Hello lovely people . . . . No. 12

JAIPUR and AMBER

We leave Ranthambore exhilarated and ready to tackle Rajasthani city life again. Our third train journey takes us to Jaipur, the pink city, center of precious gem trading and cutting. A civilized two hours 10 minutes journey  leaving at 13:10. We were accompanied by the man from the hotel to make sure we boarded at the correct place

The train was one which had started its journey a long way and a long time before our stop and was continuing a long way and a long time after Jaipur. We had a good while at the station as it was 40 minutes late arriving – and witnessed trains crammed like we have seen on documentaries, carriages with bars across windows rather than glass, people packed like sardines, hanging out of windows and doors. The only thing missing is people and livestock on the roof. Our train when it arrives is less crowded and we head for our pre booked seats in class 3AC. They are full. In fact the eight seat carriage in which our seats are booked is full. After much examination of our tickets by the seated passengers it seems acknowledged that we have reservations and are in the correct place. People shuffle round and squeeze up so we can sit – and we are four or five to a bench  seat intended for three. This is India! Over the course of the next three hours (the train was more late arriving in Jaipur) we learn, through some English and sign language, that the men in our seats  are railway workers from southern India and have been at a conference somewhere up the line, and are taking the the opportunity to visit Jaipur. Only we appreciated the irony …

On the advice of some friends who visited last February we have chosen to stay in Amber, about 12ks outside Jaipur and home to the two magnificent forts which were the state capital before Jai Singh II created a new city (citing the need for space and water), now Jaipur. Jaipur is big, the biggest city we have visited since Delhi. Our friends tell us it is noisy and polluted  (and we hear the same from others). Our accommodation is a small guesthouse  and on arrival we are underwhelmed, the location is on the far edge of Amber town, and next to an active building site; it feels potentially  noisy and isolated; the bedrooms are small and the the bathrooms very small; the doors and shutters are heavy dark wood and there is no glass in the windows – and there are curious monkeys about . . . . However it takes almost no time at all for its charms to become apparent. It is immaculately clean and tastefully if simply decorated and furnished. There are four different sitting/eating areas, three in beautifully planted courtyards and one on the roof, with great views back over the town and one of the forts. The French owner and his Indian manager and the cook (especially the manager – Alison M and I both want to take him to run our homes) are delightful hosts and the beer is cold and food amazing. It becomes exactly what we had been recommended: a glorious respite from the clamour and chaos of Jaipur

Having witnessed the immense traffic on our run from the station to the guesthouse, and because many of the places we want to visit are in Jaipur are distant from each other, we arrange through the guesthouse a car and driver for the next two days. They book their usual driver, Manoj, who is charming, a local and knows his way about, never insists we should should visit his recommended craft/silver/textile shops (although we did go to one he proposed on our second day) and seems more than happy to take us wherever our research and guide books suggest. Over the course of the two days we have many conversations and learn he is resolutely unmarried despite his mother and sisters’ best efforts. He wants a foreign wife. Alison M seems to have been appointed the role of matchmaker/wife finder . . . .

We have three full days so allocate two to Jaipur with Manoj’s assistance and the third to Amber which we can explore on foot

The old city of Jaipur is traffic and noise filled. Probably more traffic congested than anywhere we have seen and the sights are distant from each other – we are glad of Manoj and his car! We visit the Gaitor – the tombs of the maharanis – in a tranquil part of the day and it is lovely

We visit the city palace and find it less interesting than Jaisalmer and Udaipur’s equivalents although the costume museum within it (no photographs allowed!) was fascinating. Maybe our guide did not inspire us but it just all looked a bit tired .. . . Or maybe we have seen so much it did not sufficiently excite …

We have a good lunch at what our guidebook describes as a Jaipur institution and plan the next day and a half – bangle alley, the silver market, the water palace (Jak Mahal), palace of the winds (Hawa Mahal), the observatory (Jantar Mantar) and various stops for refreshment along the way. We manage it all except the observatory. 

I particularly enjoyed bangle alley and purchasing traditional lac (resin) bangles. A narrow bazaar lined for a good 200m with bangle shops Alison M and I chose a shop, sat and were shown many and bought quite a few! They come in many designs and are fitted by being stretched to the correct size over a small coal brazier. The whole process was very civilized, we drank chai, had a chat to other, local, customers who came and went in the time we were there; I have worn one set of bangles pretty much daily since and they are frequently commented upon and admired. Sadly my nine are now six as they are quite brittle and break easily when bashed/dropped!

While we were bangle shopping the men were taken to a local small temple – apparently very non-descript resembling a dusty shed – where a gentleman devotee fell into conversation and offered them special herbs from his nearby shop “to shrink lady parts”

Bangle alley morphed into a more general bazaar and we could sense lots of Diwali preparations – people buying sweets, new clothes,  jewellry – and was  used by many scooters notwithstanding it’s extreme narrowness

We walked the exterior of the palace of the winds, which is an iconic building in Jaipur, but it is on an extremely busy road and hard to get a good camera angle – it looked very sad to us and at street level its frontage is obscured by stalls selling a whole range of souvenirs and clothing, being aggressively hawked . . . We consoled ourselves with kulfi and then a rooftop bar

The water palace is much more photogenic but is not open for visits; we were there on a Sunday and it seems a popular local destination for a weekend promenade and a snack

At the end of our second day we go to mighty Nahargarh Fort, we walk its walls and look across its battlements to the city of Jaipur below and watch the sunset with cold beers on the roof terrace of a restaurant housed within its walls; we photograph the mischievous monkeys, playing across the pepper pot minarets. It is very scenic and atmospheric

Our day in Amber started with elephants. They are used to ferry tourists from the bottom of the fort walls to the palace entrance within its walls. We had read about the controversies surrounding their use, and how they are treated when being broken to ride and afterwards, and although not willing to support the practice by riding one (and the walk up is good for us!) it is an irresistible sight watching them being taken from the elephant village which is beyond our guest house into the Amber fort in the early morning. Roberto discovered they passed the bottom of our road on our first day during his regular early morning constitutional, Andy saw then the second morning and we all made it the third!

We visited Amber Fort and its palace. Mighty gates, four main courtyards, elaborately decorated and shady gardens. Many Islamic resonances in its design and ceramics. An astonishing open room of mirrors/mirror work. We loved it all

We walked down to the town through the rear – moon – gate and visited the Ganesha temple and the stepwell but sadly not the Annokhi museum of hand block printing in a restored haweli because on walking up to its gate we discovered it closed on Monday

Jaipur and Amber are our last stops in Rajasthan and they have not disappointed. Although in Jaipur the noise, traffic, pollution was bad it is undoubtedly a vibrant city and we are all very glad to have visited, and have left thinking there is more to see and discover. We didn’t even think about gem shopping . . .

Until next time, Namaste

ALISON