The hawa Mahal: An imposing five storeyed palace which stands aside the main road of the old city, it houses a myriad of windows that offered the queens different views of the crowded streets below, a partial solace to the unfortunate aristocracy who couldnt come out into the open. the windows have lattice work in them which meant that while the queens could see the outside sights, the commoner from the street could not glimpse the queen from outside. the host of windows enables good air movement throughout the palace, so you are welcomed by a breeze in the most unexpected of corners. the place isnt much crowded so we often found ourselves alone .
The jantar mantar: A very exciting place that offers immense information for astronomy enthusiasts but a great bore for non enthusiasts. it has various equipments used long before for carrying out astronomical studies. near each equipment its utility and method of use is described. a solar clock and a map of the heavens with various star positions are other attractions.
The national history museum: this houses the artefacts that the great kings left behind. the museum itself is in a part of the palace. the hall, with a gold leaved ceiling, carries various cases with numerous artefacts like ancient scriptures, paintings in silk which illustrated stories of yester years in bright shades, rugs etc. other rooms house weapons and armour, vehicles and every other paraphernalia of the aristocratic life.
The palace of Sisodia rani: story goes that among the many queens that the king had, sisodia rani demanded a separate palace for herself and thus this beautiful piece of architecture was born. set in the midst of a lush beautiful garden with exquisitely painted walls and lattice worked outer walls, the palace looks out into the garden and further onto the mountains. there is a crystal chandlier shaped like a tortoise in the main hall and every other piece of furniture was uniquely carved and bore the mark of perfect craftsmanship. i was getting partly jealous of the rani when the rest of the story unravelled. she gave birth to madho singh who grew up to be 7 feet tall and 4 feet wide!!( not exaggerating). when he wanted to travel in a boat , two people were needed to sit on the side opposite as ballast. this scene was depicted in one of the paintings in the national history museum.the ranis chambers were also elaborately furnished with beautiful mirrors that reflected her person in full.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Thursday, June 11, 2009
To the land of pink
After three wonderful days in hyderabad we set off to jaipur better known as 'the pink city.'if hyderabad's climate was hot then jaipur would have been fire but since our trip coincided with the winter the climate in jaipur was wonderful: slightly warm in the mornings , breezy in the evenings and cold at night. like the desert which takes in heat all through the day and vents out all the caught up heat in the night, jaipur has taken in all that various cultures has given to it and has portrayed all of them faithfully in its environs. jaipur is a quiet place and not such a well thronged tourist destination but the roads are wide and clean and the people are friendly. after the immensely tight security in hyderabad you feel like a convict out of prison in jaipur...infact i wondered how easy it would be to target this city as there was little or practically no security. most monuments did not have metal detectors and in those that had them, they werent in working condition. you could take anything with you inside as long as you had a ticket ( which costs only a negligible amount) and no one checked your person for hidden threats. as if to prove my intuitions right six months later a series of blasts rocked the beautiful city and most of them took place in areas where we visited just the last winter.
the city does full justice to its name 'the pink city' because pink is the prominent colour the city is done in.jaipur is a very colourful place with costumes in bright hues fitted with mirrors and a lot of ornaments to go with it.the old city lies inside a fort wall and the entire old city is in pink.the buildings, though having passed quite a lot of hands, have still retained their old look as the authorities do not allow any modfications. so here we can see a raymond showroom in a pretty non descreipt pink building which is the only place in the world where we can do so. bright clothes adorned with mirror work flash and make playful patterns on vehicles that pass by.
Not to be missed : choki dhani
hawa mahal
jantar mantar
amber palace
tiger fort
jaigarh fort
national history museum
jal mahal
camel ride
authentic jaipuri food
the city does full justice to its name 'the pink city' because pink is the prominent colour the city is done in.jaipur is a very colourful place with costumes in bright hues fitted with mirrors and a lot of ornaments to go with it.the old city lies inside a fort wall and the entire old city is in pink.the buildings, though having passed quite a lot of hands, have still retained their old look as the authorities do not allow any modfications. so here we can see a raymond showroom in a pretty non descreipt pink building which is the only place in the world where we can do so. bright clothes adorned with mirror work flash and make playful patterns on vehicles that pass by.
Not to be missed : choki dhani
hawa mahal
jantar mantar
amber palace
tiger fort
jaigarh fort
national history museum
jal mahal
camel ride
authentic jaipuri food
The three jewels
This is about a trip i undertook on december 2008 to three prominent cities that lie in three corners of India. we started the journey from trivandrum. Tthe first stop was hyderabad.
HYDERABAD: The City of The Nizams
an ancient and beautiful city this is quite different from cities in kerala...instead of the greenery that we are used to in our state this city is set in shades of brown and prominent buildings of yesteryear lie interleaved among modern high rise buildings.home to the famous golconda fort ,char minar and the mecca masjid this city has a lot to boast of. the first thing that meets one's eye, though , is the tight security in view of the recent blasts that shook the state. wherever you go you should pass through metal detectors and take a sample shot with your camera to let them know that you do not have any bombs in your person..for one who appreciates architecture and history there is the golconda fort as a must see..and for ones(photo freaks) who like the lighter pleasures there is a whole day worth sight seeing in the film city...since i fall on the former category and due to constraints of time film city did not fall into our priority list.
Lumbini park: .among the many tourist destinations that the city hosts the first in our list was the lumbini park...after getting through the tight security , the park was our own. having visited in the evening, the bright lights of the city merged well with the dim lights of the park .....a cool breeze made the set perfect for a leisurely evening and after treating ourselves to some delicacy that a street vendor sold we settled to take in the sights and sounds of the city.....a long time later ,we turned in putting an end to the first day.
day 2: this was a day packed with action...every second of our time was accounted for. the first visit was to golconda fort....the fort stood imposing at a great height while countless steps carved out of stone led into its interiors. the climb is not advisable for heart patients. gardens and walkways adorned the ground level while the steep climb took us to deeper into the fort.after a gruelling climb in the hot hyderabadi sun( the climate is hot but dry so that you feel tired but dont sweat) we reached the top....on the way one couldnt but wonder on how many hours of patient and laborious work led to the construction of this gigantic structure...the terrain would have been anything but smooth and the workers sure didnt have steps leading them forward. at the top there are several shops that sell cool drinks and every conqueror partook of this elixir in the highest spirits. while snooping around in the interiors trying to visualise the old days when the King himself may have had taken refuge from advancing forces in the security that the fort affords one could see that the fort affords a grand view of the terrain below.....infact it was a good lookout spot that warns of the approach of enemy forces.....but the interior of the fort did not have any grandeur fit for a king ...the walls were stark ,filled with graffitti( thanks to a 100 percent literate new generation) and dull...there were no colours of luxury or royal symbols to speak of the mighty inhabitants who have walked the ways in this fort...a 360 degree view of the surrounding city is a fitting consolation for the tiring climb. a maze of paths and clearings lead down...one couldnt be sure if one has seen all there is to see .there is a light and sound show in the evenings but we missed it....but better still a kannada movie was being shot in one of the buildings and we reached right in time to see a dance scene and a stunt...and having conquered the mighty fort we set out to the next destination.
snow world: a solace compared to the scorching sun this is to give you a feel of the cool mountains while still in the hot plains.a long queue in the hot sun leads into the cool interiors where , after wrapping yourself up in sufficient warm clothing. you enter into the snow world...for South indians who have seen snow only in their dreams or movies this is the perfect opportunity to do everything you have dreamt of....throw each other with snow balls ...slide down in a mat or play snow volleyball....at regular intervals snow fall would also accompany where tiny wisps of snow fall from the sky. for those with the fleeting feet there is a corner complete with fast music and lights where you can have a snow disco....everyone seems to have gone back in years to their childhood as we see elders happily throwing snowballs at each other and not minding falling down or being thrown at. but the snow can chill your bones so you may have to go out to get back your bearings.
then we visited a graden (whose name escapes me) .it was exactly what you pictured a garden to be.. well looked after flowers, neat walkways, inviting lawns and well placed benches and everything to provide a good background for a perfect photo...this is where your cameradoes more of the sight seeing than you.
day 3:
the morning saw us in front of the famous charminar. the first and last impression i felt was disappointment because this was just a structure strategically placed in the centre but with little or no beauty.the walls are faded and full of soot and you just look at it once and turn your head to other pleasurable sights. near the charminar is the perfect shopping area.....street vendors sell everything from watches to clothes to bangles.but the quality of the items cannot be vouched for..hyderabad is the city famous for bangles and an entire street is dedicated to such beautiful trivia. bangles of all colours and make adorn the stands and the glittering glasswork on them sparkle invitingly. close by stands the mecca masjid in all its majesty...now this has immense amount of architectural beauty that even someone who is not well versed in the finer nuances of architecture can appreciate. it also houses a large number of pigeons. we could not enter and had to satisy ourselves with the external grandeur.
what is a trip to hyderabad without pearls? known for its pearls the city offers a wide collection of every ornament set in pearls. going into finer details, hyderabad is known for its biriyani but again, the biriyani we got was far different from the hyderabadi biriyanis served kerala style and did not very much appeal to my taste buds so i stuck to conventional food. if you lose your way it would be slightly difficult getting back on track unless you know telugu. some locals speak hindi or english but most of them find telugu comfortable.
for tose with still more time in their hands a visit to ramoji film city and the Buddha statue is advisable.
as a footnote hyderabad fits all its descriptions : the city of the nizams .the city of pearls, the city of bangles....
HYDERABAD: The City of The Nizams
an ancient and beautiful city this is quite different from cities in kerala...instead of the greenery that we are used to in our state this city is set in shades of brown and prominent buildings of yesteryear lie interleaved among modern high rise buildings.home to the famous golconda fort ,char minar and the mecca masjid this city has a lot to boast of. the first thing that meets one's eye, though , is the tight security in view of the recent blasts that shook the state. wherever you go you should pass through metal detectors and take a sample shot with your camera to let them know that you do not have any bombs in your person..for one who appreciates architecture and history there is the golconda fort as a must see..and for ones(photo freaks) who like the lighter pleasures there is a whole day worth sight seeing in the film city...since i fall on the former category and due to constraints of time film city did not fall into our priority list.
Lumbini park: .among the many tourist destinations that the city hosts the first in our list was the lumbini park...after getting through the tight security , the park was our own. having visited in the evening, the bright lights of the city merged well with the dim lights of the park .....a cool breeze made the set perfect for a leisurely evening and after treating ourselves to some delicacy that a street vendor sold we settled to take in the sights and sounds of the city.....a long time later ,we turned in putting an end to the first day.
day 2: this was a day packed with action...every second of our time was accounted for. the first visit was to golconda fort....the fort stood imposing at a great height while countless steps carved out of stone led into its interiors. the climb is not advisable for heart patients. gardens and walkways adorned the ground level while the steep climb took us to deeper into the fort.after a gruelling climb in the hot hyderabadi sun( the climate is hot but dry so that you feel tired but dont sweat) we reached the top....on the way one couldnt but wonder on how many hours of patient and laborious work led to the construction of this gigantic structure...the terrain would have been anything but smooth and the workers sure didnt have steps leading them forward. at the top there are several shops that sell cool drinks and every conqueror partook of this elixir in the highest spirits. while snooping around in the interiors trying to visualise the old days when the King himself may have had taken refuge from advancing forces in the security that the fort affords one could see that the fort affords a grand view of the terrain below.....infact it was a good lookout spot that warns of the approach of enemy forces.....but the interior of the fort did not have any grandeur fit for a king ...the walls were stark ,filled with graffitti( thanks to a 100 percent literate new generation) and dull...there were no colours of luxury or royal symbols to speak of the mighty inhabitants who have walked the ways in this fort...a 360 degree view of the surrounding city is a fitting consolation for the tiring climb. a maze of paths and clearings lead down...one couldnt be sure if one has seen all there is to see .there is a light and sound show in the evenings but we missed it....but better still a kannada movie was being shot in one of the buildings and we reached right in time to see a dance scene and a stunt...and having conquered the mighty fort we set out to the next destination.
snow world: a solace compared to the scorching sun this is to give you a feel of the cool mountains while still in the hot plains.a long queue in the hot sun leads into the cool interiors where , after wrapping yourself up in sufficient warm clothing. you enter into the snow world...for South indians who have seen snow only in their dreams or movies this is the perfect opportunity to do everything you have dreamt of....throw each other with snow balls ...slide down in a mat or play snow volleyball....at regular intervals snow fall would also accompany where tiny wisps of snow fall from the sky. for those with the fleeting feet there is a corner complete with fast music and lights where you can have a snow disco....everyone seems to have gone back in years to their childhood as we see elders happily throwing snowballs at each other and not minding falling down or being thrown at. but the snow can chill your bones so you may have to go out to get back your bearings.
then we visited a graden (whose name escapes me) .it was exactly what you pictured a garden to be.. well looked after flowers, neat walkways, inviting lawns and well placed benches and everything to provide a good background for a perfect photo...this is where your cameradoes more of the sight seeing than you.
day 3:
the morning saw us in front of the famous charminar. the first and last impression i felt was disappointment because this was just a structure strategically placed in the centre but with little or no beauty.the walls are faded and full of soot and you just look at it once and turn your head to other pleasurable sights. near the charminar is the perfect shopping area.....street vendors sell everything from watches to clothes to bangles.but the quality of the items cannot be vouched for..hyderabad is the city famous for bangles and an entire street is dedicated to such beautiful trivia. bangles of all colours and make adorn the stands and the glittering glasswork on them sparkle invitingly. close by stands the mecca masjid in all its majesty...now this has immense amount of architectural beauty that even someone who is not well versed in the finer nuances of architecture can appreciate. it also houses a large number of pigeons. we could not enter and had to satisy ourselves with the external grandeur.
what is a trip to hyderabad without pearls? known for its pearls the city offers a wide collection of every ornament set in pearls. going into finer details, hyderabad is known for its biriyani but again, the biriyani we got was far different from the hyderabadi biriyanis served kerala style and did not very much appeal to my taste buds so i stuck to conventional food. if you lose your way it would be slightly difficult getting back on track unless you know telugu. some locals speak hindi or english but most of them find telugu comfortable.
for tose with still more time in their hands a visit to ramoji film city and the Buddha statue is advisable.
as a footnote hyderabad fits all its descriptions : the city of the nizams .the city of pearls, the city of bangles....
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