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I am in India
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with a 1913 Bradshaw's Handbook to
Indian, Colonial And Foreign Travel.
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HORN HOOTS
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Published at the height
of the British Raj,
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my 100-year-old guidebook
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will lead me on a spectacular
railway adventure
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through a land of majestic mountains
and holy rivers.
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Where magnificent beasts roam...
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..and epic stories are told.
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I will encounter Maharajas,
explore ornate palaces,
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witness the technology
of modern India,
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and ride some of the most
exhilarating trains in the world.
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I will discover how imperial
railways and the English language
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inadvertently spread ideas
of independence
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among hundreds
of millions of Indians,
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who today live in the
largest democracy in the world.
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This journey, one of four
that I'm taking across India,
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begins in the north-west
of the country
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on a route that was already
a magnet for tourists
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at the time of my guidebook.
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I'm on the battlements
of the imposing fort of Jodhpur,
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with the great desert to the west
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and the vast state of Rajasthan
to the east.
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My Bradshaw's says,
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"No greater mistake can be made than
considering India as one country.
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"It contains more nations, more
climates, more races, more creeds,
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"more racial, religious
and social feuds,
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"and its peoples differ
more from one another
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"than those of the continent
of Europe."
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I look forward to exploring
the vivid variety
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of this vibrant country.
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My journey begins in the city
of Jodhpur,
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known as the Gateway to the Desert.
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After a trek into the wilderness
at Osiyan,
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I travel to the state capital
of Rajasthan, Jaipur,
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famous as the Pink City.
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Passing through Bandikui Junction,
I will stop at Agra,
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home of one of the world's most
celebrated monuments.
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Journey's end is in the
Indian capital New Delhi,
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a megalopolis where old and new
sit side by side.
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As I tour the heart of this
energising country...
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THEY SING AND LAUGH
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..I play the sport of kings
with royalty...
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Hit it, hit it.
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It's your timing. My timing indeed.
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..discover that a hole in the ground
can be exquisitely beautiful...
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My goodness, Sanjay, that is a
fantastic thing, isn't it?
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..I'm moved by India's architecture
of passion...
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For the millions of visitors,
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the Taj Mahal is the greatest
monument to love in the world.
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..and relate to some of the
country's most revered animals.
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Was it something I said?
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At the time of my guidebook,
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the British Raj colonials
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had made some parts of the country
a home from home,
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but other areas remained
wild and undeveloped.
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Before I view some of India's
greatest splendours,
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I want to experience life
at its simplest.
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Following my guidebook, we plunge
into the Great Desert of India,
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"which might be compared to the
Kalahari Desert of South Africa.
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"It's only within the last few years
that the locomotive has penetrated
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"through the heart
of the vast desert."
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I'd be interested to know what
was the impact of the railways
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on peoples of this arid region
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whose life had scarcely changed
in thousands of years.
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I've come to the ancient oasis
town of Osiyan,
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an important trading hub
in medieval times,
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but now a quiet place.
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Around it, the Great Desert,
also known as the Thar Desert,
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stretches for 200,000 square
kilometres
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across the state of Rajasthan,
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Punjab, Sindh, and into Pakistan.
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Good to see you.
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Do we mount up on that camel? Sure.
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My guide is Raj Bakshi.
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These are fantastic animals, Raj,
aren't they?
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They are. They can go without water
for three days at a stretch.
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I'm quite surprised there are people
living in this desert.
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Yes, it's become much different
than what it was.
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It was very sparsely populated
once upon a time.
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And in the old days,
this was a trading route?
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This was the trading route,
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this used to be part
of the silk route
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where they used to have
the camel trades.
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Once the trains and railways
started, things changed overnight.
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So a lot of people
started coming here.
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But though the numbers living here
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and passing through as tourists
have grown,
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this desert tribe relies
on traditional subsistence farming.
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I'm Michael. Michael.
What's your name?
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Gattu. Gattu. Gattu. Gattu.
Hello, Gattu. Hello.
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Thank you very much, thank you.
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Mm! Very sweet.
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Tea flavoured with cardamom.
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Thank you.
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The staple cereal here is millet,
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ground by hand to produce flour
used to make bread.
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May I do that? Is that OK?
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Now this is extraordinary,
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because I learnt about this
in Bible class in primary school.
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The two round pieces of stone
that grind the corn or the seed,
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or whatever it may be -
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but what surprised me is although
they are clearly very heavy,
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it goes round very easily
with this wooden handle.
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Although I'm not sure
I would want to do it all day.
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I rejoin the railway at Osiyan
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to head east across the state
of Rajasthan
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towards its capital, Jaipur.
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The train is crammed with families
snatching sleep and enjoying meals,
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each on their own rail adventure.
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My journey into Jaipur
is only about five hours... Hello.
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..so I was rather surprised
to get on this train
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and find it was nothing
but sleeping compartments -
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but I discover that the train goes
all the way to Puri,
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which is nearly 2,000 miles,
it's on the Bay of Bengal...
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Hello! Hi!
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..and it doesn't arrive there
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until the morning of the day
after tomorrow.
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Hi. So, no wonder people elect
to have a kip on the way.
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How are you doing?
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Hello, may I join you a moment?
Sure. Thank you very much.
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Thank you. Where are you off to?
Jaipur. Jaipur.
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You are going to Jaipur? I am going
to attend my brother's marriage.
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Oh, wonderful.
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And how long will that last,
will that be days?
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Three days - and one day they are
doing some like...blessings,
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and we are doing some prayer.
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You should come and see, like,
how colourful is his wedding.
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Indian wedding is very colourful.
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And what colours
will you be wearing?
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OK, I am wearing one day,
like, green and red -
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it's the traditional colour
in Rajasthan.
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Rajasthan is known as a very
colourful state, isn't it?
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Very colourful. You'll see, like,
red, orange, yellow.
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These colours - very traditional
colour in Rajasthan.
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Those opulent colours for which the
state of Rajasthan is famed
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are a vibrant link
to its royal traditions.
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At the beginning
of the 20th century,
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this area was known as Rajputana.
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My guidebook tells me
"so called from the Rajput people
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"who speak Hindi, claim to be
the race of blood of kings,
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"for which the word is 'raja'
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"and belong to
the soldier caste of the Hindus."
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So, from "raja" comes the expression
"British Raj,"
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the word "maharaja"
meaning high king,
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and nowadays the state is Rajasthan,
the desert state.
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I'm about to embark on the Golden
Triangle of Jaipur, Agra and Delhi.
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Within the British Raj,
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there were over 500
semi-independent princely estates
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spread across India,
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each with its own ruler.
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In Rajasthan alone
there were 22 such dynasties
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occupying lavish palaces.
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Today, the Maharajas of Jaipur
maintain a regal lifestyle,
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but the doors of one
of their palaces
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have been flung open,
as it is now a pampering hotel.
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Such splendid surroundings
and first-class service
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make me reflect on life
under the British Raj.
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Having a G&T at the Rambagh Palace
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provides a good opportunity
to see what phrases in Hindi
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Bradshaw's thought
were necessary in 1913.
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So...
HE READS OUT PHRASE
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"Continue moving the punkah,"
meaning the fan.
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HE READS OUT PHRASE
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"Bring the cold meat
in the twinkling of an eye."
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HE READS OUT PHRASE
"Get the carriage ready."
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And...
HE READS OUT PHRASE
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"He is a blockhead."
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The arrogance of colonialism
leaps off the page.
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My Bradshaw's describes Jaipur
with its carefully planned streets
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as a modern native capital...
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..but it is the city's
many beautiful palaces
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that really impress.
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The guidebook tells me
that Jaipur stands
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"on a rock in a basin amongst
granite hills,
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"even the broad streets laid out
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"after the American pattern
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"cannot prevent Jaipur from being
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"one of the most picturesque cities
in India."
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Well, rest assured, Bradshaw's,
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there is no US influence
at all evident
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in the wonderful Jal Mahal palace.
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Jaipur is a busy city.
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The largest in Rajasthan.
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Known as the pink city,
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after a 19th-century maharaja
repainted it to welcome Bertie,
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the future King Edward VII during
his tour of India in 1876.
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Having slept in one palace,
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I would like to see how maharajahs
live today.
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The current Maharaja and his family
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live in the largest
of Jaipur's palaces
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in the centre of the old city,
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and it will be my privilege
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to spend some time
in royal company later today.
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Architecture - the palace
is a mix of styles,
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blending Indian Hindu and Rajput
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with others from the Mughal Empire
and the British Raj.
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Bradshaw's calls it -
"a bizarre and fantastic structure,
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"a pyramidal pile of innumerable
balconies and verandas
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"projecting windows and turrets."
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Before I meet my host,
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Pankaj Sharma, chief
curator of the palace museum,
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will show me around.
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So, Pankaj, who built the palace
in the first place?
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Construction of the palace
was started in 1727
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and Maharaja Jai Singh II,
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he laid down the foundation
stone of the Jaipur city
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and the construction
was completed in 1734.
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Why would the Maharaja have needed
such an enormous palace?
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This palace is like a city,
because they have a big family.
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The women's quarters are there,
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so this is for the concubines
for the maharanis,
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so this is their living apartment,
and if Maharaja is going there,
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then household staff is there.
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So, in the old days,
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how many women might there have been
in the maharaja's life?
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Some maharajas, they have
five wives, some have seven
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and maybe, like
Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh Ji,
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he had a very large number
of concubines and maharanis.
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He had more than 20 maharanis.
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Over the centuries,
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the royal family of the princely
state of Jaipur
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maintained its immense power
and wealth
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by negotiating terms
with mighty invaders.
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First the rulers of the Mughal
Empire and then the British Raj.
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And nowadays, what sort of power
does the Maharaja's family have?
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After the independence of India,
they do not have any power,
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and nowadays they have
the Princess of Jaipur -
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Princess Diya Kumari. She is
a member of legislative assembly,
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but they do not have any power
to rule over Jaipur.
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And the people of Jaipur,
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do they still show great
respect to the royal family?
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Yes, still we are calling the
Maharaja, then, His Highness,
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and if we are meeting them,
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then we are greeting them
in the traditional manner.
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And what does that look like?
We are greeting in that manner.
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So this means we are pleasing her,
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we have high regards
and respects for her.
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During British rule,
the dynasty in Jaipur
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positioned itself as
a leading influence amongst
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the hundreds of princely states
and mixed socially
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with the British royal family.
243
00:15:56,280 --> 00:15:59,160
Tell me about this wonderful
artefact.
244
00:15:59,160 --> 00:16:01,680
These are the silver urns,
and these are recorded
245
00:16:01,680 --> 00:16:03,880
in the Guinness Book
of World Records
246
00:16:03,880 --> 00:16:05,960
as the world's largest silver urns.
247
00:16:05,960 --> 00:16:09,760
Because one of the maharaja,
Maharaja Sawai Madho Singh Ji II,
248
00:16:09,760 --> 00:16:12,600
he was invited to attend
the coronation ceremony
249
00:16:12,600 --> 00:16:14,800
of King Edward VII in 1902.
250
00:16:14,800 --> 00:16:19,480
So he went to England, but he was
always using Ganges water
251
00:16:19,480 --> 00:16:22,080
for bathing purposes
and for drinking purposes.
252
00:16:22,080 --> 00:16:26,600
So he carried Ganges water in the
silver urns from India to the UK.
253
00:16:26,600 --> 00:16:28,280
What is their capacity?
254
00:16:28,280 --> 00:16:30,920
The capacity is 900 gallons
of water.
255
00:16:30,920 --> 00:16:34,560
42,000 silver coins were released...
256
00:16:34,560 --> 00:16:36,960
..to make the three silver urns.
257
00:16:36,960 --> 00:16:39,080
Tell me, Pankaj,
when you go to London,
258
00:16:39,080 --> 00:16:41,000
do you take Ganges water with you?
259
00:16:41,000 --> 00:16:43,800
Actually, I am satisfied
with tap water.
260
00:16:43,800 --> 00:16:47,480
And I think you would pay a lot
of excess baggage, too. Yes!
261
00:16:53,000 --> 00:16:57,600
The Jaipuri and British royal
families remain close today.
262
00:16:57,600 --> 00:17:01,160
It is a relationship cemented
by sport.
263
00:17:01,160 --> 00:17:04,200
Originating in Persia,
polo was considered
264
00:17:04,200 --> 00:17:08,480
the national game of India
as far back as the 15th century.
265
00:17:08,480 --> 00:17:10,320
Formalised by the British,
266
00:17:10,320 --> 00:17:12,920
by the time my guide book
was published,
267
00:17:12,920 --> 00:17:16,600
the sport of kings provided an
important social link
268
00:17:16,600 --> 00:17:20,080
between the colonial power
and Indian nobility.
269
00:17:20,080 --> 00:17:24,400
The present Maharaja of Jaipur,
19-year-old Padmanabh Singh,
270
00:17:24,400 --> 00:17:26,720
continues the family tradition.
271
00:17:26,720 --> 00:17:29,320
I'm meeting his father,
Narendra Singh,
272
00:17:29,320 --> 00:17:33,120
at the world-famous
Rajasthan polo club -
273
00:17:33,120 --> 00:17:37,080
and it seems the young royal
wasn't always so keen
274
00:17:37,080 --> 00:17:39,320
to get his hands on a mallet.
275
00:17:39,320 --> 00:17:42,080
When he was eight years old
and I used to play polo here
276
00:17:42,080 --> 00:17:44,720
and my late father-in-law was alive
in those days
277
00:17:44,720 --> 00:17:49,000
and he himself was a great polo
player and great polo patron.
278
00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:53,160
So he was very keen that I play and
that my son should also play polo.
279
00:17:53,160 --> 00:17:54,920
It is in the blood, you know?
280
00:17:54,920 --> 00:17:58,120
There is a rich tradition and
culture in the royal family of polo,
281
00:17:58,120 --> 00:18:00,120
riding and horses
and things like that,
282
00:18:00,120 --> 00:18:03,160
and the first time I brought
him here on the ground,
283
00:18:03,160 --> 00:18:04,800
I made him sit on the horse's back
284
00:18:04,800 --> 00:18:08,960
and he howled and howled,
he didn't like it at all.
285
00:18:08,960 --> 00:18:10,680
But it's all worked out well now.
286
00:18:10,680 --> 00:18:14,400
Today, if you ask me, in his
age group, I think he's the best.
287
00:18:14,400 --> 00:18:16,000
He is the outstanding player.
288
00:18:16,000 --> 00:18:19,280
Outstanding player and he's
a very good rider, by the way.
289
00:18:19,280 --> 00:18:21,240
Why do you enjoy polo so much?
290
00:18:21,240 --> 00:18:25,400
Well, you sit on the horse's back,
you feel out of the world.
291
00:18:25,400 --> 00:18:27,960
It really gives me a lot of
pleasure,
292
00:18:27,960 --> 00:18:31,120
the game - it looks so beautiful,
you're very disciplined,
293
00:18:31,120 --> 00:18:35,200
you have to have passion for it
and it's such a beautiful animal.
294
00:18:35,200 --> 00:18:37,320
It really gives me a lot of
thrill to play polo.
295
00:18:37,320 --> 00:18:39,000
But it's very dangerous.
296
00:18:39,000 --> 00:18:42,440
It is supposed to be the
second-most dangerous sport
297
00:18:42,440 --> 00:18:44,800
in the world after car racing.
298
00:18:44,800 --> 00:18:46,680
But I don't care. I enjoy.
299
00:18:46,680 --> 00:18:50,520
My thrill is so
much...than the danger.
300
00:18:50,520 --> 00:18:52,960
Well, I don't think I share
your passion for polo,
301
00:18:52,960 --> 00:18:55,080
but perhaps you will give me
a few pointers.
302
00:18:55,080 --> 00:18:56,560
Come, come.
303
00:18:57,720 --> 00:18:59,000
Right.
304
00:18:59,000 --> 00:19:02,600
Aha. Aha... Aha.
305
00:19:02,600 --> 00:19:04,320
That's good. That feels good.
306
00:19:04,320 --> 00:19:07,160
Take it like this.
Go like this first.
307
00:19:07,160 --> 00:19:09,200
Wait, wait, now hit it.
308
00:19:11,240 --> 00:19:13,040
Bend a bit.
309
00:19:14,280 --> 00:19:18,520
Bend a bit. Bend, bend, bend.
Hit it! Hit it!
310
00:19:18,520 --> 00:19:21,280
No, bend a bit. You have to bend.
311
00:19:21,280 --> 00:19:24,640
I have to bend, indeed I do! Yes.
312
00:19:25,840 --> 00:19:28,280
Oh! Hit it.
313
00:19:29,600 --> 00:19:34,400
Oh. It's timing. My timing, indeed.
314
00:19:35,480 --> 00:19:39,880
Oh, well done. Ohh!
LAUGHTER
315
00:19:39,880 --> 00:19:42,760
Yes. Yes.
316
00:19:42,760 --> 00:19:45,720
See? Now the ball starts travelling.
317
00:19:46,800 --> 00:19:48,560
Yes, well done.
318
00:19:50,200 --> 00:19:52,520
Well done, Michael.
319
00:19:52,520 --> 00:19:55,600
You're really doing good.
I'm impressed.
320
00:20:00,800 --> 00:20:05,360
Another animal is strongly
associated with Indian royalty.
321
00:20:05,360 --> 00:20:10,920
The elephant is part of the national
psyche, a treasure, a work of art,
322
00:20:10,920 --> 00:20:13,320
a deity and a beast of burden.
323
00:20:14,440 --> 00:20:17,840
I have travelled just a few miles
from Jaipur to Amer,
324
00:20:17,840 --> 00:20:20,920
where alongside the tourist
elephant rides,
325
00:20:20,920 --> 00:20:25,520
there are now signs of more concern
for the animal's welfare.
326
00:20:25,520 --> 00:20:30,200
This mesmerising piece of grandeur
is the fort at Amber or Amer.
327
00:20:30,200 --> 00:20:34,280
The Maharaja is having built
this wonderful defensive fort
328
00:20:34,280 --> 00:20:38,400
then moved to Jaipur, so that by the
time of my Bradshaw's guide,
329
00:20:38,400 --> 00:20:41,040
it was already a tourist attraction.
330
00:20:41,040 --> 00:20:44,440
"At the palace, you avail
yourself of transport,
331
00:20:44,440 --> 00:20:47,000
"elephants provided at the gate."
332
00:20:47,000 --> 00:20:50,280
For at least a century, people
have been travelling by Jumbo.
333
00:20:54,600 --> 00:20:58,080
Today, elephant rides up to the fort
remain popular,
334
00:20:58,080 --> 00:20:59,840
but concerns about cruelty
335
00:20:59,840 --> 00:21:03,320
have inspired an alternative
attraction for tourists
336
00:21:03,320 --> 00:21:05,800
who want to engage with the animals.
337
00:21:08,120 --> 00:21:11,360
Not far from Amer,
I meet Rahul Choudhary,
338
00:21:11,360 --> 00:21:14,440
a fourth-generation mahout,
or elephant driver,
339
00:21:14,440 --> 00:21:19,200
and the founder of a sanctuary
which is now home to 24 animals.
340
00:21:19,200 --> 00:21:22,120
ELEPHANT TRUMPETS
341
00:21:22,120 --> 00:21:24,160
Rahul, this is a tremendous
sight for me,
342
00:21:24,160 --> 00:21:26,320
seeing these elephants playing
in the water
343
00:21:26,320 --> 00:21:28,440
and they're apparently so happy.
344
00:21:28,440 --> 00:21:29,920
What is the origin of the farm?
345
00:21:29,920 --> 00:21:33,560
We used to work at the fort,
doing weddings, festivals,
346
00:21:33,560 --> 00:21:35,800
that sort of thing
with the elephants
347
00:21:35,800 --> 00:21:38,040
and after a while
I started realising
348
00:21:38,040 --> 00:21:40,440
this is not something
they are meant to do.
349
00:21:40,440 --> 00:21:44,680
Getting people in a heavy saddle
and backing and forwards up and down
350
00:21:44,680 --> 00:21:47,320
and doing weddings and
noisy firecrackers -
351
00:21:47,320 --> 00:21:49,240
and somehow I had this idea -
352
00:21:49,240 --> 00:21:53,240
let's do something that is more
interesting for the people
353
00:21:53,240 --> 00:21:55,600
who really want to see the elephants
354
00:21:55,600 --> 00:21:58,360
in their own atmosphere,
in their own life.
355
00:21:58,360 --> 00:22:00,200
How close does the bond become
356
00:22:00,200 --> 00:22:02,560
between a human being
and an elephant?
357
00:22:02,560 --> 00:22:06,120
These elephants
are domestic elephants.
358
00:22:06,120 --> 00:22:07,800
So their nature is not wild.
359
00:22:07,800 --> 00:22:10,280
Their nature is social
with human beings.
360
00:22:10,280 --> 00:22:13,680
They do consider us as their family,
as their herd.
361
00:22:13,680 --> 00:22:19,640
So relationship is the same as
mum and child or father and son.
362
00:22:19,640 --> 00:22:21,840
They are very intelligent animals.
363
00:22:21,840 --> 00:22:24,200
And very different,
one from another?
364
00:22:24,200 --> 00:22:26,600
Oh, yes. Each elephant has a
different personality,
365
00:22:26,600 --> 00:22:27,840
the same like us.
366
00:22:27,840 --> 00:22:30,600
Some are more naughty, more
mischievous, some are more gentle,
367
00:22:30,600 --> 00:22:33,040
some are just teenager behaviour.
368
00:22:33,040 --> 00:22:36,320
Don't listen to you at all
and just do what they want to do.
369
00:22:36,320 --> 00:22:39,480
Just going through a phase? Yes.
370
00:22:39,480 --> 00:22:43,840
Rahul believes that human-elephant
interaction benefits both.
371
00:22:45,760 --> 00:22:47,920
I want to find out whether
that is true.
372
00:22:47,920 --> 00:22:52,760
The sensitive parts of the elephants
are here, around the eyes,
373
00:22:52,760 --> 00:22:57,440
behind the ears, or the
cheeks and here on the trunk.
374
00:22:57,440 --> 00:23:00,160
What you have to do is come close
to the elephant
375
00:23:00,160 --> 00:23:03,400
and try to give them a very good
massage on these parts,
376
00:23:03,400 --> 00:23:05,320
then she will be comfortable
with you
377
00:23:05,320 --> 00:23:07,560
and you will be very
comfortable with her -
378
00:23:07,560 --> 00:23:11,120
and even you will become good
friends in a few minutes.
379
00:23:11,120 --> 00:23:13,240
Hello, elephant. Hello.
380
00:23:13,240 --> 00:23:15,200
And, really, around the eyes?
381
00:23:15,200 --> 00:23:17,080
That seems extraordinary.
382
00:23:18,480 --> 00:23:24,240
And behind the ears. Yes.
Or the cheeks. And over the cheeks.
383
00:23:24,240 --> 00:23:26,880
Below the chin. And below the chin.
384
00:23:26,880 --> 00:23:29,800
So when you offer the food
to the elephant,
385
00:23:29,800 --> 00:23:31,960
you need to learn the command.
386
00:23:31,960 --> 00:23:35,280
First, legs to take from your hand,
387
00:23:35,280 --> 00:23:39,080
into the trunk, second to eat
from the trunk into the mouth.
388
00:23:39,080 --> 00:23:42,440
OK. Leh.
389
00:23:42,440 --> 00:23:44,440
Aha. Dharr. Dharr.
390
00:23:44,440 --> 00:23:45,640
Duh.
391
00:23:45,640 --> 00:23:48,960
D-H-A-R-R. Dharr. Dharr!
392
00:23:48,960 --> 00:23:50,760
Yes. Dharr!
393
00:23:55,760 --> 00:23:58,920
Whoa! In it goes. How was that?
394
00:24:00,000 --> 00:24:02,240
Ooh, Ellie, what a big tongue
you have.
395
00:24:03,720 --> 00:24:05,720
Was that good?
396
00:24:05,720 --> 00:24:07,200
Gourmet.
397
00:24:08,440 --> 00:24:11,440
And after dinner comes bath time.
398
00:24:15,920 --> 00:24:17,320
Ah!
399
00:24:30,480 --> 00:24:34,320
Mother always told me to wash behind
the ears, but it's a mammoth task.
400
00:24:38,880 --> 00:24:40,960
Was it something I said?
401
00:24:42,680 --> 00:24:44,720
I thought we were going to get
on so well.
402
00:24:48,480 --> 00:24:50,040
Oh!
403
00:25:06,840 --> 00:25:12,200
From Jaipur, the Golden Triangle
route continues eastwards.
404
00:25:12,200 --> 00:25:17,880
At the time of my guidebook, Indian
trains boasted lavish dining cars.
405
00:25:17,880 --> 00:25:22,720
Nowadays, many people simply pick
something up before they board.
406
00:25:22,720 --> 00:25:24,400
Excuse me interrupting you, sir.
407
00:25:24,400 --> 00:25:26,200
I hope you're enjoying your
breakfast.
408
00:25:26,200 --> 00:25:28,960
What do you like to eat
for breakfast?
409
00:25:28,960 --> 00:25:33,160
What is that? This is a
South Indian dish. South Indian.
410
00:25:33,160 --> 00:25:37,400
Quite spicy? No, medium spicy.
Medium spicy...
411
00:25:37,400 --> 00:25:39,840
..but even so, you like spicy food
in the morning?
412
00:25:39,840 --> 00:25:43,240
Yes. Where are you travelling
to today?
413
00:25:43,240 --> 00:25:45,320
I am travelling to Delhi. Delhi -
414
00:25:45,320 --> 00:25:47,760
and what is the purpose
of your visit?
415
00:25:47,760 --> 00:25:50,320
Attending a marriage. Marvellous.
416
00:25:50,320 --> 00:25:53,160
And you, madam, have
beautifully-decorated hands.
417
00:25:53,160 --> 00:25:56,840
Tell me about... This is mehndi.
418
00:25:56,840 --> 00:25:59,240
Because she attended a marriage
yesterday.
419
00:25:59,240 --> 00:26:01,280
So, looking nice.
420
00:26:01,280 --> 00:26:04,560
This is one type of make-up.
421
00:26:13,320 --> 00:26:15,680
My next stop will be Bandikui.
422
00:26:15,680 --> 00:26:19,840
My Bradshaw's says the district
suffers constantly from drought -
423
00:26:19,840 --> 00:26:22,760
the soil produces enough
in ordinary seasons
424
00:26:22,760 --> 00:26:26,480
for the vast herds of camels,
horned cattle and sheep,
425
00:26:26,480 --> 00:26:31,760
but the people depend on the
south-west and east monsoons.
426
00:26:31,760 --> 00:26:34,040
Famines every 40 or 50 years.
427
00:26:34,040 --> 00:26:37,720
One step people could take
was to dig a well,
428
00:26:37,720 --> 00:26:40,120
and they were deeply resourceful.
429
00:26:50,400 --> 00:26:54,600
Bandikui Junction wasn't an alluring
stop for tourists
430
00:26:54,600 --> 00:26:56,760
at the time of my Bradshaw's -
431
00:26:56,760 --> 00:27:00,440
but for the inhabitants
of this very arid region,
432
00:27:00,440 --> 00:27:02,720
it was an important hub,
433
00:27:02,720 --> 00:27:05,520
and I'm curious to see
what had brought them here.
434
00:27:05,520 --> 00:27:08,480
I'm heading for a village
called Abhaneri.
435
00:27:16,240 --> 00:27:19,640
It's 43 degrees,
the earth looks parched
436
00:27:19,640 --> 00:27:25,120
and yet somehow there is no shortage
of people somehow living here.
437
00:27:27,640 --> 00:27:31,080
Despite the desert conditions
described in my guidebook,
438
00:27:31,080 --> 00:27:34,400
people have managed to survive here
for hundreds of years.
439
00:27:35,720 --> 00:27:38,440
Historian Dr Sanjay Sharma
will show me
440
00:27:38,440 --> 00:27:44,040
how they sourced precious water by
building an extraordinary stepwell.
441
00:27:45,960 --> 00:27:47,560
Such a narrow entrance.
442
00:27:47,560 --> 00:27:50,160
Yes, that's right -
but quite beautiful, as well.
443
00:27:50,160 --> 00:27:51,680
This is lovely.
444
00:27:51,680 --> 00:27:54,240
Absolutely. Very ornate. Lovely.
Yes.
445
00:28:02,200 --> 00:28:03,880
My goodness, Sanjay,
446
00:28:03,880 --> 00:28:06,880
that is a fantastic thing, isn't it?
447
00:28:17,560 --> 00:28:20,600
That is so different
from what I imagined.
448
00:28:20,600 --> 00:28:22,080
I mean, to me, a stepwell
449
00:28:22,080 --> 00:28:24,240
meant a well is a round thing,
I thought, you know,
450
00:28:24,240 --> 00:28:28,400
quite a big round thing, I had no
idea it would be on this scale -
451
00:28:28,400 --> 00:28:33,680
and so fantastically decorated,
these wonderful geometric designs.
452
00:28:35,640 --> 00:28:38,680
64 feet deep with 13 floors,
453
00:28:38,680 --> 00:28:42,000
it's one of the largest and deepest
stepwells in India
454
00:28:42,000 --> 00:28:44,440
and was built a thousand years ago.
455
00:28:44,440 --> 00:28:48,760
You get such a sense of the scale
when you begin to go down inside.
456
00:28:48,760 --> 00:28:50,640
It is absolutely stunning, isn't it?
457
00:28:54,000 --> 00:28:59,320
The Chand Baori stepwell reflects
as much grandeur and ambition
458
00:28:59,320 --> 00:29:02,200
as any palace that I have visited...
459
00:29:02,200 --> 00:29:05,840
..but this was always intended
as a palace for the people.
460
00:29:07,880 --> 00:29:11,120
What do you think the scene would
have been here a thousand years ago?
461
00:29:11,120 --> 00:29:14,600
In the desert, you will have
caravans passing,
462
00:29:14,600 --> 00:29:17,960
people who would actually not
have access to water anywhere else,
463
00:29:17,960 --> 00:29:19,480
so they would come here.
464
00:29:19,480 --> 00:29:22,000
It would have been a place
bustling with people
465
00:29:22,000 --> 00:29:24,160
and there would be, I can imagine,
466
00:29:24,160 --> 00:29:27,400
lots of women with pots
on their heads going down,
467
00:29:27,400 --> 00:29:31,040
perhaps singing in the process
and filling water,
468
00:29:31,040 --> 00:29:33,680
early morning, late in the evening -
469
00:29:33,680 --> 00:29:37,640
and it would be an activity
full of mirth, I suppose,
470
00:29:37,640 --> 00:29:40,200
of happiness.
471
00:29:40,200 --> 00:29:44,720
Parts of the structure would be
reserved quarters for the elite,
472
00:29:44,720 --> 00:29:46,920
for the more important people,
473
00:29:46,920 --> 00:29:49,160
but the rest of the community
474
00:29:49,160 --> 00:29:53,480
would also have access to the water
and also the cattle.
475
00:29:53,480 --> 00:29:56,840
Now, this area, unfortunately,
has suffered from terrible famines.
476
00:29:56,840 --> 00:29:58,480
Tell me about those.
477
00:29:58,480 --> 00:30:01,320
This particular area
has had droughts
478
00:30:01,320 --> 00:30:03,880
leading to famines, historically,
479
00:30:03,880 --> 00:30:07,200
but there were ways
in which the communities
480
00:30:07,200 --> 00:30:12,640
know how to use water very carefully
and how to use it rationally,
481
00:30:12,640 --> 00:30:14,560
how to use it frugally -
482
00:30:14,560 --> 00:30:17,720
and perhaps this attitude
enabled people
483
00:30:17,720 --> 00:30:23,200
living in various parts of Rajasthan
to avoid acute starvation deaths.
484
00:30:25,720 --> 00:30:27,840
By the time of my Bradshaw's,
485
00:30:27,840 --> 00:30:32,640
most of the 3,000 stepwells
in India had fallen into disuse...
486
00:30:34,600 --> 00:30:36,840
..and today fewer than 1,000 remain.
487
00:30:47,760 --> 00:30:51,360
From one of the less well-known
treasures of India,
488
00:30:51,360 --> 00:30:53,800
I'm moving on
to one of the most legendary...
489
00:30:56,480 --> 00:30:59,080
..but first,
there's the little matter
490
00:30:59,080 --> 00:31:02,120
of negotiating the platform
at Bandikui Junction.
491
00:31:05,600 --> 00:31:07,040
How rude.
492
00:31:09,000 --> 00:31:10,880
I am now halfway through my trip
493
00:31:10,880 --> 00:31:12,760
around the Golden Triangle,
494
00:31:12,760 --> 00:31:14,640
heading for the city of Agra
495
00:31:14,640 --> 00:31:17,080
en route to my final destination,
496
00:31:17,080 --> 00:31:19,240
the capital of India, New Delhi.
497
00:31:23,800 --> 00:31:28,440
The railway line crosses the border
from Rajasthan into Uttar Pradesh,
498
00:31:28,440 --> 00:31:32,200
India's fourth largest state
and its most heavily populated.
499
00:31:36,040 --> 00:31:38,040
My next stop will be Agra.
500
00:31:38,040 --> 00:31:42,200
My Bradshaw's tells me
that the architectural monuments
501
00:31:42,200 --> 00:31:44,960
of the Mughal sovereigns at Agra
502
00:31:44,960 --> 00:31:48,320
are amongst the finest in the world.
503
00:31:48,320 --> 00:31:52,480
Indeed, I expect to find
there one of the most beautiful,
504
00:31:52,480 --> 00:31:54,120
one of the most perfect,
505
00:31:54,120 --> 00:31:58,000
one of the most sublime buildings
ever conceived.
506
00:32:12,440 --> 00:32:17,400
Already a popular destination
at the time of my Bradshaw's,
507
00:32:17,400 --> 00:32:19,680
today, Agra is on the itinerary
508
00:32:19,680 --> 00:32:23,000
of a quarter of all foreign tourists
to India...
509
00:32:24,520 --> 00:32:26,200
..but most of the 13.5 million
510
00:32:26,200 --> 00:32:30,240
passengers who pass through this
station each year are Indian.
511
00:32:34,360 --> 00:32:37,800
They arrive at a
busy industrial town
512
00:32:37,800 --> 00:32:42,240
which is also home to three
Unesco World Heritage sites.
513
00:32:57,880 --> 00:33:00,120
In India, says Bradshaw's,
514
00:33:00,120 --> 00:33:04,840
good hotels are rare outside
the largest towns and as a whole
515
00:33:04,840 --> 00:33:08,280
accommodation is not luxurious.
516
00:33:08,280 --> 00:33:11,840
Well, if so, that is something that
has most certainly changed...
517
00:33:11,840 --> 00:33:13,800
Good evening. Good evening.
518
00:33:13,800 --> 00:33:17,560
..and the Oberoi Amarvilas hotel
is a case in point.
519
00:33:43,280 --> 00:33:46,840
What makes for
the perfect early-morning ablution?
520
00:33:46,840 --> 00:33:50,880
Is it the softness of the towel,
the quality of the soap,
521
00:33:50,880 --> 00:33:53,400
the fragrance of the rose petals?
522
00:33:53,400 --> 00:33:56,440
No, it is the view.
523
00:33:56,440 --> 00:34:00,720
I believe this bathroom has
the greatest vista on the planet.
524
00:34:28,280 --> 00:34:31,200
"The Taj Mahal..." says Bradshaw's,
525
00:34:31,200 --> 00:34:33,360
"..a mausoleum built by Shah Jahan
526
00:34:33,360 --> 00:34:35,680
"for his beautiful queen.
527
00:34:35,680 --> 00:34:37,920
"The light of the world.
528
00:34:37,920 --> 00:34:41,160
"A graceful dome structure
of polished white marble
529
00:34:41,160 --> 00:34:43,760
"as fresh as when first built,
530
00:34:43,760 --> 00:34:45,880
"decorated with rich mosaics,
531
00:34:45,880 --> 00:34:48,520
"inlaid with jasper, agate,
532
00:34:48,520 --> 00:34:52,200
"carnelian and other
precious stones."
533
00:34:52,200 --> 00:34:55,800
From here, it seems
to hover weightless
534
00:34:55,800 --> 00:35:02,040
above the garden of the hotel, built
by a man out of love, out of grief,
535
00:35:02,040 --> 00:35:05,560
it is the world's greatest monument
to passion.
536
00:35:11,800 --> 00:35:13,680
Historian Najaf Haider
537
00:35:13,680 --> 00:35:17,000
is my guide to the husband-and-wife
relationship
538
00:35:17,000 --> 00:35:19,560
at its heart and to the grandeur
539
00:35:19,560 --> 00:35:23,120
of the vast empire
over which they reigned.
540
00:36:00,360 --> 00:36:03,880
Najaf, this is not the first time
I have seen the Taj Mahal,
541
00:36:03,880 --> 00:36:06,680
but I'm still absolutely smitten
by its beauty.
542
00:36:06,680 --> 00:36:08,600
It is a fantastic building,
isn't it?
543
00:36:08,600 --> 00:36:13,320
It is indeed. Partly because it is
a product of love and passion
544
00:36:13,320 --> 00:36:17,640
and partly because of the enormous
amount of resources,
545
00:36:17,640 --> 00:36:20,040
work material and intellectual
546
00:36:20,040 --> 00:36:23,280
that went into the making
of this monument.
547
00:36:23,280 --> 00:36:25,840
And tell me about the love story
that lies behind it.
548
00:36:25,840 --> 00:36:29,640
Shah Jahan was married
to Arjumand Banu Begum,
549
00:36:29,640 --> 00:36:32,280
who was given the title
of Mumtaz Mahal.
550
00:36:32,280 --> 00:36:35,320
Even though he was married to two
other women,
551
00:36:35,320 --> 00:36:38,320
she was the one who spent
most of the time with him,
552
00:36:38,320 --> 00:36:42,160
and travelled with him and produced
children with him.
553
00:36:42,160 --> 00:36:46,000
So it is fair to say there was
a strong bond
554
00:36:46,000 --> 00:36:48,400
and love between the two -
555
00:36:48,400 --> 00:36:52,400
and once she died,
Shah Jahan was devastated.
556
00:36:59,200 --> 00:37:03,080
When he came out of the statutory
mourning period,
557
00:37:03,080 --> 00:37:06,240
his moustache and hair
had turned grey
558
00:37:06,240 --> 00:37:08,240
and he looked much older,
559
00:37:08,240 --> 00:37:10,840
and one way to address the grief,
560
00:37:10,840 --> 00:37:13,440
this enormous amount of grief,
561
00:37:13,440 --> 00:37:17,400
was to plan a monument
of this proportion -
562
00:37:17,400 --> 00:37:21,360
which Shah Jahan could, because
he was an ambitious builder.
563
00:37:21,360 --> 00:37:23,880
He was also a mighty emperor,
564
00:37:23,880 --> 00:37:26,400
able to summon 20,000 craftsmen
565
00:37:26,400 --> 00:37:29,840
and to use the best
and costliest materials.
566
00:37:29,840 --> 00:37:33,000
It took 20 years to complete
the building
567
00:37:33,000 --> 00:37:37,680
which now stands as a testament
to the wealth, political power
568
00:37:37,680 --> 00:37:41,160
and cultural influence
of the Mughal Empire,
569
00:37:41,160 --> 00:37:45,640
which ruled India for over 200 years
from the 16th century.
570
00:37:47,440 --> 00:37:50,480
The Mughals were an invading race,
tell me about them.
571
00:37:50,480 --> 00:37:54,720
The Mughals came from Central Asia
and Afghanistan,
572
00:37:54,720 --> 00:37:58,040
they were part Turk, part Mongol.
573
00:37:58,040 --> 00:38:04,040
They built a huge empire which
survived for over three centuries
574
00:38:04,040 --> 00:38:07,800
and they not only politically
united the country,
575
00:38:07,800 --> 00:38:11,600
but also left a rich legacy
in terms of culture
576
00:38:11,600 --> 00:38:16,240
which one could see in a
large corpus of literature,
577
00:38:16,240 --> 00:38:19,680
manuscript, some of them
beautifully illustrated
578
00:38:19,680 --> 00:38:21,760
and brilliantly illuminated,
579
00:38:21,760 --> 00:38:25,680
which you can find in museums
and libraries outside India.
580
00:38:27,120 --> 00:38:33,480
When Shah Jahan died in 1666, he was
interred here alongside his wife.
581
00:38:35,000 --> 00:38:39,640
In the two centuries that followed,
the monument fell into disrepair.
582
00:38:39,640 --> 00:38:42,360
There were marauders and invaders
583
00:38:42,360 --> 00:38:46,760
who did not treat the monument
with the same kind of respect
584
00:38:46,760 --> 00:38:50,320
that it had during
the classical Mughal period.
585
00:38:50,320 --> 00:38:52,160
There were cases of vandalism.
586
00:38:53,200 --> 00:38:56,320
It took the representative of
another great empire
587
00:38:56,320 --> 00:38:58,800
to restore what had been lost.
588
00:38:58,800 --> 00:39:02,880
Lord Curzon, the British Viceroy,
had a deep interest
589
00:39:02,880 --> 00:39:07,240
in preserving the cultural
and material heritage of India.
590
00:39:07,240 --> 00:39:10,960
He was extremely fascinated
by the Taj,
591
00:39:10,960 --> 00:39:13,520
and visited Agra many times,
592
00:39:13,520 --> 00:39:17,680
and then decided to undertake
a huge project
593
00:39:17,680 --> 00:39:21,560
repairing the monument
and its ancillary buildings,
594
00:39:21,560 --> 00:39:24,000
but also landscaping the garden.
595
00:39:24,000 --> 00:39:27,480
The garden really took the lion's
share of his attention.
596
00:39:27,480 --> 00:39:30,920
The people who come here, what do
you think they take away from it?
597
00:39:30,920 --> 00:39:36,320
Well, they take away the memory
of the Mughal era.
598
00:39:36,320 --> 00:39:40,440
They find the monument
extremely beautiful,
599
00:39:40,440 --> 00:39:45,680
and for the millions of visitors
who come here every year,
600
00:39:45,680 --> 00:39:49,960
the Taj Mahal is the greatest
monument to love in the world.
601
00:40:04,000 --> 00:40:06,680
I will now complete
the Golden Triangle
602
00:40:06,680 --> 00:40:11,160
as I embark on the final leg
of my journey to India's capital.
603
00:40:13,640 --> 00:40:17,880
My train to Delhi is unfortunately
50 minutes late,
604
00:40:17,880 --> 00:40:21,120
which is not an unusual
occurrence in India.
605
00:40:25,280 --> 00:40:31,520
On a rail network of 71,000 miles
of track and 8,000 stations,
606
00:40:31,520 --> 00:40:33,560
delays are par for the course.
607
00:40:33,560 --> 00:40:36,360
Hello. Thank you.
608
00:40:40,680 --> 00:40:45,760
23 million passengers per day
use the system,
609
00:40:45,760 --> 00:40:47,880
so feeding them is big business
610
00:40:47,880 --> 00:40:49,640
and requires innovation.
611
00:40:51,480 --> 00:40:54,360
Indian trains sometimes strike you
as a little old-fashioned,
612
00:40:54,360 --> 00:40:59,200
but when it comes to ordering food,
this country is bang up to date.
613
00:40:59,200 --> 00:41:01,600
For my lunch,
I'm going to use an app
614
00:41:01,600 --> 00:41:03,920
and I'm going to choose the thali,
615
00:41:03,920 --> 00:41:07,840
I'm going to ask for my food
to be delivered to coach A1,
616
00:41:07,840 --> 00:41:13,640
seat number 11 at the next station
which is Mathura Junction.
617
00:41:13,640 --> 00:41:15,560
Oh! My mouth is watering already.
618
00:41:19,040 --> 00:41:22,840
There's a little time before
my thali and I coincide.
619
00:41:24,080 --> 00:41:26,080
I will pass it as many Indians do
620
00:41:26,080 --> 00:41:28,840
on journeys that can last
for several days
621
00:41:28,840 --> 00:41:32,640
by striking up conversation
with fellow passengers.
622
00:41:35,600 --> 00:41:38,200
Are you travelling a long way?
623
00:41:38,200 --> 00:41:41,120
Yes, we are coming from
the southern region of India.
624
00:41:41,120 --> 00:41:44,000
That is a long journey.
How many hours?
625
00:41:44,000 --> 00:41:47,560
It is approximately 40, 48
hours to Delhi.
626
00:41:47,560 --> 00:41:49,320
40 hours on the train.
627
00:41:49,320 --> 00:41:51,800
Obviously there will be a lot
of stops.
628
00:41:51,800 --> 00:41:54,160
Yes. Train travelling is something
629
00:41:54,160 --> 00:41:56,880
of a different experience
all the times.
630
00:41:56,880 --> 00:42:00,240
Different languages, different
people, different lives -
631
00:42:00,240 --> 00:42:01,520
but it's amazing sometimes.
632
00:42:01,520 --> 00:42:03,880
All the people you meet
on the trains. It's funny.
633
00:42:03,880 --> 00:42:07,360
All parts of the train reach the
destination at the same time.
634
00:42:07,360 --> 00:42:12,440
Same time. Yes. Would you prefer to
fly or do you prefer the train?
635
00:42:12,440 --> 00:42:14,400
Train. Really?
636
00:42:14,400 --> 00:42:17,080
Even though it takes so long -
aren't you tired?
637
00:42:17,080 --> 00:42:19,280
No, it's not a problem.
638
00:42:19,280 --> 00:42:21,360
Not a problem. That's nice.
639
00:42:21,360 --> 00:42:23,520
We've got young train fans here.
Yeah!
640
00:42:38,080 --> 00:42:40,760
Oh, thank you. Perfect.
Thank you very much indeed.
641
00:42:42,040 --> 00:42:44,200
Thank you.
642
00:42:44,200 --> 00:42:47,400
Well, I must say
I am mightily impressed -
643
00:42:47,400 --> 00:42:50,120
my thali was delivered
to the right carriage,
644
00:42:50,120 --> 00:42:53,200
to the right seat,
and it looks very good.
645
00:42:53,200 --> 00:42:56,440
A thali is a complete
Indian meal in itself.
646
00:42:56,440 --> 00:43:02,400
Rice with cumin, this is a cottage
cheese curry, this is a pea curry,
647
00:43:02,400 --> 00:43:04,720
that is chickpea in yoghurt.
648
00:43:04,720 --> 00:43:08,920
Here is my dahl, spicy lentils,
little salad
649
00:43:08,920 --> 00:43:12,480
and what I do is I dip my bread
in my curry
650
00:43:12,480 --> 00:43:15,040
and I put a little pickle on...
651
00:43:17,720 --> 00:43:19,960
And the flavours explode
in the mouth!
652
00:43:29,880 --> 00:43:33,360
The 120-mile journey
from Agra to Delhi
653
00:43:33,360 --> 00:43:36,640
on the Kerala Express
takes about three hours.
654
00:43:40,120 --> 00:43:42,320
Excuse me, please.
655
00:43:42,320 --> 00:43:45,000
For a taste of India in the raw,
656
00:43:45,000 --> 00:43:48,440
I have moved into that compartment
which is known as unreserved.
657
00:43:48,440 --> 00:43:51,120
Of course it is un-air-conditioned,
658
00:43:51,120 --> 00:43:52,480
it is extremely crowded.
659
00:43:52,480 --> 00:43:55,240
At each station
it turns into a sort of bazaar,
660
00:43:55,240 --> 00:43:58,400
because all the hawkers
get on and sell food and water
661
00:43:58,400 --> 00:44:02,080
and I'm struck by these
people resting on the luggage racks
662
00:44:02,080 --> 00:44:05,680
which look about as comfortable
as a bed of nails.
663
00:44:07,560 --> 00:44:10,600
How are you up there, are you OK?
Achha, OK?
664
00:44:14,400 --> 00:44:17,080
Hello! Do you speak English?
665
00:44:17,080 --> 00:44:19,240
Yes. Where are you going today?
666
00:44:19,240 --> 00:44:21,280
New Delhi.
You are going to New Delhi.
667
00:44:21,280 --> 00:44:24,360
New Delhi. Where have you come from?
Agra.
668
00:44:24,360 --> 00:44:28,320
Agra, like me - and how do you find
the unreserved class,
669
00:44:28,320 --> 00:44:29,920
are you comfortable?
670
00:44:29,920 --> 00:44:34,640
Yes, small journey, two or three
hours I'm going to...easy.
671
00:44:34,640 --> 00:44:37,160
In the unreserved class. Yeah.
672
00:44:37,160 --> 00:44:39,240
How much was your ticket?
673
00:44:39,240 --> 00:44:42,200
90 rupees. 90 rupees.
674
00:44:42,200 --> 00:44:44,680
In Britain, just over £1.
675
00:44:44,680 --> 00:44:46,600
Is that good value?
676
00:44:46,600 --> 00:44:51,920
Bus, I'm going to bus,
ticket is 135 rupees.
677
00:44:51,920 --> 00:44:56,040
Ah. On train only for 90 rupees.
678
00:44:56,040 --> 00:44:58,560
So the train is better.
Yes. Train is better.
679
00:44:58,560 --> 00:45:00,680
Very, very good. Enjoy your journey.
680
00:45:00,680 --> 00:45:03,080
Thank you. Thank you for talking
to me. Thank you very much.
681
00:45:06,840 --> 00:45:12,120
The British built railways in India
in order to export raw materials
682
00:45:12,120 --> 00:45:13,760
and to transport troops -
683
00:45:13,760 --> 00:45:17,160
but the provision of fast
and affordable transport
684
00:45:17,160 --> 00:45:19,560
had unintended consequences.
685
00:45:19,560 --> 00:45:21,240
It spread ideas...
686
00:45:22,280 --> 00:45:24,800
..and the idea which swept
through the nation
687
00:45:24,800 --> 00:45:29,000
at the turn of the 20th century
was independence for India.
688
00:45:30,720 --> 00:45:34,600
From 1915, nationalist leader
Mohandas Gandhi
689
00:45:34,600 --> 00:45:38,480
travelled the length and breadth
of the country by train,
690
00:45:38,480 --> 00:45:42,520
greeted everywhere
by adoring crowds.
691
00:45:42,520 --> 00:45:46,480
Today, cheap transport is still
important in India, economically,
692
00:45:46,480 --> 00:45:48,600
politically and socially,
693
00:45:48,600 --> 00:45:51,720
but you have to travel
unreserved class
694
00:45:51,720 --> 00:45:54,560
to find out how it really brings
people together.
695
00:45:54,560 --> 00:45:57,120
CLAPPING
696
00:46:07,960 --> 00:46:11,360
Oh, thank you.
APPLAUSE
697
00:46:14,120 --> 00:46:16,880
Where are you going, Delhi?
698
00:46:16,880 --> 00:46:19,640
You going to Delhi? Punjab.
699
00:46:19,640 --> 00:46:21,680
You're going now to Punjab. Punjab.
700
00:46:21,680 --> 00:46:24,960
Where? Amritsar? Amritsar.
701
00:46:24,960 --> 00:46:27,840
Very good. Have a good journey.
Thanks for the dance!
702
00:46:27,840 --> 00:46:30,320
Balle, balle. Balle, balle.
703
00:46:30,320 --> 00:46:33,000
LAUGHTER
704
00:46:33,000 --> 00:46:35,680
TRANSLATION:
705
00:46:44,600 --> 00:46:46,880
OK? OK!
706
00:46:51,880 --> 00:46:57,640
Bye-bye. Bye-bye! Bye! Bye-bye.
707
00:46:57,640 --> 00:47:00,560
TRAIN HOOTS
Bye-bye.
708
00:47:02,880 --> 00:47:07,640
Finally, my journey has brought me
to the capital of modern-day India.
709
00:47:11,960 --> 00:47:15,520
Arriving in Delhi, I am plunged
into a teeming metropolis
710
00:47:15,520 --> 00:47:17,080
full of contrasts.
711
00:47:17,080 --> 00:47:20,800
With 19 million inhabitants
and growing fast,
712
00:47:20,800 --> 00:47:24,400
it is on track to be the
second-largest city in the world.
713
00:47:28,360 --> 00:47:30,760
At its heart is the Red Fort,
714
00:47:30,760 --> 00:47:34,720
another grand project built
in the 17th century
715
00:47:34,720 --> 00:47:36,600
by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan,
716
00:47:36,600 --> 00:47:39,000
this time as his imperial seat.
717
00:47:41,320 --> 00:47:42,920
According to Bradshaw's,
718
00:47:42,920 --> 00:47:47,160
the most interesting parts of Delhi
can be explored only on foot.
719
00:47:47,160 --> 00:47:50,440
The guide says the visitor
can wander for days,
720
00:47:50,440 --> 00:47:55,000
meeting fresh studies
of the real East at every turn.
721
00:47:56,880 --> 00:48:00,200
For shopping, my Bradshaw's
has brought me to Chandni Chowk,
722
00:48:00,200 --> 00:48:02,080
it means Moonlight Square.
723
00:48:02,080 --> 00:48:04,880
It was created by the daughter
of Shah Jahan,
724
00:48:04,880 --> 00:48:07,280
the man who built the Taj Mahal -
725
00:48:07,280 --> 00:48:10,200
and today it is the place
where you find mithai wallahs,
726
00:48:10,200 --> 00:48:12,960
namkeen wallahs, paratha wallahs -
727
00:48:12,960 --> 00:48:18,400
vendors of sweet, savoury
and bready Indian delights.
728
00:48:20,240 --> 00:48:24,920
Chandni Chowk is known
as the food capital of India.
729
00:48:24,920 --> 00:48:28,040
Many a Bollywood star
has been tempted to these streets
730
00:48:28,040 --> 00:48:30,960
in search of the legendary paratha.
731
00:48:30,960 --> 00:48:34,920
Hello. I'm going to have a paratha.
732
00:48:34,920 --> 00:48:39,640
Potato? Yeah, potato would be nice.
Yes, let me have a potato paratha.
733
00:48:39,640 --> 00:48:45,960
A paratha is a filled, flaky bread
soaked in ghee or clarified butter
734
00:48:45,960 --> 00:48:49,280
and has been popular in India
for hundreds of years.
735
00:48:51,760 --> 00:48:54,120
Thank you. Thank you.
736
00:49:12,760 --> 00:49:18,120
Today, in Delhi, old and new
sit side by side.
737
00:49:18,120 --> 00:49:22,840
Around the ancient streets,
gleaming modern commercial districts
738
00:49:22,840 --> 00:49:25,520
have sprouted,
but the meteoric growth
739
00:49:25,520 --> 00:49:27,160
has come with a cost.
740
00:49:27,160 --> 00:49:30,840
This is one of the most polluted
cities on earth.
741
00:49:30,840 --> 00:49:36,160
The modern way to escape the
gridlock above is to go underground.
742
00:49:36,160 --> 00:49:38,720
One journey, please.
Central Secretariat.
743
00:49:49,800 --> 00:49:53,120
After Mughals, Maharajas
and the British Raj,
744
00:49:53,120 --> 00:49:55,320
it's time for some modern India.
745
00:49:55,320 --> 00:49:59,280
The Delhi Metro was inaugurated
in the 21st century.
746
00:50:11,040 --> 00:50:15,720
Already more than 200km
of track, 160 stations,
747
00:50:15,720 --> 00:50:17,320
much more planned.
748
00:50:17,320 --> 00:50:19,960
It's new, it's clean,
it's air-conditioned.
749
00:50:19,960 --> 00:50:22,200
If you've risked your sanity -
and your life -
750
00:50:22,200 --> 00:50:23,800
in the congestion of Delhi,
751
00:50:23,800 --> 00:50:27,760
why wouldn't you want to travel
reliably and rapidly underground?
752
00:50:27,760 --> 00:50:31,280
And just think about all
the pollution that we're saving.
753
00:50:33,160 --> 00:50:34,880
Hello, ladies.
BOTH: Hello.
754
00:50:34,880 --> 00:50:37,520
I'm using the Delhi Metro for the
first time and, I must say,
755
00:50:37,520 --> 00:50:39,160
I'm enjoying it very much.
756
00:50:39,160 --> 00:50:41,640
Do you use it lots?
Yeah, we use it daily.
757
00:50:41,640 --> 00:50:44,760
Do you? On a daily basis.
How do you like it? We love it. Yes?
758
00:50:44,760 --> 00:50:48,640
Because there's no option. We have
to commute through this, er, metro.
759
00:50:48,640 --> 00:50:50,320
Through this.
760
00:50:50,320 --> 00:50:53,000
You could go by car,
or bus, or rickshaw?
761
00:50:53,000 --> 00:50:56,360
We'll be stuck in traffic and all,
because of that.
762
00:50:56,360 --> 00:50:59,120
Yeah. So this is the convenient way.
And it's cool. Yeah.
763
00:50:59,120 --> 00:51:01,200
It's air-conditioned.
It is pretty cool.
764
00:51:01,200 --> 00:51:02,880
How hot is it today outside?
765
00:51:02,880 --> 00:51:05,400
It's about 43 or 42 degrees outside.
766
00:51:05,400 --> 00:51:07,560
Yes - and in here, what, we're...?
767
00:51:07,560 --> 00:51:09,120
Around 22. It's much better here.
768
00:51:09,120 --> 00:51:11,720
At least we're not sweating,
and it's all good.
769
00:51:11,720 --> 00:51:14,960
It's much better. So, you give
the thumbs-up to the metro?
770
00:51:14,960 --> 00:51:17,240
Two, double!
771
00:51:17,240 --> 00:51:19,960
Are you a frequent user
of the Delhi Metro?
772
00:51:19,960 --> 00:51:22,520
Yes, I am. And how do you find it?
773
00:51:22,520 --> 00:51:25,520
So, it's very much comfortable.
We have a ladies coach.
774
00:51:25,520 --> 00:51:28,560
The Delhi Metro is providing a
different facility
775
00:51:28,560 --> 00:51:31,200
for those who are travelling alone,
for the ladies.
776
00:51:31,200 --> 00:51:33,560
Is it important to have
a ladies carriage to you?
777
00:51:33,560 --> 00:51:36,600
Yeah, when it's a matter
of women's safety,
778
00:51:36,600 --> 00:51:38,000
then I think Delhi Metro has done
779
00:51:38,000 --> 00:51:40,400
a good job of providing
a ladies' coach.
780
00:51:49,840 --> 00:51:53,800
I'm leaving the metro at the
Central Secretariat station,
781
00:51:53,800 --> 00:51:55,360
heading for the seat of power.
782
00:52:00,600 --> 00:52:02,480
"Delhi..." comments Bradshaw's,
783
00:52:02,480 --> 00:52:05,760
"..is the one city
which can claim to rank
784
00:52:05,760 --> 00:52:10,040
"both as an historic capital
and an imperial city."
785
00:52:10,040 --> 00:52:14,200
"Calcutta is but a mushroom
city by comparison.
786
00:52:14,200 --> 00:52:16,440
"The present Delhi
is the fifth or sixth city
787
00:52:16,440 --> 00:52:19,080
"which has been raised
upon its sites,
788
00:52:19,080 --> 00:52:23,560
"but the glamour of its glories
under the Mughal emperors
789
00:52:23,560 --> 00:52:25,720
"still hangs round its walls.
790
00:52:25,720 --> 00:52:29,560
"Delhi is indeed an architectural
palimpsest,"
791
00:52:29,560 --> 00:52:31,760
meaning one of those parchments
792
00:52:31,760 --> 00:52:34,520
that was written
and then overwritten.
793
00:52:34,520 --> 00:52:36,960
Perspicacious words,
because in the centuries
794
00:52:36,960 --> 00:52:41,440
since Bradshaw's was published,
several other cities have arisen,
795
00:52:41,440 --> 00:52:48,120
including this one - designed by
and for the British - New Delhi.
796
00:52:54,280 --> 00:52:56,600
The planned elegance of New Delhi
797
00:52:56,600 --> 00:52:59,400
is in sharp contrast
with the organic chaos
798
00:52:59,400 --> 00:53:01,880
that created other parts
of the city.
799
00:53:05,520 --> 00:53:08,160
In the grounds of the official home
of the president,
800
00:53:08,160 --> 00:53:10,280
I'm meeting someone who can help me
801
00:53:10,280 --> 00:53:13,320
to unpick the origins of this
stately enclave -
802
00:53:13,320 --> 00:53:17,760
Swapan Dasgupta, Member of
Parliament and political journalist.
803
00:53:19,280 --> 00:53:24,440
Swapan, my Bradshaw's, published in
1913, recalls that in December 1911,
804
00:53:24,440 --> 00:53:28,160
"The most magnificent durbar
in Indian history
805
00:53:28,160 --> 00:53:31,160
"was held at Delhi by the
King Emperor -
806
00:53:31,160 --> 00:53:33,200
"King George V - himself."
807
00:53:33,200 --> 00:53:34,320
Tell me about that.
808
00:53:34,320 --> 00:53:37,840
Well, this was the first time
a reigning monarch
809
00:53:37,840 --> 00:53:39,440
actually came to India.
810
00:53:39,440 --> 00:53:43,200
Queen Victoria was made the Empress
of India, but she never came here.
811
00:53:43,200 --> 00:53:44,520
Edward VII never came here,
812
00:53:44,520 --> 00:53:46,440
although he did come
as Prince of Wales.
813
00:53:46,440 --> 00:53:49,280
But this time, a reigning monarch,
so it was a grand event.
814
00:53:49,280 --> 00:53:51,320
It was really the high noon
of the Empire.
815
00:53:53,040 --> 00:53:57,280
Durbar is an Urdu word meaning
"a reception held by a ruler."
816
00:53:58,400 --> 00:54:01,360
For this exceptionally lavish one
in 1911,
817
00:54:01,360 --> 00:54:05,000
65 square kilometres were occupied
by tents
818
00:54:05,000 --> 00:54:08,680
for thousands of guests
and their servants.
819
00:54:08,680 --> 00:54:12,440
It was British pageantry
at its best.
820
00:54:12,440 --> 00:54:14,040
It was everything.
821
00:54:14,040 --> 00:54:17,880
Exotica, colour, show of might,
822
00:54:17,880 --> 00:54:23,560
the Maharajas,
the masses coming in, the spectacle.
823
00:54:23,560 --> 00:54:28,040
In every respect, the British
wanted to show that, "Here we are,
824
00:54:28,040 --> 00:54:32,120
"ruling over a traditional country,
but a modernising force,
825
00:54:32,120 --> 00:54:33,480
"and a benign force."
826
00:54:33,480 --> 00:54:34,960
It was benign up to a point,
827
00:54:34,960 --> 00:54:39,600
because the Maharajas combined a bit
of grovelling with self-respect.
828
00:54:40,720 --> 00:54:43,440
Now, during that durbar
of December 1911,
829
00:54:43,440 --> 00:54:46,240
a surprise announcement is made that
830
00:54:46,240 --> 00:54:50,080
the capital is moving
from Calcutta to Delhi, why?
831
00:54:50,080 --> 00:54:53,880
Well, they thought Calcutta
was becoming a hotbed of sedition,
832
00:54:53,880 --> 00:54:57,800
and Delhi was seen as really
the natural place
833
00:54:57,800 --> 00:55:00,800
where Indian empires
were ruled from.
834
00:55:00,800 --> 00:55:04,760
So they decide to make a very
special capital here,
835
00:55:04,760 --> 00:55:07,800
and they employ Edwin Lutyens
to make a new Delhi.
836
00:55:07,800 --> 00:55:10,200
What does Lutyens do?
How successful is he, do you think?
837
00:55:10,200 --> 00:55:12,640
Well, there was always a pressure
on Lutyens -
838
00:55:12,640 --> 00:55:15,760
accommodate Indian motives,
accommodate Indian designs,
839
00:55:15,760 --> 00:55:17,640
we have to be seen
to be more Indian.
840
00:55:17,640 --> 00:55:20,200
So if you look at this,
it's not the Indo-Saracenic stuff
841
00:55:20,200 --> 00:55:21,800
which you see in Mumbai.
842
00:55:21,800 --> 00:55:25,200
It's not the same Gothic
stuff you see in Calcutta.
843
00:55:25,200 --> 00:55:26,720
It's very different.
844
00:55:26,720 --> 00:55:29,320
The Indian motifs
are very much there.
845
00:55:29,320 --> 00:55:33,480
But by the time that architect
Edwin Lutyens and his colleague,
846
00:55:33,480 --> 00:55:36,960
Herbert Baker, had completed
the imperial capital,
847
00:55:36,960 --> 00:55:39,920
political pressure was building up.
848
00:55:39,920 --> 00:55:42,520
The year after the great durbar,
849
00:55:42,520 --> 00:55:45,600
agitators threw a bomb
at the Viceroy,
850
00:55:45,600 --> 00:55:47,960
injuring him and killing a servant.
851
00:55:50,040 --> 00:55:54,000
By then, the sunset
of the British Raj was approaching,
852
00:55:54,000 --> 00:55:58,560
and in August 1947,
New Delhi was formally handed over
853
00:55:58,560 --> 00:56:01,960
by the last Viceroy,
Lord Mountbatten,
854
00:56:01,960 --> 00:56:04,760
to the newly independent
Indian Government.
855
00:56:06,720 --> 00:56:09,600
New Delhi is grand,
it's on a fantastic scale -
856
00:56:09,600 --> 00:56:11,960
and this building here,
what is this?
857
00:56:11,960 --> 00:56:14,440
This was originally
the Viceregal Lodge.
858
00:56:14,440 --> 00:56:16,920
It's called
the Rashtrapati Bhavan now,
859
00:56:16,920 --> 00:56:19,120
which is the home
of the President of India.
860
00:56:19,120 --> 00:56:22,640
It was really the centrepiece
of New Delhi,
861
00:56:22,640 --> 00:56:25,800
as was envisaged by
Sir Edwin Lutyens.
862
00:56:25,800 --> 00:56:29,920
Do you like it?
Personally speaking, I love it.
863
00:56:29,920 --> 00:56:34,120
I love it, because I think
it represents grandeur -
864
00:56:34,120 --> 00:56:37,560
and personally speaking,
I think the Indian Republic
865
00:56:37,560 --> 00:56:40,200
is the legitimate inheritor
of the British Raj.
866
00:56:54,000 --> 00:56:58,080
In arid Rajputana,
the Maharajas clung to power
867
00:56:58,080 --> 00:57:01,040
in their little states
by doing deals
868
00:57:01,040 --> 00:57:03,400
with the powerful invaders.
869
00:57:03,400 --> 00:57:06,760
First, the Mughals,
and then the British -
870
00:57:06,760 --> 00:57:10,800
but those imperial powers brought
together diverse ethnic groups
871
00:57:10,800 --> 00:57:13,960
on the subcontinent under one ruler,
872
00:57:13,960 --> 00:57:16,320
thus making possible the idea
873
00:57:16,320 --> 00:57:19,240
of a united India
that might one day be free.
874
00:57:19,240 --> 00:57:23,200
The railways helped to spread
that idea,
875
00:57:23,200 --> 00:57:28,280
and by the time that Edwin Lutyens'
New Delhi had been built,
876
00:57:28,280 --> 00:57:31,560
independence
was becoming unstoppable.
877
00:57:31,560 --> 00:57:35,240
For 70 years now,
India has ruled itself -
878
00:57:35,240 --> 00:57:39,080
from the powerhouses constructed
for the British Raj.
879
00:57:44,560 --> 00:57:47,400
Next time, I travel
to Southern India,
880
00:57:47,400 --> 00:57:50,400
where I try to keep pace
with India's tech revolution.
881
00:57:50,400 --> 00:57:53,400
"Your food is ready.
Please turn off your burner."
882
00:57:53,400 --> 00:57:54,640
Thank you very much, I will.
883
00:57:54,640 --> 00:57:57,440
"Your food is ready." OK, OK!
"Please turn off your burner."
884
00:57:57,440 --> 00:58:01,640
I discover that silk manufacturers
have gone to great lengths...
885
00:58:01,640 --> 00:58:04,520
How long may the yarn be, then,
from a single silk flower?
886
00:58:04,520 --> 00:58:07,520
Each silk flower produces
about a thousand metres of silk.
887
00:58:07,520 --> 00:58:09,800
That's absolutely extraordinary!
888
00:58:09,800 --> 00:58:14,240
..and learn how Britain succeeded
in its colonial ambitions.
889
00:58:14,240 --> 00:58:17,520
They understood the Indian psyche
exceedingly well,
890
00:58:17,520 --> 00:58:21,600
and so they managed to get
their hands on what they wanted.