6. Artists’ haven India has a thriving arts-and-crafts scene, a sixth reason to visit. Intricate sculptures decorate Hindu, Jain and Buddhist temples throughout the country. Especially impressive is the horse-drawn, 24-wheeled stone chariot in the 13th-century Konark Sun Temple on India’s northeast coast. Each lavishly ornamented wheel is 3.7 metres in diameter. It took 12 years for 1,200 sculptors to embellish the temple with carvings. Althoughmany temple deities, human and animal figures are ancient, artists continue sculpting religious art today. Peering through open workshop doors, we watched craftsmen carving stone, block-printing fabrics for saris, weaving, painting and designing jewellery. Some of them took the time to tell us about their techniques and designs. 5. Tributes to the past Architecture often entwines with history, the fifth reason to visit India. A notable example is the ghost town of Fatehpur Sikri, 35 kilometres southwest of Agra. Emperor Akbar transferred his capital here from Agra after a local holy man’s blessing enabled his wife to conceive a son and heir. Today, childless women tie coloured threads on the marble screen of the holy man’s mausoleum as a fertility ritual. Completed in 1575, the red sandstone city took six years to build. By 1600, its meagre water supply couldn’t sustain the population, so Akbar abandoned the city. Of the 4,000 buildings, only 20 remain today. Our best view of the deserted town was from the Panch Mahal (Building of Five Storeys), which was a pleasure palace for the emperor and his harem. Another example is the 16th-century palace of Amber, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located 11 kilometres from Jaipur. The highlights? For us, it was the panorama from its lofty windows and the rooms with ornate glass- and mirror-inlaid marble walls. CSANews | WINTER 2022 | 27 Travel
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