It’s always wise not to plan one long tour of Rajasthan. Not only will it leave you exhausted but it will also pinch your pocket. The best thing is to plan the tour in phases. And if time’s a constraint, then simply choose one of the cities — Jaipur, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Jaisalmer, Bikaner, Pushkar, Ajmer, Chittorgarh, or Sawai Madhopur.
We decided on Jaipur, as it is well connected by rail, road and air. The capital city boasts an international airport given that the state attracts huge numbers of foreign tourists every year.
There’s something royal about the word ‘Rajasthan’ itself. The other image that comes to mind when you talk of Rajasthan is ‘desert.’ Just before flights touch down at Sawai Man Singh International Airport, you can spot the arid land punctuated with cactuses on either side of the runway.
That said, the airport, although small, matches international standards. When you plan a visit to Jaipur, it is best to pre-book everything, from transport to hotels and day tours. Of course, you need not worry if you fail to make prior bookings. There is no dearth of hotels in Jaipur, and transport is available round the clock. However, it is always best to plan your trip well in advance even if it’s a short one and keep in mind that Rajasthan has extreme weather conditions.
Jaipur isn’t that big a city but there’s enough for you to see even if you decide to stay for three nights. We took an early flight and reached by 10 am. But as we had done enough research ahead of the trip and had pre-booked a car, we decided not to stay in the heart of the city. Instead, we chose Ramgarh, an hour’s drive from the main city.
Ramgarh has its own charm. There aren’t too many hotels there. We opted for The Gateway Hotel Ramgarh Lodge. A heritage hotel, we felt we had taken a step back in time. Surrounded by the Aravallis on three sides, this hotel was once the favourite getaway of Maharaja Man Singh and Maharani Gayatri Devi. Hunting being his passion, the maharaja would often relax in this hotel after hunting expeditions.
After a quick lunch followed by a nap, we decided to take a tour of the hotel. The lobby on the ground floor has a century-old billiard board which was used by the maharaja. Here guests can try a game or two. The walls of the reception and stairways are adorned with stuffed animals hunted by Man Singh. From tigers, leopards, and bison to deer and antelope, you find them all there, giving the place the feel of a museum.
If you get a chance to book a room with a verandah and are lucky, you may come across peacocks strutting around or sitting on the railing. There used to be a stream adjacent to the hotel. We were told that the rowing championship during the 1982 Asian Games was held there. Unfortunately, the stream doesn’t exist anymore.
Our plan was to start early the next morning for sightseeing. We knew it would be a long day so we started from the hotel after breakfast. An hour’s drive back to the main city, our first destination was Hawa Mahal. The real feel of Rajasthan starts from here. Made of red and pink sandstone in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, the palace is right in the heart of the city. The gigantic structure is impressive. All around, from houses to office buildings to shops, everything is painted pink in this part of the city.
The five-storey palace, which looks much like a beehive and has 953 jharokhas or small windows, was built for the royal women to get a glimpse of the festivals and other events without exposing themselves to the outside world. Interestingly, tourists get the rear view of Hawa Mahal. The actual palace is just behind this, with the entrance from a side road. But the architectural brilliance is enjoyed more from the outside.
Next, we went to Jantar Mantar, a couple of minutes’ drive from Hawa Mahal. If you have been to Delhi and were disappointed after visiting Jantar Mantar, then the one at Jaipur is definitely going to leave you spellbound. Built in 1734, Jantar Mantar is home to nineteen astronomical instruments and is an architectural gem. Jantar Mantar also houses the world’s largest sundial, a sight to behold. Although you can check out the astronomical positions with the help of the instruments, the best thing to do is to hire a government-registered guide.
A complete tour of Jantar Mantar takes an hour. And if you have a keen interest in astronomy, it might take longer. Most foreign tourists take active interest in Jantar Mantar and are left awestruck when they learn about the genius of astronomers who lived in the 18th century. After spending almost 45 minutes at this UNESCO World Heritage site, we moved towards City Palace.
Located diagonally opposite to Jantar Mantar, City Palace is a collage of Rajasthani and Mughal architecture. Once the seat of the Maharaja of Jaipur, the palace has two sections — Chandra Mahal and Mubarak Mahal. Chandra Mahal has now been converted into a museum, while the larger part remains a royal residence.
Once you enter the palace you are transported to a different world. The palace has a number of gardens, courtyards and an art gallery. The museum may look small but has on display a wide range of paintings, artifacts, dresses, jewellery, paintings and weapons used by the Kachwaha rulers.
The princely state of Jaipur merged with Indian Union only in 1949. One of the biggest attractions from the British period is a sword presented to Sawai Ram Singh by Queen Victoria. Besides these, the museum also houses a huge collection of silverware. The Arms Museum resembles an arsenal with swords, daggers, shield, single and double-barrel guns, pistols and cannonballs on display.
By the time we were done with City Palace, we were exhausted. But before heading back to the hotel, we decided to have lunch. Whenever we travel, we never miss out on local food. The real flavours of traditional cuisine are always best found at ordinary eateries. So, we settled for the traditional Rajasthani thali at a street-side restaurant.
The lavish platter had makki ki roti, gatte ki sabji, dal bati choorma, moong dal, laal maas and safed maas along with an assortment of pickles. We ended our meal with the traditional moong dal halwa and imarti. The first day was coming to an end but we had bigger plans for the next day.
Next morning, once again we started early. This being our last day, we wanted to make the most of it. On our list was Jal Mahal and Amer Fort, the two biggest attractions of Jaipur.
On the way to Amer Fort, we halted briefly at Jal Mahal, another Rajasthani architectural gem. The palace made of yellow sandstone sits in the middle of Man Sagar Lake and can be viewed only from the banks. When the lake is full, four levels submerge in water and only the top level is visible. If you are passionate about photography, this is perhaps the place you should visit in Jaipur.
After a 30-minute halt, we started for Amer Fort. Located 11 kilometres from the main city, the magnificent Amer Fort was built in the 16th century. The sprawling fort is a city within a city. If you are in the mood to explore the fort thoroughly, even three hours are not sufficient. That’s one of the reasons we decided to visit Amer Fort on the last day. A steep meandering road leads you to the fort. And if you don’t mind shelling out a few extra bucks, get down from your car midway and take an elephant ride to the entrance courtyard.
Made of red sandstone and marble, the fort has a palace inside. An engineering marvel, Amer Fort has four levels — Diwan-e-Aam, Diwan-e-Khas, Sheesh Mahal and Jai Mandir. Each level has a courtyard and there is a piece of history hidden in every corner of this fort. We were amazed to see how skilled masons in the 11th century created an air circulation system that gave the feel of an air conditioner in rooms during the summers.
The Diwan-e-Khas and Sheesh Mahal are two prime attractions at the fort. The intricate glasswork décor of the Sheesh Mahal, imported from Belgium, will leave you awestruck. After spending close to three hours at the fort, we decided to go shopping. One of the best places to shop in Jaipur is Johri Bazaar. The age-old market boasts an amazing collection of traditional clothes, jewellery, hand-crafted bangles and gemstones. Another great place for street shopping is Sireh Deori Bazaar, opposite to Hawa Mahal.
The bazaar is famous for its leather products, particularly shoes, jackets and puppets. A word of caution: There’s a lot of variety to choose from when you go shopping in Jaipur, but never shy away from bargaining for a good price. Given that foreign tourists come in scores, shopkeepers always quote higher prices.
Shopping done, we headed for the hotel. It was our last night and we felt there was still a lot that remained to be explored in Jaipur, particularly Nahargarh Fort, the sprawling gardens and temples. So even as we bid adieu to the Pink City, we were making plans to come back on another trip when we could include another city too in our itinerary.
RITUJAAY GHOSH, OP