Jaipur

The Pink City

Like my first trip to Jaipur the second and third trip was also unplanned. Popularly known as the pink city, it is just 250 kilometers from Delhi and therefore one of the most favored weekend destinations for Delhites. I have been there twice recently and once two years back so this blog post has been pending since a long time. Rajasthan being my favorite place to visit I definitely don’t mind visiting its capital city number of times. 

I am biased towards Rajasthan as a state. One reason is definitely their welcoming attitude and humbleness. The other reason for me being in love with this colorful state is its forts and palaces that are quite well-maintained. I have already been to Jodhpur, Udaipur, Bikaner but after visiting Jaipur I realized that the capital city is different from the other cities. Obviously being a capital, Jaipur is much more developed than the other cities. And moreover you can find lots of Delhites if you are there on weekend. My trip to this city was completed in three visits and hence this post will have photos of two qualities- one of a simple digital camera and one of a DSLR.

This city is a gem in the crown of royal Rajasthan. It is the best showcase of the magnificent grandeur that Rajasthan is famed for all over India and the world.

It is nearby to Delhi (NCR). The highways are pretty decent (other than in rainy season) and hence it is easy to drive. But you can also take a deluxe bus or a Volvo from Delhi which is easily available even if you plan a last time trip like me. Trains are also available but for that you need to plan in advance otherwise it is quite a busy route.

From the feedback the received from my last posts, I decided to divide my post into three parts-

•         Places to visit in Jaipur
•         Places to shop in Jaipur
•       Must try food

Coming to the places to visit, I would say there are lots of places to visit here if you are fond of forts and palaces. And I being a lover of forts and palaces just love this place. You can easily divide your days here for a planned visit otherwise you are bond to miss out one or the other places of visiting here. But before starting your journey you must carry loads of water, a comfortable pair of walking shoes, hat, sunscreen lotion and sunglasses.

Day 1- You can start your visit with the most famous Amber Fort. Located on a hill which is 11 Km away from Jaipur, this fort is known for its unique artistic style, blending both Hindu and Muslim architecture. The Fort imposes rugged structure from outside ornate and lavish interior. The fort houses lots of sub-halls and palaces.

This royal fort houses- Diwan-e-Aam meaning the "Hall of Public Audience", the Diwan-e-Khas means the "Hall of Private Audience", the Sheesh Mahal (a beautiful mirror palace)/ Jai Mandir, and the Sukh Niwas where a cool climate is artificially created by winds that blow over the water cascading within the palace. The fort is very well maintained.

There is a small area inside the fort where you can shop the traditional jhumkis, dupattas, key rings and paintings. And if you are fond of puppetry show like me then you can enjoy a small string puppetry show also there. Snake charmers are also here. I took whole half day to visit this fort.  

After visiting this huge fort, head back to city have a lunch and then move ahead to the second visit of the day. The City Palace- It is an amalgamation of several palaces, pavilions, gardens and museum. The most visited structures in the complex are the Chandra Mahal, Mubarak Mahal, Mukut Mahal, Maharani’s Palace and the City Palace Museum. By the time you will finish visiting this palace, it will be evening so head back to Amber Fort for a relaxing sound and light program.

On the way back to the fort, you can stop briefly to watch the golden rays of evening sun fall on Jal Mahal, a small palace built in the middle of Man Sagar Lake. Though you cannot visit the Jal Mahal, as it is closed by government still you can just stop by and enjoy the cool breeze.

The light and sound show that has Amber as the backdrop and is a must attend to know more about the heritage and history. So, if you get time come back here again in the evening and enjoy this show. This musical extravaganza has highlighted the local legends, folklore and a connoisseur of folk music that continues to give Rajasthan its unique identity. My personal  favourite is the Sarangi music played there. The show has been set in a very exotic location with the panoramic view of the Amber Fort & Palace Complex in the front, the rising Jaigarh on the left, the hills at the back and the gallery itself in the Kesar Kiyari Complex of Maota Lake. The Show runs on daily basis at 6:30 pm (Hindi Language) and in English at 07:30 pm.  This show is for 50 minutes. And approx Tariff for the Indian National is Rs.100 and Foreign nationals- Rs.200.

Have dinner and drive back to your hotel and have a good night’s sleep, because next day is going to be a busy day.

Day-2- Start afresh with Jaigarh Fort is 15 kms from Jaipur, standing on a hilltop, overlooking the palaces and city of Amer. The world’s biggest cannon on wheels- the Jai Ban is positioned here. The only disappointing thing of this fort is that it is not maintained like Amber Fort.

Then head to Nahargarh Fort. Personally it is my favorite place in Jaipur. It is adorned by small rooms, beautiful paintings and marvelous architecture. The yellow colored walls with beautiful home like structure make this place my favorite monument of Jaipur. Since I have been there number of times now and every time with new set of people, I introduce this place as my home. Besides its architecture, one thing that makes this fort even spectacular is the view of the Jaipur city from its roof top.  

After visiting these two you can come back to the main city have lunch relax and do some local shopping.

Day-3- The third day you can visit the Hawa Mahal. Though there is nothing much inside only a structure, you can definitely do some shopping near by the Mahal. If you have left with time then you can also visit Jantar Mantar.

You can complete you visit there with an evening visit to Chokhi Dhani. The place showcases the authentic culture of rural Rajasthan. I was awe stuck and completely impressed with its offering when I visited it for the first.

Wherever I took my eyes I was amazed by the happenings around. The Kalbelia dance, the puppetry show, the magic show, camel cart, horse riding, boating, bullock cart, a tree decorated with lamp, haveli like small houses, paintings on the wall etc. There are earthen lamps and paintings to beautify the whole place. And what amazed me the most is the humbleness of the people there. So, every time I visit Jaipur, I make it a point to visit Chokhi Dhani also.

Places to shop in Jaipur-

The Jaipur bazaars are a treat for those who love to shop, especially for those who loves handicrafts. There is Johari Bazaar, Kishanpole Bazaar and Chaura Rasta run north to south while Tripolia Bazaar and Chandpole Bazaar run east to west. Chameliwala Market situated in MI Road is the real hidden gem for gems and jewelry buying. Here you can get authentic gems and silver jewelry at wholesale prices.

Must try food in Jaipur-

If you are vegetarian then Pyaaz kachori is a must try. And if you are a non-vegetarian like me then Pyaaz kachori and Keema Bati both are worth eating. There is a wonderful variety on offer and one can try everything from the most awesome sweets like Ghewar which is a especiality of this pink city to piping hot pyaaz kachoris which are favorite of the locals with a cup of tea. I loved the gol gappe from the local revri also.

So, as a whole Jaipur is a very rich city. In terms of places to visit, things to shop and food to eat, it offers it visitors an amazing array of experience.

Dehradun and Mussourie

Dehradun  

This was my second trip to Dehradun and Mussourie. And though most of my trips are not planned, this trip was extremely unplanned. If I have to rate my unplanned trips, I would rate this trip on the top. It was decided an hour before, we booked the ticket in a private bus as it was the only option left at last hour and then headed to Dehradun. Delhi was boiling hot at that time and Dehradun was definitely cooler. Lying in the foothills of Himalyas, Dehradun is a great escape from Delhi, especially in summers.

The main agenda of this trip was to beat the heat and have good time with friends. The plan was to have no plan. So, we stayed at my dear friend’s place in Doon University. Morning was spent lazing around in her peaceful home, hailing from a small city, I felt as if I am at home. I sat in balcony and sipped my tea. I enjoyed greenery of forest, sound of bird’s chirping and felt cool, refreshing and relaxing breeze. After enjoying the lazy morning and a small nap, we headed to the Robert Cave. Popularly known as Guchhipani or Guchu Pani, it is one of the well-known places of Dehradun.

Located in the outskirts of the city, Guchu Pani is a must visit place to beat the heat. We parked our car and walked a kilometre inside to reach the actual sight. Basically, it is a water stream flowing amidst the hills. We held each other’s hand and got into the water. Though the water was hardly till our knee it was very cold. This was the first time I was trekking in water flowing through rock. Somewhere water was deep and somewhere it was shallow. It was a walk through the water and hence simply refreshing.  After the tiresome walk we ate Maggie and tea and relaxed our cold feet.

 Mussourie

First Visit

Like most colonial hill stations, Mussoorie has its Mall Road and that was our first destination. We walked all the way to the end, enjoying the scenery censored with buildings, electric posts and hotels. It was very misty that day and it made the place look even more beautiful. It was a beautiful weather and we enjoyed it to the fullest.  This was my first visit to any hill station of North and I went complete crazy for the place.

And then we moved to a ride to rope way to Gun Hill to further enjoy the view from top. The Ropeway distance is only 400 metres, but still it was fun. Gun Hill offers a beautiful panoramic view of the Himalayan ranges namely Bunderpunch, Srikantha, Pithwara and Gangotri group etc. and a bird's eye view of Mussoorie town and Doon Valley. It is said that it is named Gun Hill because during pre-independence time, a gun mounted on this top used to be fired indicating mid-day to enable people to adjust their watches. There is a small market on the hill with small food outlets there. We relaxed, enjoyed the view and ate maggie and tea there.

After enjoying the Gun Hill we returned to the Mall Road in Mussoorie to shop for some local handicrafts and artefacts. The Mall Road has number of shops and showrooms offering everything from gift items to clothes, hand-made gifts and antiques.

This was my visit in 2007, and I wanted to stay there forever but unfortunately had to come back. But when I left the place I promised that I will visit this place again.

Second visit

I visited the queen of hills again in 2014, with a group of friends. Though this time I did not go to Mall Road and Rope way, we definitely enjoyed our trip. This time we went directly to Kempty Falls. We went to upper part of the falls where there were fewer tourists.  In fact when we went there, the fall was empty. Though the fall was not very huge it was good enough to enjoy. The first time I put my feet in the water I realised it was chilling like ice, but gradually I went in the fall. It was more of a group adventure. We trekked nearer to the water fall with each other’s help and managed to do photo session also. Though it was the month of May, the water was freezing cold, but then also we enjoyed our session there.  After the fun-filled session at the waterfall we felt too tiered and headed to the local food outlet and had lunch. Since it was Sunday, the hill station was swamped with visitors and could not go to any other place and headed directly to Dehradun.

SOME FACTS

• The name of this hill station is taken from the word ‘Mansoor’ which is a shrub available in abundance here. And this is why even today many people call it Mansoori instead of Mussourie.
• The 100 years old church which is the oldest in Himalyas the Christ Church, is in Mussourie. It is said that in the churchyard there is a deodar tree planted by Mary, Princess of Wales.
• The first Tibetan school was established in Mussoorie in 1960.
• Place Lal Tibba is the highest point in Mussoorie with an enormous height of 2,290 metres (7,510 ft).
• Do not forget to enjoy the maggie and tea of the local outlet
• Do not forget to visit the Tibetan market which has some good collection of winter wears
• And if you are fond of getting clicked, then adorn the traditional dress of mountains and get clicked by the photographer just beside the church.

HOW TO REACH DEHRADUN

By Air: The nearest airport is Jolly Grant Airport in Dehradun, approximately 54 kilometres from Mussourie.

By Train: Multiple trains run from all major cities. 

By Road: It is well-connected with all the major cities. From Delhi it will take you 8 to 9 hours to reach Dehradun.

Mussourie is just 30 minutes drive from Dehradun

With good road connectivity, you can travel by private car also-

• Delhi- 8 hours (247 kilometres)
• Jaipur- 12 hours (526 kilometres)
• Agra- 10 hours (432 kilometres)
• Chandigarh- 4 hours (180 kilometres)

The Fatehpur Sikri

The Fatehpur Sikri

The Fatehpur Sikri was established by great mughal emperor Akbar in 16^th century. It was a tribute to renowned sufi saint, Sheikh Salim Chishti. It is said that Akbar walked barefooted from Agra to Fatehpur Sikri seeking the heir for the Mughal Empire and Salim Chisti predicted a male heir. And the prediction of the saint came true and Akbar was blessed with a son. Akbar named his son 'Salim' after the Sufi saint.

It is located at 40 kilometres from Agra. The credit of visiting the city goes to my father who was very keen on visiting the city. And though I was not much interested in visiting this city after the exhausting Agra trip a day before, I loved the city. We headed to Fatehpur Sikri Fort complex which is dotted by several architectural marvels soon after our breakfast.

Though our guide gave a lot of information but only few seemed true. The first place we saw was Diwan-e-aam, the hall of public audience that was used for public meetings and celebrations; its construction is very much similar to Diwan-e-aam of Red Fort of Delhi. Then we headed to Diwan-e-khas, the hall that was used for private meetings, there is a beautifully carved pillar in the centre of this hall. One very interesting thing in front of the Diwan-e-khas, is a life-size board for a game of Pacchisi (a precursor to Ludo), where human figures were used as the pieces and were moved by the direction of its players. What royalty and grandness the Mughals lived their life in.

Then we headed to the three small structures. Our guide said that since Emperor Akbar had three favourite wives, one of whom was Hindu, one Muslim and one Christian, he built one palace in name of each of his wives. Though I have never read this version of story in any of the Mughal books I have read.

Panch Mahal, whose photo is shown in the tourist book’s pages is a five storeyed building a place for recreation and relaxation for the royal family. The structure has been so designed that each story is pillared and is smaller than the other as you move upwards. Though now it is not allowed to climb up this structure. While no less than 84 columns support the ground floor, the uppermost domed floor has only 4 columns. The whole structure is only pillared without any enclosed wall and hence very airy. It is said that it was styled to give relief from the scorching summers of Agra and never used for residential purpose.

The Turkish Sultana’s House is one of the most ornamented buildings of this complex. Each and Every inch of this building is beautifully carved and designed. Though there is not much story about who Turkish Sultana was, but our guide said she was one of the wives of Akbar. It is a small structure surrounded by a verandah, but designed very intricately.

Just adjacent to the Turkish Sultana’s House is Anup Talao. This is actually a pool with a raised platform built by red sandstone and surrounded by stone jalis in its centre. There are four paths from four directions that connect this raised platform to the sides of the pool. Our guide has one more story to say about this pool, don’t know how much it is true. But according to our guide- this pool was once filled with coins and ornaments during the Mughal Era and when the rays of sun falls on this pool it created a visual treat. Today, despite being a part of world heritage the water in the pool is dirty and no one can enter the raised platform in the centre of the pool.

Then there is Jama Masjid and Sheikh Salim Chisti’s Tomb. The Jama Masjid is a beautiful and grand masjid. There are two entrances for this masjid, one is from Buland Darwaza, through which we entered and other one is through The King’s Gate (Badshahi Darwaja). It is said that Bulund Darwaza is said be raised in 1602 AD to celebrate Akbar’s victory over Gujarat. We entered through Buland Darwaza. 

The Sheikh Salim Chisti’s Tomb is one of the most revered Sufi shrines of India. People from all religions come here to seek blessings and it is believed that their wished will be granted. And though all the other structure of this complex is made of red stone, the tomb is made of white marble. It is enclosed by beautiful marble jalis where people tie thread and ask for the blessings of the Sufi saint. This tomb is very serene and beautiful.

Fatehpur Sikri remained the capital of Mughal Empire during the era of Akbar for 14 years. But then due to the acute water shortage in the region, it was abandoned by Mughals.