You come to India as there is something that draws you deep inside. For a series of circumstances I have faced this trip alone and I confess I have also gone through some uncertainty before the departure - a so different and far away country where I have never been before, an European blue eyes blonde woman, I was afraid of feeling a little uncomfortable. And then, like all the things that frighten us because we do not know them, the ability to cope with your own fears is rewarding.
Jaipur. I discovered a fascinating place - this I knew and it is the reason that pushed me to come here - inhabited by polite people, in a true way and not for obligation. A kindness and humanity coming from the soul and from a culture that has made of human compassion its foundation.
I saw the smile and the gratitude on everyone's face, even on the faces of people on the roadsides,
and a life that is expressed by the vivid colors of clothes and flowers.
Easy come - Easy go, no problem, everything is possible: these three sentences said by my guide Sunil when showcasing me the wonders of Jaipur ,summarize the very complex and rich philosophy of these people and for those who can understand them in depth encloses the true wisdom of the approach to life, clearly based on Hinduism, whose key principles sit on Karma and reincarnation.
What happens, whether good or bad, will not be forever, what matters is how you live it. There are no problems, but only opportunities for growth that arise with the aim of always teaching you something. And again: yes, everything is possible, life is full of opportunities that can be achieved, if you really want it with your heart.
The attraction for this city comes to me from afar, having read a lot about its history and culture, and the beauty of this trip has been also to find a meeting point between what I knew and what I found. It was a magnificent experience and a source of inspiration to visit up close the monuments, vestiges of a sumptuous past that still emanates a huge charm, and watch the colors of the sky at sunset reflecting on the pink of the buildings.
Yes, because Jaipur is also called the Pink City, for the color of the stone of its buildings that in the evening light acquires an even more intense shade.
So amazing is the beauty of Jaipur, how equally incredible is traveling on the streets of this city. What strikes you as soon as you leave the airport and get into the car that came to pick you up, is the multitude of people and vehicles you find on the streets, buses with doors open and so crammed that you see the passengers' heads coming out of the windows , tuk-tuk, the traditional three-wheeled vehicles, making the slalom between motorcycles, scooters and cars of all brands and colors ceaselessly trumpeting as you wouldn't believe, bicycles carrying immense loads of any goods, carts pulled by animals, dogs crossing alone and miraculously make it, rickshaws competing one with each other under the heat. And with this background of the most varied noises, horns honk non stop, unflappable and without any acrimony. A working anarchy!
With all this traffic here the distances are not measured in kilometers but in time. A time that was too fast for me - that's when you feel good - and I was lucky enough to spend it at Rambagh Palace,
a Paradise on earth combining the echoes of an important history and the majesty of its architecture, with the the joyful beauty of luxurious gardens and a nature in jubilation, among flowers, plants and animals, which leaves you breathless.
This Palace has a very intense and charming history. In 1835 it was a small garden house, home of the wet nurse of Prince Ram Singh II, then became a hunting lodge as also located in the middle of a thick forest, and at the beginning of the 20th century it was expanded into a palace, which later became the principal residence of the Marahaja Sawai Man Singh,
who added several royal suites making it a splendid residence and lived there until 1857 with his beloved wife, Maharani Gayatri Devi, Rajmata of Jaipur. It is now managed by Taj Hotels.
I spent memorable days at the Rambagh Palace, immersed in the atmosphere of another world, amid the scent of jasmine, the background of sweet music, the whirring of the wings of birds taking flight and the notes of the flute at sunset that flood the gardens green and exultant flowers, in the midst of very shiny marble reflecting the blinding light of sun-drenched days,
during which the coolness of the pools at the SPA and the wonderful Ayurvedic massages relaxed me deeply.
I loved the silence and the peace of these spacious and green places, so perfect and ideal even for yoga classes, a discipline that I have been practicing for a long time and that has its origins in India.
Silences interrupted only by the melodious songs of the peacocks - within the park there are as many as 250 peacocks as desired at the time by the Maharaja, and it is very common to admire the wonderful spectacle of the wheel of colored feathers with painted eyes.
The peacock is the symbol of India that I also found visiting the City Palace, depicted on the Peacock's Door.
And then the enchantment of participating in the ritual of the evening at the Rambagh Palace, a small procession in the corridors of the palace accompanied by the sweet sound of the flute, to propitiate the time of dinner, lighting the candles in front of the Rajput Restaurant.
All the moments spent in this land full of charm will remain in my memory, along with the magic of this dream Palace and especially to the people who welcomed me and hosted me in an exquisite way, with excellence, elegance and grace, making me living the experience of an unforgettable journey.
Special thanks to all those who made this trip wonderful
Rambagh Palace, Jaipur, Rajasthan - India - www.taj.tajhotels.com
Orchidea Viaggi - www.orchideaviaggi.it
Sunil Bhardwaj - bhardwaisunill007@yahoo.co.in