My name is
Ravi Santhalia and I
began travelling almost ten years ago. I started writing blogs simply to share
my travel experiences with the hope to inspire people to start travelling too.
I get to see physical evidence
that God is omnipresent and in every form; be it a stone, a tree, a cow, a
person possessed by spirits, the small shrine in the middle of crossroads or
even autorickshaw meter! I love to travel in india because here it’s a celebration
always. It’s full of colour and diversity. It’s like a mountain valley in
spring when the land explodes with life in myriads of hues and colours. The
beauty of India lies in the spontaneous, un-manicured experiences you get while
travelling
Visiting
the beautiful Pink city Jaipur
The
regal cuisine, unrivaled architecture, and raw natural beauty of the Rajasthan
countryside would be enough to make Jaipur into a world class destination. Yet,
there is so much more to this city. Jaipur is packed with spellbinding
festivals, richly decorated elephants casually going about their work,
enchanting cultural insights, and a labyrinth of colorful dream palaces at
every turn.
A
romantic pink hue pervades everything in Jaipur, hence the nickname “Pink
City”. Here you can find a Jaipur hotel and see the exotic cityscape completely
washed in a soft, glowing shade of blush that deepens as the sun sets each
evening. Pedestrians from all walks of life, seemingly from a mix of centuries,
weave through the boulevards and bazaars amid a cavalcade of rickshaws and
motorbikes, three-wheeled trucks and elephants, all buzzing with a vibrant
exuberance.
Places to visit
Hawa Mahal, literally translates to airy
palace.
Jaipur’s
most iconic landmark, the red and pink sandstone façade of Hawa Mahal or Palace
of Winds is widely recognised. Within its chambers, hidden from public view,
the women of the royal house would secretly observe the activities on the
street, through the palace’s latticework openings.
Hawa
Mahal stands out for its multitude of latticed windows right in the city centre
of old Jaipur. The windows with their fine latticework were meant to act like
veils; a “purdah” for the royal women. Custom dictated that royal women wouldn’t
be seen by the public. They were also not allowed to venture out into the
streets. A fine example of Mughal architecture, the pyramidal design of Hawa
Mahal rises five-storeys from the ground.
Nahargarh Fort: Set on the edge of the Aravalli
Hills, Nahargarh Fort is striking in stature. Built as the summer palace for
the royal family, the main palace within the fort is known as Madhavendra
Bhawan. In addition, there are nine other double-storied living spaces within
the fort. An example of Indo-European architectural style, the royal frescos
and marble engravings can still be see on the interior walls here. The views of
Jaipur city are stunning from Nahagarh Fort.
Amber Fort: The charm of Amber Fort is
undeniable. Perched on a hilltop, this 15th century fort is impressive –- both
in terms of size and architecture. It can be accessed through imposing ramparts
and cobbled pathways, leading to its gates. Built using Mughal-style
architecture, the golden frontage is complemented by elaborate interiors. The
ornate archways lead to expansive chambers, featuring hand-painted and
mirrorworked ceilings and walls. The
fort houses the Diwan-e-Aam, or ‘Hall of Public Audience’, the Diwan-e-Khas, or
‘Hall of Private Audience’, and also the Sheesh Mahal, the ‘Mirror Palace’. The
splendor of Amber Fort is heightened during the Light and Sound Show in the
evening, which is a must watch.
Jantar Mantar: Dating back to the 18th century,
Jantar Mantar is an astronomical observation site and a testimony to the
scholarly brilliance of a bygone era. Among the 20 instruments found at this
UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the largest sundial in the world.
City Palace:
City
Palace was my favorite place to visit in Jaipur. The architecture and intricate
details of the palace were like none I had ever seen before. Built by Maharaja
Sawai Jai Singh, the City Palace depicts typical Rajput-style architecture,
with layers of chambers and halls. While a part of the palace remains the
residence of the royal family of Jaipur even today, visitors have access to
other parts of the palace complex including Mubarak Mahal, Diwan-i-Khas and
Maharani Palace. The City Palace also houses a temple and a museum with a fine
collection of artefacts. With the tour, you get paired up with a guide who
takes you to each of the rooms and tells you the history of the royal family.
(My tour guide happened to be an excellent photographer!) At the end, you also
get a free drink (tea, coffee, juice, water), and some buttery cookies. It was
the most expensive thing I did in Jaipur, but so worth it. Tickets and
information for City Palace can be found here
Exploring the Amer
palace
The
audio guide described the functionality of the different parts of the palace.
Walking through the various sections, I began to comprehend how well design and
function were synced together.
The
dramatic stories about the royals gave me an insight into their lives as well
as those times. I was awed by some stories, some others were just outright
amusing!
I
was expecting to be done with the palace in a few hours but ended up spending
an entire day there. It was almost closing time when I got out. The sun was
starting to set. I sat down on the grounds of the front yard, enjoying the
breeze and the diminishing light. The evening prayer had started inside the
palace.
Food exploration of
Jaipur
In
Jaipur, we experienced the full spectrum of culinary senses.
For
breakfast, I headed to Rawat Sweets, a sweet institution in Jaipur. Like the
rest of the city, I had Mawa Kachoris. These are deep-fried pancakes filled
with condensed roasted sweetened milk, dunked in a sugar syrup. The first
couple of bites were exciting, but the entire kachori at 8 AM was taking the
sugary ride a bit too far!
Contrary
to this, for dinner here, I had Dal Bati Churma, Kair Sangri and Gatte ki Sabzi
(can’t really explain these, one has to eat to understand!), all traditional
foods of Rajasthan. One word – SPICY! They first teased me with their bursts of
flavours and then left my tongue numb with all the spice!
I
enjoyed some savoury snacks at Sri Ram Chat Bhandar, a fifty-year-old store in
one of the bylanes of old Jaipur. Topped it with a wonderful milk based sweet
at Ramdev Sweets, an equally old place opposite the Chat store. The owner
regaled me with tales of celebrity visits – politicians to Bollywood stars – to
his store.
Food
in Jaipur is exemplary for sure, but definitely not for the faint-hearted
