Ravi Santhalia at Pink City Jaipur

My name is Ravi Santhalia and I began travelling almost ten years ago. I started writing blogs simply to share my travel experiences with the hope to inspire people to start travelling too. I get to see physical evidence that God is omnipresent and in every form; be it a stone, a tree, a cow, a person possessed by spirits, the small shrine in the middle of crossroads or even autorickshaw meter! I love to travel in india because here it’s a celebration always. It’s full of colour and diversity. It’s like a mountain valley in spring when the land explodes with life in myriads of hues and colours. The beauty of India lies in the spontaneous, un-manicured experiences you get while travelling.

Visiting the beautiful Pink city Jaipur

The regal cuisine, unrivaled architecture, and raw natural beauty of the Rajasthan countryside would be enough to make Jaipur into a world class destination. Yet, there is so much more to this city. Jaipur is packed with spellbinding festivals, richly decorated elephants casually going about their work, enchanting cultural insights, and a labyrinth of colorful dream palaces at every turn.

A romantic pink hue pervades everything in Jaipur, hence the nickname “Pink City”. Here you can find a Jaipur hotel and see the exotic cityscape completely washed in a soft, glowing shade of blush that deepens as the sun sets each evening. Pedestrians from all walks of life, seemingly from a mix of centuries, weave through the boulevards and bazaars amid a cavalcade of rickshaws and motorbikes, three-wheeled trucks and elephants, all buzzing with a vibrant exuberance.

Places to visit

Hawa Mahal, literally translates to airy palace.

Jaipur’s most iconic landmark, the red and pink sandstone façade of Hawa Mahal or Palace of Winds is widely recognised. Within its chambers, hidden from public view, the women of the royal house would secretly observe the activities on the street, through the palace’s latticework openings.

Hawa Mahal stands out for its multitude of latticed windows right in the city centre of old Jaipur. The windows with their fine latticework were meant to act like veils; a “purdah” for the royal women. Custom dictated that royal women wouldn’t be seen by the public. They were also not allowed to venture out into the streets. A fine example of Mughal architecture, the pyramidal design of Hawa Mahal rises five-storeys from the ground.

Nahargarh Fort: Set on the edge of the Aravalli Hills, Nahargarh Fort is striking in stature. Built as the summer palace for the royal family, the main palace within the fort is known as Madhavendra Bhawan. In addition, there are nine other double-storied living spaces within the fort. An example of Indo-European architectural style, the royal frescos and marble engravings can still be see on the interior walls here. The views of Jaipur city are stunning from Nahagarh Fort.

Amber Fort: The charm of Amber Fort is undeniable. Perched on a hilltop, this 15th century fort is impressive –- both in terms of size and architecture. It can be accessed through imposing ramparts and cobbled pathways, leading to its gates. Built using Mughal-style architecture, the golden frontage is complemented by elaborate interiors. The ornate archways lead to expansive chambers, featuring hand-painted and mirrorworked ceilings and walls.  The fort houses the Diwan-e-Aam, or ‘Hall of Public Audience’, the Diwan-e-Khas, or ‘Hall of Private Audience’, and also the Sheesh Mahal, the ‘Mirror Palace’. The splendor of Amber Fort is heightened during the Light and Sound Show in the evening, which is a must watch.

Jantar Mantar: Dating back to the 18th century, Jantar Mantar is an astronomical observation site and a testimony to the scholarly brilliance of a bygone era. Among the 20 instruments found at this UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the largest sundial in the world.

City Palace:

City Palace was my favorite place to visit in Jaipur. The architecture and intricate details of the palace were like none I had ever seen before. Built by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh, the City Palace depicts typical Rajput-style architecture, with layers of chambers and halls. While a part of the palace remains the residence of the royal family of Jaipur even today, visitors have access to other parts of the palace complex including Mubarak Mahal, Diwan-i-Khas and Maharani Palace. The City Palace also houses a temple and a museum with a fine collection of artefacts. With the tour, you get paired up with a guide who takes you to each of the rooms and tells you the history of the royal family. (My tour guide happened to be an excellent photographer!) At the end, you also get a free drink (tea, coffee, juice, water), and some buttery cookies. It was the most expensive thing I did in Jaipur, but so worth it. Tickets and information for City Palace can be found here

Exploring the Amer palace

The audio guide described the functionality of the different parts of the palace. Walking through the various sections, I began to comprehend how well design and function were synced together.

The dramatic stories about the royals gave me an insight into their lives as well as those times. I was awed by some stories, some others were just outright amusing!

I was expecting to be done with the palace in a few hours but ended up spending an entire day there. It was almost closing time when I got out. The sun was starting to set. I sat down on the grounds of the front yard, enjoying the breeze and the diminishing light. The evening prayer had started inside the palace.

Food exploration of Jaipur

In Jaipur, we experienced the full spectrum of culinary senses.

For breakfast, I headed to Rawat Sweets, a sweet institution in Jaipur. Like the rest of the city, I had Mawa Kachoris. These are deep-fried pancakes filled with condensed roasted sweetened milk, dunked in a sugar syrup. The first couple of bites were exciting, but the entire kachori at 8 AM was taking the sugary ride a bit too far!

Contrary to this, for dinner here, I had Dal Bati Churma, Kair Sangri and Gatte ki Sabzi (can’t really explain these, one has to eat to understand!), all traditional foods of Rajasthan. One word – SPICY! They first teased me with their bursts of flavours and then left my tongue numb with all the spice!

I enjoyed some savoury snacks at Sri Ram Chat Bhandar, a fifty-year-old store in one of the bylanes of old Jaipur. Topped it with a wonderful milk based sweet at Ramdev Sweets, an equally old place opposite the Chat store. The owner regaled me with tales of celebrity visits – politicians to Bollywood stars – to his store.

Food in Jaipur is exemplary for sure, but definitely not for the faint-hearted