Delhi, Rajasthan & Agra

This double program on travel within and between the titular northern India cities of Delhi, Rajasthan, and Agra visits plenty of off-the-beaten-path sites (including the music store where George Harrison's sitar came from). Holly Morris—who focuses on Delhi and Rajastan—is a perfect host; indefatigable, upbeat, and sharp. Whether she's waiting for an overland bus with an uncertain pickup schedule on the outskirts of a major city, or confiding to the camera that traveling alone as a woman is not a good idea during a particular leg of a journey, Morris brings a real feeling of “being there.” Poignantly, she gives attention to a community of Indian woman who have been shunned from their communities and families in the wake of being widowed. Due to the traditions of the caste system, these women have few prospects for employment or even positive human contact. Along the way, she drops into Delhi's Chandni Chowk market, stops at the fort of a Mughal emperor, and takes the Maharajas' Express luxury train to Jodhpur. In the second program, host Ian Wright journeys between Delhi and Agra (using multiple forms of travel, including a motorcycle) as he explores the old city of Delhi, visits the famed Taj Majal, and takes a dip in the River Ganges. A fine addition to travel collections, this is highly recommended. Aud: P. (C. Block)