My India: Jaipur, Amber, Delhi

Day 8: Monday 7 November 2011

A peacock silhouetted in the Jaipur dawn (RMN 2011)

It is Idul Zuha (Aidil Adha) in India today, and we are in Jaipur, Rajasthan. I had put on my new (very stiffly starched, almost salmon-pink) shalwar kameez bought just yesterday, to celebrate in a way, both Idul Zuha and this 'Pink City'. Mr Rama and his recommended Jaipur guide, Mr Shiv were already waiting bright and early, to show us the city and its attractions.

Jaipur (the city of jai, or victory) is famous as a 'pink city', painted in this traditional colour of  welcome in honour of the 1883 visit of Prince Albert. The city was laid out in 1728 in a simple grid pattern by Bhattacharya, architect to Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II. This Rajasthani capital has buildings and sites of flamboyant Rajput architecture, including the Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds), the City Palace and Museum, and the Jantar Mantar observatory.

The Hawa Mahal, built in 1799, is the most photographed sight in Jaipur. 'A five-floored confection of domed balconies, delicate cupolas and pierced stone jali screens, all painted Jaipur's trademark salmon pink, it is not in fact, a palace, but an extraordinary facade of 953 airy niches and windows, used by the royal women in purdah (secluded from the public) to watch the outside world of the streets below'. (The biggest bazaar is just opposite, so there must have been plenty of action that these royal ladies could observe!). This 'palace of the winds' extends to the Zenana (women's chambers) of the City Palace.

Hawa Mahal (RMN 2011)

With RMN & DFH in front of the Hawa Mahal

The Jantar Mantar or astronomical observatory of Jaipur, built in 1716, is immediately behind the Hawa Mahal. It is made up of 16 colossal geometric structures which Maharaja Jai Singh, a keen astronomer, used to calculate celestial latitudes and planetry movements. The Bihat Samrat Yantra is an enormous sundial within the complex. In between the traditional Palaces, Jantar Mantar did seem surreal, a scientific marvel quite out of place in the pink city. 

The Ram yantra/instrument to calculate the altitude & azimuth
 of celestial bodies (DFH 2011)

At the Astrology signs, Jantar Mantar (RMN 2011)

The City Palace is in the centre of Jaipur's grid plan and is still the residence of the royal family today. It was built beginning in the 18th century, and added to in subsequent eras, fusing Rajput and Mughal architectural motifs.

At the Gatewy to the City Palace (Mr Rama 2011)

Waiting with the locals for entry tickets into the City Palace (RMN 2011)

The City Palace complex has the Chandra Mahal (royal residence and museum), the Mubarak Mahal (now a museum of textiles and royal costumes), the Maharani's Palace (now a museum of weapons), and Diwan-i-Khas that has among its treasures, two large sterling silver urns that the Maharaja brought on a trip to England in 1901 that carried water from the Ganges River. The palace complex promotes the arts and crafts of Rajasthan with artisans working/demonstrating their skills in miniature painting, silver and gold jewellery, cloissone bronze/copperware, blue pottery,  marble artifacts, textile printing and puppetry.

In the Jaipur Palace complex, residence of the royals in
the background (Mr Shiv 2011)

At the Peacock doorway (RMN 2011)

In the afternoon, after checking out of the Jaipur Inn and having our lunch there, we went to the Amber Fort, 11km/7m from Jaipur. Tourists usually take the painted elephants up to the fort, but we had to contend with Mr Rama's car, because it was a rather hot day, and we did not have the leisure of time as we would be making our way back to Delhi. The Amber Fort has massive gateways, pillared pavillions and palaces that recall the glory and wealth of Amber's association with the Mughals. (Raja Man Singh was the commander-in-chief of Akbar's army, while Mirza Raja Jai Singh was a powerful ally of Jahangir.)

At the entrance to the Amber
Fort Palace (Mr Shiv 2012)

The Garden within the Amber Fort moat (DFH 2011)

After the Amber Fort, our guide took us to a handloom factory outlet to observe the hand printing of Rajasthani textiles using carved wood blocks to pattern the fabrics. We could also observe the grinding, shaping and polishing of semi-precious stones. It was almost dusk when we dropped off our guide and continued our journey back to Delhi.

Village along the Delhi- Agra route (RMN 2011)

Another village along the same route (RMN 2011)

All along the Jaipur-Delhi highway there were 'thousands' of lorries, and our daredevil Mr Rama weaved in and out of these lorries, sometimes making us pretty nervous! Once he stopped the car at an intersection, engine running, for a quick dash biobreak, leaving us to face the glare of oncoming lorries! But we survived the ordeal and arrived in Delhi well before midnight. Babu had dinner ready and waiting for us, how really sweet!

Day 9: Tuesday 8 November 2011

Back in Delhi we spent the morning visiting the Bahai house of worship or Lotus Temple, set in a beautiful garden. As usual, there were hordes of school children and local visitors as well. It was interesting to note that the temple has no alter, and all may sit and ... in the main prayer area. After the Lotus Temple we went along Rajpath (Kingsway) to take pictures of the Rashtrapati Bhavan (Presidential residence).

Schoolgirls leaving after visiting the Lotus Temple (CNB 2011)

With Afgan couple, Masume & Reza, at the Lotus Temple
(Couple's friend 2011)

Gate of the Rashtrapati Bhavan (CNB 2011)

Official white Hindustan Ambassadors lining up along the government
building in Rajpath (pic borrowed from C Haugen at Wikipedia)

Then we went on to Connaught Place, to the Jain Book Depot for books - yay! Books are pretty cheap in India and in all I bought 17 to take home. Among the books I bought were City of Djinns by William Dalrymple, Delhi, a novel and The Company of Women by Khushwant Singh, Revolution 2020 by the best-selling author Chetan Bhagat, The Postmaster and Selected Poems by Rabindranath Tagore and a book on the Ramayana. We had lunch at another vegetarian restaurant, Sagar Ratna, at Connaught Place. The three-ring circular shopping arcade of Connaught Place (aka Rajiv Chowk) forms the heart of modern Delhi. The colonnaded corridors were built for the British to shop in style. But now it is a bit chaotic, as a lot of construction was going on because they were doing extensive renovations there.

A book corner amidst construction at Connaught Place (CNB 2011)

Day 10: Wednesday 9 November 2011

In the morning we went to the Indira Gandhi Memorial Museum, at the bungalow she used to live in, in Safdarjang Road. She was killed by her own bodyguards on the morning of  31 October 1984, when she was walking on her usual daily path. There are exhibits of her rise to Prime Ministership and her activities as PM, and also of her sons Rajiv and Sanjay. There were many school groups visiting, as usual, to gape at the rooms she used to live in and that had been frozen in time.

One exhibit was this caricature of Indira Gandhi (CNB 2011)

The Library in Indira Gandhi's study. Infact there were books
in every room! (DFH 2011)

This glass walkway marks the path of Indira's last moments
(DFH 2011)

Schoolboys at the Indira Gandhi Memorial Museum (CNB 2011)

Then we went to the National Museum on Janpath Road, where there were even more school groups (good for them!). This museum is noted for its Indian sculpture and jewellery collections, Chola bronzes, and a Buddhist Gallery. The famous small bronze statue of a dancing girl found at Mohenjodaro is among its important artefacts. This time lunch was at Nizam's Kathi Kabab (I had lamb biryani) at Connaught Place, after which was shopping (again) at Janpath Market.

Day 11: Thursday 10 November 2011

On our last morning in India, Babu made vegetable parathas for our breakfast. Really delicious with pickles and chutney. (I hope the baksheesh we gave him was generous enough for this very pleasant man.) Later we went out to the Gandhi Smriti (Memorial to Mahatma Gandhi) but found it closed because today is a public holiday to celebrate the birthday of Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism. We just managed to take some pictures of  the Mahatma's statue. Outside along the pavement, was a lone vendor loitering about selling trinkets and books about and by him (Gandhi, not the loitering vendor, of course). I bought his 'The Story of my Experiments with Truth'.

Vegetable parathas for breakfast, courtesy of Babu (CNB 2011)

Our lunch was at Saravana Bhavan (again, though this time I had paneer dosa) and a final shopping spree at Janpath Market, before going back to pack our bags (which inevitably have multiplied), and head to the airport for our 10.55 pm flight home. Lucky we went early because security was very tight there and online check-in was a great big hassle.

Namaste/Farewell incredible !ndia, but I hope to visit again, maybe this time to ride the Indian Railways around the subcontinent. A big maybe, but who knows?