The Obelisk Tomb; (top) Tourists exploring the ruins of Petra

Magic has never really had any impact whatsoever on my ever-suspicious mind. Prestidigitators like the David Copperfields and Houdinis of the world of maya have never impressed me with their so-called extraordinary abilities to create illusions. But one December morning, I became a firm believer in the art of enchantment that still has me firmly in its vice-like grip. And I blame this volte-face on Petra!

To escape the hordes of fellow tourists that flock to Petra, my guide Abdul suggested an early morning start at 7am despite my strident protests. And boy, was I happy that my late start idea was overruled! Bathed in the soft pink light of the early morning sun, there she was: Petra, resplendent in all her glory, blushing like a new bride.

Avoiding all the assorted aggressive sales pitches by over-zealous horse/ camel/ donkey men to get me to ride their beasts of burden into Petra, I chose to explore it on foot. An archaeological wonder built by the Nabataeans, Petra served as their capital city and religious centre for centuries. The Nabataeans flourished from the 4th century BC to 106AD from the caravan trade of myrrh and spices. It was in Persian times that they adopted Aramaic and in Petra, you can still see traces of the ancient language carved into the soft rock.

One of the first wonders of Petra that’ll leave you spellbound is the Siq — a narrow fissure carved through towering rocks that snakes its way down a meandering path. It has on its left, a water channel like an aqueduct that brought water from a spring several miles away into the city.

A one-kilometre walk down the Siq brings you to the area’s most famous building, the Al Khazneh or the Treasury. The 40m-high rose-red structure is carved from solid rock. Although it was originally a royal tomb, legend goes that it got its name because there was treasure hidden in a giant urn standing on the second level.

Abdul was quick to point out the urn that still bears the scars of the thousand bullets that ravaged it when the local Bedouins shot at it, in the hope that the story of its treasures was true. For such a dramatic façade, the interiors of the Treasury are rather austere, almost bordering on the frugal.

A short walk down the colonnaded cobblestone street is the grand amphitheatre that took my breath away with its sheer size. The Nabataeans carved this amphitheatre out of solid rock in the early first century. It was built originally with 11 rows and seating for 300. The Romans later put in 29 more rows after they seized Petra in 106AD, creating room for up to 4,000 people to sit.

The majestic amphitheatre was cut out of rock by the Nabataeans

Right in front of the amphitheatre are the rather eerie twin tombs called the Obelisk Tomb and the Sextius Florentinus Tomb. The Obelisk Tomb takes its name from the four Indian obelisks that adorn the top of the tomb carved into the rose-coloured cliffs. The tomb is built with two storeys in which the top contains the actual tomb while the lower storey, constructed along more classical lines, has a traditional dining hall where the Nabataeans carried out funeral rituals.

Although not the grandest, the intricately carved Sextius Florentinus Tomb is unique because it’s one of the few monuments in Petra whose date and occupant’s identity is certain. A weathered inscription above the doorway dedicates the tomb to Titus Aninius Sextius Florentinus, governor of the Province of Arabia in 127AD, who died in office in Petra in 129AD.

A little down the path, another wonder of Petra seemed to beckon me with all its might. Once a gargantuan temple, Qasr el-Bint or the freestanding temple of Dushara — the principle god of the Nabataeans — once boasted Petra’s largest façade. The building is made of yellow sandstone and falls into the category of so-called Parthian “flight” temples with two staircases leading to a flat roof. Sadly, due to erosion and plundering by the Bedouins, the temple has been reduced to a mere shell today. Standing at the foot of the structure, an inexplicable calm took over me and left me in a trance as I prepared to pay obeisance to the last pit-stop on my Petra odyssey.

The Monastery or al-Deir is a dramatic structure to say the least. It resembles the Treasury but is on a bigger scale and is simpler in decoration. The lower level’s façade is flat while the upper level is heavily carved with a central urn flanked by columns and two half-pediments. In front, workers carved out the flat plaza from rock to allow crowds to gather for sacred events.

Ready to leave this emotion-rousing place, peace, contentment and a deep sense of wonder took over my being — a feeling I hoped would stay with me forever.

And now as I write this, all I have to do is close my eyes and the sights, sounds and smells of Petra intermingle in a sensory overload, almost teleporting me to the land of the ancient Nabataeans. Now, that’s magic at its potent best!

Ready reckoner

Getting there: Royal Jordanian Airlines has direct flights from New Delhi and Mumbai to Amman. Petra is a 260km-drive from there via the Desert Highway — about three hours away.

Staying there: Go for the rustic Beit Zaman Hotel, made from local sandstone and decorated with rare Jordanian artifacts. Write to reservation@hotels-jordan-booking.com.