A DIWALI VACATION IN JORDAN – AMMAN 19 OCTOBER 2025

Roya Downtown Hotel does not have a restaurant and hence, breakfast was not part of the tariff. When an early start to the day is contemplated, it works out fine, as it did today. After a light breakfast of the orange and cookies I had with me, I set out at 7.30 am for the Amman Citadel. A comprehensive tour of the Citadel, the Roman Theatre and Nymphaeum were on the agenda for the morning.

The guy at the reception explained the route to me and I set out on a leisurely walk to the Citadel. At places the roads were steep and traffic congestion had already begun. Taxi drivers hooted loudly and a couple of them approached me for a tour of the city in their vehicle. There is a lookout point on the way to the Citadel from where you get a superb view of the city and the Roman Theatre. I also lost count of the number of murals I photographed on the way.

I also missed my way to the Citadel in the face of admiring all the sights on the way. I stopped a young man and asked him for directions. I followed the directions he gave me for some time, and then remembered that there was a staircase a short distance behind me, which perhaps was a shortcut to the Citadel. When I was about to take the staircase, the young man, from whom I had taken directions a while ago, stopped his car and told me that he could drop me at the Amman Citadel as he was going to work and his route went past the Citadel.

Ramzi, that was his name, told me of his business friend in Saudi Arabia, who also hailed from Kerala, India. He said that Jordanian men have to work for 20 hours to put food on the table. I was reminded of the taxi driver, who had picked me from the airport yesterday, who also echoed a similar work life requirement.

Ramzi was my angel of the day; the climb was so steep that it would have exhausted me before I arrived at the Citadel. Ramzi traded in jackets and told me that markup in retail outlets could be as much as 200 percent and more! He dropped me at the entrance to the Citadel and gave me his number so that I could get in touch in case of any need. People like Ramzi are the brand ambassadors of a country.

The Citadel National Historic Site is one of Amman's earliest known habitations, contemporaneous with the Nile Valley and Mesopotamian civilizations. The influences in the Citadel span the Middle Bronze Age, Iron Age, Hellenistic, Persian, Roman, Byzantine and Arab Muslim periods. The Citadel is like an open air museum where one can walk though time and civilizations. The fortifications across civilizations are another matter of interest. The Citadel complex also houses the first national archaeological museum with displays ranging across 5000 years.

It took me more than 3 hours to go around the whole complex without a guide. This is one of the few historic sites I have seen so excellently signposted and described. Actually, one does not require a guide if one has the patience to read and absorb the importance of the description.

The foundations of heritage houses, the Byzantine period houses, the amazing rainwater harvesting methods and underground water distribution channels, the ancient tomb caves, the Temenos Gates of the Roman period, Ayyubide watchtower, inscription of the St. George's Church, lime kiln of the Umayyad period, the olive press, the Byzantine church, the Umayyad Mosque and Palace, colonnaded street are all fascinating.

It was a massive history lesson compressed into a few hours. One thing though is the richness of sculptures and paintings found in ancient Indian temples and stepwells; they are far superior to what can be seen in these civilizations. One thing common across civilizations is the effort taken to harness rainwater and distribute it. The Indus valley civilization sites too demonstrate this.

The showpiece of the Citadel is the Temple of Hercules, which is thought to be the most significant Roman structure within the Amman Citadel. According to an inscription, the temple was built in the second century AD, during the same time as when the Roman Theatre was built. There is also a school of thought that believes that the temple was never fully finished. Whatever be the case, it sure is an eye-catching structure, or what remains of it.

Leaving the Citadel I walked past the highly recommended cafe, the Dar Na'meh, an initiative by a group of local women. The Roman Theatre is at the heart of the city, directly below the Citadel. There are a few flights of stairs that serves as a shortcut from the Citadel to the Roman Theatre. I took the stairs, leisurely going through the amazing works on display in the Amman Panorama Galleries. They support over 45 local artisans and the works on display, mostly of day-to-day Jordanian life and the heritage attractions in the country, as well as mosaics, ceramics, handicrafts and textiles. I picked up a couple of small ceramics and fridge magnets for gifting.

At the foot of the last flight of stairs I stepped on to the road to cross it to reach the Roman Theatre. I waited for quite some time for the traffic to ease up. When I finally reached the other side of the road taxi driver cum guide put his hand on my shoulder, smiled and said, "Friend, in Amman, when you want to cross the road, walk. Only then the vehicles will stop." Of course, he wanted to talk me into hiring his taxi for a city tour. I told him that I was almost done for the day. However, his practical tip served me well in Amman.

The Roman Theatre was built in the period 138-161 CE, during the reign of Roman emperor Antoninus Pius. Amman was then known as Philadelphia , after its Ptolemaic ruler, Philadelphus. The magnificent masterpiece was designed to be northerly-oriented, to keep the sun off its spectators, and could seat up to 6,000 people on its steep stairs. 

The government of Jordan started restoring the theatre in 1957. Even though none of the original material was used in the process, the final outcome is certainly impressive. Today, the Roman Theatre is in use for performances, concerts, and events. The acoustics is excellent. I found it awfully taxing on the knees and thighs to climb up to the top of the theatre, step after step to the 44th row.

Next to the Roman Theatre is the Odeon, which is a smaller theatre with a seating capacity of 500. The 20,000 sq metre Hashemite plaza, which includes the remnants of the erstwhile Forum, is a popular spot for locals. At the time of my visit, a group of school children, supervised by vigilant teachers, were enjoying some time out of their classrooms, talking, dancing and playing pranks.

On the way to the Roman Nymphaeum, my nose picked up the scent of freshly baked bread. I spied it soon enough and walked in to see the 'just off the oven' products. I picked up two buns, and a date filled bread before getting to the restored Nymphaeum. Built in AD 191, this elaborate public fountain was once a large, two-storey complex with water features, mosaics, stone carvings and possibly a 600-sq-metre swimming pool – all dedicated to the nymphs.

A short stroll through the throbbing downtown streets of Amman, past the glittering gold souq, I reached the Grand Husseini Mosque with a cup of the most awesome sugarcane juice I had ever had, which I picked up from a vendor who crushed two fresh canes without adding any ice to it. The Ottoman style pink and white stone mosque was rebuilt on a seventh century mosque, which is thought to be the site of the ancient Cathedral of Philadelphia, in 1924 by King Abdullah I. I had heard that most mosques in Jordan are not open to non- Muslims. Therefore, I was pleasantly surprised when I was welcomed to make a tour inside the mosque.

Just by the side of the mosques is a souq, from where the smells of herbs and spices wanted deep into my senses. I walked in found shops selling dry fruits, dates, Jordanian chocolates, fruits, vegetables, meat and fish. The souq was clean and absolutely devoid of malodor. Guides were conducting large groups of tourist through the souq too. I was drawn to a vendor selling absolutely fresh figs, my favourite. I picked up one bunch for 1 JD and had a couple of them almost immediately. Heavenly, the taste of fresh figs is. Next, I stopped by a vendor of various types of dates and dry fruits. Couldn't resist picking up mejhdool dates and some mixed dry fruits.

The streets were bustling with the weekend downtown visitors, and I jostled past the crowds to my hotel room to rest my legs a while and drop off the things I had acquired along the way. After a short nap I walked from the hotel to Rainbow street and Souq Jara. I was advised this morning by the hotel staff to take a taxi to the Rainbow Street as it was a steep climb uphill. Google maps showed the street to be just a km and 29 minutes of walk away. I decided to save the taxi fare and took to the streets. And my word, what a walk it was. My knees, already sore from the morning enterprise, started rebelling soon enough. Huffing and puffing and summoning all the resolve I had in me not to surrender to this bodily demand, I reached the start of the Rainbow Street.

One of the curious things about Rainbow Street is that, officially, it is the Abu Bakr al Siddiq Street; it was popularly called Rainbow Street because of the cinema-theater that is located in its first section. It is one of Amman's best-known cultural and entertainment streets. Rainbow Street offers a kaleidoscope of activities that leaves one enchanted.

At a street corner I met Salman, an awesome artist, who had displayed his paintings along the street wall. He took pains to explain his art, mostly Jordanian daily life. A major reason of going to the Rainbow street was to experience Souq Jara. The vibrant open-air bazaar pops up at the end of Rainbow Street every Friday during the summer, drawing crowds with its lively atmosphere, handmade crafts, jewelry, ceramics, art, and local food. Live street musicians and outdoor eating areas add a festive touch, making it a favorite spot for unique, memorable gifts and a taste of local culture. The season having changed, the Souq Jara is no longer there.

It was time to pick up the car from the rental company.