Rajasthan was once called Rajputana – Land of the Rajputs – by the British. The term “Rajput” comes from the Sanskrit word “raj-putra” or “son of a king”. The Rajputs believed they were descendants of the Hindu warrior classes of North India. The height of the Rajput rule in northern India was during the Middle …
New Year’s Eve at the Narain Niwas Palace, Jaipur Read More »
In the genre of woodblock art, the picture that comes to mind for many people is probably the iconic image of The Great Wave off Kanagawa by Hokusai, with the waves like little fingers clawing toward the ocean. Block printing was actually invented in China during the Tang Dynasty (618 – 907 AD) as a …
The City Palace is a functioning palace complex containing courtyards, gardens, temples and halls that was conceived of and started by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh, the founder of Jaipur, in 1727. Maharaja Jai Singh constructed most of the outer wall and buildings in the complex, with subsequent rulers adding to and improving it over the …
A few days prior to our visit to Amber Fort, Rajesh asked me if we wanted to ride the elephants up the hillside to the entrance of the fort. The alternative to riding the elephants would be to go by jeep or walk. I debated back and forth about whether to sign up for the …
We arrived in Jaipur after a four-hour drive from Ranthambore. Jaipur is known as the “Pink City” but describing Jaipur as “pink” would be somewhat of a stretch. Think salmon, not bubblegum. https://youtu.be/2sJXZZttcjw Jaipur, Rajasthan’s most populous city, was established in 1727 by Mahraja Sawai Jai Singh. We were amused to learn that prior to …
We had an unforgettable time on safari during our months in Kenya and South Africa. With more than 70 safari hours under our belt, we are no strangers to game viewing. It is a pursuit that never gets old – the drive through miles of wild terrain that could only be done in a 4WD; …
Nahargarh was built in 1734 by Jai Singh, a Rajput ruler of the Kingdom of Amber and the founder of the city of Jaipur. It was built as a royal retreat and used as a summer residence for the royal family. We arrived at the hotel after a long day of driving from New Delhi. …
The Chand Baori is an ancient stepwell, one of the largest and deepest stepwells in India. I had never heard of the term “stepwell” before, so I didn’t know what to expect. I was looking forward to seeing the stepwell and the temple beside it as they would be the first sights we visited that …
Chand Baori Stepwell and Harsha Mata Temple, Abhaneri Read More »
Somehow, the 4-hour drive from New Delhi to Agra turned into 7-hours. I have no idea how that happened. Did the traffic and bathroom stops really add an extra 3 hours to our journey? Rajesh didn’t seem to be surprised and since the driver didn’t speak English, we just left it at that. We were …
It’s hard to believe, but Chandni Chowk was even more crowded than it looked. One of the oldest and busiest marketplaces in Old Delhi, Chandni Chowk was a constant barrage of sounds, sights and smells. Everything screamed for attention –from shiny gold bangles and vibrant saris to colorful ribbons and shiny tassels and even cheap …
