Agra to Dhula - Village Life!

On the coach bright and early and Anu handed out a lovely breakfast picnic.

First stop was Fatehpur Sikri, the now-deserted former capital of the Mughals, and a beautifully preserved UNESCO site. Our guide Shahed was very knowledgable. It was interesting to hear how the founder Emperor Akbar Had 3 wives (polygamy was very much normal for a ruler at the time) each of different religions to keep the peace within the kingdom - one Muslim, one Christian and a Hindu wife, who bore his only son. Within the site housing 3 adjacent palaces (one for each wife) it was reportedly a harmonious place, though as expected, ruling by example didn’t solve all conflict among the people.

We stopped for brunch at a service station. Rach had buffet and I had some lovely veggie Pakoras, lassi and the obligatory masala chai. Interesting this cost as much as the elaborate dinner and mocktails last night… “service station prices” are a thing everywhere!

We then stopped at Abhaneri Village to see the Chadbauri Stepwell. The amazing stepped structure was built in the 9th century 700 yeas before Taj Mahal (definite Inca vibes here!). Here, multiple people could both gather socially; and access drinking water at once by taking one of the many sets of steps (3500 total) down to the well (which sits at a depth of 100ft). The number of steps depending on how much rain water had been collected. The stepwell is disused today, but has been used as a filming set, for example Batman Dark Knight rises. My highlight was definitely the beautiful intricate stone carvings. I met Rachael back on the coach, and she had popped into the adjacent temple for a blessing to celebrate Wednesday (Ganesh day).

After a rainy drive, we arrived at Dhula Village and get a closer look at rural life in Rajasthan. The weather didn’t dampen our evening though - 3 of us enjoyed a bike tour of the village (home to 6,000 people), learning about the different crops they grow, the government support and subsidies for farmers, and we even had a hot cup of chai at our guide’s home (with milk fresh from his cow). It was a really wholesome time.

A delicious vegetarian buffet for tea back at our hotel - a beautiful row of glamping canvas tents, complete with en suite, set in stunning grounds. These were fascinating, with ornate tombs belonging to the original land-owners’ ancestors, and overlooked by another winding red stone fort zig-zagging along the mountain above. There happened to be a wedding a couple of miles away and the bangra-rave music carried across the valley. Quite the atmosphere as we gazed up at the stars from around the fire pit.Read more