Search for grandfather’s grave leads to Tempo’s new India product

A search for a grandfather’s grave in semi-arid Rajasthan is behind Tempo Holidays adding maharajah hunting lodges to its new India Sri Lanka brochure, the company’s second.

Tempo Holidays’ General Manager Product and India Sri Lanka brochure product manager, Nigel Loveday has British Raj family connections going back through four generations of continuous association.

“I found his grave at Ajmer, close to Pushkar which is famous for its camel fair in October,” he said. “In the process, I discovered some wonderful palaces and hunting lodges off the tourist track which we have been able to introduce in our new brochure.”

One example is a new 15 days Villages, Palaces and Monuments package which combines the best of Rajasthan with Agra and Delhi from $2265 per person share twin, or in heritage style using a selection of converted palaces from $4590.

As a result of previous associations with India as a product manager and tour escort, Nigel Loveday has made “over a dozen” trips to India over 20 years.

“When Gary and Susan (Hearst) decided to develop India product to broaden the company’s selling seasons, I stepped forward quickly and I must say I have enjoyed very much this reunion,” Mr Loveday said.

So much has changed in India over the last few years, both in general economic terms and in areas which directly affect tourists, he said … better vehicles, more hotels, better domestic air network, fast express trains, better communication to name a just few. However, hotel space can still be difficult to obtain, such is the increased demand.

In most recent times, Mr Loveday’s family was in Bombay (Mumbai now) where his father was in the police, but initially he came from Rajasthan and spent his early years in Ajmer where his father died.

“I have been to Jaipur often, but never had the time to go to Ajmer, so on my most recent trip I decided, with scant information and a photograph dating from the thirties, to try to find the grave. On visiting the the parish church, I was amazed to find all the old records in the vestry. It was like a journey through time, as the book contained handwritten records for the year I needed including the essential details of the cemetery, and the plot number. It was then simply a matter of locating both with some local help. I suppose it was at that moment that I really reconnected with India.”

Originally Mr Loveday’s family came from England with records showing they were in Bangalore in the 1800s.

“On past visits I have found my great-grandfather’s house, which still stands,” he said.

“It is probably unusual for the connection to be continuous as most British tended to go back to England from time to time.”

“In earlier years, I came across other connections, but as the years go on these are becoming less.”

Report by The Mole