Page 76 - LIN February-2023_web-version

by Ron McGinty

The total journey traveled from
Delhi to Ranthambore, Fatehpur Sikri,
Agra, Orchha, Khajuraho, Varanasi,
and back to Delhi.

t is on the rails with the Maharaja Express Train traveling to to the Taj Mahal, with over six million visits per year.
exotic places, castles, and remote towns. This excursion covers My first opinion was incredible because of its beauty; it took over
Iover 830 miles encompassing six days and seven nights. Like a twenty years for the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan to build.
sea cruise, you travel by night to arrive in a new city each day. This is a tomb for his favorite wife, Mumtaz Mahal, and is arranged
I completed three weeks in India a few years ago for a photography on forty-two acres.
expedition, not searching out the splendor or palatial castles of the The total journey traveled from Delhi to Ranthambore, Fatehpur
country. My wife and I chuckled how the USA, our country is Sikri, Agra, Orchha, Khajuraho, Varanasi, and back to Delhi. No
new, and we were traveling West on wagons to build our fortunes. worries about service with a multi-language staff of fifty-one for
The Maharajas of India had already created many palaces spanning only thirty-one passengers. Each cabin has its valet on call. He even
acres of infrastructure, starting in late 200 B.C. One of the helped me get dressed in my turban for the Indian Celebration
fortresses we encountered was built in only three years with over night party.
sixty thousand skilled artisans. The attention to detail is mind- The passengers were very congenial from all parts of the world and
blowing, unequaled in my lifetime. Many people have also traveled as you would imagine all spoke English. A considerable portion of my

INDIA

Is India on the Rails?

76 76 Life in Naples | February 2023