Delhi – Jaipur (by bus)
A reluctant Ernest followed me on a six-hour bus ride from Delhi to
Jaipur. I had previously claimed the holy cow was the only thing
capable of stopping a bus. Unfortunately, this wasn’t entirely correct.
Shortly before Jaipur, the bus collided with a cow, damaging both the
coach and the cow. Fortunately, the bus limped the last few
kilometres into Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan and celebrated as
India’s first planned city.
Jaipur, Rajasthan
The following day was spent wandering around the old town,
famously known as the Pink City due to its distinct pink hue. The
story behind this colour dates back to 1876, when the Prince of Wales
visited India, and the entire town was painted pink as a symbol of
hospitality. The striking City Palace, which remains the residence of
the ruling royal family, has a private section where they still live.
Next, we visited the Hawa Mahal, also known as the Palace of Winds,
an impressive palace and Jaipur's most iconic landmark. This
stunning palace is large and pink, with many small, latticed windows.
Built in 1799 from pink sandstone by King Sawai Pratap Singh as a
summer retreat, the palace's many windows allowed the ladies of the
royal household to observe everyday life without being seen. The
honeycomb-like structure of the palace also served as a natural air-
conditioner, with 953 windows to keep the building cool.
Later, Ernest and I took a rickshaw to the Water Palace, or Jal Mahal.
I felt a bit awkward and embarrassed being pedalled around by
someone else. Nonetheless, Jal Mahal was a sight to behold. Its sand-
coloured stone walls and reflection in a lake created a beautiful
picture.