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As India faces a horrific COVID-19 surge, a writer based in Mumbai sends a dispatch from a country besieged by grief yet still finding hope among citizens’ acts of kindness.

Even the most intrepid and independent travelers benefit from a guide now and then.

Anya von Bremzen dives deep into one of the most ethnically diverse places on Earth—New York City’s borough of Queens.

Sure, these trucks will transport you from one place to the next—but they’ll also give you unique insight into authentic India.

Witnessing ceremonies of love take place around the world can reveal some pretty profound life lessons.

Overview

Sikhs and non-Sikhs go to Amritsar for one reason – to see the Golden Temple (Hamandir Sahib) so, that is what I did on my most recent trip to India. Except, I went on Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday which is a national holiday in India and because of that, I expected the place to be crowded with locals enjoying a day off. It was indeed crowded so much so I could barely walk. I returned the next day thinking it would be better and it was but it was still packed with people. I did manage to see the place but not quite in the way that I wanted to experience a holy site. So, I hopped in a taxi and went down the road to Tarn Taran Sahib. There, I found a place of religious tranquility and a golden temple that was just as beautiful albeit on a smaller scale. Sikh devotees were out and about but there was not a throng of people. It was just the place I was looking for!

A gurdwara is a Sikh place of worship and the one in the photo is Goindwal. Located in the town by the same name, it’s a popular place for the local Sikh community to go to but few tourists know about it even though it’s located only a very short distance from the famed Golden Temple. The locals here are very friendly and more than happy to explain their religion and faith to you and to give you a few pointers about visiting the gurdwara. You can also join them for a free meal, called the langar, in the main dining hall. What makes Goindwal special is its baoli, or covered well. The well sits below the gold domed structure known as “Baoli Sahib”. There are 84 steps leading down into the well which is large enough for people to bathe in or perform ablutions. There is no charge but the line can be long. When you get to the bottom of the steps, there are separate areas for women and men. If you go to Goindwal, one thing to note is that the shoe counter is located quite a distance from the entrance to the temple complex and you will have to walk on the street, which depending on the time of day, can be blisteringly hot! Good thing is that you do have to wash your feet (and hands) before you enter Goindwal so you can cool them off!

Rickshaw rides are common in Chandni Chowk, the vast and crowded market in the Old Delhi quarter, but book a comprehensive rickshaw tour for an immersive experience that lasts longer than 15 minutes. Witness the architectural marvels, multicolored facades, beautifully decorated shops, and the fragrances emanating from the potpourri of eateries that line the historic alleys. The tour covers 20 main sites—palaces, mansions, elegant shrines, and colorful bazaars—and finishes at an 1860 haveli (mansion) where you’ll visit a gallery of photos depicting the lifestyle of Mughals, as well as a small lounge where you can relax and try some typical snacks.

Petra flourished more than 2,000 years ago, trading with Rome as an equal before being abandoned after a series of earthquakes in the 4th and 6th centuries C.E. It wasn’t until the 19th century, when European explorers “rediscovered” it, that the ancient city returned to the public consciousness. Now, visitors can walk down the narrow canyon of the siq to the city entrance—as dramatic an approach as any to a tourist attraction on the planet. The canyon opens up onto the carved facade of the Treasury, Petra’s most iconic site. From there, you can explore the cliffside tombs with their colorful bands of sandstone, the Street of Facades, and the amphitheater hewn from living rock. The ancient center lies some distance off, along with the splendid old Monastery, which sits at the top of a steep but rewarding climb. Consider buying a three-day ticket and visiting at different times of day to enjoy the changing light—early in the morning is best for the Treasury, while late afternoon is better for the Royal Tombs.

A hotel whose name is instantly recognizable, the Raffles Singapore is pure colonial confection, a landmark maintained in its original style, with liveried Sikh door attendants greeting guests. Opened by two Armenian brothers in 1887 as a 10-room bungalow hotel overlooking the South China Sea—its address, 1 Beach Road, attests to the waterfront location before reclamation extended Singapore’s boundaries—it has since welcomed movie and music stars, authors, and heads of state. Somerset Maugham wrote, after a stay, “Raffles stands for all the fables of the exotic East.” At the end of World War II, it served as a transit camp for prisoners of war. A new wing and various extensions have turned Raffles into a little enclave, with pretty interior courtyards and a high-end shopping arcade with antique, art, fashion, and jewelry stores. Rooms come with butler service, 14-foot ceilings, verandas, Asian carpets, brass fittings, and glistening teak floors.