In Luxor, I stepped onto the red carpet, walking up the marble staircase in my dhoti, kurta, shawl, and jutti. This was no ordinary staircase—it had been graced by the likes of King Farouk of Egypt, Howard Carter, Jacqueline Kennedy, King Juan Carlos of Spain, Princess Caroline of Monaco, Lady Diana of United Kingdom, Hollywood actor Richard Gere, and President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner of Argentina. At the Royal Bar of the Winter Palace (now a Sofitel Hotel) in Luxor, the waiter greeted me with a polite “Monsieur, votre champagne.” Sitting in a corner near the towering window and enjoying my champagne, I couldn’t help but reflect on my incredible journey through Egypt.
Visiting Egyptian Temples & Sailing Down the Nile:
As I sailed down the Nile, I eventually arrived in Luxor, where I took a balloon ride over the Valley of the Kings. I marveled at the obelisk in Egypt, which made me appreciate the one in Paris even more, and explored numerous temples throughout the region.
One of my first stops was the Temple of Hatshepsut, often referred to as the Pharaoh Queen. On the way back to the river, I passed the magnificent Colossi of Memnon—two imposing statues of Pharaoh Amenhotep III. Walking in the footsteps of history, I made my way to the East Bank of Luxor to visit the grand Karnak Temple, dedicated to the sun god Amun of the New Kingdom.
We then sailed to Kom Ombo, where I explored temples dedicated to both the crocodile god Sobek and the falcon-headed god Horus. Another unforgettable experience was visiting the Temple of Horus at Edfu, which, with its crowd of people from all over the world, reminded me of visiting the Kali Temple in Kolkata, India.
But the most awe-inspiring temple I visited was Abu Simbel. These massive rock-cut temples in southern Egypt, near the Sudanese border, are a testament to the might of Ramses II. Holding the key to the temple, shaped like an ank (symbolizing good luck), was an experience I’ll never forget. This site, dedicated to the Sun God, was nothing short of magical similar to my visit to the Hindu Sun temple of Konark, Odisha, India.
I also visited Aswan, often referred to as the “Land of Gold,” which has long been an important center for the ancient Nubian kings. The Nubian Museum is a treasure trove of artifacts from the region, though I missed some of its highlights due to my time spent sailing on the Nile.
Mapping Egypt’s Indian Connection:
A fascinating part of my journey involved discovering the ancient links between Egypt and India through my reading. In Oxyrhynchus, an ancient Egyptian city, papyrus fragments were found with a phrase that read, “bere koncha madhu patrakke haki,” which loosely translates to “put the booze in another cup.” This line from an Egyptian play reveals a strong connection to South India.
Bernard Grenfell and Arthur Hunt, two British scholars, wrote about the flourishing trade between India and Egypt during the Roman Empire. Spices and luxury goods, particularly black pepper, were exchanged between these two regions. The pepper, primarily sourced from Tamil Nadu, was transported to Egypt through the ports of Muziris (modern-day Pattanam in Kerala) and Kaveripattinam. This trade was largely controlled by the Chola, Pandya, and Chera dynasties, with Tamil merchants playing a key role. Ancient Egyptian records also mention black pepper, and it is even said that Ramses II had pepper in his nostrils when he passed away over 3,200 years ago. Egypt based Greek writer Ptolemy’s Geography and the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea wrote about trade connection between Africa , Europe and India.
In Luxor, I spotted a painting titled Dor Bengalishe Tiger, which reminded me of the cultural connections between Egypt and India. While I missed visiting the Indian palace in Cairo, built by the German Indologist Eugen Hultszch, I was struck by the presence of India’s rich historical connections in Egypt.
Bye! Bye! Cairo: 
My time in Cairo, guided by the brilliant Egyptologist Ronda and assisted by Samara and armed guards, was equally mesmerizing. We visited the Egyptian Museum, where I marveled at the treasures of Tutankhamun and finally saw the famed bust of Nefertiti in her homeland. Nefertiti, the queen of the 18th Dynasty, remains an iconic figure, and seeing her image in Egypt was an experience I’ll treasure forever.
While in Cairo, I also encountered the face of Queen Ti, the Nubian queen, whose darker complexion reflected her Nubian roots. The Nubians, indigenous to northern Sudan and southern Egypt, are one of the earliest known civilizations in the Nile Valley. It was a profound moment to witness these ancient figures, whose faces tell the stories of a rich and complex heritage.
In the Great Egyptian Museum, I marveled at the collection of artifacts, mummies, and artistic works that tell the tale of a seven-thousand-year-old civilization. The Coptic churches of Cairo also gave me a glimpse into the Christian history of the city, where Christ is said to have lived for a time with his parents.
Of course, no visit to Egypt would be complete without seeing the Pyramids of Giza. Standing before them, I felt an overwhelming sense of awe, as though I had stepped back into history. And in my Sabyasachi jutti, I stepped into the Sahara Desert, flew over the Red Sea, and marveled at the Suez Canal. It was a perfect end to a Bengali Babu’s Egyptian adventure.