06/20/14 - 6/21/14: Jaipur, Rajasthan, India
Jaipur is the capital city of Rajasthan, and when Aura pulled us into the heart of the city we found it flowing with the endless energy of all who inhabit it. We climbed to the top of a Hindu temple and watched the wheel of life whirling below us; a hectic rotary spanning our view hosting cars, buses, tuk-tuks, motorcycles, bicycles, push carts, camels, and the occasional elephant. It was organized chaos. Everything seemed to work in spite of the odds.
We walked to a nearby street that was the main commerce center of Jaipur. I had little interest in shopping, but I was very interested in the small stand that Aura said made the best lassis in town. They served their lassis in cone-shaped terra cotta cups, and it’s tradition to throw them on the ground when you’re done drinking. Unlike other garbage in India, this seemed okay by me since they were made from the earth and would naturally biodegrade. Plus, it was really fun! Anne, of course, was in lassi heaven. Her personal lassi tour had been hit and miss. But this particular stand received rave reviews. In fact, she was so enamored she drank two in a row.
That evening we saw our first Bollywood film. It was Friday night, which is when the new releases hit the theaters. Aura arranged tickets for us to see whatever was debuting. When we arrived at the theater we discovered our film was a slapstick comedy called “Humshakals.” The title translates to “lookalikes” and, based on the poster, there would be 3 sets of triple lookalikes in the film. Let the shenanigans begin!
The theater was large and fairly modern with a 1990’s flare. There were neon lights and an old-style seating section that slowly slanted upward. As we waited for the film, I learned more from Aura about the traditional Bollywood structure. He told us the average Bollywood film runs between 2 to 3 hours long and is broken up with an intermission. Also, practically every Bollywood film is a musical. Songs and dance sequences are laced throughout the narrative, even if they have to be awkwardly crowbarred in. We munched our snacks and settled in for some fun and laughs.
The movie was...well...awful, if I’m being honest. I can’t say I’m a credible judge, though, since I don’t speak Hindi. The film was all in Hindi (naturally) with English words thrown in every now and then. English is one of India’s other primary languages, so it’s common to hear English phrases woven in. Since we were up against a language barrier, many of the punchlines didn’t land. But since so much of the movie was physical comedy, we got the gist of it.
One source of disappointment was the film’s singing and dancing. I was really looking forward to colorful choreography with lively music. Instead we got “Caller Tune” (a song about the ringtone on your phone) and a dance number where everyone steps from side-to-side tapping their hands together. “So You Think You Can Dance?” this was not.
And then there was the sound… Don’t get me started on the sound…
(In case you’re curious about what we endured for 2 hours and 40 minutes, here’s the “Humshakals” trailer.)
I fully admit my expectations were too high going into the film. It’s not like all Hollywood movies are winners (far from it!). We just happened to walk into a real clunker. I arrived with an appetite for “Singing in the Rain” and was fed “From Justin To Kelly.” On a grander scale, I loved the experience. I was watching a Bollywood film in India, after all. It doesn’t get more authentic than that.
The next morning we visited Hawa Mahal, better known as the “Palace of the Winds.” Built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, this royal building’s rosy sandstone is where Jaipur’s nickname, “The Pink City,” originated from. The gorgeous edifice contains 953 small windows that are capped with finials and domes and highlighted with a stark white border. Of all the havalis we saw in India, this one was the grandest, and certainly the most colorful. We never entered the Palace of the Winds, but it definitely blew us away.
Next on our schedule of awe-inspiring destinations was the Amer Fort. Also known as the Amber Fort, this palace was primarily built in the 17th century and remains a formidable fortress in spite of its age. Resting upon a hill, the fort overlooks a small lake with a royal saffron garden seeded at its center. From its ramparts a “great wall” stretches its arms across the surrounding mountain ranges to form the third longest wall in the world.
We began our walk up a pathway that zigged and zagged higher and higher until it reached the Sun Gate entrance. It was another extremely hot day, and my heart broke when I saw elephants, covered in paint, carting tourists up a long cobblestone road. After our visit to Elephant Nature Park, it’s impossible for me to see a domesticated elephant as anything but an abused and tormented animal. I imagined the pain they suffered from the weight on their backs and hot stones beneath their feet. At that moment I was extremely grateful G Adventures didn’t support elephant rides.
Aura introduced us to his favorite guide for Amer Fort. Sorry to say I can’t remember his name, but he was an elderly gentleman who’d been leading tours for over 50 years. His age provided us with two things: 1) The gift of his earned experience and years of knowledge, and 2) His lack of ability to hear us. I posed several questions throughout the tour only to receive a smile and nod. Every time. No matter the question. Yeah, I’m pretty sure he was deaf.
Amer Fort was developed over hundreds of years, but one of its primary constructors was Raja Man Singh I. Being a general for the Mughal empire, his marriage into the royal family linked Muslim and Hindu cultures and led to a mixture of aesthetics in the fort’s construction. Typically, Islamic art does not include human or animal figures, but within the palace walls we saw images of Hindu deities alongside Islamic motifs of flowers and bouquets. Our guide showed us an overt example of these two styles living as one hidden in a marble relief. Carved into the stone were two butterflies flying toward open blooms. The inclusion of the insects would already be atypical, but when our guide covered pieces of the sculpture with his hands we were astounded to see a fishtail, a hooded cobra, an elephant trunk, a scorpion - hidden animals crafted into the scene.
We traversed several courtyards during our tour of the fort, the second of which contained a large pavilion called Diwan-e-Aam. This was the Maharaja’s hall of public audience where he would make proclamations and receive visitors. Red sandstone was paired with pale white marble in its construction, creating a dramatic visual contrast under the canopy. Once again, you could see the subtle inclusion of animal imagery with the carved elephant heads fortifying the tops of all 27 colonnades.
Adjacent to Diwan-e-Aam was one of the most beautifully designed entrances I’ve ever seen, the Ganesh Pol. A fresco of pastels flowed around an elaborate threshold using symmetrical patterns, flowers, leaves, and vines to frame the Hindu god, Ganesha. Ganesha represents prosperity and the removal of all obstacles, so he seemed an apt figure to welcome all who entered the private royal palaces within.
Once through the gate, a third courtyard expanded outward, unveiling a manicured garden. This was the private quarters of the Maharaja, his family and attendants. Here, they could enjoy the beauty of the palace safely and comfortably. A water system was designed to naturally cool the court interior and there were several shaded areas for repose. You could imagine the Maharaja’s many wives taking comfort in the calm surroundings. Well, perhaps not his #1 wife. She set herself apart by wearing an elaborately bejeweled dress that weighed up to 50kg. This necessitated a servant rolling her around the grounds in a wheeled chair, and they even built a ramp to the upper terrace just for her.
So, the next time you think about how easy life is for the ruling class, remember this story and consider how much pressure that woman was under!
Beside the garden was the Sheesh Mahal, also known as the Mirror Palace. Its marble walls were decorated with intricate carvings and inlaid with mirrored tiles. The Maharaja enjoyed spending his time here in the winter, when the mirrors were used to reflect heat from strategically placed fires. Who needs central air when you have inventive engineers designing outdoor air conditioning and indoor heating.
From there, we traveled through a connecting tunnel to a fourth courtyard built exclusively for the Maharaja’s numerous wives and concubines. He wasn’t allowed to step foot in their private sanctuary. I’m sure they relished their refuge. Oh, except he could watch them from his room above, so… Yeah, scratch that thought.
Whenever the Maharaja wished to be joined with one of his ladies he’d simply send a female servant or eunuch down with someone’s designated number. (Because who can be bothered remembering all those names, am I right?) Once summoned, the woman would slip away and ascend a secret staircase that ran through the wall and into his room. Discretion is key, you see. No one could know what the Maharaja was up to. I’m sure his wives were completely oblivious. (Insert massive eye roll here)
This area concluded our visit to the Amer Fort, which was so immense it would’ve taken days to explore. I was very impressed with the fine stonework, dazzling details, and inviting open spaces. And the fort’s spicy history certainly added flavor to the narrative being spun throughout our tour.
Upon exiting, we saw a real-life snake charmer. He was playing some kind of flute while his compatriot was keeping rhythm on drums. I’m sure they were targeting gullible tourists who’ve seen a lot of silly movies that make snake charmers seem as common to India as saris on women. Well, congratulations, gentlemen. You hit the bullseye. I’m one of those gullible tourists!
The black cobra stretched straight up from its basket swaying back and forth to the music. The man motioned for me to come over and sit by the snake, assuring me that its venom had been removed. I was understandably hesitant. Still, I approached and sat close enough to get a clear look at the entranced serpent. Its threatening hood was expanded, its black body thick and ribbed in white. Even four feet away, the reptile was much larger than I anticipated. I wasn’t fearful, but I was in awe of its imposing nature. I paid the gentlemen a tip for the experience and returned to Katie who, of course, chastised me for getting so close. She’s often in protective mode where I’m concerned, but what can I do? I’m a curious creature.
After the Amer Fort, we visited a jewelry shop where they make their own baubles by hand. We watched as young men spun their grinding wheels to hand-shape and polish stones. We weren’t interested in anything for ourselves but did find a nice gift of earrings for Katie’s mother.
Next was a traditional print shop where the owner gave us a demonstration of Indian block printing. He used a wooden block with an elephant carved into the grain. He dipped it in ink and pressed it onto fabric to create an image. I thought that was the end of it but there were three additional blocks used to add fill in further detail, all in varying colors. As interesting as the designs were, neither of us wanted to buy block printed fabrics. But we were interested in their selection of clothes. Aura said this was the best place to buy traditional Indian wear, and that they could tailor something that very day. Katie purchased a bright blue blouse off the rack but Joni, Anne and I decided to have something made-to-order.
They took our measurements for a salwar kameez, also known as a Punjabi suit, which is a traditional outfit worn in northwestern India. It consists of a shirt or tunic worn over a pair of loose fitting trousers and a matching scarf. As usual, I was the last to leave the shop because I had the hardest time deciding on a fabric. I was pleased with my choice when our outfits came that night. They all fit perfectly and looked fabulous. We now knew what we’d be wearing for our upcoming visit to Agra where we’d finally see the most anticipated site in all of India, the great Taj Mahal.
