Life in the Land of Royals - Anmol Gaba
The Rajasthan’s pink-red tinged capital, rich with historical splendor emanated by grand palaces, havelis and mighty fortresses and multi-faceted characteristics, makes the city a welcome respite from high-rise malls and urban living. Although the city boasts about it’s International Airport and extremely well connected roads and railways, it still takes utmost pride in its vibrant deluge of Arts and Cultural Jewels.
Apart from the UNESCO World Heritage Sites including Hawa Mahal, Man Sagar Lake and Jantar Mantar which are already elucidated upon in our previous blogs; Amber Fort which is located at a distance of about eleven kilometers from Jaipur is also one of the major tourist attractions. One of the profound features of this splendid landmark is the audio guides provided at the fort which allow you to saunter around the palace at your own pace. Besides Hindi and English, this service is also available in a few foreign languages and thus catering to a wide range of tourists. The audio describes the functionality of the different parts of the palace and aids us in comprehending how well the architecture and functions were synced together.
Teej is one of the two most prominent local festivities of Jaipur, the other being Gangaur. It is celebrated in the month of Sawan as per the Hindu calendar and this is the time when the city reeks of immense beatitude and exhilaration on its brightly lit streets, heavily populated by women clad in bedazzling Leheria Sarees. Teej procession originates in Janani Deori in the City Palace Complex and passes through Tripolia Gate, Tripola Bazaar, Choti Chaupai, Gangauri Bazaar and Chaugan Stadium. Another popular festivity that attracts inflow of tourists is the Jaipur Literature Festival (JLF) held by Zee annually in the month of January.
Jaipur stands as a resplendent reminder of the Rajput valor and glory before it all sadly succumbed to the British Empire. Along with its pool of traditional and cultural values, the city is equally affluent in its religious sentiments. The acclaimed Govind Devi Temple which was built by Maharaja Pratap Singh in 1735, exhibits the gold clad idol of Lord Krishna that faces towards the king’s bedroom. This temple is also listed in the Guinness Book of World Records “for having the widest single span RCC flat roof”. One can also witness the cross-section of social life in Jaipur, that is evident in the presence of traditional old families with the ‘purdah’ clad women, to young modern families amongst the devotees crowding at the temples.
It is rightly said by one the tourists that “ food in Jaipur is exemplary for sure, but definitely not for the faint- hearted”. One must start their day by feasting on ‘Mawa Kachoris’ at ‘Rawat Sweets’ and then energetically pace around for the rest of the day after this tremendous dose of sugar rush. Afternoons should be spent by sipping on steaming hot ‘Tandoori Chai’ along with savory snacks at the fifty year old eatery in the by lanes of Jaipur, known as ‘Sri Ram Chat Bhandar’. Dinner at the model village resort of ‘Chokhi Dhani’ is like a never ending festival without the typical chaos and imbued with extravagant meals that echo the lofty tales of culture and royalty of the ‘Pink City’.
The princely nature is integral to this land and is also an important part of what makes Jaipur a fascinating experience.
