Hello friend;
Date is 4-01-2005. Tonight I decided to create this small but detailed log of my travel. I came back from the land of deserts and camels this evening. I am aware that I am tired but something in me tells me that I should write this and
share with you things that have happened in my life for the past 8 days. I will write about a Rajasthan that I have experienced. Sometimes my rambling may run into the wilderness of confusion and boredom so please try to adjust with my wordy jugglery. I along with my team members (Roy and Athi) left Chennai on the 26th of December. It was a terrible day for many people. Tsunami created fear both in the minds of the people and on the land. I received three frantic calls from Maijo+ fly who had ventured out of the hotel to see the Crocodile Park.(I told him in a humorous way that there is no need to go out to see the aquatic creatures and asked him to wait for one more day so that they will reach the hotel lobby). They came back to their rooms since their driver refused to take them beyond a certain point on East Coast Road. Even my team member’s fly members were anxious about the fact that the train travelled through the coastal line. However, keeping our trust in God and Laloo Prasad Yadav we started our much dreamt and anticipated journey to Rajasthan.
I considered myself lucky to travel with two individuals who were coming from the security of their homes. The Mother Factor (‘sharing, caring, loving pieces of ghee’ that is how I describe over emotional moms) came to our rescue in the sense that my co-travellers were equipped with chapattis and rotis made to last for two days. All these were done so that we eat good home-prepared food. Therefore, from Chennai to Jaipur pantry car was a distant dream. Nevertheless, we were as hungry as the tsunami, which voraciously licked the shores of India. Food items started flowing in from the stations from Nagpur we had Vadilal ice cream, cold lassi and oranges.
We reached Jaipur on the 28th morning. The sight, which welcomed us to Jaipur, was the ‘yellow fields’. It was indeed a great spectacle to see the yellow flowers dancing in the morning sun. They reminded me of the ‘tujhe dekho tho ye janna sanam’ song from DDLJ. I really do not remember the name of the crop but know that they make oil out of those flowers. Our fourth team member (Joshua) who is from Ajmer was at the station to receive us. Checked into a budget hotel, refreshed ourselves. It was not that cold. It was more like Bangalore in November. After all the necessary preparations like charging the camera batteries and cell phones, we set out to explore the city. As we travelled through the heart of the city, we saw the prominently placed statue of Sawai Jai Singh the founder king of the city. Our first pit stop was the Albert hall, which was the museum and the art gallery.
Nothing caught my attention inside the hall. The so-called social fabric of Rajasthan was presented in different ways. Outside the museum, there is a place where people feed the pigeons. It was indeed a very appealing sight. One brilliant moment was when I saw a little child dart into the flock of pigeons, which made them all to take a swift flight and come back to the same area for more food. Birla Mandir was another place where I could see many pigeons. Wherever they sat, they left their imprint in the form of faeces. Inside the mandir, there was a unique but overflowing silence. The place was an excellent example of the so-called secular imago of the Indian sub-continent. Therefore, there was Christ, Ram and Krishna ‘imprisoned’ in the same pillar.
Right from the moment I reached Jaipur, I was searching for the colour pink. Because I have heard that, the city is known as the Pink City. It’s only after the conversation I had with our driver that I realised that it is only a part of the city that is covered in pink. This part of the city is also walled and had very strong link with the royal past of Rajasthan. Inside the Pink city, we saw Hawa Mahal or ‘the palace of winds’. The 5-storyed stunning semi octagonal monument had 152 windows. Our driver old us that it was originally designed for the royal women to catch the cool breeze on a hot day and enjoy the processions and other activities, on the streets below.
After travelling through the busy streets of Jaipur, we reached Jaal Mahal. This is an exquisite construction in the City of Jaipur.A huge lake with a royal building exactly at the center of it. As I was engrossed in scanning the building that was in a dilapidated condition, I heard a soothing tune. I turned my head in that direction and I could see one small girl wearing Rajasthani dress dancing to the tunes of a musical instrument. I do not have words to explain the joy I had listening to that piece of music that was so pure to the ears. The instrument was a tribal one (don’t remember the name) and the old man who was playing that was doing so for a livelihood. It was near the Jaal-mahal I tasted the big papad, which they sell for three rupees. It was so big that four of us had a tough time finishing it. We also had garama-garam tea along with it. As I left the precincts of Jaal-mahal. I could see the little girl and the old man trying to sell their goods to a foreigner.
It is only when we ate the papad we realised how hungry we were. We did not have a proper breakfast, because the theme of our trip was ‘minimal investment and proper commitment’. Lunch beckoned us. Landed in a restaurant, which served original Rajasthani food. I decided to try some Rajasthani Thali.
(In Rome, I should eat like a Roman.)
Roti (unlimited)
Pyas (onion pieces sprinkled with lemon juice)
Hari mirchi (green chilly)
Chawal
Gobi curry
Daal
Big pappad
For the above food items like a maharaja, I paid 50 rs
Post lunch session we headed towards the Amber fort. From a distance, the fort looked splendid. A moat encircled the fort. 25 years back the moat contained ferocious crocodiles. When the British army invaded the area, it seems they had to aim their cannons on these creatures before they could attack the fort. After witnessing the interiors of the fort, which was as crowded as T-nagar Ranganathan Street, we returned to the heart of the city of Jaipur.Had some kachori and kebab which was our dinner. Somebody suggested that we go for a movie. Thus, we all got into an auto and soon found a place in the theatre watching the latest Sharukhkhan movie Swades. There ended our first day and night in the state of Rajasthan.
Here ends the story of the first day. There remains the experience of seven more days to tell and like the Arabian nights, they are equally enchanting and enriching. I promise to tell you the remaining story when we meet next time. Camel ride, ethnic delicacy-Daal Bati, New
Year eve at Ajmer, evening with JD in his farm, the beautiful sunset at Mount Abu, and the return journey. Let there be a willing suspension of disbelief.
Take care
Bye
Premjith Mathew
Date is 4-01-2005. Tonight I decided to create this small but detailed log of my travel. I came back from the land of deserts and camels this evening. I am aware that I am tired but something in me tells me that I should write this and
share with you things that have happened in my life for the past 8 days. I will write about a Rajasthan that I have experienced. Sometimes my rambling may run into the wilderness of confusion and boredom so please try to adjust with my wordy jugglery. I along with my team members (Roy and Athi) left Chennai on the 26th of December. It was a terrible day for many people. Tsunami created fear both in the minds of the people and on the land. I received three frantic calls from Maijo+ fly who had ventured out of the hotel to see the Crocodile Park.(I told him in a humorous way that there is no need to go out to see the aquatic creatures and asked him to wait for one more day so that they will reach the hotel lobby). They came back to their rooms since their driver refused to take them beyond a certain point on East Coast Road. Even my team member’s fly members were anxious about the fact that the train travelled through the coastal line. However, keeping our trust in God and Laloo Prasad Yadav we started our much dreamt and anticipated journey to Rajasthan.I considered myself lucky to travel with two individuals who were coming from the security of their homes. The Mother Factor (‘sharing, caring, loving pieces of ghee’ that is how I describe over emotional moms) came to our rescue in the sense that my co-travellers were equipped with chapattis and rotis made to last for two days. All these were done so that we eat good home-prepared food. Therefore, from Chennai to Jaipur pantry car was a distant dream. Nevertheless, we were as hungry as the tsunami, which voraciously licked the shores of India. Food items started flowing in from the stations from Nagpur we had Vadilal ice cream, cold lassi and oranges.
We reached Jaipur on the 28th morning. The sight, which welcomed us to Jaipur, was the ‘yellow fields’. It was indeed a great spectacle to see the yellow flowers dancing in the morning sun. They reminded me of the ‘tujhe dekho tho ye janna sanam’ song from DDLJ. I really do not remember the name of the crop but know that they make oil out of those flowers. Our fourth team member (Joshua) who is from Ajmer was at the station to receive us. Checked into a budget hotel, refreshed ourselves. It was not that cold. It was more like Bangalore in November. After all the necessary preparations like charging the camera batteries and cell phones, we set out to explore the city. As we travelled through the heart of the city, we saw the prominently placed statue of Sawai Jai Singh the founder king of the city. Our first pit stop was the Albert hall, which was the museum and the art gallery.
Nothing caught my attention inside the hall. The so-called social fabric of Rajasthan was presented in different ways. Outside the museum, there is a place where people feed the pigeons. It was indeed a very appealing sight. One brilliant moment was when I saw a little child dart into the flock of pigeons, which made them all to take a swift flight and come back to the same area for more food. Birla Mandir was another place where I could see many pigeons. Wherever they sat, they left their imprint in the form of faeces. Inside the mandir, there was a unique but overflowing silence. The place was an excellent example of the so-called secular imago of the Indian sub-continent. Therefore, there was Christ, Ram and Krishna ‘imprisoned’ in the same pillar.
Right from the moment I reached Jaipur, I was searching for the colour pink. Because I have heard that, the city is known as the Pink City. It’s only after the conversation I had with our driver that I realised that it is only a part of the city that is covered in pink. This part of the city is also walled and had very strong link with the royal past of Rajasthan. Inside the Pink city, we saw Hawa Mahal or ‘the palace of winds’. The 5-storyed stunning semi octagonal monument had 152 windows. Our driver old us that it was originally designed for the royal women to catch the cool breeze on a hot day and enjoy the processions and other activities, on the streets below.
After travelling through the busy streets of Jaipur, we reached Jaal Mahal. This is an exquisite construction in the City of Jaipur.A huge lake with a royal building exactly at the center of it. As I was engrossed in scanning the building that was in a dilapidated condition, I heard a soothing tune. I turned my head in that direction and I could see one small girl wearing Rajasthani dress dancing to the tunes of a musical instrument. I do not have words to explain the joy I had listening to that piece of music that was so pure to the ears. The instrument was a tribal one (don’t remember the name) and the old man who was playing that was doing so for a livelihood. It was near the Jaal-mahal I tasted the big papad, which they sell for three rupees. It was so big that four of us had a tough time finishing it. We also had garama-garam tea along with it. As I left the precincts of Jaal-mahal. I could see the little girl and the old man trying to sell their goods to a foreigner.
It is only when we ate the papad we realised how hungry we were. We did not have a proper breakfast, because the theme of our trip was ‘minimal investment and proper commitment’. Lunch beckoned us. Landed in a restaurant, which served original Rajasthani food. I decided to try some Rajasthani Thali.
(In Rome, I should eat like a Roman.)
Roti (unlimited)
Pyas (onion pieces sprinkled with lemon juice)
Hari mirchi (green chilly)
Chawal
Gobi curry
Daal
Big pappad
For the above food items like a maharaja, I paid 50 rs
Post lunch session we headed towards the Amber fort. From a distance, the fort looked splendid. A moat encircled the fort. 25 years back the moat contained ferocious crocodiles. When the British army invaded the area, it seems they had to aim their cannons on these creatures before they could attack the fort. After witnessing the interiors of the fort, which was as crowded as T-nagar Ranganathan Street, we returned to the heart of the city of Jaipur.Had some kachori and kebab which was our dinner. Somebody suggested that we go for a movie. Thus, we all got into an auto and soon found a place in the theatre watching the latest Sharukhkhan movie Swades. There ended our first day and night in the state of Rajasthan.
Here ends the story of the first day. There remains the experience of seven more days to tell and like the Arabian nights, they are equally enchanting and enriching. I promise to tell you the remaining story when we meet next time. Camel ride, ethnic delicacy-Daal Bati, New
Year eve at Ajmer, evening with JD in his farm, the beautiful sunset at Mount Abu, and the return journey. Let there be a willing suspension of disbelief.Take care
Bye
Premjith Mathew
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