Christmas Holidays....lazy days...eating out...reading...watching TV...going to Cambodia...

The holidays have started and the kids are enjoying themselves.Rik & Riddhi played in the Calcutta School of Music's Christmas on the 19th. Rik was very excited. He played well without any mistakes. Riddhi played the recorder with her recorder group. All we could see was her head sticking out over the stand! The video is taking too long to upload.I lost my patience!!

On the 25th we went for the Christmas lunch at the Club.There was Turkey which was a hit with everyone and ofcourse Christmas pudding which was delicious.

In front of the Christmas tree with the old man behind them.

We are off to Kl and Siem Reap,Cambodia on the 28th of December 2009.

Our trip to Agra,Gwalior,Jhansi,Datia,Orchha and Khajuraho Sept 2009

Agra









Taj in the early morning mist.
I have been to Agra before.This was my third visit to the Taj.It was much different from the other times as my children were with me and i had to answer a whole lot of questions which otherwise i would not have thought of.It was nice to see the wonder in their eyes.Actually seeing their eyes lit up was much more full filling than seeing the sun turning the Taj pink in the early morning. The happiness that i felt was much more tangible than the stones of tha Taj.It is a pleasue taking the kids for a holiday.Our trip to Agra,Gwalior,Jhansi,Orchha and Khajuraho was an education in history.This Bundelkhand area is full of stories about kings & queens who fought great wars which the children found very intriguing & interesting.


Sikandra.
Akbar's mausoleum is at Sikandra. It is made of red sandstone.It is believed that Akbar designed and started the construction of his own mousoleum,which was modified and completed by his son Jahangir.
We visited the place at 3 pm when the sun was very hot.In the afternoon heat the structure glowed red!










There is a large garden, very well maintained, with a large number of Thompson's gazelle.

Itimad-ud-Daulah's Tomb


This is on the east bank of Yamuna.It was bulit by Nur Jahan for her father .














This tomb is a combination of white marble,coloured mosaic.stone inlay and lattice work.It is described as a "Jewel box in marble"







Gwalior Fort


Man Mandir Palace

The children in front of a temple inside the Gwalior fort.They had a day out with their Dad as i was sick because of the heat.It was 40 degrees outside but it did not seem to have any effect on them!


Datia palace enroute to Jhansi & Orchha.This palace was built by the same king who built the Orchha palace.

The little Maharaja behind the lattice window













Jhansi fort







Orchha
Orchha is a small forgotton village between Jhansi & Khajuraho. Orchha palace is beautiful. We spent the whole afternoon exploring the rooms and the terraces of the palace.











Stone elephant in front of the door to the palace.Orchha is really the jewel in the Bundelkhand.

Khajuraho Temples












Children relaxing in Khajuraho after being templed out!!
It was exhausting exploring all the temples.