LIFE ON WHEELSTRAVEL + LEISURE / MARCH 2016
hoist the fl ag. We drive along narrow roads to the
spectacular Ajanta caves that overlook a lush gorge
and the River Waghora. Here, one can see how
time has whittled away the rich cave paintings in
parts—the tempera so to say, which the artists
fi rst coated the walls with a mixture of clay and
cow dung mixed with rice husks.
The caves are impressive: Cave 10, the fi rst
ever discovered, has octagonal pillars, a huge
central stupa and a vaulted ceiling that imitates
wooden architecture; the famous Boddhisatva
Padmapani in Cave 1, holding a lotus in his right
hand, with large eyes and graceful limbs, and a
necklace of sapphire and pearls round his neck;
the charm of Cave 4; splendid in its incompletion
with swirling lava in folds and peaks on its
ceiling, harking back to a distant past.DAY 5: We arrive at the ancient Maratha city of
Kolhapur and are given fl owing saff ron turbans
called Phetas to wear before we begin to explore
the city to the cynosure of local eyes. Our fi rst
visit is to a workshop making Kolhapuri chappals,
where we see funky versions of the sandals;
even special BajiRao Mastani inspired slippers.
We move on to the Indo-Sarcenic palace of the
Maharaja made in black stone, designed by an
English architect with onion domes and stained
glass windows. The interiors are fi lled with faded
Raj glory; glass cases fi lled with horse racingDETAILS
WHERE The journey starts and ends at VT Station or Chatrapathi Shivaji
Terminus in Mumbai. It also operates on the Mumbai-Goa, Mumbai-Delhi route.
COST A Deluxe Cabin can be booked at C3,71,900, and Presidential Suite at
C8,05,100 per person for 7 nights/8 days. This includes all meals, soft drinks,
valets, and guided excursions at different stops. thedeccanodyssey.com
BOOKINGS [email protected]
WHAT TO PACK Carry sunscreen and a hat for your excursions. Take plenty of
reading material to pass time. The wifi on the train tends to be temperamental,
and air-conditioning, powerful, so pack warm jackets and shawls for evenings in
the dining carriage.
DAY 3: On the third day, we get off at Aurangabad
and drive past cantonment areas with Gothic
churches from the British era to reach the
Ellora caves, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Its larger-than-life dimension was carved into
a basaltic hillside by devoted artists and monks
centuries ago, and today makes for the largest
monolithic structure in the world. Inside are
34 Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist caves—chaityas
(temples) and viharas (monasteries). Cave 16 is the
Kaliasanatha Temple; a stunning make that forms
the centerpiece of the caves—designed to bring to
life the abode of Lord Shiva: Mount Kailash. There
are some exquisite friezes from the Ramayana and
the Mahabharata one can explore. We then move
past the hinterland of the state as images of lush
paddies, villages dotted with huts, and women
tending to cooking fi res zip by our windows.
DAY 4: It’s Republic Day; I stand to attention
at Jalgaon station with the railway staff , as they
CLOCKWISE: The
UNESCO heritage
listed Ellora Caves,
where 34 caves
from three religions
share space
harmoniously; puja
platter with flowers,
incense, and sugar
balls in Panchvati,
Nasik; Utsav, one of
the two restaurants
on the train.