All language subtitles for Trevor McDonalds Indian Train Adventure Series 1 Part 2 ITV 1080p EN SUB

TREVOR MCDONALD: 'I'm undertaking
a journey across India,

'on one of the most amazing trains
in the world.'

Are these gold plates?
Yes, sir.

$500' Per plate.
MY 900dness!

'The Maharajas' Express celebrates
the height of elegance and style...'

I love the ceiling!

'..Recreating the feel
of the royal trains,

'once used by India's kings.'

He had five wives, legally.
I would suspect that

that's probably a little too many!
THEY LAUGH

TRAIN HORN
'Almost half a mile long...'

Can I show you the bathroom?
Wow!

'..It's the length
of 60 London buses...'

\ Valet service! I

'..though,
nothing about it feels like a bus.'

In my eight years, we've never
said no to any guest, for anything.

I knew you were going to say that!
Thank you, sir!

'Travelling 1,200 miles from Mumbai
to the nation's capital New Delhi...

'..my journey will take me

'to some of the most
iconic places in India...'

That's amazing!

'..And to its most
hidden surprises.'

So, the rats drink the milk,
but you drink the milk, too?

Yes, we also drink that.
Ah.

'I was last
in the Indian subcontinent

'as a news reporter
in the 1980s.'

...the potentially explosive
Tamil issue.

'Today the traffic
is as bad as it always was.'

This is just... mad!

'Poverty is still an issue...'

Miles of slums.

'..But so much else has changed.'

I wonder what role mobile phones
play in the worship to the goddess?

'But I also have a more personal
reason for coming back here.'

I was born in Trinidad,
my mother was pure Afro-Caribbean,

but I'm pretty sure
that my father was Indian.

This is where he slept.

'I'll meet the great-granddaughter
of Mahatma Gandhi,

'a man who inspired millions.'

It's extraordinary
to be in the same area.

'It's a chance
to discover ancient traditions...'

Wow, and you can't see the join!

'..And to see how old and new India
are coexisting in the 21st century.'

That's a sign of happiness?
Yes.

This is the beginning
of a great adventure!

TRAIN HORN

TRAIN HORN

'In the three decades,
since I last visited India,

'it's been transformed.

'The population's gone
from 850 million,

'to nearly 1.3 billion.'

TRAIN HORN
'And its economy's exploded,

'to become, by some estimates,
the fifth largest in the world.

'Yet, so much of this vast country

'looks just the same as I remember.'

As you speed through
at 8O miles an hour,

there's a lovely
panoramic view of it all,

and the trains going by.

It is a journey of discovery,
isn't it?

'It's a perfect way to travel

'between two of the country's
major cities.

'And, along the way, to see
a new India emerging from the old.

'But today,
I'm approaching a desert city,

'where an ancient way of life
survives and thrives.

'Bikaner lies
to the north-west of India,

'close to the border with Pakistan.'

Good morning, sir! Morning.
Please watch your step.

I will, thank you.

Good morning, Mr Trevor.
Thank you. How are you?

Very good. How are you today?

Thank you, sir.
Thank you so much.

Morning, morning. Morning.

BAN D P LAYS

'In 1947, Pakistan, which had
formed part of the country,

'became a separate state,
with a Muslim majority.

'But, in India,
Hinduism continues to dominate,

'with eight in ten people
describing themselves as followers.

'From the station, I'm making
a short journey to Deshnoke,

'to visit a remarkable shrine
to a Hindu goddess.'

I'm not sure
how I put these on, really.

'This extraordinary temple
was built in honour of Karni Mata,

'a 14th century female warrior.

'To her followers,
she was a miracle worker,

'whose reincarnated descendants
live here.

'Although, not in human form.'

RATS SQUEAK

This is a truly amazing scene,

I was brought up on an island
where Hindus make up

quite a proportion
of the population,

and there are half a million
Hindus in the UK,

but I've never heard
of a temple to rats.

And since...
and since I'm in a temple,

I think I should make a confession,

they are not my favourite creatures!

'A staggering 20,000 rats

'are believed to live
inside the temple.

'They're fed, watered,
and worshipped by devotee.'

I think I should also say
that this... place is fly-infested.

Which is not entirely surprising!

'There are conflicting stories

'of why Karni Mata's descendants
were reincarnated in this form.

'Some worshippers believe that
the few white rats in the temple

'are the reincarnations
of the goddess herself,

'and of her sons.
None are visible today.

'But there are many other
memorable sights.'

So what's happening here?
The rats are drinking the milk?

It's holy water. So, we are ill,

this water, we are clean.

So, the rats drink the milk,
but you drink the milk, too?

Yes, also. We also drink that.

'In Deshnoke, around 600 families

'claim to be the descendants
of Karni Mata.

'Like Gajendar, its caretaker,
they believe that after their death,

'they'll also be reincarnated
as "kabbas", or holy rats.'

The holy milk. Yes.
If we are ill... Yes.

...then I come and pray for god,
and that is...

Ah. This milk we drink.
Health is good.

Never diseased, never problem.

Well, I'm glad that you...
I'm glad that you are very healthy.

Yeah, I'm healthy.

RATS SQUEAK

After, we also...
they are, eating food.

This what we want to see.

This food...

FLIES BUZZ

So you are eating the food
that the rats have just eaten?

Yes, I also eat. It's good.
This is "prasad".

And that helps you to stay healthy?
Yes, healthy. No problem.

Very interesting.
Yes.

'Karni Mata is said to have devoted
much of her life to the poor.

'Legend has it that she disappeared,
at the age of 151.

'It was then, in 1438,
that her followers

'began building the temple
in her honour.'

So this is a prayer
to the goddess of this temple?

Inside it is church
for goddess.

And is this food being brought
by people who come to worship here?

Yeah,
the foods they have brought here.

So they come to worship,
they bring food for the rats...

Yes, yes. ..and they bring food
in honour of the goddess? Yes.

BELL RINGS
This goddess demands

copious quantities of food
and offerings!

'The shrine is intricate and ornate.

'But, as a non-Hindu,

'this is as close
as I'm allowed to get.'

It seems to have a lot
to do with feel and touch,

and ringing of bells.

Everybody wants to get close
to the goddess.

Hello!
Hello.

BELL RINGS
Hello.

Ah, there you go again,
somebody ringing the bell.

'As well as attracting worshippers,
the temple also draws

'curious visitors
from around the world.'

I think it's also interesting

that this... temple is run
on strict commercial lines.

I can see what people are obliged
to pay for bringing in mobiles,

OI' CGITIGFBS, OI' ITIOViE CGITIBFBS.

I can't help but wonder
what role mobile phones play

in the worship to the goddess.

And this is an example
of the kind of dedication

that people feel to this place.

'From the Middle Ages,
when this temple was built,

'to the modern era
of digital communications,

'the religious faith
that grips India

'shows no sign of loosening.

'Census figures show
that almost 100% of its people

'follow one creed or another.

'Religion has given this country
a culture and customs

'that remain intact.

'Although,
this is one I didn't share.

'But religion has also been
a source of conflict.

'And one that's simmered with
India's close neighbour Pakistan,

'ever since the two countries
split apart.

'It's left its mark here,
close to the border,

'in the most beautiful
of landscapes.'

That's amazing!

'Before our train leaves Bikaner,

'the staff have laid on
a traditional sunset dinner,

'in the Thar desert.

'But while my fellow passengers
prepare for a night of food, drink,

'and entertainment, my interest
is sparked by something else.

'21 years ago, this was the scene
of a story which,

'as a news reporter,
I remember well.

'India carried out a series
of nuclear test explosions here,

'in what was seen as a clear warning
to Pakistan,

'with whom it's been at war
four times in the last 70 years.

'Today, tensions remain high.

'This is one of the few places
in the world

'where two nuclear powers
sit side by side.'

MUSIC PLAYS

'At 77,000 square miles,

'the Thar is almost as large
as England and Scotland combined.

'Yet, this deceptively
serene desert,

'makes up a mere 6%
of India itself.'

This is a great illustration

of the extraordinary vastness
of India.

We've been seeing
maharajas' palaces,

I've been at the rat temple,

and now,
this is a barbecue in the desert.

And I have to
remind myself constantly

that we are only about
less than 100 kilometres

from the Pakistani border.

'The Thar is where India changed
its place in the world order,

'becoming a nuclear state

'and demonstrating
its technological advancement.

'Tomorrow, I'm leaving it behind,

'to explore a place
synonymous with an earlier age.

'The spectacular
pink city of Jaipur,

capital of Rajasthan.'

TRAIN HORN

TREVOR MCDONALD:
'I'm on an unforgettable journey.

'Retracing the travels
of some of the richest,

'most powerful men who ever lived,
the maharajas of India.

'These opulent surroundings

'would have been familiar
to those ancient kings,

'who ruled individual swathes
of this country for centuries.

'Most impressive of all
is the premier bedroom suite,

'which sleeps four,
and occupies an entire carriage.'

So this is the most luxurious suite
on the train? It is, sir.

Yes.
This is the best carriage we have.

This is the presidential suite
of ours.

Where we are standing
is the living room,

to our left and right
we have the bedrooms.

Behind that,
we have a beautiful washroom.

This floor, as you see, is special.

This is Makrana marble,

the marble of which
famous Taj Mahal is made of.

Ah, so this is made of the same
marble as the Taj Mahal? Yes.

The ceiling, if you see,
is hand-painted Rajasthani painting.

The mahogany wood is used.

Which is this. Just here. Yes, sir.
Yeah. It all looks very nice.

And how much would it cost
a couple to stay here?

Approximately,
47,000 US dollars, sir.

That's for eight days
and seven nights.

Which is about £36,000.
Absolutely, sir.

'Or, to put it another way,
just over £5,000 a night.

'For those who can afford
such splendour,

'the train is aptly named.'

The whole idea is to make you feel
like a maharaja,

a very special person.
Maharaja is king of kings.

So people staying here
are very special people

and will be treated with extra care.

They have extra private valet
of theirs,

who is available
around the clock to them,

along with a chauffeur

and a personal guide
at each station,

where they can go
for off-board excursions.

So, if they want to, they can
mix with the other passengers,

but they don't need to?
Any time they can.

This is exclusive.

It is, sir. Wonderful.
Thank you very much, sir.

Well, I envy all those
who have the chance

to stay in the presidential suite!

'To make sure guests receive
the best of everything,

'there's an army of full-time staff.

'Nearly one
for every paying passenger.

'I was taken to see
their living quarters.'

Please come.
So this is where you all live?

Yes. This is the staff car, sir.
Mm-hm.

This is our kitchen area.

Small kitchen area.

We have our staff sitting here
and enjoy their lunch.

Enjoy their lunch.

But it means that only about six
of you can sit here at one time.

Yes, yes, six persons.

So you have to eat in shifts,
as well? Yes, yes.

And our food is making inside.

Yeah. Do they feed you well?

Yes, sir.
You get good food?

Good food, all the time, yes.
Yes. Excellent.

Like in the restaurant!
Like in the restaurant!

'From cooks to cleaners,
from maintenance men to managers,

'all staff members are trained
to the highest standards

'and display
a genuine pride in their work.

'Bansi is a personal valet.'

So how many people
work and live in this carriage?

60 people on board, sir. 60.
60 people? Yes. Yes, sir.

But they don't all live
and sleep in this? No.

In this porch, only,
like, restaurant staff. Yes.

\ Kitchen staff. I

And the maintenance person.
Yes. And the security person.

Yeah, but that's still
a lot of people.

Do people use all these bunks?
Yes, yes.

And how comfortable is that?
Very comfortable.

They don't have any complaint
about the sleeping.

I'm fascinated about who gets
the choice about where to sleep.

Who gets the top bunk,
and who gets the bottom bunk?

BANSI LAUGHS

We all are like a family member.
Yes.

So we never...
HE LAUGHS

You must get along.
You must like each other,

otherwise it could be
very difficult. Yes, yes.

'Despite the limited living space,

'jobs on the train
are highly sought after.

'For those like Bansi,
they offer a glimpse

'into an entirely different world,
from the one in which he grew up.'

I'm very happy.
Yes.

Because of so many
different countries,

people I meet all the time.

So it's totally different
lifetime experience. Yes.

Like, as well as guest
and as well as staff, also. Yes.

Excellent. Thank you very much.
Thank you, sir. Thank you so much.

'12 hours and a 170 miles
after leaving Bikaner,

'we've made an eastward turn
to Jaipur.

'A teeming city with an estimated
3.8 million people,

'and one-time seat of power
for the British,

'once rulers of this state.'

TANNOY ANNOUNCEMENT

Good morning, sir.
Morning, John. How are you?

Watch your step, sir.
Yeah, thank you.

'The British took control
of Jaipur in 1818

'and stayed until 1947.

'The Empire may be long gone,
but the welcome remains the same.'

The red carpet,
which we see everywhere.

Yes, sir. All the time,
the red carpet for you.

HE LAUGHS
That's very flattering, thank you.

My... my problem is I might
get too accustomed to this

and expect it when I get home,
and it wouldn't be there!

HE LAUGHS

'It's easy to see why Jaipur
is known as the "Pink City".

'A 19th-century maharaja

'ordered all the main buildings
to be painted this shade,

'in honour of Britain's
future King Edward VII,

'then visiting
as the Prince of Wales.

'But, as I arrive,
the colour that greets us is grey.'

RUMBLE OF THUNDER
Oh!

Oh, my God!

'Today, Jaipur is booming,
thanks, in part, to tourism.

'Along with Delhi and Agra,

'it forms India's,
so-called, Golden Triangle.'

CAR HORNS BEEP
Oh! Oh, look at this!

'It's more than 30 years
since I was last in India,

'but as the rain clears,

'scenes like this
are unmistakably familiar.'

Whenever I think of travelling
through major Indian cities,

this is the kind of traffic chaos
that I remember.

There were probably fewer cars
on the road then,

but the sense of disorder,
the chaos, still goes on.

But, it works!
And people still get around.

In a sense, everything is newer
but old patterns remain.

Everybody is buying
or selling something.

The streets are all lined,
on either side,

with some kind of
commercial activity.

In a way, it does explain
why this economy continues to grow.

'Like the buildings,

'the streets and marketplaces
are a riot of colour,

'as is the dress.

'Just like their ancestors,

'the Indians of today
wear vibrant clothes that symbolise

'a whole range of moods,
emotions and beliefs.

'For centuries, they were woven,
dyed and decorated individually

'by skilled artisans,
working from home.

'But now, they're churned out
on an industrial scale.

'Factories like this are where
the old and new India meet.

'The craft of block printing
may be an ancient one,

'but owner Hemant
is keeping it alive

'with modern business methods.'

How long have you been doing it?

We started this in 2001,
and now, around 19 years. Yeah.

And the principle is fairly simple,
isn't it?

You put the dye on and then somebody
has to measure it carefully and...

Yes. And then hit.

And a degree
of precision is involved

because when you do this one here,

it has to be absolutely...
Next to it.

...because the design
has to be continuous.

Look like continuous,
it should not look like a join,

too much of joints.
Yes. That's an art. Yes. Yeah.

'The fabrics are washed
and laid out to dry.

'Staff then cut them to size
and prepare the colours,

'leaving it to the artisans
to begin their work.

'Hemant has two factories,

'using both natural
and synthetic dyes for printing.'

This is where you put the colour in?
Yes.

So let's see how you do it.

It's fantastic.

I can see he has to be
very, very precise doing this.

He makes it look easy!

Now, here's a question, does...
does anybody make mistakes?

Yes. Yeah?
There's a lot of mistakes,

but within a range
of mistakes is acceptable,

if it beyond that, then,
is rejected pieces. Yes.

Because the key thing
is the precision? Precision, yes.

After that,
it will go in the sun for drying.

You put it outside?
Yeah.

Sun play very important role
in natural dyes. Yeah.

If the sun is bright
then you get bright colours.

If the sun is dull,
you get a dull colour.

I never would have thought that
that distinction was possible

just by where you put it out to dry.
Yes.

'Despite overseas competition,
especially from China,

'the business is expanding.

'This factory
exports to nine countries.

'Modern technology
may power India's economy,

'but it's heartening to see skills,

'that go all the way
back to the 12th century,

'thriving in the 21st.'

Well, I'm going to try one of these,

in the knowledge that my future
in no way depends on it!

Pick the colour.
Oh, pick the colour, first.

One more time. Yes.

One more.

\ Yes, now picks... l

Pick-up?
Yeah.

Wow, and you can't see the join!

I'm very pleased with myself
about this. Thank you. Thanks.

'Some aspects of Indian life
are immutable.'

COW MOOS

'Cattle,
considered sacred by Hindus,

'continue to roam freely,

'able to go wherever they please...

'..holding up traffic,
even in rush hour.

'But there's another,
so-called, "holy animal"

'that hasn't fared so well.'

Oh, my goodness me.

What is in front of us here?

'Despite their importance

'in the country's religion
and culture,

'elephants have long been exploited,

'held captive, abused
and used for entertainment.

'Although there ARE laws
to prevent it,

'mistreatment is still evident.

'But as India advances,
and international pressure grows,

'the movement to protect
these animals gains strength.'

Tell me the story of this first one
we are looking at here.

This elephant here,

her name is Anu,
she is 19 years old.

'Rahul helps to run
this elephant sanctuary in Jaipur.'

Here's a big question,

how do you know
whether they are contented?

How do you know
whether they're happy?

In general, they always
keep themselves occupied.

Yes. Some certain activities.
They never stay still.

Yes. Ears flapping continual,
tails swinging all the time.

That's a sign of happiness?

Legs up and down, back and forwards.
Yes.

Trunks swinging, eating,
eyes blinking.

Good state. They're doing nothing
but eating at the moment.

See her flapping ears?
Flapping ears, too.

HE LAUGHS
Tail is swinging.

'As a tourist industry veteran,

'Rahul has seen it first hand
how elephants are exploited.

'Sadly, it's all too common.'

And where do they come from?

Sir, some of them are born here,
grew up here in my family.

Some are rescued, sir.
Some are from circuses...

You've had some from circuses?
Yes.

Do the caretakers
have to get trained

in how they treat the animals?

Sir, have you heard about
the caste system in India? Yes.

We are from a caste
called "mahouts". OK.

"Mahout" means "elephant riders".
"Caretakers".

Oh, right! So this is our job
from our generations.

Father, grandfather...
So you, and these people,

have a long association
with these animals?

Surely, sir. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

'The Asian elephant is now
officially an endangered species.

'So the manner in which tourists

'are allowed to come
into contact with them,

'even in so-called
"ethical sanctuaries" like this one,

'is controversial.

'Rahul says elephant rides
are not allowed here.

'Visitors are sometimes permitted
to paint the animals,

'even that practice
has been criticised.'

Her name is Shaku. Shaku.
Yes. Yes.

She's 28.
28, yes.

Is she looking at us now?
Can she see us?

Yeah.
Yes, I can see those eyes on me.

Saying, "Who is this man?
And what's he doing to us here?"

Wonderful.

Their skin is rather softer
than I thought. Sir, yeah, it is.

'Although it's argued that keeping
any elephant in captivity is wrong,

'the majority of animals
which have been rescued

'have lost the ability
to survive in the wild.'

I never thought
I'd be in such close proximity

to anything like this.

They're huge things, aren't they?

She wants some more sugar cane.
Oh, she wants some more sugar cane?

Let's not stand
in the way of her food!

How much do they eat?

On an average, an adult elephant,
sir, up to 200 kilograms every day.

Wow. Yeah.
That's a lot.

And I'm sure they appreciate
very much

what you are doing on their behalf.

Thank you.
Thank you.

'It's a privilege to be allowed

'to get so close
to these beautiful animals.

'And those looking after them

'do seem genuine
in their care and affection.

'But there's still a long way to go

'to protect
these magnificent creatures.

'It seems a fitting end
to my day in Jaipur.'

Look at that sunset now.

'Tomorrow, my train
takes me to Agra,

'and to one of the wonders
of the man-made world.

'Sadly,
we discover its future is at risk.

TRAIN HORN

TREVOR MCDONALD: 'I'm now a week
into my visit to India.'

KNOCKING

Thank you very much.

Tea and biscuits,
a nice way to start the day.

Any time you call me,
I'm 24-hours available for you.

Yes, thank you very much.
Thank you, sir.

'I've covered
more than a thousand miles,

'travelling as the maharajas
would have done.

'It might be one of the world's
most luxurious trains,

'serving the finest food and drink,

'and offering the most comfortable
of living quarters.

'But, however sumptuous
the inner surroundings,

'you can never ignore what's on
the other side of the glass.'

Looking out of this window,
it's difficult...

to believe
that these are the surrounds.

Miles and miles of slums.

'That such poverty still exists,

'is one of the tragedies
of today's India.

'In the last decade, average incomes
and living standards have soared.

'Yet, an estimated
70 million of its people

'still live
on less than £1.50 a day.'

It's depressing to think
that anyone can possibly survive

in conditions like these.

'Such conditions
can be found throughout India.

'Including Agra, our next stop.

'But this city is also home
to the country's greatest treasure.

'Every year,
millions come to see the Taj Mahal,

'and I'm here
to discover more about it.

'From Agra station,
it's a 20-minute journey

'to this wonder
of the modern world.'

Is this always the time

that people go to the Taj,
in the morning? Yes. Yes, sir.

I can see why.
It's sunlight is magical.

Yes.

There's a distinct thrill

going to it at this time
in the morning, isn't there? Yes.

Yeah. In fact,
blindingly beautiful sunlight!

THEY LAUGH

'Part of the journey
can be done by cab.'

Good morning.
Thank you.

So please, you can have a seat here.
Thank you so much.

Lovely, thank you.

'For environmental reasons,

'all petrol
and diesel-powered vehicles

'are banned
from its immediate surroundings.

'So, for the last third of a mile,
my transport is electric.'

Yep, OK.

This is the way, my dear friend.
Yeah, thank you.

'Your first glimpse
of the majestic Taj Mahal

'comes as you walk toward
the gatehouse.

'The central dome
soars 240 feet into the sky.

'But not until you emerge from
this cramped and crowded walkway,

'does the Taj Mahal
shine in all its glory.'

There's no question
that this is probably

one of the most stunning views
in all the world.

And looking at the old Taj
in the morning sunlight

is absolutely stunning.

No wonder crowds of people,
from all over the world,

come here every day,

just for one glimpse
of this most glorious scene.

'The Taj Mahal
was literally a labour of love.

'The 17th-century ruler Shah Jahan

'ordered it to be built
to honour his wife Mumtaz,

'who had died
giving birth to their 14th child.

'He resolved to lay her to rest

'in a place of unparalleled beauty.

'And this is what he came up with.

'A shimmering marble mausoleum

'that cost an estimated
32 million Indian rupees,

'well over half a billion pounds
in today's money.'

How long did it take to build?
The Taj Mahal took 22 years,

and 20,000 workers
worked to build this place.

And why it took so long,
reason is the workmanship.

The white marble
is from Makrana, which is,

like, 360 kilometres from here.

The red sandstone
is from Fatehpur Sikri,

which is 40 kilometres from here.

So it all had to be brought in?
Yes.

It's an absolute stunning,
stunning aspect... Ah-ha.

...to look at the Taj Mahal...
Right.

...in the glorious morning sunlight.
Right.

'As befitting a place of love,

'countless couples come here
to be photographed together.

'But, in 1992, it was the setting
for something different.

'In a highly symbolic pose,

'Princess Diana
chose to be pictured alone.

'Not only
did it send a clear message

'that her marriage to Prince Charles
was in deep trouble,

'unintentionally,
it had consequences

'for the monument itself.'

I came here for the first time

long before
that famous Diana picture was taken,

which was shown
all over the world.

And I've often wondered
over the years

how Indians regarded that image

as something which publicised
something so central

to the culture of this country.

Well, I've discovered that they are,

the Indians,
are quite pleased about it

because it has made the Taj Mahal
immensely more popular.

'But popularity comes with a price.

'Eight million people
come here every year.

'Pollution and fumes
discolour and crack the marble.'

Thank you very much
for agreeing to talk to us.

'As the authorities strive
to clean and restore it,

'Indian environmentalists
are calling for stronger action.'

So, if you look at Agra right now,
as we imagine,

the number of tourists that
actually come to visit Taj Mahal,

but you still see so much garbage.

So there's so much of international
attention that Agra gets,

but there's garbage on the roads,

there's plastic burning
that is happening,

the river is completely stinking,

there are factories,

there are coal-fired factories
all around,

there's vehicles that are...

there's no pollution under control
to check on these vehicles,

these two-wheelers or four-wheelers.

So it's a complete mess.

And Agra, in many, many ways,
is the story of each and every city.

And imagine, by 2030,

almost 70% of India is actually...
will be living in cities.

Agra is a microcosm
of emerging India.

'The pollution,
caused by tourists and locals,

'is most evident
in the Yamuna River,

'which flows next to the site.

'Today, it's a rancid repository
of industrial and household waste.

'The insects that thrive here,

'swarm over the monument
in such numbers

'that they've created
patches of brown and green

'on the famous white exterior.'

I thought that there was
a more concerted plan of action,

to deal with most of this pollution
because it began to be recognised

as something
which needed to be dealt with.

See, no doubt there is
a grown narrative around pollution.

There's more discussion,
there are more schemes,

but, unless and until
my river is drinkable,

my air is breathable,
my children are healthy,

things will not improve.

Things need to be really,
be concrete on the ground

and that's missing in our policy
and in our action.

'Seeing the Taj Mahal
on a perfect morning like this,

'it's hard to believe
that its integrity is under threat.

'But it is.

'In 2018, India's Supreme Court

'ordered the government
to take urgent steps to protect it.

'Hopefully, it's not too late.'

TRAIN HORN

TREVOR MCDONALD: 'Eight days
after I first stepped on board

'the Maharajas' Express,

'this most incredible train
is now taking me

'on the last 122 miles
of my journey to India's capital.

'It's early morning,
and we are about to arrive in Delhi.

'Like all passengers on board,

'I've come to view the staff
on the train almost as friends.

'That's especially true
of the Head Chef, John.'

Thank you so much.
You've cooked superbly for us.

Thank you ever so much, sir.
I hope you had a good trip, sir.

I'll always remember this trip.
God bless you, sir.

And I hope I get the chance,
by some means...

Sir, do visit us again, please.

If I win the lottery,
I'll come back to see you.

Thank you ever so much.
Thank you.

'The train will now
be cleaned, serviced,

'and restocked
with another four tons of food,

'before embarking on its journey
all over again.

'But I still have
the last leg of mine to complete.

'And it's something
of a personal pilgrimage.'

Driving through
the major cities of India,

you get so fixated by the congestion

and by the chaos of traffic,

that driving through New Delhi,
you would never believe

that they're both parts
of the same country.

This is entirely different.

'And that's because the city,
actually a district of old Delhi,

'is barely 90 years old.

'It's foundation was laid
by George V,

'then Emperor of India,

'and became the capital in 1931.

'It's the seat
of India's government,

'and the final resting place
of the man

'who helped to make possible
the creation of this country.

'Mahatma Gandhi
led the independence movement

'against British colonial rule.

'His commitment
to non-violent struggle

'inspired one of my own heroes,
Martin Luther King,

'and the many other civil rights
campaigners who came after.'

This is where he slept.

'I've come to meet
his great-granddaughter

'Sukanya Bharatram,

'at the home
where he spent his final months.

'This picture
shows him a few yards away

'from where I'm standing.'

This is where Mahatma Gandhi lived
and where he had his meetings.

Where everyone,
from the Prime Minister,

to Mountbatten,

to anybody you can think of...
They all came to see him here?

And they all came to see him

and they all sat on the floor,
the way he sat.

It's extraordinary
to be in the same area. Yes.

'Gandhi moved here
shortly after Britain's withdrawal,

'in August, 1947.

'As his country was partitioned,

'into Hindu dominated India
and Muslim majority Pakistan,

'at least half a million people
were killed

'in bitter religious riots.

'Gandhi, as ever, preached peace.'

This lawn was where
he gave his evening prayers.

Oh, I see! So this is where...

So people congregated
all around here? Yes, yes.

They congregated here,

very often they spilled over
onto the bigger lawn.

And that was a room that he,

where those windows,
those French windows... Yes.

...on that side, yes.
Yeah, he came out?

So he used to come out from there
and walk from here.

That is where he sat...
OK. ..to give his sermon.

And this was... So this place
would be filled with people?

Yes.
That is amazing.

'Gandhi's efforts
to end religious strife

'made him
an easy target for extremists.

'And on January 30th, 1948,
one of them struck.

'At 5:17 in the afternoon,

'the 78-year-old leader
emerged from his room

'and walked down this path
to his regular evening prayers.

'Among the crowd that knelt
and bowed down before him,

'was an Hindu nationalist gunman,
who pulled out a concealed weapon.

'Firing three times,
he killed his victim instantly.

'The assassination
sent tremors across the world.

'There was civil unrest.

'India went into mourning
for 13 days.'

The sense of grief
and deep profound shock

among his immediate family

must have been something
they had to live with

for such a long time
Yes.

It was... it was
a terrible sense of loss. Mm-hm.

And I don't think

I can quite describe the grief.

I can only describe it by saying
that nobody wants to talk about it.

No. At least those
who were there at that time.

'Today, the spot where Gandhi died

'is immortalised as Martyr's Column.

'These concrete footprints
represent his last steps.'

I mean, he was assassinated,
his physical body,

but his message of nonviolence...

Lived on.
..lives on.

He is not dead because he's quoted,

he's referred to, he's... mentioned.

His philosophy lives on.
His philosophy lived on.

'It's been 71 years
since those fatal shots rang out,

'robbing India
of its most revered leader.

'In that time, the country
he led to independence

'has advanced with increasing speed.

'On this trip, I've been privileged
to witness much of that country,

'and from a vantage point
I never could have imagined.

'From the teeming streets
of Mumbai...'

Everywhere you look
there's industry.

People are doing things.
Everybody is on the move.

'..To the splendour of Udaipur.'

It's built on an island.

'India has said goodbye
to the once all-powerful maharajas.'

We were made to look small,
from being privileged people.

And the whole thing,
it was a bit of a dampener.

'But some things refuse to go away.

'Like the deprivation,
still all too evident,

'both in the cities...

'and in the driest of rural fields.

'India is on a mission to become,
not just an economic force,

'but a new world superpower.

'Embracing the future,
and facing outwards,

'while doggedly holding on

'to centuries-old traditions
and customs.

'Yet, its greatest challenge,
probably lies ahead.

'How to build a prosperous nation,

'while ensuring
the most disadvantaged

'share in the benefits.

'Gandhi himself said,

"The future depends
on what we do today".'

CHILDREN: Bye! Bye!

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