Jaipur

I simply love this city. I felt privileged to have lived in the city for a year almost. Everyday was an experience for me. I was elated when I was transferred to Jaipur and the first thing I noticed about Jaipur was the city’s fascination with the color PINK. History says that this pink was given by Maharaja Sawai Jaisingh when he had British visitors and he had to repaint the whole city, he couldn’t find white color and got buckets of pink. This pink has now become the trademark of the city.

The Delhi – Jaipur expressway is talk of the nation. I have not seen better roads than that in my life in India. I wonder why that can’t be replicated in the city. But anyway, when you enter Jaipur via the Delhi route you will first see the beautiful Aravali ranges. Amidst that are the famous Nahargarh, Jaigarh and Amer forts. Jaigarh fort has the world’s heaviest cannon and is a marvel to see. Amer fort is so beautifully located that you’d end up transporting yourself to the era when people actually inhabited it. Water body on the front and a garden that welcomes you to the fort, a tiring climb above and a fascinating temple of Goddess Amer isn’t all what people go to see. Wait till sundown to experience the real magic when the lights go up and Amer shines like a constellation in the sky. The drive down towards the city isn’t any less exciting. When you drive further down to the city you come across Jal Mahal. A palace situated right in the middle of a lake. Some amazing five star heritage properties along the way can take you breath away. Then you reach the heart of the city – Hawa Mahal! The biggest landmark of Jaipur or may be the monument that signifies Jaipur. It is very had to trace and can easily pass by as any other gate way since it is so densely populated by the market around it. But one cannot escape the magnificence of the design. It has around 900 windows on the gate. These windows served a dual purpose in old days when women in the house were not allowed to make public appearances; they would peep out of these windows to see any parade that would take place. At other times these windows would catch any breeze and filter and air cool it in hot summers.

When you look around you will be shell shocked by the amount of color that is in the city. Vibrant reds, greens, yellows and purples create a canvas so splendid you feel the city has been painted by God himself. The city is full of life and energy all over. The people are so effervescent that they exude life in every gesture of theirs. I don’t want to sound like I am exaggerating when I say that everything in Jaipur is heritage. Be it the royal Rambagh palace or the secretariat building or the roads or even old houses. They all seem to tell a story. I have nothing in particular to recommend because honestly when you are in Jaipur there are so many small little things to see that even 365 days of the year will fall short to explore it completely. But to name a few must see places would be ofcourse the forts, Rambagh Palace, Moti dungri, the legendary Johri Bazar, Secretariat only to see how the locals enjoy it, the Royal Albert Hall which has now been converted into a museum etc.

200 kms from Jaipur is Ajmer which is just 2 hours away by the express highway is home to the most coveted Dargah Ajmer Sheraif. Thousands of people visit this dargah every day to offer their prayers and tie a thread of faith and hope. Amidst the entire hustle bustle and every living thing on the narrow street there is this strange calmness that one feels as you near the Dargah. When you look around you see hundreds of faces in search of something that they come looking for here. The place is mesmerizing.

A little ahead of Jaipur is Alwar. Falls on the way to Delhi, anything to describe the serenity of this small town is less. Although I did not get a chance to see much of this small town but the memories will stay forever. I was at my friend’s place and we reached late in the night. Had no clue the sun will rise next day to unveil the marvelous Aravali ranges just behind her bungalow. The view was outstanding. It was a superb windy smoky winter morning and her mom prepared piping hot tea for us. She has a huge female English mastiff that had just given birth to blue eyed pups and I was playing with them on her terrace sipping tea and absorbing the surroundings. The town is unlike anything I have seen. No structure taller than 3 stories high, no building that blocks the majestic Aravali view, no traffic, and no noise - pure trance! We went to this place called Siliseth where I was enchanted by colossal rock formations that couldn’t be adjusted in my view at once. My spine ached trying to focus on the peak of one of it and I felt so tiny at the foot of it. We went deeper into the formation to discover a beautiful waterfall. The entire valley was echoing the fall of water that fell from about 5o mtrs high. The sound of water is meditating to me. The weather was rather romantic that day so we just drove around the town discovering small lanes, the warm forthcoming people and beautiful countryside that I hadn’t seen in ages.