Around the World

From start to finish, I loved every bit of the audio-assisted tour of Lakshmi Vilas Palace, Vadodara. Established by Maharaja Sayajirao Gaekwad III, the chief architect of the Palace was Major Charles Mant and it was later completed by Robert Chisholm. Once you have bought your tickets and entered, y ou have to take the tour slowly, listening to the information of what is conveyed through the ear phones. Pause the device at will, so that you can look at what you have been told to look at, and absorb the information about it. Thus, if you are told ‘turn around’ or ‘look up at the ceiling’ or ‘look at the mosaic tiles on the floor’ that’s exactly what you do! There is no rewind button, mind you, so take your time to really enjoy the whole experience of it. Keep in mind that when the Palace was first opened to the public some years ago, there was no audio support, so make the most of it now.

The highlight of our trip to Vadodara (formerly Baroda) was the tour of Lukshmi Vilas Palace (the old British spelling of Lukshmi is used by the management) and its adjacent Maharaja Fatesingh museum. It was enhanced by the superb audio narration, leading us step by step on a tour of the Palace.  Of course, it was restricted to the ground floor only, since the members of the erstwhile royal family are residing on the upper floors. Nevertheless, it was a delightful tour and we enjoyed it from start to finish and no way should you miss out on it on your trip to Vadodara. It is worth every rupee of the entrance fee. Know the details of timings and entry tickets .

Welcome Board In my earlier post, I had given a useful guide for first time visitors to Lukshmi Vilas Palace , Baroda. Now here's information on the timings when it is open to the public, the entry ticket fees and useful information on the audio device which guides you through the wonderful tour of the Palace.  You can either purchase an entry ticket only for the tour of the Palace or purchase a combo ticket of both, a tour of the Palace and of the nearby Fatesingh museum as well. 

Visiting Chandni Chowk, Delhi for the first time? Looking for tips for first-time shoppers to the Chandni Chowk market? This is a narrative experience, with all the sights of the area, of a first-time shopper. It is very easy to reach and access via the Chandni Chowk Metro. Just come out of the Metro entrance and you are bang in the middle of the buzzing shopping hub.  The metro is near a temple and the lane is also lined with stalls. This is the fabric area. I was interested in clothes shopping so I didn’t venture to the other areas like the lanes where books are sold even by weight or Chowri Bazaar, which now sells paper for all purposes.

It is difficult to describe in words the moment the Golden Temple comes into your view for the very first time. It is simply breath-taking, stunningly beautiful, more so with the reflections that are mirrored in the large tank (named Amrit Sarovar) which surrounds it.  While it is generally known as the Golden Temple due to the gold-gilded dome, the name of this holy complex is Harmandir Sahib.  Within the Golden Temple, there are various exits leading to other areas like the Akal Takht. Make enquiries beforehand as, once inside, it is such a vast complex that you may get a little confused.

At the outset, there are two important points to note about Fortune Park Hotel, Ahmedabad. Firstly, this hotel was earlier Park Plaza Ahmedabad and not everyone is aware that it is now under the new name of Fortune Park and is an ITC Group hotel.  Secondly, this hotel is entirely different from Fortune Landmark Hotel which is at Ashram Road , Ahmedabad.  So when you are hiring transport from the airport or boarding the Airport Shuttle bus or taking an auto to and fro to tourist spots around the city, make sure you state that it is the hotel opposite Gujarat Law College. That way, you will not end up at the wrong hotel!

As was mentioned in another post, there is an interesting history behind  Umaid Bhavan Palace , also known as the Chittar Hill Palace. Once you have gaped at the wonderful architectural aspects of its exterior, step into the museum section. Many visitors have griped at the fact that there is "nothing to see really". Well, ignore them! Yes, there are plenty of posters and photos of the royal family, but, why not?! After all this entire complex has come up because of their ancestors and the current generation stays in a private block in the same premises, ensuring, too, that maintenance is done so that we visitors can take a peek into a past glorious era.