6 Historic Images of the Red Fort in Delhi, India

The Red Fort once sat along the Yamuna River

Interior layout of the Red Fort. You can't tell from this depiction, but the fort is actually octagonal

Diwan-i-Khas, or Hall of Private Audiences, where the emperor received guests 

Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last of the Mughal emperors

Chhatta Chowk, a passageway lined with a bazaar

The hammam, or baths, of the Red Fort

Ghulam Ali Khan's paintings reveal the splendor of This Mughal palace — now a sad shadow of its glorious past.

 

The images in the slideshow are watercolor paintings by Ghulam Ali Khan, the last royal Mughal painter. Thirty-one of his works were published as Sketches of The Delhee Palace & Delhee in 1854.

 

Oh, to have seen it in its glory days — before the Brits got their mitts on it, ransacking and demolishing much of it until it was but a shadow of its former glory.

Originally called Qila-e-Mubarak, or the Blessed Fort, its name was changed by the British. They didn't see it as so blessed, as they tore much of it apart, stripped it of its riches and built barracks within. They called it the relatively unimaginative Red Fort after the crimson sandstone used to construct the ramparts. The name stuck, and the locals started referring to it as Lal Qila in the native tongue.

“The diamond is said to be cursed, bringing bad luck to any man who wears it.”

Ironically enough, parts of the structure were actually once white, painted with lime plaster, according to IndiaTV and other sources.

Constructed over a decade, beginning in 1638, the Red Fort was designed by the architect Ustad Ahmad Lahauri. He's the man who's also behind a modest mausoleum you might know: the Taj Mahal.

The Red Fort was the Mughal emperors' palace for almost 200 years.

Bahadur Shah Zahar, the last of the line, was tried for treason by the British in the Diwan-i-Khas, the Hall of Private Audience. This is the part of the Red Fort where he'd greet his guests and couriers.

Emperor Zahar, who was 82 at the time, was found guilty, stripped of his title and exiled to Rangoon in what is now Myanmar.

A Cursed Diamond

The Diwan-i-Khas was said to have a solid gold frame studded with precious stones, including the world's largest diamond, the Koh-i-Noor (Persian for Mountain of Light). It was pillaged long ago and is currently part of the Crown Jewels in England.

It was the inspiration behind Wilkie Collins' mystery novel The Moonstone.

For, the diamond is said to be cursed, bringing bad luck to any man who wears it. Cleverly exploiting a loophole, only female members of the British royal family will put it on. –Wally

RELATED: Tips for Exploring Delhi's Red Fort

India's "Game of Thrones" Ruins: Daulatabad Fort and Bibi ka Maqbara, the "Baby Taj Mahal"

The ruins of Daulatabad, India

A creepy day trip from Aurangabad you can pair with the Ellora Caves.

It’s easy to imagine this city as cursed — and as something that sprang from the demented but brilliant mind of George R.R. Martin, the man behind Game of Thrones.

In 1327, Mohammed bin Tughlaq (sultan from 1325 to 1351) marched the entire population of Delhi to the more central Deogiri, making it the new capital and renaming it Daulatabad, the City of Fortune.

“He darted through, sure he’d end up with bats clawing at his hair and face.”

The people of Delhi protested, but nobody was allowed to stay — not even a cat or dog. According to Ibn Batuta, a medieval Berber Muslim traveler and scholar, “A search was made and a blind man and a cripple man were found. The cripple man was put to death while the blind man was tied with the tail of horse and was dragged to Daulatabad where only his one leg reached.”

The journey covered about 775 miles, and many people died along the way in the brutal heat.

Daulatabad should perhaps have been named the City of Misfortune, for it was abandoned after two years due to lack of water.

After exploring the Ellora Caves, our driver took us on to the fort. He dropped us off in a crowded dirt parking lot that sat outside the medieval fortified walls of the Daulatabad Fort.

Langur monkeys are found throughout the complex

The iron-studded entry door to the Daulatabad fort

The ruined fort with the Moon Tower in the distance

Kids ignored the "Do Not Sit Here" signs and perched on the cannon

The Chand Minar

Daulatabad is a popular Muslim tourist site

The Bibi ka Maqbara visible through the archway

We entered the outer defenses through a pair of huge wooden doors covered with iron spikes into a walled courtyard, where several cannons sat within.

The Moon Tower at Daulatabad, the second tallest tower in India

The Moon Tower

The Chand Minar, or Moon Tower, was built in 1435 as a symbol of victory by Sultan Alauddin to mark the conquest of the fort and is the second tallest tower in India after Delhi's Qutb Minar. However, it is also likely that it served as a minaret from which the Muslim call to prayer was made. 

We continued uphill, passing a scattering of langur monkeys and through another gate, which led to the inner area of the citadel. 

The Chinese Palace, or Chini Mahal, at Daulatabad in India

The Chinese Palace

Chini Mahal, or the Chinese Place, is so named because of the blue and white Chinese-style tiling that is still visible on parts of the building.

It was here that the last king of Golconda, Abdul Hasan Tana Shah was imprisoned in 1687 by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb for 13 years until his death. 

The ornately decorated Mendha canon sits atop an elevated stone pedestal. There’s an intricately carved ram’s head at one end. Its rotation is wisely limited to 180 degrees — so opponents couldn't turn it to fire back towards the fort!

The freaky bat cave at Daulatabad, India

Moat and Bat Cave

We crossed the rock-cut moat, which was rumored to have once been filled with crocodiles, and passed into the Andheri, a pitch-black rock-cut subterranean tunnel.

Be sure you bring a flashlight, as you’ll be groping in the dark down a tunnel otherwise.

We entered through the top of the cave and saw daylight at the bottom. But first we had to pass through a somewhat large chamber.

I whispered to Wally, “I think there are bats in here.”

You could just make out darker forms swooping across the top of the cave.

I made a dash for it, but Wally was still trying to get his nerve up. Finally, he, too, darted through, sure he’d end up with bats clawing at his hair and face.

Luckily, we emerged unscathed. And sure enough, when we reached the outside and turned to look back, we saw the entire chamber was filled with roosting bats.

We decided to return to our driver and not continue the trek to the summit, where the former palace was located.

The Bibi ka Maqbara, or the Lady's Tomb — it's the poor man's Taj Mahal

The Baby Taj Mahal

Our next and final stop on the day’s adventure, before returning to our hotel in Aurangabad, was the Bibi ka Maqbara, the Lady’s Tomb.

With the Deccan Mountains as its backdrop, the funerary palace was erected by Prince Azam Shah, the eldest son of Emperor Aurangzeb to honor his mother, Rubia-ul-Daurani.

The original plans were intended to rival the Taj Mahal, but Aurangzeb would not fully fund it. It’s believed that he blocked the transport of marble from various parts of the Mughal Empire that were intended for the tomb. Therefore, the structure is not completely made of marble — only the onion dome is. Instead, sandstone was covered in finely polished limestone plaster and used to complete the mausoleum, giving the tomb a faded and theatrical charm. 

Perhaps because its name starts with "Bibi," people affectionately call this the Baby Taj Mahal, and we were glad to see it — especially since we (horror upon horrors!) decided to skip the real deal.

Monumental Cemetery, Milan: A Sculpture Slideshow

One of my favorite things to do in Milan, Italy was wander through this graveyard and its statues that rival Père Lachaise in Paris.

I love cemeteries. They're some of my favorite places to spend a quiet afternoon. And this particular cemetery was like being in a sculpture park. 

It was my last day in Milan, Italy, and I came upon the Monumental Cemetery by accident.

“If you’re someone who thinks cemeteries are depressing, think again. ”

As I was crossing a street, I saw the collonaded archway entrance at the end of the block. I didn't know what it was. But I was irresistably drawn to it. 

Imagine my delight when I discovered it was one of the most impressive cemeteries I had ever seen. 

I wandered the lanes for a couple of hours, marveling at the sculptures, snapping away at with my camera. 

Here are 30-some of my favorite pictures. (As you can tell, I had a hard time narrowing these down. They're all just so amazing.)

Drop Dead Gorgeous

The cemetery, known locally as the Cimitero Monumentale, was constructed from 1863 to 1866.

Someone decided to consolidate all the small graveyards that were spread throughout the city of Milan into two large cemeteries. The "common" people got the Cimitero Maggiore, while the rich got the Monumental Cemetery, which, when it comes down to it, it actually a beautiful outdoor museum. 

Spread over 62 acres, the cemetery has three distinct sections: one for Catholics, one for non-Catholic Christians and one for Jews.

Fun fact: One of the mausoleums has an elaborate sculpture depicting the Last Supper. This is the final resting place of the Campari family, who brought us those potent red bitters of the same name.

If you're someone who thinks cemeteries are depressing, think again. The Monumental Cemetery in Milan is just the place to have a change of heart. It's, well, heavenly. –Wally

Ellora Caves: A Guide to the Amazing Rock-Cut Temples

Two women sit on the steps of the massive Hindu temple at Ellora Caves in India

Stunning examples of Indian architecture, Ellora features Buddhist, Hindu and Jain sanctuaries carved out of the side of the hills.

There must be something super-sacred about this spot. Practitioners of three different religions built halls of worship in the Ellora Caves: Jains, Hindus and Buddhists.

Something I found remarkable about Ellora is that the varying structures operating side-by-side illustrated the tolerance of religious belief.

“It’s one of the coolest ancient temples we’ve ever been in. This extraordinary multi-storied temple was carved out of a single rock from the top down. ”

Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the 34 sanctuaries were constructed from 600 to 1000 CE. It’s likely that the Buddhist caves were the earliest, consisting mostly of viharas or monasteries, including living quarters — though there’s some debate as to whether the Hindu complex preceded this.

The Ellora Caves are located much closer to Aurangabad and less remote than Ajanta. As we neared the entrance to the complex, we were excited to catch a glimpse of langur monkeys, traditionally identified with the Hindu god Hanuman.

RELATED: What to Know Before You Go

A testament to the engineering and skill of ancient India, these extraordinary caves are a combination of temples and monasteries hewn from the basalt cliffs. It's mind-boggling that such works of exquisite beauty were built with nothing more than rudimentary tools such as hammers and mason’s chisels.

The Jain Complex

A Buddhist monk in front of the entrance to a shrine at Cave 32

We began at the Jain caves, which drew their inspiration from the older caves and were the last of the temples to be built. While smaller in scale to the ones we were to encounter after, they were still intricately carved and impressive. The Indra Sabha, or Cave 32, features two stories of elaborately carved sculptures and a gorgeous balcony.

The figure in the central shrine is a jina, the Jain equivalent of an enlightened being. This one features Mahavir, the last of the Jain saviors.

Cave 32, the most spectacular of the Jain complex at Ellora

This statue in Cave 32 depicts either Ambika, the Jain mother goddess, or Siddhayika, a yakshini, or fairy-like creature. She's seated upon a lion beneath a tree heavy with fruit

Thai monks were gathered around a man wearing a white kurta with henna-colored hair — which signifies that he has undergone the hajj, having made the required pilgrimage to Mecca.

A jina, or enlightened being, at the back of Cave 32 at Ellora

Duke on the what's called the verandah, on the upper story of Cave 32 at Ellora

Monks in bright saffron robes can be seen throughout the Ellora complex, including the stunning second story of Cave 32

Outside Cave 32, we heard a shrill, high-pitched sound and scanned the escarpment for the source. I mistook it for a bird and was surprised to discover that the sound was coming from a chipmunk several feet above us.

Nearby Cave 31 contains representations of jains or tirthankaras, liberated souls who have succeeded in ending the cycle of rebirth and teach others the path to enlightenment.

An Amazing Hindu Temple

Kailasa, the large Hindu temple in the Ellora Caves complex

The second groups of caves are Hindu. The largest, Cave 16, is known as Kailasa or Kailashnath (Silver Mountain). Designed to recall Mount Kailash, the abode of Lord Shiva, it’s one of the coolest ancient temples we’ve ever been in. This extraordinary multi-storied temple was carved out of a single rock from the top down.

It originally had a thick coat of white plaster to make it appear like a snow-covered (silver) mountain. 

The construction of this temple entailed the removal of an estimated 250,000 tons of rock over the course of a century. The complex covers an area twice the size of the Parthenon in Athens.

The main hall on the first floor has well-decorated balconies. A central door leads to the shrine at the back containing the great lingam. The small chamber was quite crowded with worshippers pressed around the phallic symbol, touching it reverently and leaving offerings of flowers and money.

Inside the Hindu temple, visitors bustled around, but it was almost eerily quiet

A carving of Shiva, the Hindu god of destruction, killing his demon son Andhaka for trying to abduct Parvati, the goddess of love and fertility, in the Kailasa temple at Ellora

We were there on a Saturday, which is a school day for Indian children. Because the cave complex is a popular field trip, it was abuzz with uniformed girls and boys. The girls were quieter and more composed, as opposed to the boys who howled and tore through the complex.

Everywhere we went, Indians wanted to take pictures of or with us. Eventually, Wally started giving them our camera so we could capture the moment as well

We were stopped by schoolboys who asked where we were from and if they could take a picture with us. They would thank us, giggling and running away after.

The Brahmanical Group

In the center of this carving in Cave 14, Varaha, the boar-headed avatar of Vishnu, rescues the Earth goddess by holding back the engulfing ocean

Cave 21, part of the Hindu temples at Ellora in India

Cave 21 has an attractive façade featuring figures of the river goddesses Ganga and Yamuna. Close by is Cave 22, in front of which is Nandi, the bull that Shiva rode around on, perched atop its usual raised platform.

The two river goddesses Ganga and Yamuna are highlights of Cave 21 at Ellora

Cave 22: Duke was kind of obsessed with the Nandi bull, the mount of the god Shiva

This lion guards Cave 29 — though Wally thinks it looks more like a walrus

Cave 29, known as the Dhumar Lena, contains a hall supported by 26 massive pillars in the form of a cross. Two large lions with small elephants under their paws guard the steps that lead to the hall from three sides. 

The verandah near the entrance is dominated by a huge Shiva with eight arms. It is a powerful depiction of the god in his terrible form. Another colossal Shiva in the portico dances in destructive fury. A beautiful Yamuna river goddess waits outside.

We really enjoyed exploring Cave 29 — it was quite large, dark and moody. Temple guards known as dwarpalas lined the walls. At the back, a flame flickered, illuminating floral offerings, while off to the side, the temple opened up to daylight, and Wally and I played along the narrow side of the structure.

The Buddhist Caves

We had climbed a set of stairs and exited onto the upper story of Cave 9 when Wally noticed a group of Thai monks feeding a group of langur monkeys. They were surprisingly docile, long-tailed and black-faced (the monkeys, not the monks). I quickly swapped lenses and took some zoomed-in photographs of them. While I'm kind of obsessed with monkeys, they’re just so unpredictable and wild, I know to cautiously keep my distance. 

The most famous of the Buddhist sanctuaries is Cave 10, known at the Vishwakarma, named after the presiding deity of craftsmen and architects. This horseshoe-shaped prayer hall features a soaring vaulted ceiling of rock-cut ribs created to imitate the roof structure of wooden temples. The central stupa has a Buddha figure emerging from it.

Cave 10, one of the Buddhist caves, is known for its rib-like roof

A worshipper lies prostrate in front of the carving of the Buddha in Cave 10

We were fortunate enough to experience a monk chanting in Cave 10. The acoustics of the stone structure amplified the ritual chant until it filled the interior.

Take a virtual tour of Ellora: This site features hundreds of photos from every cave in the complex.

All in all, we spent a very enjoyable day exploring this diverse complex: the Jain temples, with their elaborate flourishes, the serene and simple Buddhist caves, and the popular, impressive Hindu sanctuaries filled with carvings of strange deities. Because of its diversity, we recommend Ellora over Ajanta if you only have one day in the area. –Duke

Why You Should Consider Visiting Iceland

The Northern Lights, glaciers, the Blue Lagoon — you might be surprised how otherworldly beautiful Iceland can be.

The Northern Lights aren't guaranteed — which makes seeing them all the more powerful

For a first trip abroad, many people choose something comfortable — a beach resort on some tropical isle, or a tour of the churches and museums of Western Europe. Not Lindsay and Shaun.

They took what they’re calling their “babymoon” — one last jaunt before their son is due — to Iceland.

Here’s the first of a series of Iceland posts from my interview with Lindsay and Shaun. –Wally

“I thought, I’m never going to see anything this beautiful again.”

Why did you choose Iceland?

Lindsay: It was really me who chose Iceland. I was going there regardless if Shaun went.

Shaun: Lindsay said, “I don’t give a shit if you go. If you want to go with me, great. It’s my trip — and don’t complain about the flight. I can’t have any stress.”

Lindsay: A lot of bloggers have been putting out a bunch of images and travel advice, and it was beautiful scenery. It was exotic. This was our first trip with a passport. I wanted to go somewhere cool and unique and not where everyone would expect us to go. Somewhere where it was also very safe.

What about the cold factor?

Lindsay: I don’t like heat, and Shaun doesn’t either. It was 40º to 45º the entire time. It was awesome. No humidity. We were like, this is the best vacation weather ever!

How would you describe the landscape?

Shaun: It felt extraterrestrial. I wouldn’t have been surprised if I was watching the sun set and then turned and saw a second sun rising over the horizon. You could easily travel there to film some alien planet.

Lindsay: The whole place is covered in volcanic rock. All black, and then moss grows over it. And there are volcanoes everywhere, but they don’t look like volcanoes. They just look like mountains.

To be honest, what also drew me there was the Blue Lagoon.

Lindsay enjoying herself at Iceland's Blue Lagoon spa — no Brooke Shields or Christopher Atkins sightings, though

What’s the Blue Lagoon?

Lindsay: It’s actually not natural — it’s manmade. It’s a giant lagoon hot spring and it’s iridescent blue. It’s so crazy-looking and amazing.

Shaun: I believe it’s heated by a geothermal plant. They filter water in, and it’s recycled out every 48 hours. It smells like sulphur. Everything around it steams, and there are lava rocks all around.

Lindsay: It’s a giant spa. There are little caves and bridges you can swim under. There’s a swim-up bar. And there’s mud mask stuff you can just grab and put on everywhere.

And we got the special in-water massage.

In-water massage?

Lindsay: It was awesome. You float on this yoga mat thing, and they cover you with a warm blanket and massage you.

Shaun: This was my first professional massage.

The strangest part is that when you’re sitting on top of the water for a long period of time, the warm water has gone away so you start to get a little cooled off. So they’ll take the bottom of the mat, and submerge it three or four times and you go down with it, and you’ll warm up that way.

Everyone tends to go to the Blue Lagoon when you get off your flight on your way to Reykjavik, ’cause it’s like a 50-minute drive from the airport. It could be a nice way to relax after the flight.

What were the locals like?

Lindsay: Everybody speaks English. They have to learn Dutch, English and Icelandic, and they mainly speak Icelandic to each other. But with anybody they thought was from another country, they almost always spoke in English. Good English. It was really easy to get anything we needed.

They are really nice, friendly people. It almost felt like it was a small town — and it kind of is ’cause it’s a small country. People say hi to each other.

How’s the economy in Iceland?

Lindsay: Their unemployment rate is like 2%, and our tour guide said it went up to 26% when the recession hit. Tourism brought them back. He said that a lot of Icelandic people forget that because it’s kind of a hassle for them right now to have all these tourists. It’s dramatically boomed for them. They don’t have the infrastructure for it.

Shaun: It’s their second-biggest industry right now. It’s fishing and then tourism. Every single person we talked to mentioned that they don’t have the infrastructure for tourism. And we were like, “Oh, we know a whole bunch of people who will be here next week!” Apparently the Kardashians are there right now.

What was the most beautiful thing you saw?

Lindsay: Definitely the Northern Lights. I cried when I saw them — they were so beautiful. I wasn’t expecting to see them because it was the end of the season. We went on April 9 and the end of the season was on the 19th, and our first tour was canceled.

And then we saw them, and it was a blip for a second, and it wasn’t even that bright. But I was crying and saying, “They were so pretty!” and Shaun’s like, “I’m a little underwhelmed.”

And then they came out like crazy — they were all over.

The Aurora Borealis, or the Northern Lights, were the most beautiful part of the trip

Did you do a tour?

Shaun: We were on a boat ride. They took us out into the harbor and then the lady who was telling us the story about the Northern Lights, it was almost like she summoned them: “The Northern Lights have appeared!” over the loudspeaker.

Then she introduced some guy who came on reading poems about the Northern Lights. At one point, he broke out into a song like it was a rain dance.

Lindsay: He had a terrible voice.

The lights went on for an hour. It just got better and better.

What did the Northern Lights look like in person?

Lindsay: That’s hard. They are green — but not as bright as the pictures show them because your eyes can’t perceive that color as bright. They dance, but they’re so slow. Fading in, fading out. Almost like blobs of light in the dark night.

Shaun: They’re kind of like wispy clouds.

Do you know how they’re created?

Lindsay: The easiest way for me to explain it is that it’s when the sun flares and hits the atmosphere, this is the reaction: the Aurora Borealis.

I thought, I’m never going to see anything this beautiful again.

What was the coolest experience?

Lindsay: Aside from the Northern Lights, it was being on the glacier — even though it was very treacherous getting there.

How was it dangerous?

Lindsay: We took a jeep tour, so there were only six people for 10 hours. Our guide took us around the Golden Circle, which is these four specific stops everyone sees in Iceland that are very touristy but beautiful.

A lot of people go to see a glacier. Well, we got a tour specifically to ride and drive on the glacier. I sat in the back. It was very bumpy — I was hitting the ceiling. I was like, this is not good for the baby. So finally I moved.

When we got there, we were going to snowmobile on the glacier, and I thought, I probably shouldn’t.

But our guide took us on a private tour. Literally, this jeep is like a monster truck. He drove it straight up the mountain, and had to go back down in reverse because he couldn’t get to the top.

One of the highlights of an Icelandic vacation is a trip to a glacier

What did the glacier look like?

Lindsay: It’s a giant mountain of white. There was nothing for miles and miles, and there was hardly anybody there.

We also got to see the glacier river — beautiful.

Glacial runoff filtered through lava rock results in some of the cleanest-tasting water ever

The country has way more water than they can even drink. And it’s all naturally filtered through the lava rock. So it’s the cleanest, best-tasting water ever — and it comes right out of the tap.

What was the worst thing about Iceland?

Shaun: The hot water smells like eggs.

Lindsay: It’s all sulphur, so when you’re showering it smells like rotten eggs. That was the only downside. 

Ajanta Caves Walk-Through

The Ajanta Caves look unassuming from the exterior — but within you'll find statues of the Buddha and fading frescos

Cave 1: A statue of the Buddha flanked by Avalokitesvara and Vajrapani, the embodiments of compassion and spiritual energy

Cave 2: A carving out front

Cave 2: The monks' dormitory cells and a fresco depicting previous lives of the Buddha

Cave 2: Known for the mandala, which represents the universe, painted on its ceiling 

Cave 4: The carving represents a bodhisattva as Reliever of Eight Great Perils

Some people hire porters to carry them from cave to cave on a litter

Cave 17: This cave has some of the best-preserved paintings at Ajanta

Cave 19: On either side of the arched window are nature spirits called yakshas

Cave 26: Devotees circumambulate, or walk around, the stupa

Cave 26: Reclining Buddha

WHICH CAVES ARE THE COOLEST? WE HIT THE HIGHLIGHTS AT THIS ANCIENT BUDDHIST COMPLEX OUTSIDE OF AURANGABAD FAMOUS FOR ITS PAINTINGS AND STATUES.

Don’t get us wrong. The Buddhist caves carved into the mountainside at Ajanta are cool. It’s just that after a while, you experience a sort of repetitious sensory overload (“Oh, this one has a Buddha at the back…just like the others…”).

So, in case you don’t have the time or inclination to explore all 30, we’ve listed our must-sees.

“An elaborate Buddha, whose umbrella-like crown almost touches the vaulted ceiling, emerges from the mouths of sea monsters.”

RELATED: Ajanta Caves: 8 Tips Before You Go

Cave 1

Kick things off with this cave, famous for its elaborately painted vihara, or monastery. The mural depicts two bodhisattvas: Avalokitesvara, the personification of compassion, and Vajrapani, the spiritual energy of the enlightened mind. These flank the doorway to the antechamber.

The Buddha, awash in green light and centered in the large shrine at the rear, sits cross-legged in the dharmachakrapravartana mudra teaching position and was sponsored by Emperor Harisena. In this mudra, the thumb and index finger of both hands touch at their tips to form a circle. This circle represents the Wheel of Dharma, or in metaphysical terms, the union of method and wisdom.

Cave 2

The coolest part of this cave is its ceiling, dominated by a large mandala decorated with birds, flowers, fruit and abstract designs. 

Cave 4

This is the largest vihara in the complex, but it was a bit too ambitious — part of the ceiling is said to have collapsed and it wasn’t ever completed. Look up to see the undulating ceiling, which features a cool wavy pattern created by lava flows.

The exterior is gorgeous. We learned that all of these caves were carved top-down. The entranceway features sculptures of lunging lions, maidens clutching trees and dwarves adorned with garlands.

To the right is a bas-relief of a bodhisattva as Reliever of Eight Great Perils. Curious what those are? They were common dangers for pilgrims of the past: bandits, snakes, elephants, lions, disease, floods, forest fires and false imprisonment in foreign lands.

Cave 7

Enter through an impressive double portico richly carved with elephants, lions, lotuses and small stupas.

An oblong vihara monastery from the late 5th century, the garbha griha (inner sanctuary) contains a Buddha statue in a preaching pose, as well as a seated Buddha sheltered by the Naga Muchalinda, a snake-like being who protected him from the elements after his enlightenment. 

Cave 9

This chaitya, or prayer hall, from the 1st century BCE is built on a rectangular plan. The interior is divided into three aisles by 21 unadorned octagonal columns.

A large stupa stands on a high cylindrical base at the center of the apse. Because figurative sculptures of the Buddha were not produced during this period, stupas were built to enshrine sacred relics that were most often worshipped and became synonymous with chaityas.

The inside of this cave is two stories high, with a barrel vault ceiling on which rafters and purlins are carved like a wooden building. Although those curious devices are structurally unnecessary, they’re an aesthetic method to mimic the interior spaces of temples.

Cave 10

A Theravada prayer hall, it’s thought to be the oldest cave temple at Ajanta, dating to the 2nd century BCE.

Cave 17

According to one of the inscriptions found in the hall, this cave was designed to “cause the attainment of well-being by good people as long as the sun dispels darkness by its rays!”

Its large central hall is supported by 20 octagonal pillars and bounded by 17 dormitory cells, where the monks slept.

A panel above the doorway depicts the seven Manushi Buddhas (fully illuminated beings in human form).

Cave 19

The detailed exterior carvings to the right of the façade are incredible. A pair of yakshas (nature spirits) are sculpted on either side of the entrance.

The arched roof of the interior hall is carved in imitation of wooden ribs, mimicking the interior spaces of structural temples.

An elaborate standing figure of Buddha, whose umbrella-like crown almost touches the vaulted ceiling, emerges from the mouths of sea monsters.

Cave 26

A reclining Buddha, representing his moment of death prior to attaining nirvana, is a popular feature here. (Wally calls this the “Sleepy-time Buddha.”)

The cave’s stupa has a sculpted figure of Buddha in pralamba padasana mudra, with both feet on the ground and legs apart, as if seated on a throne.

We saw a Sikh man practicing circumambulation (literally, “walking in circles”), a devotional practice where you walk around a sacred object like this stupa, chanting a mantra.

LUNCH WITH HANUMAN

After a morning of exploring the Ajanta Caves, we stopped at a dhaba roadside restaurant for some chana masala

On the way back to Aurangabad, we stopped at a dhaba, or roadside restaurant, for lunch and enjoyed a delicious meal of chana masala seasoned with cinnamon, chile paneer (homemade cheese) and chapatti (flatbread).

A monument to the monkey god Hanuman stood across the road. Hanuman is regarded as a the perfect symbol of selflessness and loyalty.

Worshipping him helps counter any bad karma you’ve racked up by acting selfishly. Hindus believe he bestows fortitude and the strength to overcome the trials of life. –Duke

“Look up to see the undulating ceiling, which features a cool wavy pattern created by lava flows.”

The Cats of Marrakech

What to do in Marrakech? Try cat-watching! Cherchez les chats. Cats and Islam have a long history.

 

Morocco is a cat lover's delight. They're everywhere, and they're well taken care of. 

Every day we saw shopkeepers and ticket takers at monuments save bits of their meals to put out for a stray cat. 

“A woman locked up a cat until the poor creature starved to death. For this, she was tortured and “had to get into Hell.””

We had tons more pics of the cats of Marrakesh, but a djinni corrupted our memory card. So these are all just from our last day and a half in the city.

Like we said, there are cats everywhere. And most of them were sweet as can be. Click through the photos above, though, and you'll see the one mean kitty in Marrakech. 

FIND OUT: Why We Believe in Genies

Cats and Islam

Most people trace Muslims' fondness for felines back to the Prophet Mohammed. He had a cat named Muezza, who’s the star of a well-known story.

The call to prayer sounded, and Mohammed wanted to wear a particular robe — but Muezza was curled up asleep on one of its sleeves. Instead of disturbing the cat, the prophet cut the sleeve off of the robe.

Duke and I can certainly relate. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve stayed on the couch longer than we planned, just so we don’t have to budge Bowzer. So far no clothing has had to be sacrificed.

The Prophet Mohammed stroked Muezza three times  — and ever since then, all cats have nine lives and the ability to always land on their feet.

“Islam teaches Muslims to treat cats well and that the cat is a creature to be cherished and loved. Mistreating a cat is regarded as a severe sin in Islam,” according to the Islamic Information Portal.

The hadith (a story shared orally before being written down) titled The Book of Virtue, Good Manners and Joining of the Ties of Relationship explains how important it is not to mistreat a cat.

In the story, a woman locks up a cat until the poor creature starves to death. For this, she was tortured and “had to get into Hell.”

Cats are loved, not only for their beauty, cleanliness and elegance, but for their practical purposes as well. Muslim scholars wrote odes to their cats because they protected their precious books from mice, according to the website Muslim Heritage.

As an added bonus, “it is believed that you will suffer no harm if you drink from the cat’s water, provided no impurities are seen in the cat’s mouth,” the Islamic Information Portal states. Bottoms up! –Wally

Ajanta Caves: 8 Tips Before You Go

The Ajanta Caves outside of Aurangabad, India

Stay in Aurangabad and be prepared to explore this ancient Buddhist monastery carved out of the mountainside.

Tip 1: Head off the beaten path.

If you like going all Indiana Jones on your vacation, as Wally and I do, consider adding the Ajanta and Ellora Caves to your India itinerary. These spots aren’t too well known among Western tourists — you’ll mostly see Indians and Buddhist monks from Southeast Asia.

“By midday, the ground was intensely hot, making our barefoot trek across the rocks like walking over coals.”

Tip 2: Decide if you have time to hit both Ajanta and Ellora.

We had two days in Aurangabad, so we were able to visit both sets of caves. The concierge pretty much insisted that we visit Ajanta first, and we couldn’t figure out why. After we had explored both, we wondered if this was because Ajanta, which are entirely Buddhist, might be a bit of a letdown after the diversity of the Ellora site.

Tip 3: Stay in Aurangabad.

Ajanta is nearly two hours away from Aurangabad, a big city with an airport that works as a good base for both the Ajanta and Ellora Caves.

Tip 4: Make sure you understand where you’ll meet your driver.

We arranged transport to the Ajanta Caves through our hotel, Lemon Tree.

The driver who had picked us up the evening before told us he would be there promptly at 8 a.m. so that we could beat the throngs.
What we did not know was that he actually meant a driver from the hotel — not necessarily him, and that said driver would not come into the hotel lobby to announce he had arrived. We’re not sure that this is the norm, but he waited outside until we went out to him.  

Thankfully, a concierge working that morning realized this and directed us to the vehicle after we had sat in the lobby for 45 minutes.

Tip 5: Beware the touts.

After reaching the parking lot outside the caves, we passed through an open-air market with aggressive touts, a couple of which approached us and asked our names and where we were from. They offered each of us a small quartz crystal, pressing them into the palms of our hands and saying, “No money — you visit my shop after.” 

Believe us — they’ll remember you. We did visit their shops, hardball haggled (going into other tents to compare prices) and scored some good deals.

Tip 6: Take your shoes with you.

We boarded a tour bus and soon caught our first glimpse of the horseshoe-shaped bend in the Waghora River gorge where the caves are located. 

As it was required for us to remove our sandals prior to entering the caves, we decided to leave them at Cave 1 rather than putting them on and taking them off every single time.

We failed to realize that there were 29 caves in all, and by midday the ground was intensely hot, making parts of our barefoot trek across the rocks like walking over coals.

The best thing to do is bring a pair of shoes you can easily slip on and off before entering each cave.

Tip 7: Learn a bit about how these caves and paintings were made.

After you enter the dimly lit cave interiors, your eyes begin to adjust, revealing frescoes depicting the magical Jataka stories about the previous incarnations of Buddha, in both human and animal form.

The oldest caves date back to the 2nd century BCE, with a more elaborately painted addition from the 6th century BCE.

Interiors of many of the cave surfaces are covered with a plaster mixture consisting of clay, lime, hay and dung.

Paintings were made while the plaster was wet. Oxide red and yellow were created from ochre, black from soot, white from the clay mineral kaolin, lime and green from another local mineral. You’ll occasionally see blue, which came from pulverized semiprecious lapis lazuli.

Tip 8: Get your head around the fact that these caves were once a Buddhist monastery.

The caves are comprised of two types. The chaitya (prayer halls) were excavated around 200 BCE and were among the first used purely for congregational worship. The viharas (monasteries) contain chapels as well as small cubical dormitory cells where monks once slept.

The site was abandoned in 477 after the sudden death of Ajanta's most important sponsor, Emperor Harisena.

It must have been incredible when English hunter John Smith accidentally rediscovered the largest of the caves, later named Cave 10, in 1819 in the middle of chasing a tiger. –Duke

Top 6 Wellness Tourism Trips

Hiking and biking the Dolomites along the Italian and Austrian border

Yoga on the Mexican beach, hikes to Machu Picchu, Pilates in Morocco — the best health tourism adventures.

You know the type. Their Facebook page is full of beautiful photos of fabulous trips. You’re simultaneously insanely jealous and giddy with excitement at the opportunity to live vicariously through your friend’s adventures.

Well, that’s Nancy.

“I leave with a feeling of renewal and that I can take on all of my biggest dreams.”

As I battled my jealousy of and happiness for her, I noticed a trend among Nancy’s trips: They all had some sort of wellness angle. She’d be doing yoga on a beach in Mexico or hiking across Europe or doing Pilates in Morocco.

I decided to get her take on wellness travel. Here are her top trips and advice. Namaste. –Wally

What draws you to wellness travel?

I cannot just sit on a beach. I always feel like I need to “earn the day.”

I love combining culture, physical activity, regional food and wine, like-minded people, spirituality and mindfulness into one trip. 

What trends have you seen in wellness travel lately?

Adding volunteerism to the experience. For example, in Marrakech, Morocco, we delivered school supplies to a local school and spent some time in the classroom. 

Most surprising thing you’ve discovered on a trip?

In Tulum, Mexico, I got a massage from a Mayan healer. These healers can pick up on energy in your body. He told me that the sciatic nerve area can represent “stalled advancement” and that I was experiencing this right now. He basically summed up a few key areas of my life at the time.

This experience motivated me to go after a new career opportunity at my company, which I successfully landed.

Nancy’s Top Wellness Travel Destinations 

Amansala in Tulum, Mexico offers runs along the beach and candlelit yoga

1. Amansala Bikini Bootcamp, Tulum, Mexico

I go to Amansala every year for the last week of the year as a way to undo all of the debauchery from the holidays and to kick-start the New Year.

The setting is boho chic huts and palapas [open-sided shelters with thatched palm roofs] on a white sand beach with Caribbean blue water.

One of her favorite annual traditions: Nancy does yoga at sunset on New Year's Eve

Guests have the option to make the week as active or as chill as they would like. Most choose active due to the wide variety of activities and high-caliber instructors.

The daily routine at Amansala includes morning beach walks or runs, yoga with beach views, cardio class (kickboxing, circuit training, etc.), dance class and/or sunset candlelit yoga.

Experiences such as cultural excursions, massages, a Mayan clay renewal ritual and tarot card readings are all offered at Amansala. You can also sweat out all of your toxins/sins at their Temezcal (Mayan sweat lodge) ceremony, led by an elder Mayan healer.

In between all of this, you can relax on the gorgeous white sand beach. The three golden Labs, who are pets of the property, might join you or try to rally you for a game of “fetch the coconut.”

The food is also healthy and tasty — they even have their own cookbook. 

Amansala combines the physical, mental and spiritual aspects of wellness, which is why I go back every year. I leave with a feeling of renewal and that I can take on all of my biggest dreams. This special place attracts like-minded people, so I have met several friends with whom I am still in touch. 

Hiking through the Dolomites mountain range, which straddle Italy and Austria

2. Backroads Breakaway Walking & Hiking Tour, the Dolomites, Italy

On this tour, you hike every day (four to six hours) in the spectacular setting of the Dolomites mountain range in-between Italy and Austria.

There’s amazing Italian and Austrian food. You might have apple strudel and beer at lunch and then pasta and red wine at dinner.

Nancy and her local guide, with the Cinque Torri in the Dolomites as a backdrop

We hiked from one resort to the next over a seven-day period. We would stop in at ski huts along the way to refuel.

It was the perfect combination of outdoor activity, breathtaking scenery, culture — Italy and Austria! — amazing food and awe-inspiring boutique hotels. 

The amazing pool at the Escape to Shape resort in Marrakech, Morocco

3. Escape to Shape, Marrakech, Morocco

This yoga and Pilates retreat was hosted at our own private amazing villa in Marrakech, located outside of the medina. Lodging, meals, cultural excursions, and yoga, Pilates and circuit training classes were all included.

This was a great combination of physical activity (about two to three hours per day) and cultural immersion.

Nancy in her favorite store in Marrakech

Escape to Shape provided a very safe, fun and invigorating way to experience Marrakech. Erica Gragg, the owner, has been doing this for years, and she curates the perfect trip. She knows Marrakech like the back of her hand and showed us all of the hidden jewels and hot spots. She would open a door in the medina that you did not even know was there, and inside you would find four floors of amazing treasures.

Shopping is a must in Marrakech, and Erica is the perfect sherpa/stylist. Our group came away with beautiful rugs, caftans and home accents that we never would have found without Erica’s expert eye and relationships.

The yoga and Pilates classes allowed us to indulge without guilt in all of the amazing Moroccan cuisine.  

4. Miraval Resort & Spa, Tucson, Arizona, USA

Their tagline is “Life in Balance.” Miraval offers hiking in the Sonoran Desert and Santa Catalina Mountains, a large variety of fitness classes, meditation, healthy, delicious food, mindfulness sessions, equine therapy and other outdoor adventure activities.

Their spa is beautiful. Relax by the pool during your downtime. 

I always come away feeling amazing after four to five days here. 

Snow Canyon State Park in Utah

5. Red Mountain Resort, Ivins, Utah, USA

Red Mountain offers hiking in a gorgeous setting — literally in red rocks in Snow Canyon State Park, Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park.

Hikes are guided, or you can go on your own — all different levels.

Nancy in Zion National Park, Utah

The setting is breathtaking and awe-inspiring.

Fitness classes and outdoor activities keep you physically active. There are also great opportunities for personal discovery and mindfulness: intuitive energy reading, guided imagery, etc., as well as artistic pursuits, such as photography and pottery classes.  

Machu Picchu, Peru

6. Mountain Travel Sobek Machu Picchu Inn-to-Inn Express Trek, Peru

This was a seven-day lodge-to-lodge trek to Machu Picchu through a variety of terrain, scenery and elevation. 

It was a great combination of scenic hiking, excellent Peruvian food and wine, cultural exposure and great lodging.

Nancy at the peak of Machu Picchu

How to Protect Yourself From Jinns and Black Magic

Black magic in Islam is a serious concern — and the holy writings offer numerous ways to negate magic jinn.

 

I’m torn. Sometimes I think there’s a power in belief. That just by acknowledging something’s existence, you’re giving it relevance, even substance.

On the other hand, I know I can’t just force myself to not think about djinns while I’m in their lands. Heck, telling me not to think about something is pretty much guaranteeing it’ll be top of mind the entire time we’re in Fès.

“There’s even one to recite, ahem, before you have sex.”

So, I ultimately decided to investigate ways to protect yourself from djinns (also called jinns and, to most Westerners, genies).

Not that I think we’re really in any danger — or that these superstitions will actually help prevent something bad from happening.

But heck, after what happened last time, I figure it sure couldn’t hurt.

Pages from the Iran Islam Temtem-e Hendi Pictorial Book on Talisman, Charm & Mysterious Sciences in Persian (Farsi ): Instructions on What to Do to Put Demons & Genie ( Jinni ) Under Your Control & Info About How to Make Brass Plates to Avoid Black Magic & Use White Magic

 

Spells, Prayers and Protective incantations

A lot of the sites I found during my research focused on prayers to Allah for protection, such as this one:

“I seek refuge in Allah from you. I curse you with the curse of Allah.”

That seems a bit extreme — maybe it’s best to keep that one as backup if things get particularly dire.

This is one you recite upon leaving your house:

“In the name of Allah, I place my trust in Allah. There is no solution, no way out and no power except by Allah.”

There’s even one to recite, ahem, before you have sex:

“In the name of Allah, O Allah! Keep us away from Shaytaan [Satan] and keep Shaytaan away from what you bestow upon us.”

This assures that if a baby is conceived, Satan will never dare harm it. It also prevents a djinni from “taking part in a man’s sexual intercourse with his wife,” according to IdealMuslimah.

Here’s a nice general-purpose prayer that works all day long. Say this upon rising in the morning, and you’re said to be protected from djinns until you retire in the evening:

“I seek refuge in Allah from Satan the outcast. Allah! There is none worthy of worship but he, the ever-living, the one who sustains and protects all that exists. Neither slumber nor sleep overtakes him. To him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the Earth. Who is he that can intercede with him except with his permission? He knows what happens to them in this world, and what will happen to them in the hereafter. And they will never encompass anything of his knowledge except that which he wills. His throne extends over the heavens and the Earth, and he feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them. And he is the Most High, the Most Great.”

Here it is in Arabic:

أَعُوذُ بِاللهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ "اللهُ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ لَا تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ لَهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ مَنْ ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِنْدَهُ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيْءٍ مِنْ عِلْمِهِ إِلَّا بِمَا شَاءَ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ وَلَا يَئُودُهُ حِفْظُهُمَا وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ

'A 'oothu billaahi minash-Shaytaanir-rajeem. Allaahu laa 'ilaaha 'illaa Huwal-Hayyul-Qayyoom, laa ta'khuthuhu sinatun wa laa nawm, lahu maa fis-samaawaati wa maa fil-'ardh, man thai-lathee yashfa'u 'indahu 'illaa bi'ithnih, ya'lamu maa bayna 'aydeehim wa maa khalfahum, wa laa yuheetoona bishay'im-min 'ilmihi 'illaa bimaa shaa'a, wasi'a kursiyyuhus samaawaati wal'ardh, wa laa ya'ooduhu hifdhuhumaa, wa Huwal- 'Aliyyul- 'Adheem

This is the one Duke and I ended up reciting every morning before we left the riad. And we didn't have one bad djinni experience! It works!

Here's another, though, to play it safe:

“In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, the Beneficent, the Merciful. Master of the Day of Judgment, thee do we serve and thee do we beseech for help. Keep us on the right path. The path of those upon whom thou has bestowed favors — not of those upon whom thy wrath is brought down, nor of those who go astray.”

And one more for good measure:

“I seek refuge in the Lord of the Dawn from the evil of what he has created. And from the evil of the utterly dark night when it comes. And from the evil of those who blow on knots. And from the evil of the envious when he envies.”

Wonder what that blowing on knots is all about? It appears to be a term for (and practice of) the secrets arts of sorcery.

The black king of the djinns, Al-Malik al-Aswad, in the late 14th century Kitab al-Bulhan or Book of Wonders

Other Means of Protection

Finally, I found some types of protection aside from spoken prayers or spells:

dates

The Prophet (peace and blessing upon him) said, “Whoever eats seven pressed dates every morning before eating any food, will not be affected by poison or sihr [witchcraft]!”

Preferably, you’re eating ajwa, a kind of date grown in Madinah, Saudi Arabia.

This is from Al-Bukhari, one of the major collections of Sunni Islam: 10/249, the Book of Medicine, Chapter: Treatment of Sorcery With 'Ajwah.)

ablution (wudu)

First think about your niyyah (intention) in performing ablution to cleanse yourself of impurities.

Say, “Bismillah,” which means “in the name of Allah.”

Wash your right hand up to the wrist (and between the fingers) three times.

Repeat with the left hand.

Rinse your mouth and spit out the water three times and rub the teeth with a miswak, a teeth-cleaning twig.

This site has a more elaborate form of wudu that includes putting water up your nose and washing your feet.

Do this and you’ll be protected by an angel and therefore immune to black magic.

potty prepping

Apparently, Satan likes to lurk in bathrooms. So before you go in, you might want to say, “O Allah! I seek refuge in you from the male/female Satans.” The Devil apparently likes to hide in “this filthy place, which is the home of Satanic jinn,” according to Al-Bukhari. 

I'm not saying I'll follow all of this advice…but I do feel that I'm going back onto the djinns' turf better-armed. –Wally