TRAVEL THE WORLD - ISTANBUL, TURKEY

Nothing can be more mysterious than the harem of the Turkish sultans at Topkapi palace in Istanbul. Here was located the very centre of palace intrigue. And to consider all the beautiful women who, once sequestered here, could never leave, makes one shiver.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - DIU, INDIA

Diu, which we visited in 2007, is an island on the southernmost tip of Gujarat, connected by a causeway to the mainland. A former Portuguese colony, it has many traditional houses and several churches which have survived from the colonial period. The island has scenic coastal landscapes and nice beaches, at this point almost untouched by tourism. These ladies are interesting. Don't you wish you could hear what they are gossiping about?

TRAVEL THE WORLD - BIKANER, INDIA

These hand prints, displayed just inside the entrance to Junagarh Fort in Bikaner, Rajasthan, serve to commemorate the women of the fort who committed sati (or suttee) when their men were preparing to face certain death in battle. Rumour has it that sati is still practised in India, although it was banned by the British in the early 19th Century and I believe continues to be against the law today. Certainly, there was no useful role for widows in traditional Hindu society, and today a widow in India is often tossed aside by her husband's family. When we visited the fort in 2007, we were deeply touched by the sight of these hand prints and by the tragic fate of the women.

INDIA VACATION 2007

WOMEN IN INDIA

Women in India, even if poor, have remarkable dignity and grace. They almost always wear lovely jewelery and vibrantly coloured clothes. Observing Indian women, we sensed an inner confidence and calm self-possession that we did not notice in the women of other countries we had visited.

In the photos are shown: top, a lady vendor of handicrafts at the Diu city market; centre, a girl who danced in a Jodhpur restaurant; and, bottom, lady visitors at the palace in Mandu.

INDIA VACATION 2007

VILLAGE WOMEN IN RAJASTHAN

Although Rajasthan is one of India's more prosperous states, life in rural areas is still relatively primitive. India is basically a country of farmers, and even with many public initiatives, rural poverty remains a major problem.

As depicted in the first photo above, village women in Rajasthan wear the nose ring after they marry. It is considered an adornment that increases a woman's attractiveness. Despite their relative poverty, rural women possess a remarkable a dignity.