I Felt Vibrant and Royal in Rajasthan!

“mehmaan-nawaazi koi inse sikhe”

The Pink City of Rajasthan

I had been to this city when I was 14 but it has very welcoming vibes and when I were to begin a travel with my first salary, I instantly knew it had to be the majestic city of Jaipur. I owe this beautiful trip to my best friend who decided to show me the cloudy city early in the morning when we drove straight to Nahargarh Fort at 6 a.m. It was drizzling, I could see closed shops, the pink color of the buildings was glorious and the chirruping of the birds was adding music to the air but the magnanimous fort had not opened then. The crazy thing was that I really behaved like a teen, jumped a few side gates to explore the side arms of the fort and walked a long route full of shrubs to take a picture.

The Blue City of Jodhpur

My next stop, the Blue City of Jodhpur had royalty in its air. ITC had it all sorted for us, right from a warm welcome to a decent stay. Kachaudi and coffee made my mornings just so energetic.

The Golden City

However, what was unbeatable as an experience was the Gypsy ride in the Thar Desert, viewing the sun set on the dunes while indulging in the deliciousness of Maggi and later dancing with the famous folk dancers in a tent set-up. I stayed at Hotel Heritage House in Jaisalmer, the Golden City, and it would be unfair if I miss to mention their awesome mehmaan-nawaazi. Rajasthani breakfast, beautiful cozy rooms and a helpful staff are what made my break unforgettable.

Pushkar and Ajmer are Love

A small recreational market set up in the desert of Pushkar where tourists can dress up in chaniya choli and brass jewellery for pictures, shop for souvenirs and enjoy.

My journey ended by celebrating New Year in a very small yet a very pretty and the hippy district of Pushkar. Ajmer has changed a lot too, as what experience I narrated to my mother after my visit was very different to what she had experienced some 20 years back. India is developing and becoming more tourist friendly. 

I took a public bus for a 30-minute ride from Ajmer to Pushkar, the bus was over crowded but I was lucky to grab a seat in the driver’s chamber. I was amazed and proud of their driving in those narrow hairpin shaped uphill roads surrounded by scattered establishments, more so because most of the drivers were in their 60s. Ladies were clad in the attire of Rajasthan that I had mostly observed on TV shows and it was a delight to view it in real.

What made my experience so beautiful was my interaction with a girl in her early 20s who had come from a remote village to Ajmer to appear for an exam. She had no cell phone to call her brother for whom she was looking at the bus stand. Girls are getting education and the remotest parts of India are becoming accessible.