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Published: January 30th 2016
By eight o’clock this morning, I was at New Gate, one of the ancient-looking arched entrances to ‘The Pink City’, Jaipur’s old town. Everything was still asleep, the little signs of life just sweepers moving dust and rubbish from one place to another with their long swishing brooms, an occasional cycle-rickshaw with its pedalling driver cloaked in a blanket or a motorcyclist wearing a bandit mask against the cold. A few bedraggled street dogs wandered aimlessly in search of sustenance, uttering half-hearted barks at the approach of others.
It was cool and hazy, a lull before the rising sun brought heat to what would become crowded streets noisy with the constant sounding of horns and lawnmower-engined auto-rickshaws belching fumes into the already polluted air.
My new friend Manish arrived a few minutes later, quickly finding a suitable place to park his motorbike and a friendly stall-holder to guard his crash helmet for the next few hours. Cameras in hand, we set off to explore the mysteries of streets that would soon become bustling markets.
As our walk among sparsely-populated roads and alleys unfolded, we encountered young candidates for jobs in the armed forces being
drilled under arches outside closed shops, women threading flowers to make ritual garlands, and discarded coconut husks from a previous day’s trading. Later, stall-holders wheeled their barrows into position and shops prepared their displays of papaya, deep red carrots and all manner of other fruit and vegetables.
Cyclists, cycle-rickshaws and camel carts carried loads that were far too big to be safe, and labourers with tools of their trade by their side waited in gangs near tea stalls hoping to be picked by contractors for a day’s work. Others said their morning puja (prayers) at one of many tumble-down shrines beneath the large trees.
Almost two hours into our walk, shops began to reveal their vast stocks of fabrics, sweets and spices, pots and pans. City dwellers took breakfast and hot, sweet tea.
Close to the Maharajah's personal entrance to the City Palace, where an historic iron canon pointed menacingly towards us and the guard read his morning newspaper, we stumbled upon a temple to Lord Krishna, up steep steps high above the shops. Actually, it was more than just a temple; it had views towards the City Palace and a Brahmin priest who ran
an art gallery and small shop selling handicrafts. Manish, a resident of Jaipur for some 20 years hadn’t been here before.
By now, the city was warming up. Traffic was building, the sidewalks were ablaze with colourful goods and people. Nomadic tinkers plied their wares, cycle repairers repaired cycles, the homeless slept in the road, old men fed their goats and their grandchildren on the steps to their homes, and kids of all ages in smart uniforms made their way to school.
It was time for us to have a cup of chai and a shoeshine, and to say ‘au revoir’. Manish, a fellow photographer of all things flora, fauna and human, had been great company during these two days. We had a good time and will certainly be keeping in touch.
After returning to my hotel and taking a much-needed nap, I prepared to be collected by Lajpal for tonight’s party. He’d organised, at my request, for many of his relatives and friends to come for food and drinks. His brother-in-law Yogeshwar
(Monty for short!) had made all the arrangements at a venue run by one of his friends.
It was originally intended to be
a get-together with friends old and new, but by coincidence we were also able to celebrate yesterday’s 18th birthday of Lajpal's cousin Jaiwardhan
(Yashu), a young man I’d last met with his brother and cousins nine years ago, and today’s birthday of Lajpal’s sister’s husband Dilip. That celebration took the customary form of candles being blown out on a cake to a sung chorus of ‘Happy Birthday To You...’, followed, less familiarly, by small pieces of said creamy, fruit-topped cake being forcibly fed to both birthday boys by everyone present!
This was followed late into the night by much (actually
too much) whisky drinking and hilarious, hands-in-the-air, hip-wiggling dancing to very loud Indian music.
It was certainly a very memorable evening - and a good time was had by all.
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RENanDREW
Ren & Andrew
Old City
Fabulous photos of the old city! The colours of Jaipur are very unique and beautiful, especially in that early morning light.