By  Ratna

( Recipe in the next post )

Jaipur  in  Rajasthan  is  a  city  of  Kings  and  Queens,  of  camels  and  elephants,  of Palaces  and  marble  quarries.   It  is  a  city  of  pink  walls  and  pink  sandstone  buildings. It  is  a  city  of  men  with  brightly  coloured  turbans  and  women  with  equally  bright  saris  contrasting  the  ochre  desert  behind,  Of  innocent  eyes  and  hearty  smiles  and  above  all,  of  great  food.

We  were  lucky  to  be  able  to  enjoy  a  small  holiday  in  India  this  spring.  We  spent  four  days  in  this  magical  city.

I  would  like  to  share  with  you  what  we  saw  and  what  we  ate.

“There  are  over  900 small  windows”,  he  said  pointing  his  first  finger  upwards.  This  was  followed  by  a  palpable  pause,  as  if  giving  us  time  to  come  to  terms  to  the  information  he  just  shared.  Amit,  an  energetic  twenty  something,  was  our  tour  guide  showing  around  Hawa  Mahal,  or  Palace  of  winds  ( top  picture ),  this  iconic  landmark  of  Jaipur,  India.  Built  in  1799,  the  Hawa  mahal,  was  where  the  royal ladies  enjoyed  the  outside  world  from,  without  themselves  being  visible.

There  was  architecture  to  cherish  every  which  way.

The  City  Palace  gave  a  glimpse  of  the  splendour  of  the  royal  life.  The  textile  exhibits  and   the  armouries  were  exquisite  and  worth  a  visit.

My  eyes  were  drawn  to  the  shiny  pots  being  neatly  arranged  for  some  celebration  later  in  the  evening.  I  counted  13  servings  on  each  side.  Try  to  imagine  their  contents  !

Jantar  Mantar,  our  next  attraction,  literally  translates  to  “Calculating  Instrument”.  Completed  in  1734  it  allowed  the  observation  of  Astronomical  positions  with  the  naked  eye.

The  Amer  fort  stood  majestically  against  the  blue  sky.   The  geometric  pillars  and  elaborate  windows  made  me  think  of  the  days  gone  by.  Mystery,  romance,  intrigue  and  so  much  more,  If  only  the  walls  could  talk!

It  was  time  to  head  out  for  some  food.  Amit  directed  us  to  the  “Pink  city”  restaurant.  We  wanted  to  try  the  local  fare.  The  place  was  packed  with  locals  and  tourists  alike.  We  started  with  sweet  lassi,  a  yoghurt  drink  garnished  generously  with  pistachio  slivers  and  rose  syrup.

The  vegetarian  Thali  (plate),  was  an  elaborate  affair,  containing  nine  or  ten  small  bowls  neatly  arranged  around  a  big  dinner  plate.  Mouth  watering  yoghurt  dish,  soul  satisfying  lentils,  curry  made  with  Poppadums,  dry  dish  with  cauliflower,  raita,  rice  pudding  each  calling  my  name.  Rice  and  two  different  flatbreads,  salad  to  accompany  the  above.

“Virasat’,  was  the  next  place  we  headed  for  food  on  day  2.  This  was  a  royal  dining  experience.  Plush  low  sitting  stools,  food  in  silver  ware,  live  folk  music,  complete  with  a  throne,  as  a  photo  opportunity.

There  was  sweet  cotton  candy  and  spicy  fried  Poppadums  on  the  streets.

We  took  a  day  trip  to  Pushkar,  a  sleepy,  small  town  about  couple  hours  away.  This  town  gets  busy  in  November  hosting  the  largest  Cattle  fair  in  the  world.

The  choices  for  transport  were  many.  You  had  the  luxury  travel  bus,  Hyndui  sedan  or  brightly  decorated  double  humped  camels.  Take  your  pick.

The  roadsides  were  packed  with  hawkers  selling  sweets  of  all  shapes  garnished  with   rose  petal  and  nuts.

Evenings  were  spent  enjoying  the  local  culture.  Beautifully  dressed  women  balancing  pots  on  their  heads  while  effortlessly  swirling  around.

Rajasthan  has  so  much  to  offer,  I need  a  longer  break  to  savour  it  all.

Khambagani,  as  they  say  respectfully…