Ed and I recently spent a month exploring the regal areas of Rajasthan in Northern India.
We traveled along the well-trodden route from Jaipur to Udaipur to Jodhpur … our “pur to pur” tour. In ancient Sanskrit, the “pur” suffix denotes town or city, so Jaipur is Jai’s town, paying homage to Maharaja Jai Singh II, who established the city in 1727. Rao Jodha founded Jodhpur in 1459, and so on. We also traveled to Jaisalmer, a fortress town established in the 12th century by King Rawal Jaisal. (The suffix ‘mer’ denotes that it was once a lake.) Each area offered its charm and beauty.
Since the Rajasthan royalty cooperated with the Mughals and the British over time, palaces, temples and forts were not destroyed (like in many other parts of India). Many still stand in good condition after 600+ years.
Visiting Jaipur
One of our favorite destinations was the Amber Fort in Jaipur, where we donned traditional turbans and rode up to the fort on an elephant.
We later learned that elephants don’t like this work. The government has new laws (encouraged by PETA) limiting the number of people they carry at a time and the number of trips to the fort per day.
If Ed needed to wear a turban daily, he would have to add at least 15 minutes to his morning routine, as tying a turban is quite an intricate process! The fabric was eight meters long.
Jaipur became known as “The Pink City” when, in 1876, the Maharaja painted most buildings pink—the color of hospitality—in preparation for a visit by Britain’s Queen Victoria. We admired many of the pink structures, including the Hawa Mahal. Women used to peer out of the many small lookout holes in this building to see what was happening in the street.
A few minutes after we took this photo in the middle of a crowded night market, Ed realized he did not have his wallet. We surveyed the sidewalk and rushed back to this location. Unfortunately, we did not find it. We assumed either we left it in the hotel or he dropped it.
We didn’t find the wallet at the hotel either, but when Jan looked at her phone, she found this message titled “Regarding your Purse”:
A shopkeeper had spotted a suspicious-looking person picking something off the street. When he went to investigate, he realized it was a wallet and took possession. He found the neighborhood policeman and turned over the wallet, but first, he found our business card in the wallet and sent a message saying he had my wallet. We quickly summoned our driver and returned to his shop. He wouldn’t accept a tip. Honest people can be found everywhere.
Blue Jodhpur
The Mehrangarh fort beckoned from all parts of Jodhpur. Originally built in 1459, the complex spans 1,200 acres.
Night views from rooftop restaurants also focus on the fort.
Jodhpur is known as the “Blue City” because many buildings in the oldest areas are painted blue.
This theme was artfully carried out at the remodel of our hotel, the Raas Jodhpur, which was once an ancient palace.
Golden Jaisalmer
Jaisalmer is called the “Golden City” because the yellow sandstone used in the majority of architecture has a yellowish-golden tinge. Unlike most other forts in India, Jaisalmer Fort is not just a tourist attraction. It houses shops, hotels and ancient havelis (homes) where generations continue to live.
Jaisalmer was a major junction on the Silk Road. Riding camels is still a tradition in the area, and we were happy to take a ride at sunset.
Hospitality Galore
Many palaces and estates have been converted into luxury 5-star hotels. The level of Indian hospitality on our journey was incredible. Each room was different—many had balconies, patios, views, and/or sitting rooms. The staff was incredibly gracious and welcoming. Our view of the sunset from the hotel roof in Udaipur was lovely.
Happy Holi!
We were happy to be in Udaipur for Holi, the celebration of Spring. The night before, the town was festive, with many locals (and tourists) dancing to traditional Indian music.
On Holi day, donning white outfits, everyone in town threw paint on each other to celebrate flowers, spring and new life! We started the day in pristine outfits.
Our clothes became increasingly colorful as the day wore on. We originally thought that people would throw dried paint at each other. But no, it was much more personal. Instead of throwing, many of our new friends would smear wet (or dried) paint on your face, hair or clothing.
To top it off, local children delighted in spraying each passerby with their water guns! This added a wet layer on everyone’s clothing and helped blend (or smear) the paint.
By the end of the day, we were covered in paint and ready for the shower! (I had a Zoom for Stanford call at 4 pm that day and needed to ensure I was presentable. Even though my hair still had a slight green cast, I was able to pull this off!)
We heard that there is a traditional marijuana-laced drink named “bhang” that is part of many people’s Holi tradition. We didn’t try it, but we noticed everyone was in a very good mood! Perhaps next time.
Touring the Taj Mahal
En route to Rajasthan, we visited the Taj Mahal. Although it looks pure white from a distance, the vast quantity of inlaid jewels that grace the structure is breathtaking. We learned that it took 20,000 people 22 years to build this magnificent building. We visited at sunset and sunrise the next morning.
It was truly a “bucket list” moment!
Smooth Sailing
Due to the patience and skill of our driver, Milap, we were lucky to enjoy a smooth trip throughout Rajasthan. With the crazy traffic and honking around India, Jan often remarked, “I’m so glad Ed is not driving!” This is an understatement!
Our trip to Rajasthan was planned by Ajay Sharma, a Delhi local who’s planned trips for friends in Sun Valley. He was an excellent choice. If you’re interested, you can reach hin at holikurry@gmail.com or follow him on Instagram. We’re happy to provide more details.
https://www.instagram.com/indiawithajay
This is the first of three installments of our memories of India. Watch this space!