India - the land where one can see and experience different cultures, different traditions, different heritage has so so many interesting places to explore. My dreams started coming true when I started venturing out to different states and got an inkling of the beautiful cities, towns and villages that lay in abundance to be explored. I still have many places on my "wish list", but I do want to give a perspective of traditional and modern India, the urban and the rural India and how it all blends together as a nation.

In my first post, I will talk about one of the magnificent states in Northern India - Rajasthan. 

Rajasthan - The land of kings and queens of the era, the reign of the supreme monarchs, the splendour and wealth of the heritage, the symbol of ethnicity. 

Our journey to this royal state started with Jaipur - also known as the pink city. We started our journey with the glorious Amer Fort. 



Jaipur Palace, the city palace is a charming visit with a glimpse of how the Maharaja's used to live in the earlier days. The immense smaller palaces within the big arena, the courtyard, gardens, temples all glorify the days past gone by. The gateways are decorated very well and you can view the intricate architecture in many places. The astonishing thing is the well-maintained gardens which have flourished in the upper floors. Do watch out for the peacock gates, which bring out the essence of colors very well. Inside the palace, there are various artifacts of the king and the queen, the golden throne, the marble-floored tiles, the exotic chandeliers, the hall of beauty or Chandra Mahal which is decorated with mirrors. 

There is a platform now where puppet shows are held and you can listen to a sample of the folk music and the instruments which are now demonstrated by the localites. 



We also visited the Aditya Birla temple, which was calm and serene - especially during sunset time. We also visited Chowki Dhaani - a popular resort for experiencing the village houses of Rajasthan, the traditional paintings, the folk lores, the popular dance and gymnastic performances. While this is just an experience, I would recommend all of you to walk via several streets, especially Johri Bazaar, Nehru Bazaar, etc where there are small street boutique shops and some offer really exuberant variety at reasonable prices. 

Women: Do beware of treading alone - best to go with a partner of a family member while you are visiting streets of Jaipur and anywhere in Rajasthan!


Soon, I will talk about adventures in Udaipur and Jailsalmer! Cya