Operas in Oman and other stories

A question nags me through the four days that I spend in Oman. Why does this tiny west Asian country rarely find a place on the Indian traveller’s list of must-visit places? The trip to Muscat, its capital, makes me wonder why, since the city has all that one associates with the region. There are beaches and souks, well-laid-out roads and cultural hotspots, as well as ancient cities and mosques.

And there is more.

Oman has mountains, which are difficult to imagine elsewhere in the Gulf region. Another plus is that language is not a problem, for there is a large Indian-origin population in Oman. And connectivity is not an issue either, as several flights take you from different parts of India to Muscat.

Arriving at Muscat airport is like reaching any airport in India, for you are greeted by a State Bank of India foreign exchange counter just after you have cleared immigration and customs. There are signs in Hindi — and other Indian languages — in many places, including the duty free shops.

But the high point of my visit is a one-and-a-half-hour drive from Muscat to Nizwa, an ancient city in the Ad Dakhiliyah region of northern Oman. From Nizwa, the mountains seem to be at a touching distance.

Pick and choose: At the market in Nizwa, mud water coolers are available in plenty

A walk through the Nizwa Fort provides some very scenic photo opportunities, with the mountains in the background. And the beautifully maintained fort is a sight for sore eyes, too. The huge cylindrical tower was built in the 17th century to defend the city. Like Muscat, Nizwa too has a souk (marketplace) selling handicrafts, with silversmiths working in small shops.

Driving back from Nizwa on a Saturday, a weekly holiday in Oman, we also get a feel of traffic jams in the country. “People must have gone out of Muscat for the weekend and are returning home, so they can get back to work tomorrow,” our tour guide explains as the bus inches its way through the snarls. But once the jam clears, the bus is back to driving at a high speed, sometimes even exceeding 110 kmph.

Next comes a dhow ride. We are allowed to steer the boat under the watchful eye of the captain as we sail in the Gulf of Oman. The open water tour takes us along the Muttrah Corniche as we follow Muscat’s coastline before heading into the Gulf of Oman. The differently shaped and sized stone formations jutting out of the water make for a pretty sight as we cruise along, tucking into our packed lunches.

When the captain realises that we are from India, he jokes that if we had hired the dhow for a few hours more, we could have reached Mumbai. “We do not have jet engines so it will take some time, but we’ll get to Mumbai,” he laughs.

One, of course, doesn’t have to take a dhow to Muscat. It is well-connected by air to different parts of India. Oman Air has direct flights from Muscat to 11 Indian cities including Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram; Indian carriers Jet Airways, Air India Express and IndiGo too connect various Indian cities to Muscat.

Another eye-opener in Oman is the opera. Muscat is one of the few places in West Asia where you can watch one. The opera season is between September and May, and one can watch an opera seated on chairs with folding backs, or from small private balconies. We watched Sleeping Beauty , performed by the State Ballet of Georgia.

Aside from the beauty of the fabulous performances, the Royal Opera House by itself is worth a visit. The eight-storeyed structure (three floors below ground) has on display costumes worn by various artistes. Its high ceilings feature intricate artwork and the steps leading to the stage are majestic. There is also a section where treasures from around the world, including artefacts from China, are displayed.

In a perfect blend of tradition and modernity the Royal Opera House is also the city’s flagship shopping destination, with shops selling almost all the international brands in fashion, perfumes and gems and jewellery.

Clickbait: The beautifully maintained Nizwa Fort provides very scenic photo opportunities with the mountains in the background

The opera is very popular in the city, we learn. Half the population of Oman is below 25 years of age and they love an evening out. Oman also has a very strong presence of foreigners. Many of the people who were watching the ballet along with us were foreigners, quite a few of them South Asians. The city gets its cosmopolitan vibe from its mix of people of varying ages and descent.

From the Opera House, we stroll down for an Omani meal at the Al Angham restaurant. The fine-dining restaurant serves authentic Omani cuisine including dishes such as shiwa , spicy roasted meat, harees, a paste of wheat and meat, and jareesh — a crushed wheat and rice dish. The food is served in specially crafted silverware, which celebrates the Sultanate’s heritage. I am a vegetarian by choice, but find the meat dishes absolutely delicious and the sauces tasty and flavoursome.

However, if you would rather have familiar Indian dishes, there are plenty of options for you. Indian restaurants are common in Muscat and the popular south Indian eatery Sarvana Bhavan has a number of branches in the city. There are a great many other Indian restaurants too, such as Mughlai Zaika and the Star of Cochin. We skip those, for we have a packed itinerary and there are a few other places on our list that we cannot miss.

The first of these is the Muttrah Souq, right opposite the sea. A traditional market that sells Omani and Indian artefacts, antiques, jewellery, clothes, perfumes, saffron and knick-knacks, it reminds me of the bazaars in Indian cities. You must bargain here, and don’t be surprised when you find shop owners conversing freely in Hindi. In fact, Hindi is spoken and understood widely across the city. To top it, the Indian currency is accepted in many places (including the airport duty-free area). And there is no dearth of vegetarian food.

The Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque is next on the list. The mosque, which is visible from several places in Muscat, has three areas — the men’s and women’s prayer rooms and a library. The men’s prayer room has an eye-catching item — a spectacular chandelier in the centre of the ceiling. Weighing 8.5 tonnes, it is 14 metres long and features 600,000 Swarovski crystals. And it is plated in 24-carat gold. Our guide tells us that it took the craftsmen more than four years to create the chandelier.

The mosque is beautifully designed with high ceilings and open, airy rooms. You can see intricately carved statutes and magnificently designed and bound copies of the Quran placed in alcoves in the walls and in the ante-rooms. Our guide tells us that the beautiful, hand-woven carpet on display is the second largest in the world. The mosque also has well-manicured lawns. This is the only mosque in Muscat that allows non-Muslims to enter, and they can visit between 8 am and 11 am on all days, except Fridays.

The Grand Mosque, however, is the only place that is free. Muscat is a very expensive city. A standard dhow ride in the harbour, for example, costs anywhere from $40 to $170 (₹2,800-12,138), depending on the length of the tour (hourly, half-day and full-day) and the time of day. A sunset ride will cost you $70 (₹4,998). The currency exchange also does not favour Indian travellers as 1 Oman Riyal is valued at ₹183.8

You also need to get a visa before you can visit Muscat. A 10-day single entry visa for an Indian visitor costs ₹7,500. But as in most other cities, the advantage in Muscat is that it offers a traveller various price brackets for food and lodging.

So, you can rough it out, if you wish, or soak in luxury. And there is, indeed, much to see in the city.

(The writer was in Oman at the invitation of the Oman Aviation Group)

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