Dreaming in Jaipur
The red and green enamel whispered against my skin as I fastened the necklace around my throat. In the mirror, the diamonds, the size of small pebbles, shone brightly. Though it looked like a necklace composed solely of diamonds and gold, on the back was a brilliant design of flowers and leaves. As per traditional meenakari, it was invisible to the beholder and known only to the wearer. For me, it was like enjoying a personal secret. In the dim light of the shop, I could almost imagine the necklace fastened around the neck of a royal princess, her hair hidden under a veil of such fine silk that it was almost transparent, and her almond-shaped eyes lined with kajal.
I reluctantly placed the necklace on the counter – I’d probably have had to sell my soul to buy it. Even the jeweller knew that, but he continued showing me jewellery that was so beautiful that I was half prepared to auction off my car or my house to buy it.
I was on the third leg of my Golden Triangle journey, in Jaipur, where adornment is a way of life. The bright clothes and jewels of Jaipur contrast brilliantly against the pale, but stark desert that surrounds the city. Jaipur is all about colours. You cannot escape them – they are in the long, flowing skirts of the women, turbans of men, even the camels are dressed in vibrant hues and adorned with shining mirrors and sequins. I indulged in my proclivity towards the ‘loud’ end of the colour spectrum, by swathing myself in pinks, reds and emerald greens, studded with mirrors and dotted with sequins.
Jaipur was built by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, of Amer, who had to shift his capital to the new city due to scarcity of water. Being a planned city, Jaipur is quite unique. It’s broad roads and large squares have been built in accordance to the ancient Indian architectural beliefs, which are known as ‘vastushastra’. When Prince Albert came to India in 1876, Jaipur painted itself pink in his honour – and has retained its distinctive appearance till date.
I had started off my day by a visit to the renowned City Palace. I noticed that the palace still lives in the days of yore, and has retained its splendor and glory. The world outside may have moved on, but times has stopped still here.
I was enthralled by the collection of textiles in Mubarak Mahal, a beautiful building, which is an amalgamation of traditional Rajput, and Islamic, as well as European architectural styles. Though built for the reception of guests, it now houses a textile museum. There are block printed fabrics, traditional Rajasthani textiles, and most notably, Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh’s voluminous clothes on display. I was particularly impressed by Chandra Mahal, an imposing seven-storey building. It is the residence of the royal family, and hence closed to the public, but its exterior makes for an interesting study. You can tell if the Maharaja is in residence, for his flag is flown on the pavilion on top of the building. When he is away, the queen’s flag is flown. Don’t miss the beautiful doors of the various buildings of the palace – they are utterly exquisite works of art. After you are done, you can grab a cuppa in Palace cafe, which is located right inside the palace!
I then proceeded to the famous Hawa Mahal, a part of the women’s wing or zenana of the City Palace. Hawa Mahal, or the Palace of winds lives up to its intriguing name. I found it to be the epitome of Rajasthani architecture – a large, arresting building that left me spellbound. It is said to have 953 windows with elaborate lattices that keep the building cool even in the harshest summers. Though Hawa Mahal is considerably more ornate, I though it bore a passing resemblance to the Panch Mahal I’d seen in Fatehpur Sikri, which was also a part of the women’s wing of the palace. The inside is as beautiful as the outside of the palace, but I found it more fun to peep out of the numerous windows, and wonder how the women of the zenana would have felt when looking out of these very windows. Jaipur spread below the Mahal – colourful, chaotic and utterly irresistible.
Just near the City Palace is the famed Jantar Mantar, an astronomical observatory constructed by Jai Singh. He had constructed five of these, in Jaipur, Delhi, Ujjain, Mathura and Varanasi. Jantar Mantar at Jaipur is undoubtedly the best preserved, with fourteen instruments that were used for various astrological and astronomical purposes in the early times. It is exceedingly interesting to get to know how the instruments functioned. I was told that some local astronomers still use the instruments to predict weather.
Instead of turning to the streets, I chose to dine at Niro’s, one of Jaipur’s oldest and best restaurants. It is a multicuisine restaurant, but I especially liked the stuffed tomatoes and shahi paneer. Another highly recommended restaurant in Jaipur is Anokhi. They serve a great variety of food, but Chocolate ganache cake is especially delicious. One of its USP is it has a shop right in the restaurant! They sell clothes, jewellery and handicrafts.
People from Jaipur are in love with everything sweet. Walking into a sweetmeat shop, my mind boggled at the sheer range of sweets on offer. But sticking to the traditional types of sweets, I tried ‘Mawa kachori’, a kachori stuffed with dried whole milk and sugar syrup. Ghewar is another deep-fried sweet dish, topped with pistachios and almonds, that is a must-try in Jaipur.
The next day, I planned a sojourn to Amer (or Amber) fort, which was Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh’s former capital.
But before proceeding to Amer fort, I took a detour to Jal Mahal, a palace that stands in the middle of the Man sagar lake. A fusion of Mughal and Rajasthani architectural styles, Jal Palace was built in the 18th century. It was used as a summer retreat by Sawai Madho Singh and his family. During heavy rainfalls, the four storeys of the palace are submerged, but the fifth storey remains above the water level. The palace is currently being restored, but still is in a great shape.
Amer fort is a stately structure – a testament to the grand might of the Rajputs and it exults in that knowledge. Nestled on the foothills of the Aravali hills, it is located about 11 kilometers from Jaipur, and is a perfect destination for a day trip. The fortress is a blend of Rajasthani and Mughal architecture, and is quite vast. You can also opt for a quick trip on the back of an elephant or a camel, if so inclined! Just near the entrance to the fort is a temple of Sila Devi. The door to the temple is made from wood and silver, while the deity herself is flanked by two solid silver lions. It is truly a beautiful temple. One of the striking places in the fort is, however, Sheesh Mahal. The walls of the ‘Palace of glass’ are covered with beautiful carving and paintings made from glass. A story goes that the Queen, who was not allowed to leave the palace walls, longed to see the stars shine. The King’s architects studded the room’s walls with glass pieces of different shapes and lit a candle that illuminated the room brilliantly, thus fulfilling the queen’s wishes. A more prosaic version says that the King used this place to meet his special guests. Regardless of its story, Sheesh Mahal is a place that simply cannot be passed up!
The best part was of course, the shopping. Jaipur is renowned for its fine textiles and jewellery. Interestingly, it was Mughals who introduced the art of meena in India. Raja Man Singh of Amber brought this art from Lahore to Rajasthan, where it flourished. Meenakari is a technique of decorating metal surfaces with colours. It is a long drawn, exacting process which requires great finesse. The jewellery found in Jaipur is unparalleled! I wandered the streets of Johari bazaar, which sells precious and semi-precious stones, as well as jewellery. There are also colourful sarees and lehengas on sale. Don’t pass up an opportunity to grab some quilts in the bazaar. They are lightweight, colourful and beautifully crafted. I could not resist buy a colourful quilt, a vibrant dupatta, and a pair of anklets.
Jaipur is not only about palaces, shopping and food. In January, it hosts Asia’s biggest literary event that draws some of the most prestigious writers and academics in South Asia and the world. Jaipur Literary festival is a must visit for those with a genuine love of books. It has hosted many notable writers like Kiran Desai and Vikram Seth.
I am going to Jaipur in January again, to experience the festival and make the most of this different side of Jaipur. With its pink colour, which traditionally stands for hospitality, Jaipur eternally welcomes all travellers within its grand palaces and busy streets that balance on the edge of present and the past.
[Image credits: Wikimedia Commons
City palace, Jaipur: Diego Delso, Wikimedia Commons, License CC-BY-SA 3.0, Hawa Mahal: Jacob Uriel, Amer fort: Kunal Arora, Jantar Mantar: Marcin Bialek, Sheesh Mahal: McKay Savage]
