22988. In case you're wondering, that's the number of the train we took from Agra to arrive to Jaipur. A brisk 4 hours train ride, but it was something completely new to anything that Celine had experienced before. The rumbling sounds of the train wheels, to the gusts of wind blowing through the windows of the train coach, to the vendors selling their wares when the train halted at intermediated stops. I chuckled, looking at Celine's face dipped with incredulousness at the ambiance of train rides in India.
The sun was already setting over Jaipur, when the train slowly rolled into the city. Quick Tuk Tuk ride later, we were standing in front of the hotel for the night: Rajasthan Palace Hotel. This is a heritage hotel which was probably the most charming place we could find in the town. And just as we stood facing the facade, we couldn't help but be impressed by it. Intricately carved entrance gate stood between us and the gardens before the main building. As we walked through, we went back in time, to when Jaipur used to be the Kingdom of Rajputs.
We checked into the hotel, and walked into the central courtyard, which revealed balconies running on each sides, draped in white and arches exuding archaic heritage carvings.
Our hotel room was an inconspicuous traditional room, juxtaposed next to the most incredulous rooftop set in traditional stone, and hosting a beautifully light adorned swimming pool, with architectural artefacts which were vestiges of bygone era we fondly reminisce of.
We had grandiose plans for our next 2 nights/ 3 days in Jaipur, however, Celine's body had another plans, not acclimated yet to the Indian gut. For next 1 day and a half, the beautiful setting would be venue for lunch, dinner and breakfast, while Celine body worked its way through the new concoction of gut flora India thrust across her. To be honest, we couldn't be anything but lucky, cause at every meal, we perched on table next to the hotel's beautiful pool, enjoying the view of Jaipur's houses, distant hills and forts, while enjoying the appetising meals whipped up by the hotel's staff. The joke in the kitchen would be that we always ordered the same items off the menu, and indeed, considering we were in Rajasthan, and Celine's gut's acceptance criteria made Rajasthani Kadhi pakora, local blend of vegetables fried with fresh endemic spices made irresistible combo, one which we relished for almost 3 consecutive meals.
On our last day in Jaipur, Celine seemed as fresh as always( almost)! That meant we could go out and explore the Pink City. The first stop we made was to the fort on the hill which always kept tempting us from a distance, beckoning us to bear witness to it's grandiose and history. Riding our Uber towards the Nahargarh Fort, dozens of peacocks ran amok, making the ride thoroughly enjoyable.
On arrival, we were blown away by the Fort's immense walls, enveloping the folds of the hills it roosted over. Walking over hundreds of years of footsteps, we just couldn't believe the beauty of it all. Legend has it that this fort was never stormed, and now that we were on it, we could fully relate how formidable of a challenge it imposed, with its gargantuan walls, and the imposing palace in enveloped within. An hour later, it was time to move to the heart of the Pink City.
Riding a tuk tuk into the heart of the Pink City, our first stop was at Hawa Mahal. Fabled as the palace which the royal family used to observe the daily activities of the denizens of the town, especially the festivities of Holi. The name of the palace stems from 100s of windows that its facade adorned. Each of the windows was an opportunity for the members and staff of the royal family to revel in the festivities of the city. There was a cafe opposite the facade, where we took a small break to relish a coffee while we enjoyed the full view of Hawa Mahal. We also discovered that Jaipur's Pink City status originated in 1850s when Prince of Wales visited the city, and it's facade in the city centre was painted pink to welcome him. Rest of Jaipur still was painted in golden, the color of the royals.
The interior of the palace was a trip down the memory lane, letting us glimpse a day into the royal family's daily life. Walking through the temple where they prayed to every morning, to the chamber which they used to entertain guests, and to the room which they used to come together to watch festivities, each of them made us curious about the history. The ingenious architects had designed the building such that winds always kept it cool, while the Belgian tinted windows kept it moodily lit, we couldn't help but be amazed by this ingenuity.
Time for our flight to Udaipur was already upon us, and we scurried to be able to check out of our hotel and board our flight to the city of Lakes.
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