Jaipur
We began our day with an exciting Tuk Tuk ride to the Amber Palace. The Tuk Tuk rides are always exciting. I’m beginning to look at them as an adventure in an adventure. Some in our group may not agree with me. Of course, the fact that I was sitting in the middle seat of three across may have something to do with my lack of apprehension. My companion on the outside was not quite as thrilled. I told her it was okay to grab my arm and lean in when the oncoming traffic got too close… which was almost every passing vehicle!
Always an adventure!
To reach the Amber Palace we had to climb 233 steps. It was a workout. Those that prefer to ride can take an elephant from the base of the mountain to the entrance courtyard of the palace. I should point out that anyone prone to motion sickness should probably take the stairs. I was surprised by how much sway there is in the elephant’s gait. We entered thru the East Gate of the palace. That is the main gate. In its day, it was reserved for the king and royalty. East is special because that is the direction of sunrise. Sunrise is said to bring good luck. The common people entered thru the East Gate. The servants residences and common folk all lived outside the palace to the east. The West Gate enters the palace onto a grand courtyard.
View from the base of the stairs.
Avoiding the stairs looks like fun!
The Grand Courtyard inside the East Entrance.
Our first stop inside the palace was the temple Shila Devi dedicated to the goddess Durga. There, a priest tied string around our wrist and gave us a Binde. Roughly translated, the Binde (red dot on the forehead) represents the spirit and heart working together seeking inspiration and guidance. (Trust me, that is more my definition than one you would get from someone truly knowledgeable.) After prayer and meditation we continued our remarkable tour of the rest of the palace. The art and glasswork in the Amber Palace are renowned.
In the lower right frame you see the queens birthing bath.
We exited the palace through West Gate (like the common folk that we are) and walked through the servants quarters and the local residences. One of the architectural marvels outside the palace grounds is the Step Well. This is a natural spring well, but the water source Is quite deep, so the builders surrounded the well with steps. The steps allow people to rest when hauling water out of the well.
Reminds me of M.C.Escher.
Next we visited the nearby Meera Bai Temple. After prayer and meditation inside the temple, our host took us into an alcove to read one of her favorite poems to us. The poem was written by an enlightened one long ago and describes how wonderful it is to obtain understanding of the Devine. (Again, a loose interpretation of my own making.)
We finished our day with a wonderful mid-afternoon meal followed by a bit of shopping. Upon arrival back at our hotel we were treated to live music and dance in the hotel’s courtyard.
This is truly a beautiful poem. It makes one want to seek the Devine.