Before I invite you to visit, I must tell you something. First of all, to tell you about the magical place where my hotel is located, my "Maharaja House"! Tell us about what you will get from this trip and why exactly it will remain in your memory for the rest of your life as the most vivid tourist experience!
India is the land of love!
Many of you have heard that India is the land of Love. But, probably, few of you have thought about what is behind these words in reality? Your acquaintances who have been to India often put on a meaningful fog, but almost no one can really explain what is so special there. But everything is very simple!
The secret of your wonderful, upbeat and joyful state in Goa, in many ways, is that your body is always comfortable: day and night, on land and in water!
For reference: According to official data from the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, India and, in particular, Goa are not among the places that require any kind of vaccination to visit. No vaccinations are required for you or your children!
Going to Goa for the first time, I already had a good idea of what awaits me from the stories of my friends. I knew Paradise was waiting for me! You don't know what Paradise is? Paradise is a state of love and peace within you. That's all. And don't be smart!
Moscow, New York, London, St. Petersburg - all these megacities, inside which people, like crazy rats, run every day in search of money, hoping to live happily ever after this money - all this is Hell.
Of course, absolutely random people also end up in Goa. Such drunken misunderstandings, which for some reason did not have enough tickets this year to the usual Turkey or Egypt. They are called "wild" in Goa. As a rule, they start drinking on the plane and then drink all the time they are in Goa. Cursing at hotel staff, arguing with wives and mistresses, shaking wallets...
The only problem is that many of our fellow citizens have no brakes at all. The Indians themselves practically do not use chemical poisons. You may be surprised, but for many months in India, I hardly met drunk or stoned Indians. Indian culture and religion are characterized by respect for one's body and public morality.
Many times you swam in rivers, lakes, in the sea... Few even swam in the ocean... Have you ever felt that you were entering the space of a huge living organism?! But that's the way it is!
The western coast of Goa is washed by the huge Arabian Sea - in fact, part of the Indian Ocean, since the sea is completely open and is only formally called the sea.
I am often asked what souvenir can be brought from India or Nepal. What is interesting in local souvenir shops. I decided to show approximately what you are unlikely to see on the shelves of Goa, but you can get it if you ask Maharaja! :)
Yoga. Yogic breathing - Pranayama. Perhaps this is the most valuable knowledge I have ever received in my life. I am a very emotional person. In childhood and youth, I could die many times from the indefatigable passions that overwhelmed my nature. I never knew the measure of anything.
Tantra is the oldest knowledge of all that exists on earth. And the most important! You know, it is so strange now to observe what an incredible amount of information a modern person is stuffed with, despite the fact that all this knowledge not only does not bring him happiness, but, on the contrary, makes him more and more unhappy! Whereas the most ancient knowledge that can really make him happy is in complete oblivion!
Ayurveda is the oldest system of knowledge about proper nutrition and body care. Ayurveda includes many things: cooking, massage, medicine...
Many of you have long been convinced that it is very expensive to be treated with chemistry from pharmacies, and most importantly, it is ineffective, because. the disease is not cured, but only stopped for a while.
It is difficult to give exact formulations about reiki, just as it is difficult to put energy into words. I will only say what I understand. The Universe is filled with the energy of Love. For me, Reiki is the energy of Love! That is, in other words, Divine energy. All living things are born from love. Love can heal all living things. But in order to heal with this energy, a person must have three main abilities.
I have to warn you about the important aspects of traveling to Goa! In other sections, I have repeatedly mentioned that Goa is not just a resort. Goa is part of India, the oldest civilization on Earth! India - Heart of our planet! India - a great country in which everything breathes with Love!
My first day in Goa. In the evening I go alone to the ocean. Waves. The moon is a huge sanctuary! Clean, warm, light air. Kilometers of deserted beach. Palm trees gently swaying branches. And an incredible amount of Love dissolved in space!.. I realize that I am in Paradise! It turns out that there is heaven on earth! And the Lord is so generous to me that he granted me a stay in Paradise!
Cooking in Goa is a completely separate topic for endless fun! Everyone loves good food! I am no exception either. During my life I have traveled a lot and lived, including in the best five-star hotels. I thought that there was nothing to surprise me in terms of food. What was my surprise when in Goa I was surprised by culinary discoveries every day!
India is a huge country populated by dozens of different peoples and all these peoples had quite an interesting leadership. Maharaja is Indian prince - ruler.Raja roughly translates as Excellency. In the states of India, this title was worn by some rulers who accepted it themselves or received this title from the British. Further on the photo are the most interesting characters.
1.
Maharaja of Jodhpur 1880's India
2.
(INDIA) (Sardar Singh) (1880-1911) the Maharaja of Jodhpur. Photo: Bourne & Shepherd (1896).
3.
Sir Drigbijai Singh, Maharajah of Balrampur, 1858.
4.
Maharajah of Riva, photo by Samuel Bourne, 1877
5.
Maharajah of Jodhpur. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images). 1877
6.
"H. H. the late Maharajah of Udaipur," a silver gelatin photo, c.1900
7.
"H.H.the late Maharajah of Patalia," a gelatin photo, c.1900
8.
Maharaja Bhupinder Singh, (12 October 1891 - 23 March 1938) was the ruling Maharaja of the princely state of Patiala from 1900 to 1938. He was the son of Maharaja Sir Rajinder Singh. One of his sons was Maharaja Sir Yadvinder Singh.
9.
Cartier created the most impressive piece of jewelery for Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala in the year 1928. The design comprised of five rows of diamonds set in a platinum chain with the world’s seventh largest diamond from De Beers. The masterpiece took around three years to be completed.
10.
The Maharaja of Jammu & Kashmir. Royal India.
11.
Maraja de Udaipur
12.
Maharajas! The word maharaja, literally ‘great king’, conjures up a vision of splendor and magnificence. These princely rulers of India played a role within a social and historical context and were patrons of the arts, both in India and Europe.
13.
Jagatjit Singh, the Maharaja of Kapurthala
14.
Maharaja Kishan Singh, Rajastan 1902
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Maharaj Rana of Dholpur Sir Bhagwant Singh - 1870 Bhagwant Singh succeeded his father, Kirat Singh the first Maharaj rana of Dholpur, in 1836 continuing to govern under British protection. In 1869 Bhagwant was created a Grand Commander of the Star of India for his loyalty during the Uprising of 1857. He was succeeded in 1873 by his grandson Nihal Singh.
16.
Maharaja of Panna
17.
Sadiq IV (25 March 1866 - 14 February 1899) Nawab of Bahawalpur
18.
Maharaja Bundi - Raghubir Singh Bahadur. Photo taken around 1888.
19.
Takht Singh (1843-1873) was the Maharaja of Jodhpur.
20.
Maharaja of Rewah.1903
21.
Maharaja Sayaiji-Roa, Gaekwar, Baroda. 1902. Wearing his famous seven row diamond necklace and other diamond ornaments. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, virtually every Indian Maharaja commissioned state photographs of themselves wearing their most important jewelry as a symbol of their power and position.
Website tochka.net together with Forbeswoman will tell you what you have to sacrifice modern maharajas for the sake of status.
Now the descendants of the Maharajas - the ancient Indian rulers - lead that bright and fabulous lifestyle that we are used to seeing in Bollywood films. But for this they have to pay with personal freedom. In order to become full-fledged heirs to the wealth and status of their family, they need to meet the expected standards of behavior. Let's take a look behind the scenes of such a life.
Restrictions are imposed primarily on the choice of a life partner. If representatives of most classes, especially in cities, can enter into love unions with almost any candidate they like, even of a different nationality, then there are very strict restrictions for the upper castes.
In India, marriage is pain. And it's forever...Descendant of the Maharajas and heir to a huge fortune
Wedding ceremonies usually cost from one to five million dollars, since such an event happens only once in a lifetime. In modern conditions, there are some concessions, for example, both in a couple can have a relationship before marriage. Previously, this was considered unacceptable for women. Now only children on the side are excluded. Marriage is a combination of two families and a business calculation. Typically, the costs are divided in half by both families.
All important posts in the state are occupied by representatives of noble families. It is they who go to the diplomatic service, build large companies and work as officials of the highest ranks. They have been preparing for this since childhood, and for at least a year the younger generation receives higher education abroad at the best universities in the world. All of them speak excellent English, since it is in it that the main communication in the business environment takes place.
What's more, many parents deliberately create tough competitive conditions for their children at the start of their careers and cut their sponsorship to instill entrepreneurial passion in them. Until now, it is believed that a woman does not have to work, so men always have the best starting positions and opportunities. Influential relatives often help daughters to build a creative career, for example, actresses or singers. Previously, this type of occupation was considered unacceptable for representatives of the noble classes. Now it helps to attract a more profitable groom for marriage.
The elder in the family is always right, and the word of the parents is the law. Without their approval, not a single major step is taken, whether it is the purchase of real estate, a long trip, or the choice of a bride. As a rule, adult children live separately from other relatives, but very often they come to visit each other. Moreover, rich Indian families maintain relationships not only with close ones, but with all distant relatives. Business, often, is also built only on blood ties.
Each of the family members has, in addition to the common, their own personal property. Usually this is a large house, which is the main place of residence in one of the major cities, and several villas in favorite places - for relaxing and meeting friends. It is considered profitable and promising to invest in elite foreign real estate.
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Filling the fleet of cars depends on the level of well-being of the family. At a minimum, this is one car for special occasions, several for everyday trips, and one or two for servants. Life is provided by a staff of servants.
The descendants of maharajas also pay great attention to their own appearance. For example, sunscreen with a maximum filter is applied before going out, because a lighter skin tone is a sign of nobility. And, indeed, one can notice that representatives of the poorer strata of the population are darker by a tone, or even by two.
When choosing casual and business clothes, many people prefer local designers. In terms of the quality of work, they do not differ from popular European colleagues, and at the same time they take into account local trends and introduce national elements. The cost of one high-quality men's suit is 2000 - 4000 dollars.
In a country where the bulk of the population lives below the poverty line, there are oases for a luxurious holiday, where wealthy Indians go.
I came to the city of Mysore from Bangalore by train. The ticket cost 51 rupees, the journey time is more than 2 hours. From the station to the city center I took a bus for 4 rupees. I reached the street where there are many hotels, the price is fixed and bargaining was inappropriate. I chose a small room with shower and toilet for 275 rupees. They even gave me a bath towel. My hotel, naturally without any stars, was not far from the center and from two bus stations - a large intercity terminal in one direction, and a city one in the other. The place, I must say, is very busy, but not far from the main attraction - the chic Mysore Palace. It was because of him that I continued my journey here, but as always, I knew nothing more. The tourists said that the Mysore palace was beautiful, so I went.
Mysore (Mysore, Mysuru) or Mysore, Mysore (depending on reading) is the second largest city in the Indian state of Karnataka. It is located 135 km southwest of South India. I liked this city, there are even rubbish bins here! And the streets are being cleaned and swept!!! I have never seen anything like this in India, except for the station square in. And a brand new air-conditioned bus runs to the large revered temple on Chamundi Hill. The city is quite inexpensive and developed. But first about what to see in Mysore, and then about life.
Maharaja's Palace, castle Jaganmohan, the largest Christian church in India, a mosque, a zoo, yoga centers, beautiful buildings, parks, alleys and many attractions and.
From 1399 to 1947, Mysore (Mysore) was the capital of the Mysore principality as part of the powerful Vijayanagar Empire, its capital was, and in 1564. the principality came out of this empire, which soon disintegrated, and existed independently. Not everything went smoothly in the history of the rulers of the Mysore principality, but in 1881 power was transferred to the legitimate heirs of the Wodeyar dynasty. From this year began a new period of prosperity for Mysore. The principality of Mysore became the first Hindu principality in what was then British India.
The main attraction of the city and all of India is Mysore Palace or Maharaja's Palace. This is the most beautiful palace in India. For me, it’s much more interesting than the famous and all the other palaces that I saw in and.
Spectacular and majestic, in its modern form, the Palace was rebuilt in 1912, after a wooden predecessor that burned down in 1897. 
The very first palace, however, was built here in the 14th century, but it was destroyed several times, completed and rebuilt. The Mysore palace was the seat of the ruling Vanar dynasty. Now there is an interesting museum there, and on a vast territory there are several temples (I don’t remember exactly 7 or 12) and three or four entrances (gates) decorated with beautiful arched gates, but you could only enter one and exit the other. On Sundays and holidays in the evening from 19:00 to 20:00, the entire palace is illuminated and sparkles with numerous light bulbs, of which there are 5,000 pieces. (no photo)
A ticket to the Palace itself cost 200 rupees. The audio guide is issued free of charge, though on bail. It is forbidden to take pictures inside the building, I was almost fined 500 rupees, but fortunately I got out, apologized, but did not take any more pictures. But you have a rare unique the opportunity to look at several pictures of the interior decoration and halls of the Palace.
Extraordinarily beautiful decoration and these columns give subtlety, grace, charm, and the color palette creates comfort and emphasizes wealth.
My heart fluttered as I walked around the large territory and enjoyed the beauty and scope. And when I walked through the palace halls, I imagined myself as a princess 🙂 And I felt very comfortable in this role.
There are several temples on the territory of the Maharaja's Palace. This one on the north side of the fort Buwandeshwar temple was built in 1951 for symmetry with another temple - Shri Shwetha Varahaswami Shri Shwetha Varahaswami Temple, which is on the south side of the fort of the palace. I did not go inside, but they say that very old frescoes and paintings have been preserved there.
The huge courtyard of the fort of the Maharaja's Palace, I went around almost the entire - it's very impressive. I saw palace elephants in the distance, but did not dare to come close. They are most likely used for festive ceremonies. The elephants stood in the shade of a tree, hiding from the sun.
And this is the main gate of the fort, but they were closed to the passage. However, you can go there and see, there are very beautiful openwork spiral staircases (I deleted the photo - sorry). And in general, if you have time, you should walk in the shade along the columned passage and look.
Well, it's time to leave, and so I spent several hours here. Went to the gate. There is also a tiny temple behind them. These are the exit gates, they are much smaller than the central ones, you go straight to a busy place in the city, close to hotels, bus stations, shops.
As I said, there are many attractions in Mysore and here is another palace
Jaganmohan Palace was used as a residence during the construction of the main Maharaja's Palace. For many years, this building has housed a gallery with a collection of paintings, utensils, and musical instruments. Inside there is a stage where the holidays are held. When I was there, the children were rehearsing.
There are many more interesting buildings and palaces in Mysore, some of them converted into hotels. And at the crossroads there are such monuments.
Catholic Church of St. Philomena is one of the largest churches in India. The height of the spiers is more than 53 m. It is believed that this place was one of the oldest Catholic churches, built more than 200 years ago, for British soldiers. The ruler Maharaja Krishnaraja Wodeyar II allocated a piece of land where a small church was built. And his grandson Maharaja Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV founded on this place on October 28, 1933. instead of a small one, this is the Cathedral of St. Felomena, in style reminiscent of the famous cathedral in Cologne in Germany. Construction ended in 1956.
The cathedral can accommodate 800 people. Inside, under the altar, there are underground rooms where the memory of the dead is kept. There are beautiful stained-glass windows, and in the evening the lights turn on, which makes it simply extraordinary and majestic. He works from 5 am to 6 pm.
In India, in one place you can find the presence of several religions, and most importantly, they do not interfere with each other and their admirers. Here on this street you can see the mosque and in the distance the Cathedral of St. Philomena.
Maharaja Krishna Raja Wodeyar IV, ruled the city and principality of Mysore for many years from 1902 to 1940. He paid special attention to the development of education, new ideas of physical education. This is probably why Mysore is also a very famous center for the practice and teaching of yoga. There are many yoga schools in the city, where people from different countries come to learn the practices.
The city is very famous for its sticks - incense throughout India and beyond. Sandalwood carvings, bronze works occupy a worthy niche. Also, high-quality silk is produced here, the electrical industry is developed, there is a university.
Prices for Indian food here are very cheap, and freshly squeezed juice cost mere pennies - 20 rupees. I often bought fruits instead of spicy dishes. I stayed only five days in Mysore, and I had a pleasant experience. I recommend visiting Mysore while traveling in India.
About other important and beautiful sights, ancient temples, about the market, as well as about the beautiful garden of Brindavan, which is outside the city, read the article in part 2 - it is very interesting there. I then continued my independent journey through India to the city.
Another excerpt from my book Harems - the beauty of vice or the vice of beauty?
Erotic painting of ancient India
I have already noted that it is difficult to write about India due to the fact that it is heterogeneous. What was customary in the South of the country could be the strictest taboo in the North, and vice versa. The above is general information about the harem life of Ancient India, but it should be understood that in detail it could differ in different eras and in different states of Bharat.
On this, our acquaintance with the harem life of India could have ended, but still I would like to tell you more about the harems of the Maharajas of Rajasthan and the Great Mughals. Rather, India is not ancient, but medieval, but in the first and second cases, these are significant moments in the development of Indian civilization. Not the harems themselves, of course, but the Rajput principalities * and the Mughal empire. But the topic of our book is harems, so after a brief historical review, we will return to it.
*Note: the word "Rajput" is translated as "son of the king."
On my first trips to India, I twice ended up in the state of Rajasthan*. I was shocked by the palaces and, especially, the fortresses of the Rajputs. After that, I traveled a lot more in India and other countries of Asia, but I have not seen similar fortresses anywhere else. Why am I? Yes, to the fact that the Rajputs from the moment of their appearance in India (according to various sources, this happened from the 1st to the 5th centuries AD) were a people of warriors, which was reflected in family life.
*Note: The name of this state translates as "Residence of the Rajas".
Rajput ideas of honor extended not only to men, but also to women. According to them, none of them could be in captivity or slavery. If the fortress was doomed to be taken by superior enemy forces, the Rajput warriors opened the gates and went out to their last battle, and their wives gathered in one of the fortress premises and staged a jauhar - collective self-immolation. In many fortresses of Rajasthan, one can still see soot from these self-immolations on the walls of some rooms (I saw this in the Gwalior fortress).
The leaders of the Rajputs - Maharajas - usually had many wives (up to 30). If the husband died or died, the wives committed sati - self-immolation. At the entrance to the Jojpur Fort, at the gate, there is a memorial plaque with prints of female palms of various sizes * - a reminder that here the wives of the Maharaja performed the sati rite.
*Note: Maharaja's wives were of different ages. Including those under the age of majority. Among the Rajputs, as well as in India as a whole, the practice of child marriage was widespread, when a girl was given in marriage before the moment when she began her first menstruation (otherwise her relatives were considered guilty of the death of a possible fetus). At the same time, the spouses began to live a real married life when the girl came of age.
At the entrance to Jojpur Fort
Particular attention was paid to the first marriage, since the first son was the heir to the Maharaja. In the case when the first son was not born by the first wife, then the eldest wife became the one who managed to do this before the others. And her son became the heir.
Maharaja, if desired (I can assume that this arose often), could also have intimacy with maids belonging to lower castes. It was both pleasant for them and useful, since the sons born from such contacts of a close family entered the clan and, having received an elementary education and mastered military skills, replenished the army.
Each of the wives of the Maharaja understood that her own life depended on him and could be short. Some compensation for such a life on the verge of death was the desire of the heads of the Rajput principalities to provide themselves and their family (harem) with a luxurious life. The palaces of the Maharajas of Rajasthan still amaze the imagination, but in those days they were fantastically magnificent.
Lake Palace. Jaipur
Colonel James Tod, the first historian of Rajasthan, described the residence of Prince Jagat Singh* as follows: “The palace is built entirely of marble: columns, baths, waterways and fountains - everything is made of this material, in many places lined with mosaics, some monotony is pleasantly dissipated by the illuminated rays of the sun passing through glass of all colors of the rainbow. The chambers are painted with watercolor paintings on historical themes... The walls here and in the main palace are richly decorated with carved stone medallions, which depict the main historical events of the family - from the most ancient to the pompous wedding of the current ruler. Flower beds, orange and lemon groves, breaking the monotony of buildings, framed by thickets of tamarind and evergreen trees; the feathery fan leaves of the palmyra palm sway over dark cypresses and shady bananas. Special dining rooms with columns and extensive baths for the Rajput rulers are arranged on the very shore. Here they listen to the songs of their bards and sleep off after a half-day dose of opium in the cool breeze from the lake, carrying the delicate scents of hundreds of lotus blossoms that cover the waters of the lake, and when the fumes of the potion have evaporated, they open their eyes and see a landscape that cannot be imagined even in opium dreams. - the expanse of water of Pichola with its indented, forested shores, at the very edge of the horizon, the Bhimpuri temple is visible at the pass in the Aravalli mountains ... "
*Note: Singh is a lion.
Marble, by the way, is mined in our time in Ajmer, a town not far from Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan. I also noticed during my travels in Rajasthan how widely it was used. Particularly admired were the marble harem windows through which the inhabitants of the harem could see what was happening outside, while they themselves remained invisible.
Harems are related to one of the most famous architectural monuments of Rajasthan - the Palace of the Winds (Hawa Mahal). In fact, this is not a palace, but the harem wing of the palace complex of the Jaipur Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh (1778-1803). The facade of the building has 953 tiny windows, which, again, made it possible to see everything from the outside and remain invisible at the same time. In addition, thanks to them, the palace was filled with cool air on hot days - hence the “palace of winds”.
During one of my visits to Jaipur, I was also impressed by the “Crystal Palace” (Shish Mahal) of Amber Fort * (there are similar “Crystal (glass) palaces” in other Rajput castles). Its walls are decorated with thousands of small mirrors. According to legend, one lamp is enough to illuminate it - the light, reflected in the mirrors, illuminates the entire room.
*Note: the famous fortress in the suburbs of Jaipur.
