On These Ancient Sands
Travel+Leisure India|November 2019
After almost a decade of political upheaval, more stable times—and visitors—are returning to Egypt. And while the streets of Cairo may still resound with speculation over the future, the country’s ancient past remains vividly, gloriously alive in the monuments of Giza, Luxor, and Aswan.
Aatish Taseer
On These Ancient Sands

UNTIL THAT FIRST MORNING in Cairo, I had always felt the art of ancient Egypt to be out of reach. I could admire its scale, of course, and its impassive beauty. Like most New Yorkers, I had delighted at the sight of the Temple of Dendur, all lit up in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, as I made my way home through Central Park. But for art to really live, it cannot be the mere background. One has to find a way to understand its spirit, to inhabit the world it came from. To me, the culture of ancient Egypt had always seemed so heavily caricatured, it hardly felt real. And I’d struggled to get my head around its mind-boggling antiquity. Was it really possible that as many centuries separate Alexander the Great from the Pyramids of Giza as separate us from him?

But on that bright December morning, at the new Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza, just west of Cairo, something changed in me forever. Finding myself in proximity to objects now banal, now wondrous, the art of ancient Egypt ceased to be remote or cartoonish. Here was Tutankhamun’s papyrus chair; there were ushabti, or funerary figurines, in various enticing shades of blue. In another room were slim-limbed funerary beds, their gold leaf still intact. One had cat-faced Sekhmet on its posts, the other the sky cow Mehet-Weret , with black trefoils decorating its gold skin. It was all so near, so intimate. Even the masked world of the pharaohs did not seem out of reach once I’d just stood inches away from Tutankhamun’s underwear—a great linen thong stained brown, not through any fault of his own, but by 33 centuries of oxidation.

Bu hikaye Travel+Leisure India dergisinin November 2019 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

Bu hikaye Travel+Leisure India dergisinin November 2019 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

TRAVEL+LEISURE INDIA DERGISINDEN DAHA FAZLA HIKAYETümünü görüntüle
Retro: Timeless & Trending
Travel+Leisure India

Retro: Timeless & Trending

As AI dominates the tech world, Nikhil Chawla introduces devices and apps that evoke nostalgia with their retro charm and timeless appeal.

time-read
2 dak  |
October 2024
Celebrating Timeless Austin
Travel+Leisure India

Celebrating Timeless Austin

Austin is a melting pot of culture and style, and a personification of the great American lifestyle,

time-read
5 dak  |
October 2024
A Legacy of Art and Activism
Travel+Leisure India

A Legacy of Art and Activism

Mallika Sarabhai reflects on her rich heritage as she discusses her unique approach to blending tradition with modernity, the power of arts in activism and her commitment to bringing about social change, in this conversation with Dipali Patwa.

time-read
4 dak  |
October 2024
Second Course
Travel+Leisure India

Second Course

Noma chef René Redezpi found fame with ingredient-focused fine dining. His new TV show goes even further.

time-read
2 dak  |
October 2024
The Safari Sanctuary
Travel+Leisure India

The Safari Sanctuary

Aamaghati Wildlife Resort, Ranthambore’s latest opening, offers the finest facilities and accommodation in the district and has the park embedded deep inside its soul.

time-read
3 dak  |
October 2024
THE ETERNAL FLAVOURS of our TIMELESS CLASSICS
Travel+Leisure India

THE ETERNAL FLAVOURS of our TIMELESS CLASSICS

India's most-loved restaurants have all stood the test of time, especially in an era when food ventures open with vast market research and modern aesthetics but fail to make a lasting impression. This is what makes our favourites timeless.

time-read
6 dak  |
October 2024
LATE CHECK OUT WITH Ayushmann Churrana
Travel+Leisure India

LATE CHECK OUT WITH Ayushmann Churrana

A film with a social message, a deeply inspiring couplet, a music tour that lets him explore his alter ego of sorts—what makes Ayushmann Khurrana the right fit in everything he chooses to do?

time-read
4 dak  |
October 2024
Luxury Legacy
Travel+Leisure India

Luxury Legacy

Meet Tikka Shatrujit Singh, the visionary who paved the way for luxury brands to thrive in India. One of the most iconic figures in India's fashion and luxury industry, the former head representative of LVMH in Asia tells Samreen Tungekar about his journey, what today's consumer wants, and how Indian tourism can turn the world on its head.

time-read
4 dak  |
October 2024
Global Glamour
Travel+Leisure India

Global Glamour

Attention shopaholics, we've got you covered! From Copenhagen to Cape Town, Marrakech to Melbourne, here are 20 cities across the world where you can indulge in retail therapy. Follow our guide to get your hands on traditional, bespoke, sustainable, slow fashion, and innovative, kitschy must-haves.

time-read
10 dak  |
October 2024
ARTISTIC INGENUITY MEETS ARCHITECTURAL SPLENDOUR
Travel+Leisure India

ARTISTIC INGENUITY MEETS ARCHITECTURAL SPLENDOUR

Architect Simran Boparai's skilled designs blend modernity with heritage, while striving for spatial excellence.

time-read
1 min  |
October 2024