Our second trip to the desert state of Rajasthan was in 2023 and this time it was Udaipur. We were eagerly awaiting our trip to the city of lakes. Day 1 Ahar museum The first stop of the day was the Ahar Cenotaphs and Museum. The Ahar cenotaphs are a group of about 250 cenotaphs and about 19 chhatris (dome shaped pavilions) that serve as memorials for the rulers who were cremated here. We were eagerly anticipating our visit to these cenotaphs. Following the tranquil experience we enjoyed a year ago at Maharaniyon ki Chatriyaan in Jaipur, we were hopeful of recreating those moments here. Unfortunately, we learnt after reaching…

Amer Fort We had planned half a day, starting early to cover Amer and Jaigarh fort. Even before reaching the fort, we stopped on the way to soak in the views of the fort from a distance. The guides at Amer fort are very very very perseverant. The guides and touts warned us that we’d either get lost or we’d miss out on parts of the fort without their ‘guidance’. Rest assured that you’re neither at a risk of getting lost thanks to the well-marked paths nor are you at a risk of missing portions of the fort thanks to the detailed layout maps that can be found online fairly…

Abhaneri is about 90 km from Jaipur. It houses one of the oldest and largest step wells in India – the Chand Baori or Chand Bawri. Plan your trip Origins of the Abhaneri step well The Chand Baori or Chand Bawri, as it is spelt sometimes, is one of the largest and oldest step wells in India. A ‘baori’ or ‘bawri’ in the local language is a well from which water can be drawn. Dating back to the 8th-9th century CE, the step well’s construction features and carving styles suggest this period, though no inscriptions confirm it. The name Chand is ascribed to a local ruler of the Nikumbh dynasty…

Jantar Mantar was constructed by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II in the 18th century. There are four other such astronomical observatories built by the same king – in Delhi, Ujjain, Mathura and Varanasi. Some of these are the largest instruments built in their category and are very advanced in terms of their precision. Astronomical and Astrological significance The guide was quite knowledgeable about the astronomical and astrological significance of the instruments. From our guide, we understood that the pursuit of precision for the calculation of time seemed to be driven by a two-pronged need. Firstly, to be free of dependency on the Islamic almanacs being referred to for agricultural milestones,…

The excitement started to build two months before August 2022. We had been reading about the culturally rich ‘Pink city’ since our school days and finally we had our itinerary planned! August being the rainy season in most parts of India, Rajasthan seemed like one of the best options for the holidays around India’s Independence Day weekend. Below is a snapshot of our itinerary for 4 days in Jaipur. Jaipur Itinerary – Day 1 We started from Bangalore in the morning and reached our hotel in Jaipur by the afternoon. A laid back Day 1 was planned. Maharaniyon ki Chhatriyan We had planned to visit Maharaniyon ki Chhatriyan only because…

The journey We started our journey to the Bhangarh Fort, considered the most haunted fort in India from Jaipur. Our plan was to visit the fort and then the Abhaneri step well before returning to Jaipur. The fort is about 70 km to 80 km, depending on the route from Jaipur. Of wizards and ghosts! On the way, our driver shared some interesting folklore about the Bhangarh Fort and the reason for its decimation. According to him, a wizard tried to court the princess of the fort, the legendary beauty Ratnavati, against her wish. Once, when the princess’ attendant went to the marketplace to get her perfume for her bath,…