I had fallen in love with her the first time I saw her. And then the second visit confirmed it. I was besotted by her, but then we were parted. I moved far away, till the day came, and I was in Rajasthan again.
Rajasthan, how i fell in love with it when i travelled in 2007 (1, 2, 3). The people, the food, the color, the grandeur, the innocent affection, "ram ram sa" everything just captivates you. Rajasthan, today after visiting 6 cities, I can safely call it one of the most beautiful states in India. Infact if you haven't travelled in rajasthan, you haven't seen enough. The story of my third stint in rajasthan...
"When a person really desires something, all the universe conspires to help that person to realize his dream."
I got a chance to go to rajasthan utilising my core leaves. Backpacking from Ajmer -> Pushkar -> Jodhpur -> Udaipur
Every city different from the other, still a common thread between them.
Ajmer feels like any other small town with dingy lanes, narrow streets and the small shops almost kissing each other. It was all about the streets. The streets near the dargaah, shouted to keep your shoes for a meagre amount, the streets wanted alms near the holy place, the streets stared at you as you moved with a camera in hand, the street smiled, giggled with you as you tried talking to them. Ajay-meru or Ajmer, the streets know everything, they go everywhere and nowhere.
Pushkar is a salesperson. It sells rajasthan, the culture, the language, the enigma, and if you are bored, it sells you to you. My best of times in rajasthan in the 6 days i spent were in pushkar, and it was short. Liked everything about the place. It sells india to the tourists, the india they want to see. Be it the 1000s of stories related to the gods and godesses, or the vermilion smothered cows, the unkempt mystics or the rajasthani color. Every place was covered with curtains of such bright rainbow colors. Took a long camel ride and ended up listening to the banjaras, their folk show only for me. Pushkar just wins you over and over again.
Marwaris have a taste for food. Jodhpur was a live example for the same. Had lunch with a family, who informed us of how throughout jodhput, there are places famous for certain kind of food. And people who have lived there, and know about these would never even think of going somewhere else. So, if you want to get the gulab jamuns you go to chatarbuj sweets, for makhaniya lassi and mawa kachodi, mishri ram bhandaar, for kachoris and samosa its shahi samose and for omelettes none other than the omelette shop (aka garib hotel).
If you need to travel to Udaipur, you need 3-4 days and keep it at the last. Its a perfect place to unwind yourself, relax and forget about other things. We sadly could not do that, as we had just 2 days in hand. But nevertheless this place doesnot claim to be the best city in the world for nothing. A horse safari, and a bit of town surfing later, we were on our way back.
Rajasthan!!! A state so colourful, so rich, so grand, so mysterious and yet so humble... you feel like returning again and again. :)
I shall. soon!!!
Rajasthan, how i fell in love with it when i travelled in 2007 (1, 2, 3). The people, the food, the color, the grandeur, the innocent affection, "ram ram sa" everything just captivates you. Rajasthan, today after visiting 6 cities, I can safely call it one of the most beautiful states in India. Infact if you haven't travelled in rajasthan, you haven't seen enough. The story of my third stint in rajasthan...
"When a person really desires something, all the universe conspires to help that person to realize his dream."
I got a chance to go to rajasthan utilising my core leaves. Backpacking from Ajmer -> Pushkar -> Jodhpur -> Udaipur
Every city different from the other, still a common thread between them.
Ajmer feels like any other small town with dingy lanes, narrow streets and the small shops almost kissing each other. It was all about the streets. The streets near the dargaah, shouted to keep your shoes for a meagre amount, the streets wanted alms near the holy place, the streets stared at you as you moved with a camera in hand, the street smiled, giggled with you as you tried talking to them. Ajay-meru or Ajmer, the streets know everything, they go everywhere and nowhere.
Pushkar is a salesperson. It sells rajasthan, the culture, the language, the enigma, and if you are bored, it sells you to you. My best of times in rajasthan in the 6 days i spent were in pushkar, and it was short. Liked everything about the place. It sells india to the tourists, the india they want to see. Be it the 1000s of stories related to the gods and godesses, or the vermilion smothered cows, the unkempt mystics or the rajasthani color. Every place was covered with curtains of such bright rainbow colors. Took a long camel ride and ended up listening to the banjaras, their folk show only for me. Pushkar just wins you over and over again.
Marwaris have a taste for food. Jodhpur was a live example for the same. Had lunch with a family, who informed us of how throughout jodhput, there are places famous for certain kind of food. And people who have lived there, and know about these would never even think of going somewhere else. So, if you want to get the gulab jamuns you go to chatarbuj sweets, for makhaniya lassi and mawa kachodi, mishri ram bhandaar, for kachoris and samosa its shahi samose and for omelettes none other than the omelette shop (aka garib hotel).
If you need to travel to Udaipur, you need 3-4 days and keep it at the last. Its a perfect place to unwind yourself, relax and forget about other things. We sadly could not do that, as we had just 2 days in hand. But nevertheless this place doesnot claim to be the best city in the world for nothing. A horse safari, and a bit of town surfing later, we were on our way back.
Rajasthan!!! A state so colourful, so rich, so grand, so mysterious and yet so humble... you feel like returning again and again. :)
I shall. soon!!!
