A Typical Indian Dhaba

A Dhaba at Bundi

I had tea even though it was scorching hot in September. Brat 2 had both cold drink and tea!

My Bundi Article

Bundi, Rajasthan

My article on Bundi is now up on Gonomad. I still remember those beautiful lotus flowers so vividly. Here are the starting passages of the article-

When my nephew Sunil and I visited the Sukh Mahal (Palace of Comfort would be the rough translation) at Bundi, the caretaker who opened the room filled with paintings told me (in Hindi), “This is where the Mowgli writer stayed.”

I told him the writer’s name was Rudyard Kipling and the book that is associated with Bundi is Kim not The Jungle Book. But he told me firmly, “It was the Mowgli man who stayed here.”

That is how Kipling is remembered in Bundi. Kipling is said to have got inspiration for writing Kim in Bundi (I have yet to read that book but it is now high on my agenda) and I can imagine why. The Phul Sagar Lake behind the Palace gets filled with lotus flowers in September. I have never seen so many lotuses at one place in my life.

Royal Albert Hall Museum, Jaipur

Royal Albert Hall Museum, Jaipur

I was going down the memory lane and looking at the photographs that I took last year around the same time in Jaipur. It was one of the last places we had visited and yet it had turned out to be such a treasure trove.

Then I stared reading a travel guide about Jaipur on Simonseeks* and found that there are more places that I have missed out on when I visited Jaipur. There are more travel guides India on the site. The person behind Simonseeks.com, Simon Nixon is one the most successful internet entrepreneurs. I also see the merit in the idea that if I had a large of destinations covered under one roof, and if it is free for me I would surely visit it for a quick reference.

Then I was wondering that when I look for information do I look for expert opinion or a community experience has become more important for me. I am somehow tilted towards community experience but then I have been using message boards for my travel needs for a long time. But I do see the value of free information about a large number of destinations across the world.

*I was directed to the site by a business email.

Carved in Stone!

Elephants were a common theme at Bundi Palace, Rajasthan

Striking a Deal!

Deal Making over Clay Pots at Bundi, Rajasthan

Essentials of a Wedding!

A Wedding Band at Bundi Market, Rajasthan

Here is a link for you if you wish to hear the sound the wedding bands make in India.

The Daily Chores

At the Sukh Sagar Lake, Bundi, Rajasthan

All in Red!

All Dressed up in Red

You Better Listen to Me!

A Meeting between Two Crows at Bundi, Rajasthan

The World's largest Cannon on the Wheels- Jaivana Cannon?

Jaivana- The Worlds Largest Cannon on the Wheels? Jaipur, Rajasthan

When I visited Jaipur last year, I remember reading about the Jaivana cannon. It is also thought to be one of the largest one on the wheels in the world. I tried searching for it today and could not find an authentic source that says this is the largest cannon on the wheels.

Attractions at Bundi- The Garh Palace

The Garh Palace is one of the main attractions at Bundi. It is up a hill and towers over the city, only next to it is the eyesore of the Bundi TV Tower.

Signboard Near Garh Palace, Bundi, Rajasthan

As the signboard informs us, garh Palace is the private property of the current Maharaja Ranjeet Singh. But it is under private management unlike the Chitrashala of Bundi. I was talking to someone and he remarked, "The king does not live here, he lives in Delhi and the caretakers really do not bother much about the place." I had to agree with him, because the place is quite dank and full of smell of bat droppings. And yet it has a fading charm all about it. When we were there there was an Asian tourist and a few locals around. But while we were walking out, more tourists were trickling in.

Entrance to the Bundi palace, called Hathi Pol (Elephante Gate) Bundi, Rajasthan

The entrance to the palace is grand with the figure of two elephants standing in welcome. It is called Hathi Pol. There are paintings on the top of the door that are better preserved.

Paintings inside the Palace, Bundi, Rajasthan

There are paintings inside the main palace too but they seriously need some preservation. The one that you see above is one of the better preserved ones.

The Palace in the Background at Night, Bundi, Rajasthan

The palace is quite visible from the different parts of the city. I took this picture from the main market.

I wish I had some real interest in architecture or it was easy for me to remember dates but I fail at both. Since I have not clicked (or was there no other board, not sure) any other sign board I don't know about the dates. And since I have no interest in architecture, I write very drab posts about palaces and such stuff.

Attractions at Bundi- Sukh Mahal and the Kipling Connection

Sukh Mahal was referred to us by the guards at Chitrashala at Bundi. When we asked if it was far away, they convinced us that it was. It was anyway aournd 11 am and it was hot only as it gets in a desert. So, we decided to hire an auto. It was on the way to Sukh Mahal that I managed to click the milk motorcycle.

Brat 2 (who is 6 feet 4 inches tall) jumped and shirked when we reached there because he could see the water body around Sukh Mahal before I could over the perimeter of the walls. We ran to the observation posts quickly to get closer to the water. There are two ghats also, one for men and another for women. And of course the lake is full of lotuses.

Part of Sukh Mahal, Bundi, Rajasthan

When we reached near the main chamber, the caretaker told us, "This is the place where the jungle book man stayed."* So I told him, "Oh you are talking of Rudyard Kipling but the book he is supposed to gather material for here is Kim and not the Jungle Book." And he replied, "But it was the jungle book man." And that is where that conversation ended.

Sculptures Around Sukh Mahal, Bundi, Rajasthan

He showed us around the main room, which is otherwise locked and it is full of paintings. When we came out we tried to tip them. They took it only after we insisted many times. They also pointed out to the sculptures and said, "There is a sun dial here too, but we were not aware, a journalist came and he told us about it."

Lotuses Around the lake Near Sukh Mahal, Bundi, Rajasthan

And then of course there was this lake full of lotuses behind Sukh Mahal and that is a site that thrilled me to the core. Even the Auto guy remarked, "You really liked our lake, you have clicked so many pictures." I couldn't agree more!

*All the conversations recorded here were in Hindi and I have translated them from memory.

Lazy Sunday Photo- Red Wattled Lapwing at Nawal Sarag, Bundi

Red Wattled Lapwing at Nawal Sarag, Bundi

Beautiful Pink Lotus

Beautiful Pink Lotus

I have clicked so many pictures of the lotus at Bundi that I am forced to post one of them again, I enjoy flowers so much.

A Video of the Bundi City from the Palace

A Video of the Bundi City from the Royal Palace

An Elaborate Rajasthani Painting at Bundi

Painting at the Outer Walls of the Royal Retreat Hotel, Bundi, Rajasthan

This hotel and its restaurant is the closest to the Bundi Palace. I have posted a picture of the restaurant before. The restaurant was a stable in the earlier times!

Attractions at Bundi- Raniji Ki Baori

The day Brat 2 and I reached Bundi we managed to venture out only after the Royal Palace was closed. So the locals recommended us to go to Raniji Ki Baori (Queen's Step Well). They also told us we should take an auto. I am aware that the locals tend to think that we city people cannot walk. So we asked about the distance. When they said 2 KM or so, we decided to walk.

The Information Board outside Raniji Ki Baori, Bundi, Rajasthan

Rani Nathawat is credited for building of this step well in 1699. And it is indeed grand. Brat 2 remarked to me- "I am sure the Raniji would not walk from palace to the bath, and I wonder how many people were needed to carry her palki (palanquin)?" I wonder where are the other 49 wells located?

Steps Leading out of the Raniji Ki Baori, Bundi, Rajasthan

When we reached there the first day the main entrance was closed. But looking at the picture above I am wondering if we could have just walked a few meters and entered through this gate? Doesn't look like it can be locked.

The View from the Main Entrance, Raniji Ki Baori, Bundi, Rajasthan

The view of the place while we were entering was quite striking. But we reached here by 2.00 pm or so, and the sun was so hot that we were longing quite badly for our AC room.

Raniji Ki Baori

But that didn't stop us from clicking pictures. The real baori (stepwell) is beneath this ornate structure but locked now, so we could not climb down. There are grills around this place so clicked this picture by getting the lens of the point and shoot camera inside one of the mesh holes.

Monkey at Bundi, Rajasthan

Monkey on a Jeep, Bundi, Rajasthan

There are a lot of monkeys at Bundi and one place they snatched food stuff from the hands of a lady. Hotels also caution against leaving the room windows open. We gave up going up the fort on the day of our arrival because the monkeys choose it for their evening walk. And yet as our auto driver remarked, "They don't have place to live, so they clash with us."

Attractions at Bundi- Chitrashala

The Information Board at Chatrashala, Bundi, Rajasthan

The board outside the Chitrashala tells us that the place was also know as Ummed Mahal. The time span of these paintings is 1773 to 1821 under the patronage of Ummed Singh and Bisen Singh. It is located in the same complex as the main palace.

A Lady of the Royal Court? Paintings at Chitrashala, Bundi, Rajasthan

The place is currently maintained by the Archeological Survey of India (ASI). And while it is better maintained than the paintings in the main palace, Brat 2 remarked, "We cannot be sure at all that this will survive for long and others would be able to view it."

Lord Krishna and with the Gopis and Animals, A Painting at the Chitrashala, Bundi

I was chatting with an ASI guard and asked him, "Isko fir se paint karne ka plan hai kya? (will these get painted again?) And he replied, "Abhi tou Nahin" (not immediately). This question was prompted by the repainting I has seen at Jaipur.

Decorated Walls of the Chitrashala at Bundi, Rajasthan

Flash photography is prohibited in the area which I strictly adhered to.

Attractions at Bundi- 84 Pillar Cenotaph

84 Pillar Cenotaph, The Information Board Bundi

As we can see this structure was built in 1740 and it is a place of worship for Lord Shiva.

When we visited it local people were playing cards there.

84 Pillar Cenotaph is one of the Attractions at Bundi

I thought I can discuss one attraction at a time. There are comments by Abhilash and Being Bindas asking why I went to Bundi! The short answer is that it is recommended on Indiamike and it is a little off the beaten track.

Haveli Braj Bhushanjee, Bundi, Rajasthan

A Painting on the Wall in our Room at Haveli Braj Bhushanjee, Bundi, Rajasthan

When we got down at the Bundi railway station it was as usual without a hotel booking. I had an idea (from reading about Bundi at Indiamike) that most of the hotels in Bundi are in the Nawal Sagar area. And most of the are Havelis (mansions) too where owners and their families live too.

After getting to the city in a shared auto (for rupees 5 each) we asked a shop keeper about hotels. He pointed out one nearby. Then I asked about the hotels in the Nawal Sagar area. He replied, "wahan foreigners rahte hain" (the foreigners stay there).

We decided to explore it and he said it was a little far away, we need to take an auto. And that is what we did, the sun was scorching hot even at the end of September.

Haveli Braj Bhushanjee at Bundi, Rajasthan

Soon the auto dropped us in a narrow lane and I saw the board of Haveli Braj Bhushanjee and decided to give it a try. We opened a door and walked in and called out if anyone is there. A gentleman came out and asked us if we would like an AC room. We said we would make up our mind after looking at the room.

He took us up a flight of stairs and opened a room and the first thing we were the colorful glass windows and the paintings all around and we liked the room immediately. The room was quite spacious and clean with a clean and functional bathroom. And it had an AC in the room (which was god send for the scorching hot Rajasthan days and nights). Both Brat 2 and I were happy with it and asked for the rate. It was Rupees 1200 per night. But they charged only half of that for staying an extra 10 hours the next day.

So, I went down to settle the bill and Brat 2 made himself at home.

Our Room at the Haveli Braj Bhushanjee, Bundi, Rajasthan

Then came the hunt for the breakfast at Bundi. And then some sound sleep (with the AC on full blast) to catch up from the night's travel. Exploring Bundi came after it. And Haveli Braj Bhushanjee proved to be a nice camping ground for this trip to Bundi.

Bundi City- Blue is the Word

The Blue City of Bundi, Rajasthan

Fabulous Paintings from Bundi, Rajasthan

Paintings on the Wall of Chitrashala at Bundi, Rajasthan

Friday is for Flowers- Butterfly on a Sunflower, Bundi, Rajasthan

Butterfly on a Sunflower Bud, Bundi, Rajasthan

Bundi- Reflections at the Nawal Sagar Lake, Rajasthan

The Bundi Palace (slightly up the Hill) and part of the Bundi City Reflected at the Nawal Sagar Lake

Gopi the Turtle at the Mangalam Guest House, Bundi, Rajasthan

I fell for Bundi by reading about it on the Indiamike Travel Forum. What I found most curious on that long thread was the description of a guest house that had a pet turtle! Then imagine my surprise when after landing and securing a hotel there, Brat 2 and I stumbled upon it as soon as we started up looking for breakfast. It is called the Mangalam Guest House. It is family run affair (most of the Havelis in Bundi are) and a huge place.

The Guest Book at the Mangalan Guesthouse, Bundi, Rajasthan

We rang the bell outside the Haveli and a girl called out. We asked if we would get some breakfast and she asked us to come in. She is a small girl studying in class 6 and has an elder and a younger sibling. We asked for Aloo Paratha (flat Indian bread filled with potatoes) and chai (tea) and while we were waiting the young girl kept chatting with us.

A Painting at the Mangalam Haveli, Bundi, Rajasthan

A specialty if Bundi is that every house if full of beautiful paintings and within the Bundi Palace there is a place called Chitrashala (The house of paintings) which houses some of the best paintings.

Gopi the Turtle at the Mangalam Guesthouse, Bundi, Rajasthan

And soon enough the turtle walked in, and was around for a long time. It is one animal that I did not felt afraid of, even went as far as touching its tough structure fleetingly, it felt like a stone.

Brat 2 was mildly amused that I knew of all this right from the start. But then he would tease me for every small thing that he would ask for and I would say I don't know. He would make the most exaggerated faces and say' "You didn't read about it on the internet?"

PS. I have written the Bundi article and sent it across to Gonomad yesterday! It is the Orchha one that I am finding difficult to write!

The Market at Bundi, Rajasthan

The Crowded Market of Bundi, Rajasthan

Asleep at Bundi, Rajasthan

Asleep on a Thela, Bundi, Rajasthan

I can only imagine how tired he must have been.

And he was Sleeping Next to this Thriving Traffic in the Main Market, Bundi, Rajasthan

What a Load to Carry! Bundi, Rajasthan

A Lady with a Heavy Load at Bundi, Rajasthan

I wonder how much her basket weighed! I mean it is full of wood.

The Milk Motorcycle, Bundi, Rajasthan

The Milk Motorcycle, Bundi, Rajasthan

I saw this arrangement for carrying milk from the train itself while traveling from Kota to Bundi and I was dying to take a picture. But when we walked in the city of Bundi, I found no such opportunity.

But when we were traveling in an auto to Sukh Mahal in Bundi, I saw one of them parked in the narrow lane. I requested the auto driver to break for a while so that I could click a picture. When he stopped the owner of the motorcycle also came along and posed for me. I asked the auto driver, "Ye naraz tou nahin honge ki photo kyon kinch rahe hun?" (I hope he will not be angry that I am clicking a picture). The auto guy was a little taken aback, and asid, "Nahin humko tou adat hai, itne tourist aate hain foreigners bhi, saab kinchte hain." (No we are used to it, so many tourist come and foreigners too, all of them click!).

While we started moving away, the man in the turban called, "Meri photo bhi li hai na?" (You have got me in the frame too?) I assured him that I had!

Lazy Sunday Photo- Rajasthani Turban

Man in a Rajasthani Turban, Bundi, Rajasthan

10th Photo, First Folder, Tagged by Sujata

Boy on a Slide, Bundi, Rajasthan

I was tagged by Sujata recently. I have to go to the first folder on my computer and then post the 10th picture here and tell you all the story.

I have so many folders all over the computer that it was a little difficult to think which is the first folder. So I decided to go with Picasa and took the 10th picture from what it thought was my first folder.

I clicked this young boy on the slide on the request on his grand dad. The grand dad told me, "it is good to see that you have a hobby."

Let me see who should I tag? I will tag Hobo, Global Madrasi, Babli and Being Bindas.

You have to Blame Brat 2 for this!

Captured! Bundi, Rajasthan

I was looking at the pictures from Bundi when I came back. I was quite surprised to see a few pictures like this one! I was not even aware when he clicked it.

Bundi and Nawal Sagar Lake at the Sunset, Rajasthan

Bundi, Rajasthan at the Sunset

Friday is for Flowers- Lotus Flowers from Bundi, Rajasthan

Lotus at Bundi, Rajasthan

The one advantage of going to Bundi in September is that the lake is full of Lotus flowers then! I have never seen so many lotus in my life before and it is a sight that would remain with me for a long long time.

Lotus Flower with a Bird (Little Erget) at the Lake behind Sukh Mahal, Bundi, Rajasthan

One regret I have is that I clicked all my pictures in harsh afternoon light and did not manage to revisit this place around sunset.

PS. Thanks to Shankara for the name of the bird.

Pictures from Bundi, Rajasthan

Colors of the Window Pane, Royal Retreat Restaurant, Bundi, Rajasthan

More pictures from Bundi here. It was quite hot there in September but there was one bonus attached with it which I will reveal in the next post. It is good to be able to blog again!

Back from Bundi, Rajasthan

A Bird An Indian Pond Heron Sitting on a Lotus Leaf near Sukh Mahal, Bundi, Rajashan

Brat 2 and I just came back from Bundi in Rajasthan. I picked up the wrong month to go, it was way too hot and yet when did that stop us from enjoying ourselves?

PS. I found the name via a comment left by Rocksea and then to make double sure through google image search. But the comment seems to have vanished.

Painting the City Palace (Jaipur) Pink

Painting the Palace Pink, in the Pink City Jaipur

Lazy Sunday Photo- Looking Out of Amber Fort, Jaipur, Rajasthan

Amber Fort, Japipur, Rajasthan

Loved the color of the sari the woman looking out is wearing and hence included her and the girl in this picture taken at Amber Fort, Jaipur (Rajasthan). I am quite reluctant to photograph people for the fear of offending them.

But yesterday an interesting incident happened in the market. I had gone to Gandhi Bazaar with family in the afternoon and I was clicking pictures of flowers sold on the roadside with my smaller point and shoot camera. The shop owner posed on his own for me showing a 1000 rupee note! I gladly took his picture but the only problem is that my camera is not talking with this computer hence that picture has to wait.

More Images of Jal Mahal- Jaipur

Jal Mahal, Jaipur

A Larger View of the Jal Mahal Area, Jaipur

Jaigarh Fort- Jaipur, Rajasthan

Jaigarh Fort- Jaipur, Rajasthan

There are many scenic spots within the Jaigarh Fort and above is one of them. However, a person who chatted with us in the hope that we will hire him as a guide told us a very interesting story. He said that there is (or was) huge treasure buried within the fort. But whenever the government of India has tried to recover it, they have been unable to find it. I do not know if there is an iota of truth in this story but it for sure makes for a colorful story.

Lac Jewellery from Jaipur

Lac Earrings from Jaipur, Rajasthan

I use ornaments sparingly. But I have to admit I am quite fond of earrings and can wear quite big ones that resemble chandeliers! And there is no place like Jaipur to shop for jewellery. I bought all the stuff in the picture from Jaipur (but not in this trip alone). Lac and stones both are popular, though the stone ones more expensive. The earring at the top left hand corner is a stone one and rest everything is made of lac.

Cloth Fit for Royals!

Textile Gallery, City Palace, Jaipur, Rajasthan

In the textile gallery (City Palace, Jaipur) you can watch many dresses which were worn by the kings and queens of Rajasthan in the past. Above is one such specimen. I wonder why I did not take any pictures of a kimono that belonged to a king and another dress that belonged to King Madho Singh I. I mean it was huge, really huge. Or even the black dress that was worn by a queen on Diwali.

In India color black is not considered auspices and there is a story behind the black or deep blue dresses worn by the Jaipur royals for Diwali. Apparently one person from the royal family (don't ask me who, you can guess by now, I am no history buff) became the ruler after killing his uncle on the Diwali day. So to express sorrow even to this day the royals wear a black or blue dress on Diwali. Strange are the royal ways of the world ...

In many parts of the museum photography is prohibited (could be because of that I didn't click the dresses I mention above). And one young guy who clicked photographs anyway because there were no guards in site, was in for a surprise. He did not realize that there were CCTV cameras everywhere.

The City Palace, Jaipur, Rajasthan

The City Palace, Jaipur, Rajasthan

I am quite amazed that in spite of countless trips to Jaipur (remember I have studied near Jaipur for 5 years) I never managed to see the City Palace before. Of all the monuments I saw this time, I liked the City Palace most. Here too restoration work was going on like Amber Fort but even then I was quite amazed with the stunning beauty of the place.

The Peacock Door, City Palace, Jaipur, Rajasthan

I found the peacock door at the city palace quite amazing due to its striking colors, so much so that I requested a gentleman to move out of the frame of my camera. The gentleman that he was, he obliged without giving me any dirty glances.

I have always felt this on my treks and I felt it at Jaipur monuments too that in our day to day living we hardly see any open spaces! And till I see it, I really do not realize what I am missing.

The Jaipur Story!

Amber Fort, Jaipur- Sunil Feeding the Pigeons

I wrote this post to say that my Jaipur story is now up at the Gonomad site. It is difficult to compress Jaipur in 1500 to 1700 words but that is what I did. So there are many stories that would get narrated here only.

PS. The tall guy in the picture above is my younger nephew. He liked roaming among the pigeons quite a lot.

Puppets are Popular at Jaipur

Puppets are Celebrities at Jaipur

There was so much crowd at the puppet show at the City Palace Jaipur that I was content to click the crowd from a distance. Among all the monuments that I saw at Jaipur, I found the City Palace the most stunning. The ladies in yellow caps (look left) belonged to a travel group from Goa and they were quite visible all over Jaipur.

Jaigarh Fort, Jaipur- A View from the Fort

View from the Jaigarh Fort, Jaipur, Rajasthan

Our first stop at Jaipur was Jaigarh Fort. There were a lot of monkeys around and at one point both Sunil (also referred to as Brat 2 many a times on this blog, I wonder if he too has a blog somewhere :D) and I were not sure who should cross first the monekys or us. Have a look at the video.

Maybe I will sit down on Sunday and write the Jaipur account in detail. Tomorrow is a working day for me and I have a date with lot of grading!

Colors of Rajasthan- Restoration Work at Amber Fort, Jaipur

Restoration Work at Amber Fort, Jaipur- Colors of Rajasthan

The fort at Amber is in itself quite majestic but what caught my eye was the colors of the dresses people were wearing at work. In Rajasthan people wear quite striking colors and what might feel flashy to me in Delhi, feels quite normal when I see it in Rajasthan. And on this trip, I actually saw a lot of construction work along with the monuments and yet I liked this trip a lot among all my trips to Jaipur.

More Colors Amber Fort, Jaipur, Rajasthan

And the trend seems to be contagious! Saw this lady displaying her lovely and colorful attire at Amber Fort.

Hawa Mahal- Jaipur, Rajasthan

Hawa Mahal, Jaipur (Rajasthan)

I remember exclaiming loudly to Gopi (our auto driver for this trip) "yeah kya hai?" (what place is this)? He replied, "Hawa Mahal" (Palace of Winds would be the rough translation). I wonder how I had never crossed it before in all my previous trips to Jaipur! But Sunil and I were so tired by the evening that we refused to get out of the auto, the place would anyway be closed. Both of us clicked pictures of Hawa Mahal from inside the auto.

Very soon we were near Chand Pol gate and Gopi pointed out, "kuch samay pahle yahan per hi Hanuman temple ke paas bomb chale the" (a while ago it was only near this place, where the Hanuman Temple is, the bombs went off). I did not think much about it then, though for that moment I definitely shivered for a second. I mean the place as chock-o-full with traffic of all kind (pedstrains, cycles, cows, cars, motorcycles and what not, I wonder if it was like that when the bombs went off in Jaipur in May 2008). Even a fire cracker could cause a panic around this place! I keep thinking of this incident much more now, after the Mumbai terror attacks.

Would never stop me from going where ever I want and yet I just can't get over Mumbai. But of course there were so many travelers in Jaipur this November in spite of the bomb blasts of May 2008.

Lazy Sunday Video- Gaitore Ki Chhatariyan, Jaipur

Gaitore Ki Chhatariyan, Jaipur, Rajasthan

In all my previous visits to Jaipur I never heard of Gaitore Ki Chhatariyan. It is a beautiful structure, our auto driver said it is popular with tourists but when we went there in the afternoon we had it almost entirely to our self.

PS. No, I have not forgotten Mumbai but if people are willing to travel to India and Mumbai, I am willing to blog about travel.

The Story of Dal Bati Churma- Rajasthani Food

The Dal Bati Churma Thali Shop, Jaipur Rajasthan

Before I say anything else, once upon a time I have studied for five years near Jaipur (my graduation and post graduation). But at that time I hardly explored Rajasthan. But the Rajasthani Thali (plate) of Dal Bati Churma was not new for me. We asked Gopi (the auto driver) to take us to a place for lunch, Brat 2 (my younger nephew) wanted to remain with Punjabi Thali whereas I wished to sample Dal Bati Churma again. So Gopi took us to a shop near the station and we ordered our stuff. You can see a picture of my plate below.

The Delicious Dal Bati Churma, Rajasthani Dish

For a while I was left wondering what the hell had I ordered, there was nothing to eat apart from the side dishes. I said so aloud to Brat2 and the people at the next seat laughed. So I searched more closely and found the missing Bati, it is the round ball in the right hand corner. It had been that long since I had been to Jaipur, I had almost forgotten what Bati looks like. And yes, once you have finished your first Bati, they will bring you more till you tell them that you had enough.

You have to break it, dip it in the Dal or Kadhi (the two Yellow gravies in the center, Kadhi in the larger bowl, Dal in the center of the plate) and eat it. I find it delicious. The thali concept is that for a certain amount of price (60 rupees in this case) you can eat as much as you desire but subject to certain rules. The rules were displayed on a board and those of you who can read Hindi, would find the way they are expressed hilarious! For those who can't read Hindi, I will try translating it, but much will be lost in translation.

The House Rules for Thali Meals in Jaipur

*For children of over six years of age should please take separate token (what is implied here is that a child of less than 6 can eat with the parents, remember you pay for the plate and not the dishes)
*One person per thali please
*Please take food according to your need
*There is only one bowl of churma (sweet dish in the smaller bowl in the picture) per plate, no extras please
*Please take care of your belongings
*After 11 at night only Rajasthani Thali is available please
*Please do not wash your hands in your plate
*Please do not waste food
*Drinking Liqueur is strictly prohibited please

No doubt, Brat 2 and I had a good meal. In fact the Rajasthani thali is the background image on the Nokia N96 as of now.

Jal Mahal, Jaipur, A Small Video Captured on Nokia N96

Jal Mahal, Jaipur

I have to say that Jal Mahal is actually much more scenic rather than my video but I think I get better videos on Nokia N96, rather than my Nikon Coolpix 3200. The only thing is, the Nikon will remain with me whereas the Nokia N96 will go back after a while :D

The ATM Culture in Jaipur

Street Food near Abmer Fort, Jaipur

While in Jaipur, I noticed that the place is not only colorful, but people behave differently too. I needed to withdraw some money from the ATM. So the auto driver, Gopi took me to one. I wonder what is your experience of taking out money in India but in NCR (National Capital Region comprising of Delhi and its nearby areas) there is almost always a security guard around and it is one person at a time. I know that is how it is probably world over. But not at Jaipur. The door to the ATM was open and you could queue in right inside the ATM behind the next person and no one seemed to be bothered in the least. So that is how I took out money in Jaipur, standing behind a person while he was doing his transaction and someone standing behind me when I took out my money. Can you imagine that in Delhi?

Jal Mahal, Jaipur (India) at Sunset

Jal Mahal at Sunset, Jaipur, India

It was a very pleasant Saturday evening (15/11/2008) when Sunil (my younger nephew, also referred to as Brat 2 in many of my posts, his elder brother is Brat 1) and I made a stop at the Jal Mahal in Jaipur. I was quite smitten with the atmosphere (minus the plastic littered at the shore and deliberately avoided while clicking the picture), there were flowers on the shrubs, reflection of the palace in the water. A lot of people walking around in the wide open space ,with the lake and the palace on one side and street food on the other. The weather was quite nice too, not too cold and definitely not hot. I am quite happy the way photographs have turned out on this day.

Later, we were having tea at a roadside shop and I was showing the pictures on the camera display to our auto drivers Raju and Gopi (I managed to acquire two auto drivers but that is another story). After a while I could sense they were just being polite and had no real interest in watching the pictures. I asked then, "Aap log roz wahi jagah dekh kar bore ho gaye ho?" (You guys are bored stiff with watching the same spots almost daily?). How heartily they agreed and that was the end of my photo display session with them.

The Puppet Show at Jaigarh Fort Captured on Nokia N96

A Puppet Show at Jaigarh Fort, Jaipur, Rajasthan

I watched this puppet show through the lens of the Nokia N96 camera. The Rajasthani music is so catchy. But we were so hard presseed for time that I really did not linger around for long. Steve this one is for you. You have in the past enjoyed my videos, what do you say about this one?

Back from Jaipur- Drowned in Work

Jaigarh Fort, Jaipur, Rajasthan

I am back from Jaipur with a lot of pictures, a few videos (on Nokia N96) and thoroughly refreshed. But before I start blogging to my heart's content, there are copies to grade! The idea of contacting Raju from Delhi itself was great and Brat 2 and I had a great time. So lot of stories to share in the days ahead. And I found that Ajmer Shatabdi makes a halt at Alwar too, how does that sounds for the next weekend trip?