Vibrant Rajasthan

A whole year has passed and I see myself heading back home for another wedding. This finally prompted me to visit my blog and realise that I have been completely lazy all year long during the busiest travel year of my life. Starting 2011 in India, then March in Thailand, June in HongKong and now November back in India and December hopefully in Hawaii. So when I look back on this year, I know I cannot possibly say I did nothing and it was waste cause I will have visited 3 countries I had never been to before and now I need to pen down the memories to end this year on a high note and only hope to travel t oa few more countries next year.

Royal Gardens, Amer Fort

To begin with since I can't wait to head back for my sister's wedding, I have to talk about my trip to Rajasthan last year. Now Rajasthan, for most people that have travelled to India, is THE tourist destination. Everyone has to do the golden triangle - Delhi, Agra, Jaipur. However me being Indian still never got the chance to go and always wondered why go somewhere every tourist goes, it's not really going to represent my country? Boy was I wrong. This trip was a beautiful way to re-explore my country and get a glimpse of the princely rich India before the British invaded.  My parents being the regular visitors they are to Jaipur, planned the entire trip for us and it was spectacular. A desert has never looked more colourful and vibrant.

Amer Fort

We began our 8 day journey across the Thar Desert in Jaipur, the Pink City. Staying right next to the Rambagh Palace, we had a spectacular view of the majestic palace, once home to the timeless beauty Maharni Gayatri Devi. A spectacular dinner listening to the music in the princely gardens made me realise how culturally rich and majestic our country once was. A walk through Hawa Mahal, the old city and finally Amer Fort got me completely lost in our ancestors world of Kings and their multiple Queens, luxury palaces, delicious food, philanthropy and tradition. Seeing the structures that I once read about in my history books, was an enthralling experience and this was just the initial insight into a Royal time from our past.

Thar Desert

Having barley digested the overwhelming feeling of being surrounded by some of the richest history our country has, we were on our way to a city in the very midst of the desert and the heat - Jaisalmer, the Golden City . During the 6 hour long drive I couldn't help but mentally go over a list of all the possible Bollywood movies depicting our history, that have been filmed in this part of the country - Lamhe, Hum dil de juke sanam, Jodha Akbar and many more - I felt like I was in each one of them. Once we touched the desert I sure as hell felt like dancing in the sands to the Ila Arun 'Chudiya Khanak Gayeen' Lamhe song.

Jaisalmer

The Jaisalmer Fort's beautiful sandstone colours sure resinated with the city's name. I even had an Australian reminder in there :) As the the only inhabited fort in Rajasthan, it was quite the hustle bustle as compared to Amer Fort and Meherangah Fort we were to see later on. Jaisalmer for me was the highlight of the trip, less popular with the tourists as it is a bit further, but with a charm of it's own. A government authorised Bhang (marajuana) store, antique jewellery worth hundreds of thousand and lockless houses with such riches just lying around; It was a reminder of the simple life of the past, the folk of this area still continue to live.

Jaisalmer Fort

With a bag full of colourful bangles, scarfs and jewellery we were on our way to our final destination - Jodhpur, the Blue City or the Sun City. Founded in 1459, Jodhpur is home not only to the oldest fort (over 400 years old) in our country, the Mehrangarh Fort but also to the last built palace before independence, Umaid Bhavan. The Sheesha Mahal (Hall of Mirrors), the Moti Mahal (the Pearl Palace) and various other similarly amazing rooms, make Mehrangarh Fort one of the most well maintained historical monuments of our land. Umaid Bhavan, on the other hand a marvellous labour generating project by the Maharaja is equally breathtaking.

But, my trip to Jodhpur would not have been complete had it not been for our visit to a local villagers home. For one afternoon, we were the esteemed guests of a Farmer and his Daughter. Having eaten the best food at all the palaces, with their novelty chefs making Laal Maas, I have to say, the daughters hand made Bajre ki roti and pappad ki bhaaji was hands down the most delicious meal of the trip, not to forget the lovely desert of pure distilled opium!

If you every visit India, do go through the tourist patch and make a trip to the princely state of Rajasthan. It's forts, palaces, desert, food, colours and shopping will give you an insight into India's past present and future.

Meherangarh Fort, Jodhpur