JAIPUR-Enduring Fascination

FASCINATING JAIPUR OR ROYAL NOSTALIGIA

It was a memorable visit to Jaipur from Delhi. We three (wife, daughter and me) set out in the wee hours of 26 December 2009, a day after Christmas. The car raced past the fog filled lanes of Delhi in average 60 Km/hr speed. Barring the mandatory stops at the toll stations, the only break we had in the 270 km journey was the tea break near Neemrana. The meandering curves of Aravalli mountains informed us about the nearing Pink City.

I thought of American poet Robert Frost who wrote about Mountains in these lines..

The mountain held the town as in a shadow
I saw so much before I slept there once:
I noticed that I missed stars in the west,
where its black body cut into the sky.
Near me it seemed: I felt it like a wall
Behind which I was sheltered from a wind.

In 5 hours and 40 minutes we reached Jaipur city and it took another 25 minutes to reach our hotel near the sprawling Spice cinema complex, which is a compelling attraction.

BEAUTY: Built in 1727 AD by the famous astronomer king, Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, Jaipur is a blend of princely heritage and feudal traditions. It took six years to complete the city of Jaipur, and was India’s first modern city designed in a grid form over two centuries ago.

Jaipur is strewn with palaces, monuments, gardens and museums. Apart from these are the fascinating havelis of the traditional residents - Jaipur has a tale to narrate in every nook and corner. Its 'Old City' is the heart and was designed in the 18th century; the narrow streets and squares bustle with shoppers and tourists all around. Stemming from the main streets are narrow pedestrian lanes where everything is on display from silver jewellery to colourful textiles and local handicrafts. The pink-washed buildings jostle with the colourful local shops replete with traditional handicrafts and ethnic goods

The city is surrounded by a crenellated wall with seven gates meant for protection against the invading enemies. At the beginning of the city stands the imposing Amer Fort.

Amber/Amer Fort set in front of Maota Lake is built in white marble and red sandstone. The gigantic fort is perched high on the hills and protected by Jaigarh Fort. A steep 10-minute climb through Suraj Po, the main entrance takes one to the fort. Inside, there is a huge courtyard, Jaleb Chowk, now lined with souvenir and refreshment shops.

ATTRACTIONS: The famous Hawa Mahal or the 'Palace of the Winds' is the pride of Jaipur. Built in 1799 by Sawai Pratap Singh, the pink sandstone palace resembles a honeycomb structure. It was exclusively designed for the queens who could watch the proceedings on the road and the colourful bazaars below through the intricately latticed windows. The five-storeyed pyramid-shaped structure has 953 perforated windows or jharokhas which keep the palace cool. The City Palace spread over a large area is a beautiful blend of Rajputana and Mughal architecture with spacious courtyards, manicured gardens and temples.

Jantar Mantar, an observatory built by Sawai Jai Singh II is one of the largest and the best preserved of all the five observatories built by Sawai Jai Singh, Jantar Mantar has 16 astronomical instruments. These geometric devices built of local stone and marble were used for measuring time, predicting eclipses and determining celestial altitudes. The famous devices include Ram Yantra used to determine the altitude of the sun, Rashivalaya Yantra used to draw up horoscopes and the 23-m high Samrat Yantra to forecast crop prospects.

Jal Mahal or Water Palace is situated on the Man Sagar Lake gets filled up during the monsoons and creates a romantic sight. Inspired by the Lake Palace in Udaipur, Jal Mahal built in the 18th century was used mainly for royal duck shooting parties. The first four floors of the building are under water; only the top floor is visible outside. The Lake Palace can be best viewed from the Nahargarh Fort.

A visit to Jaipur is incomplete without going to Chowki Dhani for a real taste of authentic Rajasthani cuisine. It is around 25 Km from the city. This ethnic village resort is famous for providing traditional ambience and variety of entertainment. Besides savouring Rajasthani food from Dal Baati Churma to Gatte ki Sabzi, the village complex also offers camel rides, elephant rides, puppet shows, dances, mehendi wallis and other forms of entertainment.

Also don’t forget to visit Andrews Hall and the Birla Temple. The cafeteria in Andrews Hall is mast.

GEMS and JEWELLERY: The royal city of Jaipur is the best place to shop in Rajasthan, India. It has the most unique and precious jewelries, classy handicrafts and vividly designed textiles. One of the many reasons Jaipur is regarded as the top city is that offers its visitors the finest of classic Rajasthan products like jewelries, handicrafts, and fabrics.

Royal Rajasthan is legendary for its abundant deposits of precious gems. Earth’s most attractive and costly gems such as ruby, emerald, amethyst, garnet, topaz, jade and lapis lazuli are there in Rajasthan and Jaipur has always been the heart of these charming stones and jewelries. The city presents jewelries with exceptional patterns and designs. The expert gem artists of Jaipur carve the gems into incredible figures.

An exclusive collection of ornaments is offered by Jaipur. This consists of an armlet known as Baajuband, hairclip known as Judamani, forehead adornment known as Bodla and belt called Tagdi. What's more, bazaars in the city flourish with an array of popular traditional ethnic jewelries including beaded, pearl, silver, diamond, and metal jewelries.

I waved good bye to Jaipur lanes on the noon of 30th Dec, after a fulsome visit of 4 days. I will come back....

G. Kalyan Kumar