A MONSOON MEMOIR
With its gorgeous green and pretty pinks, Jaipur is a treat for all senses during the rains
The city is donning a freshly-bathed look. The green against the red and pink hues is postcard perfect. The curvaceous road with its hills and trees along the watchful Amer Fort under dark clouds is almost faking a hill station path. It is quite surreal how Jaipur changes with its weather and goes from cold lassi days to kulhad ki chai.
The breeze through the innumerable windows of Hawa Mahal that provides respite during the scorching days of summer is now cold and shivery. Though the raindrops, agitating the calm waters of Man Sagar Lake are almost melodic, up above from Nahargarh Fort, they are lending a slight mystical veil to the sand-coloured Jal Mahal.
JOLLY PRIMATES AND GLOOMY BIRDS
The pleasant weather, which has added to the beauty of the majestic fort, has also ignited amour for the couples spending hours strolling inside its walls oblivious to the proceedings of a whole city below. It has, on the other hand, brought out the mischievous best of the monkeys — freshly-roasted corncobs of unsuspecting visitors being their favourite mark. The ones at Galtaji though are enjoying the abundance the rains have brought, with the kunds (water ponds) brimming with water. Built within a mountain pass in the Aravallis, the temple complex is abuzz with the chattering of monkeys.
Their winged counterparts at Albert Hall Museum are not having a similar leisure life. Despite the food being served on a platter for them, the multitude of pigeons that throng the front precincts of the exquisite Indo-Sarcenic structure have to wait for a little window when the rain stops to feed. But that doesn’t seem to bother the score of women in the Bapu Bazaar and Johari Bazaar nearby. The dip in mercury has only given them more hours to shop as compared to the evenings that summer heat allowed. The women donning leheriyas, the traditional tie and dye print in Rajasthan associated with the rainy season and Teej that was celebrated mid-August, are making the markets a riot of colours.
COLOURS OF RAINS
During the rains, Govind DevJi Temple is the place to understand the association of a particular tie and dye pattern, like leheriya, mothra, ekdali, bandhej, with a festival, as women throng the temple at Teej or Raksha Bandhan in their new saris to pay obeisance to the real King of Jaipur. And the fervour and fineries will be at their peak on Krishna Janmashtami on September 3. The buzz and energy is evident at City Palace next door too. Apart from the scores of visitors and tourists, it will soon be hosting many cultural events also after calmly waiting through dull summer days devoid of any activity. And now it will enjoy even its nights with lighting and starry skies making it shine like a jewel from time to time.
TIME TO GORGE
The life that this season brings to the streets is quickly reflected in the gastronomy of the place too. The proverbial summer favourites — dahibada, chuski (ice shavings in sweet syrups), kulfi have given way to crisp aloo tikkis, mirchi badas and other hot delectables. After all, this is the time when even the uninitiated and the fearful ones can try to confront and beat the ‘lethal’ laal maans and climb up the spice index of Rajasthan. The ones who would cry rivers while trying to savour the authentic meat preparations here can now at least get some respite from meat sweats. The spice and red chilly laden dishes are easier on the stomach, too. Even the dollops of ghee in daal-baati-churma don’t threaten to upset the comparatively frail anatomies and the lavish Rajasthani thalis are more savoured than a task to finish.
The most popular of the night tourism initiatives here — Masala Chowk — an openair food court at Ram Niwas Bagh, is also witnessing crowds much earlier. With hot evenings out of the equation, the 21 food stalls offering scrumptious street food of Jaipur and beyond are trying their best to match the demand.
Jaiban, however, is unperturbed by the goings-on down at the city. Hailed as the world’s largest cannon, the centre of attraction at Jaigarh Fort — which was never conquered in battle, it is still envious of peace at Gaitore where former royals of Jaipur are entombed, their ornate cenotaphs still telling a lot about their stature.