February 5, 2015
From Nepal, back to India, a country divided into 29 states with the second-largest population in the world. Destination: Jaipur, in the state of Rajasthan, a city surrounded by high walls with seven decorative gates as entry points. We arrived early last evening at our classical Indian hotel which, with its mesmerizing fusion of Hindu and Muslim art and architecture, served as a reflection of Rajasthan’s history and a foreshadowing of what lay ahead for us here.
Our tour day began at the Palace of Winds, a fantasy in pink sandstone with elaborate and fanciful architecture and 152 windows to enable the royal ladies to enjoy the activities on the street behind the cool confinement of its façade. We then went to Amber Fort, which sits atop a range of craggy hills about six miles from Jaipur. Here we re-entered a fantasy world with a ride up the steep path on elephants to the fort’s entrance, with a marvelous view of a garden with formal geometric design in the middle of a lake below. The art displayed on the walls and ceilings of the fort was stunning.
After lunch, we visited a jeweler’s shop and learned about the cutting and polishing of precious gems. Under the same roof was an art gallery featuring paintings on silk as well as gods and goddesses from Hindu mythology sculpted in copper and wood. Then on to Jantar Mantar, the largest astronomical observatory in India built in 1799 and still used. It is now a World Heritage site preserving a testimony to the scientific acumen of its builders.
We ended our tour activities at the City Palace, which houses a museum of ancient Hindu and Muslim gowns worn for formal occasions in the different seasons of the year, as well as priceless silk and woolen carpets, all of which provide a fascinating glimpse into court fashions in India over the centuries. The carpets in particular demonstrate why experts around the world consider Indian carpets of the classical era as being the most technically accomplished carpets of all times.
There wasn’t a dull moment in the day. a magician performed for us during the bus ride from the Amber Fort back to Jaipur; a Sikh demonstrated turban tying during our buffet lunch of exotic India cuisine; and a Indian classical dancer performed during our open-air dinner. We went to bed with a deepened appreciation for the art, architecture, and attire in the Indian state of Rajasthan.