Jaipur: City Palace

Jaipur: City Palace

Jaipur City Palace

Jaipur's City Palace is both a royal residence and a museum open to the public. The buildings are intricately decorated and guarded by the Maharajah's staff in full uniform. The palace is surrounded by a high wall in the centre of Jaipur.

Doorway in the City Palace, Jaipur

The superb doors and doorways are elegantly crafted and lead into apartments and museum areas open to the public. The former Hall of Public Audience (Diwan-i-Am) now houses a superb display of carpets, and miniature paintings from the Mughal and Jaipur schools.

Courtyard Gateway, Jaipur

The gateways in the Peacock courtyard are stunningly decorated with brightly coloured patterns.

Delhi: The Red Fort
Delhi Tombs

The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty, Delhi, 1857

by William Dalrymple
On a dark evening in November 1862, a cheap coffin is buried in eerie silence. There are no lamentations or panegyrics, for the British Commissioner in charge has insisted, 'No vesting will remain to distinguish where the last of the Great Mughals rests.' This Mughal is Bahadur Shah Zafar II, one of the most tolerant and likeable of his remarkable dynasty who found himself leader of a violent and doomed uprising. The Siege of Delhi was the Raj's Stalingrad, the end of both Mughal power and a remarkable culture.
More information and prices from:
Amazon.com - US dollars
Amazon.ca - Canadian dollars
Amazon.co.uk - British pounds
Amazon.de - Euros
Amazon.fr - Euros

The Rough Guide to India

The Rough Guide to India is the essential handbook to this extraordinary country. The 24 page full-colour introduction includes stunning photography of the country's many highlights. The guide has comprehensive accounts of every attraction, from fast-paced Delhi and the sacred sites of the Ganges plain to the Moghul splendour of Agra and the shell-sand beaches of the south. There is also practical advice on activities as diverse as boating through the Keralan backwaters, hiking through the high-altitude deserts of Ladakh or treatments at an ayurvedic spa. The listings sections provide hundreds of insider reviews of the best hotels, hostels, restaurants, bars, shops and museums in every city and village. The authors also give an informed insight into India's history, politics, religion, music and cinema, providing a valuable context to the reader's trip.
Amazon.com - US dollars
Amazon.ca - Canadian dollars
Amazon.co.uk - British pounds
Amazon.de - Euros
Amazon.fr - Euros