Regal.....Forts.....Nostalgia.....

"Jaipur has changed so much and I will show you the forts and bazaars", said our driver cum guide. During our visit to Delhi we also planned a trip to Jaipur. I am going back to Jaipur almost after 20 years.  My sister and I began our journey by road. The quiet villages once around Delhi with blooming yellow mustard flowers have become technology parks within the last 10 years. There is a feeling of  joy to see the development yet sadness to see those beautiful fields have become concrete structures.  The road from Delhi on to Haryana and to the state of Rajasthan presents a colorful landscape where both the BMW and camel carts pass amicably!. A classic example of culture at the cross roads or melting pot!

Maharaja Jai Singh was instrumental in building the city and the Amber Fort in 1727.  The royals of Rajasthan played a major role in the history of India in preserving the culture and religion from the Muslim invaders inspite of the waves of internal conflicts, deceit and rivalry. During the colonial period, the same waves continued but the royals started adopting the western education and culture. The buildings in this pink city show case the blend of western and eastern elements in its architecture.

Today,  The ancient forts and the roads are given a face lift . Beautiful gardens and bougainvilleas on the road side welcomes one to this historic city. We stayed at the hotel Trident in the Amber Fort Road with a beautiful view of the palace on the lake. We also visited the old city and the bazaars famous for its gems and jewelry. The palace "Hawa Mahal" with its numerous ornate windows stands majestically in the middle of the old city as a reminder of the past glory. In Jaipur, one finds modernization is just an extension of the past and have to co-exist.

The crimson sky and the rising sun brought yet another stroke of color to the city when we started our palace tours.  A beautiful decorated elephant was walking on the road stoically without worrying about the lost pomp and splendor of the regal past!

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