Forts

The Spell of Bundi, Rajasthan : Reaching Bundi

By Nandan Jha

Hence, our first stop was at at ‘Salim Paper’ at Sanganer. From what we had learnt, this would be a cottage industry like place where one could see paper making and block printing. So we reached after going circles in the village, and ultimately realising that the place was right at the beginning. If you tell them that you are from ‘Arya Niwas’, they take you through a guided tour of ‘Paper Making’. This was our first visit to a ‘Paper Making’ factory and it was an extremely educative experience. The place was large, expansive and had sections where different jobs took place. The lady took us through the entire process with a lot of patience. The first step is to make the pulp by mashing waste cloth-cuttings that they procure from all the factories around. So essentially the raw material was waste organics being recycled and that was heartening to know. The cloth is shredded to very tiny pieces that are kept submerged in water for a few days. After that the whole cloth-water solution is rolled over and over again to form a thick pulp. This pulp is then further rolled to form a smoother paste. Color and condiments like rose/marigold petals, leaves are added now. Then the paste is spread on metal sheets and left to dry in the sun. Each sheet individually! Hence the paper is born. The dried paper sheet is taken off the metal based and pressed through machines. And thereafter, different actions are taken to make use of this paper. So we saw techniques of cutting, printing, pasting and finishing.

To give the viewers an experience to take home, and of course as a model for this tour fee, they also have a small shop/display counter. The only way we could have reciprocated the gesture was to buy some stuff so we bought quite a lot. Most of that was exciting and relatable as we were purchasing exactly what we saw being made right then. All of it was for European and American markets and were indeed of supreme quality. So we made a good collection of fancy paper bags, craft kits, various kinds of papers etc. that my daughter is waiting to rob off her mother for her school projects.

A Trip to Mewar – Udaipur Sightseeing

By Rakesh

JAGDISH TEMPLE: The temple was an historical one in grey stone. Lord Krishna, we bow to you. Had a PRIKRAMA around the main garbha griha. clicked some photographs for yaadein and came downstairs. We had planned to walk through this market to our car parked on the other side of the palace. The bazaar was known as Bhatiyani chohatta. It was full of shops selling handicraft items, Rajasthani clothes and souvenirs. It seemed paradise to Bhakti and Savita, my wife. So t one shop after hard bargaining a dress for Pavani was bought. And at one corner shops some souvenirs were bought to gift to dear and near ones. After that we reached at the parking place. and there it was our trusted maruti. Our next stop was fatehsagar lake and shilpagram.

A Trip to Mewar – Jalandhar to Jaipur to Udaipur

By Rakesh

When I touched the Ajmer road on my way to Udaipur, I was just mesmerized by the highway. I had read a lot about this highway that this one is one of the best in India , on 31st of December I became witness to that. Till Udaipur I got four toll barriers on the way but it was worth. Normally I am slow traveler rarely peaking at 100 km/hour. but this highway tempted me. About 30 km before Ajmer there was a diversion towards left and I just took that following my gut feeling and I was on national highway 76 . I must mention here that on this way Chittorgarh and Bhilwara comes but remain on side so not quite a hurdle to travelers who want to reach Udaipur directly.

Kids were happy on this travel as we had experimented a long drive. Just before Chittorgarh felt hungry and stopped at a roadside dhaba offering garmagaram khana. A lot of trucks had been halting there bearing number plate mostly of Gujarat and Rajasthan. We had ordered saadi chapatis (tawe wali) and Karhi. The food was just delicious, to say. I had found in this trip that chapatis are brown in color not like Punjab where dhabas normally offer white chapatis indicating the use of maida instead of atta. After filling our tummies we proceeded further on our dream destination and it was at about 2.30 P. M we encountered a hoarding welcoming us to the city of lakes.

Scotland – Touring Edinburgh Castle

By Shubham

We were told that the Queen was coming to Edinburgh the next day, and the Palace was being spruced up. Since this was our last day in Edinburgh, we would be missing that (not that she was inviting us to tea or anything like that). We would, at best, have got to see her motorcade.

The Seige & Tragedy of Lucknow’s Residency – A History Lesson

By Nirdesh Singh

As you enter the main gate of Residency, the din of Lucknow city recedes until just the distant hum of traffic remains. It is a quite green oasis in the middle of cacophany that Lucknow is today. The pervading hush makes it hard to believe that this eerily quite place was witness to one of the bloodiest fights of Indian Mutiny of 1857. This is nature’s way of soothing the Residency with eternal balm and tranquility to anesthetize the tumultous past. The dewy green grass absorbs the shock of looking at the cannon scarred red brick walls. Most of the buildings are heavily damaged with few having roofs.

Barring the green grass, it seems that the siege ended just yesterday. The shattered walls carry the echoes of tragedy, doom, valour, disease and gore. Walk the grounds and you are immediately transported to those turbulent days. Residency is a sprawling compound with neat manicured gardens. Signs indicate the names of various buildings. During the rains, the green moss covering the red brick broken walls lends an exquisite charm to the place. Spend some time in the museum. The church’s cemetry has the graves of about 2000 people including Lawrence. Visit Nawab Saadat Ali Khan’s Tomb. Stay back for the light and sound show in the evening.

Exploring Udaipur City Palace

By Sushant Singhal

आगे बढ़े तो छत से झांकने पर एक और प्रांगण दिखाई दिया। बताया गया कि यहां रवीना टंडन की शादी हुई थी। जरूर हुई होगी, हमें तो निमंत्रण मिला नहीं था शादी का, हमारी बला से! सच पूछो तो रवीना शादीशुदा है या कुंवारी है – हमें इसमें भी कोई रुचि नहीं है। हमारे लिये तो हमारी अपनी श्रीमती जी ही रवीना, ऐश्वर्या, माधुरी, सीता, सावित्री, गार्गी, विद्योत्तमा, तिलोत्तमा सब कुछ हैं। (यह लाइन मैने उनको पढ़वाने के लिये ही लिखी है!)

सिटी पैलेस को समझना हो तो आप कुछ कुछ यूं समझें कि ये एक लंबाई में बनाया हुआ महल-कम-दुर्ग-कम-होटल-कम-संग्रहालय है। अगर आप 49,999 रुपये तथा उस पर विलासिता कर यानि luxury tax और VAT दे सकते हैं तो आप फतेह प्रकाश पैलेस या शिव सागर पैलेस होटल में से किसी एक होटल में एक रात रुक भी सकते हैं। अगर आप सोनिया गांधी के दामाद हैं और रातोंरात अरबपति बन चुके हैं तो आप अपने बच्चों का विवाह भी इन HRH Heritage hotels में से किसी एक में आयोजित कर सकते हैं। पर अगर आप 30 रुपये में सिटी पैलेस म्यूज़ियम देखने आये हैं तो आप शानदार हवेलियां देखिये, कमरों में सजाये हुए पंखे, बिस्तरे, मूढ़े आदि देखिये, अद्‍भुत वास्तुकला देखिये, अंग्रेज़ पर्यटकों को निहारिये, 200 रुपये कैमरे के लिये देकर फोटो वगैरा खींचिये और संकरी गली से बाहर निकल लीजिये।

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Back to Udaipur-LokKala Mandal and Shilpgram

By Sushant Singhal

शिल्पग्राम से हम बाहर निकले तो बाबू ने पास में ही, न जाने किस पार्क में गाड़ी ले जाकर खड़ी कर दी। बीच में एक फव्वारा, अच्छा हरा – भरा लॉन, अच्छे – अच्छे चेहरे थकान मिटाने के लिये काफी उपयुक्त सिद्ध हुए। घास पर लेटे रहे, कोल्ड-ड्रिंक पीते हुए चिप्स खाते खाते घंटा भर वहीं बिताया। जब सूर्यास्त हो गया तो महिलाओं को फिर हुड़क उठी कि बाज़ार चलते हैं। बाबू कुछ एंपोरियम में ले कर गया पर हम हर जगह यही शक करते रहे कि पता नहीं, कैसा सामान होगा, पता नहीं कितना महंगा बता रहे होंगे। मैने एक बार भी श्रीमती जी को जिद नहीं की कि ये सामान अच्छा है, खरीद लो! हम लोगों ने पहले ही तय कर रखा था कि यदि हम में से कोई कुछ खरीदना चाहेगा और दूसरा मना कर देगा तो वह चीज़ नहीं खरीदी जायेगी। इसके बाद पुनः हाथी पोल आये और श्रीमती जी ने दो जयपुरी रजाइयां खरीद ही डालीं जो वज़न में बहुत हल्की थीं और पैक होने के बाद उनका आकार भी बहुत कम रह गया था !

खाना पुनः बावर्ची में ही खा कर हम वापिस होटल वंडरव्यू पैलेस में पहुंच गये जहां हमारे नाम के दोनों कमरे बुक थे। अगला दिन हमने तय कर रखा था – सिटी पैलेस, बागौर की हवेली, नेहरू पार्क, और नाथद्वारा मंदिर देखने के लिये।

Mount Abu Sight Seeing

By Sushant Singhal

माउंट आबू भ्रमण के दौरान बहुत सारा समय हमने पीस पार्क में भी बिताया था। वहां घुसते ही सबसे पहले हमें ब्रह्माकुमारी वालों ने एक वीडियो दिखाया जिसका सार ये था कि ज़िन्दगी मिलेगी दोबारा – दोबारा अगर तुम नहीं करोगे अज्ञान से किनारा ! अज्ञान का अर्थ है – खुद को और इस शरीर को एकाकार समझ लेना। इस वीडियो के अनुसार हम आत्मा हैं जो इस शरीर के अन्दर, दोनों नेत्रों के मध्य भाग में, यानि भृकुटि में रहते हैं। हम यानि आत्मा, इस शरीर रूपी गाड़ी के ड्राइवर हैं। हम सब आत्मायें परमपिता परमात्मा के प्यारे बच्चे हैं, उनके अंश हैं। हम निरंतर यह स्मृति बनाये रखें कि हमारा और हमारे परमपिता परमात्मा का बाप-बेटे का नाता है तो हमें उनसे ऐसे ही स्नेह भाव उपजेगा जैसे किसी युवक को किसी अनजानी युवती से सगाई हो जाने के बाद उससे स्नेह उपजने लगता है। उसे कहना नहीं पड़ता कि भाई, कभी टाइम निकाल कर अपनी मंगेतर को भी याद कर लिया कर! वह खाते-पीते, सोते-जागते, उठते-बैठते हर समय अपनी मंगेतर को ही याद करता रहता है, उससे मिलने के ख्वाब देखा करता है। आजकल के लड़के तो मोबाइल में couple plan ले लेते हैं ताकि चौबीसों घंटे हॉटलाइन से जुड़े रहें। ठीक वैसे ही हमें यदि परमपिता परमात्मा से अपने संबंध का ज्ञान हो जाये तो हम हर समय उनकी स्मृति में ही रहेंगे। यह तब होगा जब हम सदैव यह याद करेंगे कि हम यह शरीर नहीं हैं बल्कि इस शरीर को संचालित करने वाली आत्मा हैं। हम सब विस्मृति की शिकार आत्मायें हैं जो यहां – वहां सुख की लालसा में भटकती रहती हैं जबकि वास्तविक सुख परमपिता परमात्मा से मिलन में है जो हम योग लगा कर किसी भी समय अनुभव कर सकते हैं । उसके लिये मरना कतई जरूरी नहीं है।

गुरु शिखर और अचलगढ़ नाम की दो पर्वत चोटियों के मध्य स्थित विशाल परिसर में विकसित इस पीस पार्क में न केवल अत्यन्त सुन्दर उद्यान हैं, रोज़ गार्डन हैं, झूले हैं, रॉक गार्डन है, पिकनिक के लिये और खेल कूद के लिये मैदान हैं बल्कि सबसे आनन्द दायक बात ये है कि इस पीस पार्क का प्रबंध अत्यन्त कुशल और सेवाभावी व्यक्तियों के हाथों में है। ब्रह्माकुमारी केन्द्र यानि मधुबन, ज्ञान सरोवर और शान्तिवन में तीन या अधिक दिनों के लिये नियमित रूप से शिविर लगते रहते हैं और एक दिन प्रशिक्षुओं को घुमाने के लिये भी नियत रहता है। पीस पार्क में भी वे कुछ घंटे बिताते हैं, यहां उनके लिये खेल-कूद व खाने-पीने की भी व्यवस्था की जाती है। ऐसे ही एक अवसर के चित्र यहां लगा रहा हूं।

The Amazing Story of Lucknow’s Bada Imambada

By Nirdesh Singh

Despite the continuous building and breaking, the Bada Imambada turned out to be magnificient. It rivalled the Moghul architecture. No iron or cement has been used in the building. The imambada boasts of one of the largest arched structure with no supporting beams. Under this vaulted chamber lies the simple grave of the Nawab.The grave of the architect also lies in the main hall. Asafuddaulah was truly generous and class blind.

The Indomitable Daulatabad Fort, Aurangabad

By Nirdesh Singh

As you enter the fort, you are greeted by this tall minar – Chand Minar. It used to be covered with Persian glazed tiles. Now they have whitewashed it in faded orange colour. You want to strangle the person who ordered this colour. The minar was built by Ahmed Shah II to celebrate the capture of the fort. To approach from the front one has to go through three bastions of fortified walls.

A Glimpse Of Jaipur

By Gita AM

Upon entering the walled city, we were immediately accosted by each and every shopkeeper of each and every shop in the myriad bazaars within. This was annoying enough for us as Indians. It must be downright intimidating for the foreigners.

The shopkeepers aggressive sales pitch were a big put off. Having said that, I could see why Jaipur is called a shoppers paradise. Though most of the wares on offer were touristy tat, there was certainly a huge variety of some rather good tat as well. I succumbed and did not leave without my fair share of purchases though I would have bought a lot more had it not been such a nuisance having to bargain fiercely in every store. Initial prices quoted anywhere were at least 3 to 4 times higher than the final settled amount. The haggling became just too much of an effort and I decided not to buy anything more. The Jaipur traders are geared to sell to the foreign tourist though I doubt that most foreigners would pay such steep prices, they probably drive a much harder bargain than we do. One cannot even walk in peace without being constantly assailed by men beseeching you to enter their shops.

Dancing Peacock at Nahargarh Fort, Jaipur

By Nirdesh Singh

Nahargarh Fort is perched on a hill overlooking the city of Jaipur. Best time to go there is early in the morning. It is a pleasant half hour drive from downtown city. There is a lush forest on both sides of the winding road. Drive slow to take in the greenery and sounds of the forest. People can be seen jogging and cycling. Birds chirp and peacocks give out their shrill cries when they see you approaching.

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Really enjoyed reading this Dalhousie journey. The way you described the last moments there and the return journey made it feel like I was travelling along with you. Beautiful memories.
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Hi Nitesh I m planning to trip to Agra ,fathe pur ,Sikri AND I WILL BE GUIDED BY UR ABOVE INPUT.
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I am wondering how I might be notified when a new post has been made.
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great article keep it guys
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Fun things about explained nicely, must read it article.
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Bundelkhand avashya hi bharatvarsh ka hriday
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