Jaipur - 2010
Popularly known as "The Pink City", Jaipur is the capital
and largest city in the Indian state of Rajasthan.
Fortunately we were there at the time of the Diwali Festival.
In India this "festival of lights" is much bigger than Christmas.
It is part of the Ramayana Saga and it celebrates the return of Rama and Sita after 14 years in exile.
Travelling by bicycle trishaw.
For the Diwali festival.
Hawa Mahal - "the palace of the winds".
A royal palace, built in 1979, it has lots of intricate lattice work on its facade.
The original purpose of the lattice was to allow royal ladies to observe everyday life in the street below
without being seen, since they had to observe strict purdah (face cover).
Pineapple, anyone?
The gardens of our hotel.
Jantar Mantar is a collection of architectural astronomical instruments,
built by Maharaja Jai Singh II at his then new capital of Jaipur between 1727 and 1734.
The name is derived from Jantar ("instrument"), and Mantar ("formula", or in this context "calculation").
One of the sundials at the site.
An instrument to track the position of the sun through the stars of the zodiac.
There were individual instruments for each sign of the zodiac.
Leo, of course!
Virgo
The largest sundial at the site ... 27 metres high.
Through the gate of the old city.
Printing designs on cloth.
For 1000 rupees ($23), the Hotel where were staying (Diggi Palace, run by the Diggi family),
put on a banquet and a fantastic show for Diwali.
The musicians.
Dressed-up elephants.
The dance of the pots, part of the Ramayana saga.
I had seen the complete Ramayana saga danced at Jogjakarta in Indonesia in 1998.
Sita has more and more pots put on top of her head as she dances.
Fire dances outside.
Fireworks were going off all night ... like a war zone.
We bought rockets and fired them off.
It was like Guy Fawkes Night when I was a child.
Our hotel decorated for the festival of light.
The celebrations also included a puppet show.
Wi-fi in the hotel gardens.
My new netbook performed beautifully throughout the trip.
Fellow Intrepid traveller, Audrey from Ireland.
Popularly known as "The Pink City", Jaipur is the capital
and largest city in the Indian state of Rajasthan.
Fortunately we were there at the time of the Diwali Festival.
In India this "festival of lights" is much bigger than Christmas.
It is part of the Ramayana Saga and it celebrates the return of Rama and Sita after 14 years in exile.
Travelling by bicycle trishaw.
For the Diwali festival.
Hawa Mahal - "the palace of the winds".
A royal palace, built in 1979, it has lots of intricate lattice work on its facade.
The original purpose of the lattice was to allow royal ladies to observe everyday life in the street below
without being seen, since they had to observe strict purdah (face cover).
Pineapple, anyone?
The gardens of our hotel.
Jantar Mantar is a collection of architectural astronomical instruments,
built by Maharaja Jai Singh II at his then new capital of Jaipur between 1727 and 1734.
The name is derived from Jantar ("instrument"), and Mantar ("formula", or in this context "calculation").
One of the sundials at the site.
An instrument to track the position of the sun through the stars of the zodiac.
There were individual instruments for each sign of the zodiac.
Leo, of course!
Virgo
The largest sundial at the site ... 27 metres high.
Through the gate of the old city.
Printing designs on cloth.
For 1000 rupees ($23), the Hotel where were staying (Diggi Palace, run by the Diggi family),
put on a banquet and a fantastic show for Diwali.
The musicians.
Dressed-up elephants.
The dance of the pots, part of the Ramayana saga.
I had seen the complete Ramayana saga danced at Jogjakarta in Indonesia in 1998.
Sita has more and more pots put on top of her head as she dances.
Fire dances outside.
Fireworks were going off all night ... like a war zone.
We bought rockets and fired them off.
It was like Guy Fawkes Night when I was a child.
Our hotel decorated for the festival of light.
The celebrations also included a puppet show.
Wi-fi in the hotel gardens.
My new netbook performed beautifully throughout the trip.
Fellow Intrepid traveller, Audrey from Ireland.
