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| Your Royal Ride |
"Khamma Ghani Sa" is Namaste with much added respect in Rajasthani. This simple phrase said with the head bowed low down to the waist and folded hands exemplifies the culture and tradition of the vibrant piece of earth called Rajasthan.
As rich and colourful as its history is Jaipur may appear somewhat faded with neglect if your vantage point is only that of a tourist looking for camel rides, snake charmers and pristine locales.
An equally footloose and fancy free friend is my travel companion on this trip. We decided to explore the city as it opens itself to us - with no planned agenda or itinerary.
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| The pool at The Trident |
Jaipur draws you towards it and makes you wonder if you ever went deep within yourself! Its forts, palaces, bazaars and people all conspire to create an ache for one's roots.
The beautiful palaces, now mostly converted into boutique hotels are awe inspiring. We are unanimous in our vote for the Ram Bagh Palace as the most beautiful and luxurious. We were recommended a visit to Steam - the bogie restaurant at this hotel for an evening meal - since we were not working an agenda we ended up sampling the Polo Bar instead! Both highly recommended by yours truly - a self confessed foodie ;)
Actually glutton would be a better word given the amount of food I consumed on this trip - a visit to the famous LMB restaurant at M.I Road had us gorging on Dal Baati and Gatte ka Sabji..the old and ever famous Niros running since 1949 won us with coffee served in sterling silver tea pots...
...by the end of this Royal treatment I certainly had an ego the size of a bullock cart.
Looking at the world through the view finder has changed my definition of viewing points.
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| Johri Bazaar |
From where I stood, the city and its people may still very well be living in 1225 A.D.
The Jai Garh fort had our heart wrung out due to the apathy of the Jaipur Darbar and the Rajasthan Government - the disrepair and neglect is so visible as we compare the vastly majestic stature in shambles with the more celebrated yet a lot less princely counterparts elsewhere in the world.
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| The Jai Garh Fort |
We are told that both the Jai Garh and City Palace are managed by the 'Darbar Sa" - the royal family of Jaipur under a Trust. Obviously their efforts leave much to be desired!
My friend is determined and optimistic that with the right noises we can make them sit up and notice..being the cynic that I have grown up to be I am not so hopeful. I sure would like to believe that this rich heritage is kept preserved for our future generations though...they will surely need wings to fly but will also thank us for these roots to stay grounded.
