A GIRL IN PINK CITY: Shayali

Lost in time in Jaipur

Shayali Choudhury . Byline Bhopal

mobile#8817591363 @vagabong_shy

Circa 2012, while working in the entertainment pullout of a noted newspaper I had my first brush with Jaipur Literature Festival aka JLF. The flurry of colourful photographs, visuals of acclaimed authors from across the globe caught my fancy and piqued my interest immediately. After a prolonged wait of seven good years, my vague but stubborn dreams finally found wings when I reached Diggi House, Jaipur on January 25!

“Some spaces have an odd quality of making you feel a part of it”

Without any dash of exaggeration, Jaipur Literature Festival was nothing like I had witnessed before. The eclectic mixture of authors, enthusiastic bibliophiles, journalists, the shutterbugs and musicians, the myriad kiosks painted in bright hues selling mélange of goods and the smell of freshly brewed coffee had my attention from the word go. Some spaces have an odd quality of making you feel a part of it and JLF, in all its effervescence was just that. Apart from fulfilling a long-cherished desire, for once I also became destiny’s favourite child when I got an opportunity to meet authors including Devdutt Pattanaik (pic#1) and Dr Shashi Tharoor! (pic#2) Following a marvelous stint at the gala, en route my hostel, I also got extra lucky to catch a sight of the Albert Hall Museum, (pic#3) which, on the eve of Republic Day was glimmering in the colours of the Tri-Colour and the brightly-lit Hawa Mahal. (pic#4) Having spent the first day of my three-day trip to the Pink City at JLF, needless to mention I went on heritage hopping the next day. Although I missed out on delving in the architectural delight of Amber Palace (Amer Fort), since it was shut on the occasion of January 26, I did witness its beauty from the outside before heading to Jaigarh Fort. (pic#5) The fort perched atop the Aravalli Range and overlooking the Amer Fort (pic#6) and the Maota Lake, is home to world’s largest cannon on wheels called Jaivana. Spending a good amount of time exploring the fort I made my way to the famous Nahargarh Fort, (pic#7) which is nothing short of a small town in itself.

“I also became destiny’s favourite child when I got an opportunity to meet authors”

From a palace to a step well, a fort, a wax museum and exotic restaurants, the place has been a part of umpteen Bollywood movies. So while the country was celebrating its 70th Republic Day, there I was reveling in the monumental marvels of the largest democracy in the world and watching a city come to life in the night.

To understand why it is called the Pink City, I also visited the old city area of Jaipur where every shop bear the same colour, For once, you are transported to the yesteryear and feel like you are sauntering in an actual fort. When walking the aisles of the City Palace or Albert Hall Museum, (pic#8) it is impossible not to feel like the heroine of a Sanjay Leela Bhansali magnum opus and I just did the same.

My small trip concluded with a ride on a horse tanga and a delectable spread of Rajathani thali. (pic#9) •

(Shayali is a Bhopal based journalist, blogger & traveller. Worked for ‘HT City’ Delhi & Bhopal)

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