I went to Jaipur earlier this year in the cold month of January. It was the perfect weather because us Mumbai residents were not acclaimed to the cold at all. Hence, we could don our jackets and scarves and make our way through this gorgeous city.
On the first day of our trip, considering we reached late afternoon, we decided to keep it simple. Our hotel was located within close proximity of the Albert Hall Museum so that's where we went first.
On account of 26th January, the Albert Hall Museum was illuminated with lights. A sight to behold! We just stood outside and gazed at the marvellous monument ahead of us and the whole room of history that awaited us.
Inside the museum, there were several artefacts relating to kings and queens. What was even more fascinating were the ginormous clothes they had put up that belonged to royalty.
The entry to the museum cost around 100 rupees with student IDs. A tour of the museum would take approximately an hour to an hour and a half.
On day 2, we took a cab and went to visit Jal Mahal. A long promenade forms the sidewalk around the water enclosed body in the middle of which rests Jal Mahal. The name literally translating to Water Palace. While there was no way to physically make it to the Mahal, we were at liberty to admire it from afar. On the promenade were several hawkers who sold everything from jewellery to clothes to costumes one could get their picture taken in.
We continued our second day journey to Jaigarh Fort.
The main thing about getting to Jaigarh is the tremendous amount of walking one must do once you get there. Our long trek to the highest point of Jaigarh, however, was definitely worth it because we had a wonderful aerial view of the city from there. We also made it just in time for sunset. Lo and behold! We could also see Jal Mahal from that height.
On our third day in this city, we went to the Galta Ji temple, also known as the temple of monkeys. All around us were monkeys snatching food from tourists, foreigners amused clicking selfies with them and whatnot. While most of this temple was in ruins, I feel that that's where the charm also shone through of this temple.
On day 4, we went to Amer fort. What was most fascinating about this fort, apart from the fact that it looked like the set of Jodha Akbar, was that there were so many rooms and alleyways to go through that one could eventually get lost. We went round and round in circles only to realise that we were indeed lost. The view from the top was beyond gorgeous as we could see the baths of the olden times, the king's gardens and the endless expanse of the Jaipur sky.
On our final day in Jaipur, day 5, we went to the beautiful City Palace. With its gorgeous tile work, beautiful doors, (and yes even the door from the cover of Chitra Banerjee's Palace of Illusions!), this destination was a photographer's delight. With perfect alignment, scenic architecture and the carefully crafted palaces, it makes you not want to leave the place at all.
However, this was our final destination of Jaipur. A city that gave us so much good food and beauty had to be left behind to get back to the commercial life of Mumbai.
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