The true essence of romance is traveling far and wide. Be it with your soulmate or just by yourself, discovering nature, culture, relishing foods and being on that much deserved holiday. Life is unpredictably short, thus my motto, live each day as if it is your last. And one of the best ways to do it is plan, prepare and pursue those vacations you long for or trips you have been putting off…for what If Tomorrow Never comes…

There is novelty, adventure and fun in exploring the possibilities, the improbabilties and discovering what this world has to offer. A trip to my favorite place, Rajasthan in India used to be on top of my bucket list. Well it did not happen first but yes I did make it happen. I used to dream that this land is singing out to me, calling me, beckoning me. Whenever I used to see pictures on social media or hear of people taking a trip to Rajasthan I felt an instant connection, unknown yet so familiar, reaching its hands out to me, pleading and my mind would immediately start planning. But it was not to be till 2016 when I got the opportunity. I planned my solo trip for 8 days. I looked up maps, bus routes, train routes, places to see , restaurants to eat at, and Booking.com helped me book good hotels for economical prices. My packing started with what kind of clothes I wanted to wear there, most certainly ethnic and colorful was the call. My trip was planned between a wedding and a casual Scrabble tournament. My leave was approved from work, my money transferred for my spree and my DLS camera charged and ready with my tripod, extra battery and lenses. It definitely was enough but did not seem so! I just did not want any major glitch happening there. I chalked up 3 of its various majestic cities. Jaipur, Udaipur and Jaisalmer. Each a beauty in itself, each known for its history, forts, lakes and attractions, each a pleasure to be at. As a child I used to be mesmerized just watching the vast deserts of this place in movies like where Sridevi danced in the dunes of Jaisalmer to the song ” Morni baaghan ma bole….”, Or the haunting “Yaara seeli seeli “… but in reality the air in Rajasthan sings . I must have lived there in a previous birth….I felt so at home being there…. I felt a calling yes it was reckoning and beckoning me..

The pink city -Jaipur is named after Maharaja Jai Singh. History lives here in the City Palace, where one can still see the beautiful architecture, the arches so perfect and the lattices through the jharokas ( windows), the stairs leading to beautiful terraces which have fountains that sleep now. Look at the finesse of the stones used, carved, symmetrical in shape and embedded with jewels here and there, mirrors smiling back at you giving the reflective shine and beauty of profound symmetry, vivid colors everywhere, each and every corner a delight to admire. It seemed like a desert has been truly decorated bringing verve, zest and elan to each and every element. Men wear white kurtas and dhotis but their heads are adorned with colorful orange, purple, green or yellow turbans whih is a sign of royalty. Jaipur is called the Pink city as most or all of the places are built of red sandstone . One can see the Amber Fort which is on a higher dune running across it like a massive snake with its fortified walls still high and strong. It has volumes of stories to speak, though may seem deadly silent ! Evenings are cool here and you still see old men sitting on charpoys (cots tied up with ropes), smoking, giggling and recounting tales. Their withered and wrinkled faces having lots of stories to tell. Beautiful village belles dancing in their colorful dresses ( ghagras) wearing lots of silver jewellery their heads covered by chunris ( long scarves again colorful with bandini designs or multi-colors) are an everyday entertainment for the villagers who love to play music. Come evening and tunes fill the air and almost every thing around you seems to be singing. Their most favorite song: “Kesariya baalamwa padharo maare des” is a such a melodious,haunting and daunting song played by one and all. Aptly it translates to ” Oh Saffron beloved of mine, come to my land!!! You find many having a small lyre in their hands playing this so efficiently on the streets. One can sit and watch them perform for hours on end sipping hot tea and having savouries like samosas and farsan. I happened to go to a place just because the name enticed me. “Saheliyon ka baagh” which translates to “(Girl)friend’s Garden” a place of natural greenery set up for the princesses of those times who would spend their evenings herewith their friends who would come to play and entertain them. Fountains everywhere with statues in the shape of swans, dolls, girls in marble and stone. It actually seems to be speaking the tone of laughter, magic and beauty in the air. Yes one can actually hear it if you strain your ears.

Udaipur offered its beautiful sights of the various innumerable lakes it has. There are beautifully carved shaded places by these to sit under and gaze out at the lakes. Some of them speaking of lovers’ who said their vows there while others telling us of evenings spent by the Maharajas and Ranis by those places in those days. Boating a favorite past time now may have been a spot to watch heavenly sunsets then. Evening shows of village belles doing their dance shows, explaining the grandeur of the past through their movements and songs, swish-swashing their colorful ghagras and hiding their giggles behind colorful chunris. Daal bhaat, litti chokas, Laal maas ( red meat gravy), lassi and ghevar a sweet dish which makes your mouth drool at sight are just a few of the foods I enjoyed. The City palace overlooking the biggest lake is a sight to watch. The Maharaja then actually had his whole palace built in such a way that each of its windows face this lake……yet one can enjoy the serene beauty around.

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Jaisalmer which shares its border with Pakistan is rightfully a desert but since I wanted to see those sand dunes badly, I made that entire trip from the East to the West to feel those soft sands beneath my feet. Yes the desert safari was lovely. It has become quite commercialized now but if you pay well, you will get best services. Watching herds and herds of camels, more than 1000’s all around you, mostly white, off-white and brown with colorful bandini or mirror-worked cloth pieces on them, this was like a haven for camels all grunting around us and walking in a queue on these soft sand dunes. At some points they looked so beautiful following each other, while a few rested in the sand. There were tourists, people, and more people getting there to capture the best sunsets. I too did not waste time and did my jig on ” Maare hevdo mein reh gayi re kataar re…” I kept wishing my husband was with me to capture all my moods, but had to manage with the help of my guide. A good dinner later of Daal ( lentils) rice and veggies followed by village belles entertaining us with their acts and dances. Then the ladies from the audience were called to dance around the fire and I did not waste time again and joined them for a hearty dance. Time to retreat to our tents, and it was quite cold that January night , but nothing deterred me to go out and see those sands at night with my guide. It was 7 degrees, and the soft sands looked so serene, quiet and hiding so many stories. I managed to do some Light Photography and came back to sleep in my tent at 2 in the morning Another enchanting place, though a Graveyard is the “Bada Bagh”- a place with canopy like structures around tombs again built with the touch of beautiful symmetrical architecture. Patwon ki Haveli and Saalim Singh ki Haveli are again miss-me-nots. Now residing within the by lanes of the city, people have hardly heard of them but they still majestically stand and have interesting historical stories of yore. Covering just 3 cities in 8 days I vowed to come back. I still have 6 cities on my bucket list. Need a whole month to explore them. Yes I feel the need to go back. and explore more. There is so much more to discover, see and a heaven’s paradise to shop for ethnic things. Yes it was magical, musical and magnificent. I left a part of my heart there and brought back myself but will plan to go again.

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