o-o-o-wly. A person highly susceptible to seasickness might have be uncomfortable, but none of our group appeared to be. I was too busy wiith the camera to note the time, but I’d guess the ride took at least 20 minutes and was probably closer to a half-hour.

The elephant-taxi concession is open to any tourist who happens by Amber, which is about 9 kilometers from Jaipur. If you don’t ride the train, ride the elephant! Be aware that in some history books and on some roadside signs, the site is called ‘Amer’ rather than ‘Amber.’ And, as I’ll describe in a separate entry, the elephant ride is just the beginning. The sights when you reach the palace itself are breathtaking.

Rajah Jai Sing II and his heirs built their combination fortress and palace for both comfort and security. High on a mountain ridge dominating a narrow, easily defended valley pass, it commands spectacular views of the road from Jaipur, capitol city of Rajasthan. You can reach it by Jeep via a roundabout road to a back entrance, but the easiest and most practical way is by elephant.

It’s spectacular enough just to pass through the final stone gate into the fort’s entry courtyard, some 100 yards on a side and housing elephant stables, gardens, and, in this age of tourism, restrooms and souvenir shops. Beyond, up a steep staircase (or longer but easier ramp) lie not one but two palatial residences: one for the Maharajah and the other for his principal wife, the Maharani. Plus, public and private audience halls, a ‘Hall of Pleasure’ for entertaining especially valued guests and, of course, the ruler’s own private sleeping quarters. Note the complex laticework in the windows of the Queen’s palace: They’re so she and her women attendants can watch the goings-on in the courtyard without showing their faces in public --- a religious taboo.

Marble, sandalwood door and window panels, semi-precious stones, and, when it survived the looters, silver ornamentation abound in this and many other Rajasthani palaces. (This is one site where much of the silver trim remains intact; others weren’t so lucky.) The Palace at Amber is especially renowned for its chambers lined with thousands of tiny mirrors --- said to assure the Maharajah’s serenity by creating the illusion of falling asleep under a sea of stars. Your guide will explain all this, plus the complex’s ingenious water-and-air-based cooling system and sanitary facilities (remember that this was built in the 1700’s).

There are observation towers to climb, sunken gardens to explore, and, for serious phographers equipped to work in limited light (I was not one of them), marvelous interior scenes to record.

The fortress at Amber was one of the most memorable stops on the Palace on Wheels itinerary and a place you should definitely consider if you’re travelling independently.

Built almost entirely of sandstone, which glows majestically in low morning and evening sunlight, Jaisalmer is known as Rajasthan’s ’Golden City’. It’s noted mainly for the huge fortress that dominates the town, large enough to hold a city of more than 3,000 people within its walls and dating back to the 12th Century.

One of the westernmost of India’s major cities, Jaisalmer sits near the lucrative trade route to Pakistan, the near East and Europe. Its ancient rulers extracted fortunes in tribute from passing caravans in return for allowing them safe passage. Merchants who grew rich from this trade built mansions --- called ‘haveli’ -- with elaborately carved sandstone balconies and facades and multi-storied interiors. We were allowed to visit one of these homes --- still occupied by a merchant family --- in return for attending a sales presentation offering Indian and Cashmere rugs.

The fortress/city contains several temples and shrines, which can be visited if you’re willing to remove your shoes, and many highly photogenic streets and byways. There’s one spectacular lookout --- you probably won’t find it on your own but a guide will --- with a commanding view of the entire city and valley below. Near the highest level of the fort is the palace of the Rajput kings who built and originally occupied the city. This, too, is yours to visit.

Jaisalmer is also the home of the Great Tourist Camel Caravan. At Sam’s Dunes, about 45 kilometers west into the desert toward the Pakistan border, you’ll be taken across trackless but surprisingly scenic sand dunes --- constantly changing due to the wind--- on a more-or-less friendly but not always easy-riding camel. The idea is to experience the desert sunset as seen by the ancient caravanners. Our hour-long venture into the desert and back was a worthwhile experience and I’m glad I tried it --- but it wasn’t the easy romp that the elephant ride to the Amber Fortress was. You definitely need some coaching to ride these beasts. (Make SURE to lean backwards BOTH times the camel gets up --- once for each pair of legs.) If you notice a serious lack of action photographs in this journal entry, It’s because I was too preoccupied with holding on to trust both hands on the camera. It was something like a horseback rider trained on English saddle style trying to ride Western saddle for the first time ... but without stirrups. You’ll get the hang of it, but it takes time and some confidence-building.

The rates for the 2000-2001 season aboard the Palace on Wheels were:

October through March, U.S. $350/night per person double, $485/night single. The off-season months of September and April offered reduced rates of $295 double, $395 single. These include all meals from dinner Wednesday through Continental breakfast the following Wednesay and all local bus transportation, guide and admission fees for the various off-train exursions. You'll be expected to pay tips --- in Indian Rupees --- to camel and elephant drivers, on-board service personnel, and other miscellaneous helpers. Beverages other than tea and coffee are extra to your account, and you'll have to pay extra for using a video camera inside many of the historical sites.

Fares are fully commissionable to accredited travel agencies and you won't save any money trying to book without one. Use a local agent you trust and you'll probably be rewarded with special help in finding attractive pre-train and post-train hotel and touring options.

My travel agent recommended an all-inclusive ground package from Sita World Travel that included all airport-to-hotel-to-train transfers, English-speaking guides for two days of sightseeing in Old and New Delhi, and a three-day excursion to Nepal, at a very reasonable price.

What’s it like to ride India’s rails on your own? Without the tour guides and that attentive ‘Palace on Wheels’ staff to pamper you? It depends on which train you choose and what your tolerance level is.

A friend spoke of riding one of the narrow-gauge ‘toy trains’ in mountainous Northern India --- steam-powered, no less --- and said she loved it. Tourist guidebooks recommend the fast, first-class express trains running between New Delhi and Agra. The trains for the masses, however, are another story. People I know who have ridden them tell horror stories about oppressive overcrowding, hole-in-the-floor ‘toilets’ and other inconveniences. The acquaintance who so much enjoyed the ‘toy train’ had a thoroughly unpleasant experience, forced to share a sleeping compartment with strangers, on her overnight connecting train back to Delhi.

To see for myself, I checked out New Delhi’s main rail station. Platforms were hopelessly crowded. As many people seemed to be living there as were waiting for trains there.And narry a word of English spoken other than by my guide. I could have handled a scene like this in Mexico --- where I speak the language --- but I would have been afraid to attempt it alone in Hindi-speaking India.

(The ‘Palace on Wheels’ leaves from a suburban station called ‘Cantonment’, not from here.)

Wanna try rail travel from here on your own? You make the call.