JEWELS IN THE CROWN OF JAIPUR

In no particular order these are some points about Jaipur anybody would consider as the Jewels in the Crown of Jaipur.

Everybody has to eat something some time. So let us list salient points related to food about Jaipur.

Jaipur is part of the desert state of Rajasthan & lack of adequate rainfall & transport saw to it that people ate ‘ana se ana’ as vegetables were scarce. Also because of the heat and the hard work the people put in the fields red chilies & Desi Ghee were used in abundance.

Ghewar

The delicacies one would consider as Jewels in the Crown of Jaipur would be

1. Gatte Ki Sabzi – A veg. curry made with gram flour dumplings
2. Ker Sangari- A veg curry made with fruit of Khejari tree & a berry.
3. Ker ka Aachar- An aachar made with a berry which grows in the wild.
4. Piyaz Ki Kachori – A Kachori made with a filling of onions & potatoes.
5. Mirchi Bare- Pakora made out of green chilie & allo based filling & gram flour.
6. Pheeni- can be had as a dessert or at breakfast with milk.
7. Gazak – Sweet made of Til & sugar or Gur
8. Mishri Mawa- Mawa based sweet
9. Mawa ki Kachori – a Kachori with mawa filling served with sugar syrup
10. Omlete by Sanjay
11. Khatto – A curry made with gram flour boiled in buttermilk.
12. Paneer ki Sabzee & Bejar Ki Roti  with rabri as dessert at Mahaveer Rabri Bhandar
13. Kulfi- traditional Ice Cream
14. Namkeens from the Sonthliwalon Ka Rasta
15. Choorma Daal Baati- It has to be tasted to be defined!
16. Raabri- A little atta cooked in boiling Chach.
17. A meal at Chokhi Dhani Ethnic Village
18. Rajasthani Thali at Natraj, LMB
19. Heeng ki kachori -Kachories made of asfoetida flavored masala.
20. Heeng ki sev- Sev made of asfoetida flavored gram flour.
21. Doodh Jalebi at Breakfast
22. Meethi Lassi on M.I. Road
23. Ghewar, a sweet, from LMB
24. Gulab Sakri Mawa based sweet flavored with kesar
25. Kangan – traditional sweet made more or less like a Jalebi
26. A late night snack at the Saras Snack counter on JLN Marg
27. Laal Maans – Mutton in red curry
28. Safed Maans- Mutton in white gravy
29. Paan – chewing betel leaf with slaked lime, Kattha & Supari.
30. Jalebi made in Desi Ghee
31. Mutton  Sule- Marinated boneless mutton cooked on coals
32. Shammi Kabab- Minced meat tikiya cooked on a tawa or deep fried in oil.
33. Mangori Curry- Lentil paste dried in small pieces and later on cooked as a curry.

As Rajasthan is a border state & the Princes in The Rajputana were at war more than they were at peace so you will find Forts & Palaces in which ever part of Rajasthan you might venture. But the monuments of Jaipur are special as they are not only in good condition but the administration takes pains to keep them in pristine condition.

Entrance To The Palaces Of Amber

1. Amber Fort- Built in the 16^th century on a hillock it is a majestic Fort.
2. The Palaces at The Amber Fort are amazing.
3. The imposing & artistic entrance to the Palaces of the Amber Fort.
4. Elephant ride at up the Amber Fort Hillock
5. Jaigarh Fort about 15km from Jaipur is located on a hill known as Cheel ka Teela & was built in the 16^th century by Raja Man Singh & Sawai Jai singh II.
6. Jaibaan was built in 1720 and is said to be the biggest cannon on wheels in the world.
7. Cannon Foundry at Jaigarh- Jaibaan was cast here.
8. Water Tanks at the Jaigarh Fort- Still in use these tanks can store 60,00,000 liters of fresh rain water. Find out about the system thru which they collected this huge amount of water.
9. Nahargarh Fort was used for the guests of the Maharajas.
10. Stepwell at the Nahargarh Fort- This step-well was made famous by the film Rang De Basanti.
11. Man Sagar Lake This Lake is sustained by recycled water & a popular spot for birding. A birding fair is held here, every year.
12. Jal Mahal Palace- Recently restored to its former glory this palace is in the middle of the Man Sagar Lake.
13. Sisodia Raani ka Baagh- Built in 1728 by Sawai Jai Singh for his Sisodia Queen, it is a terraced garden.
14. Galta Ji- A pilgrimage site it was built by Rao Kriparam, the Sun is worshipped here.
15. Vidhyadhar ji Ka Baagh- This garden is named for the Architect Vidyadhar Bhattacharya who designed the city of Jaipur.
16. Kanak Vridavan Garden- Near the Man Sagar Lake this garden was the adobe of Govind Dev ji before the idol was moved to the City Palace Complex.
17. Kos Minar at the VT Road circle was a pillar situated by the roadside, it was used to measure distances in the Mughal times.
18. Peacock Garden- On the JLN Marg near the RCDF offices this garden was decorated with sandstone chatris & fiber Peacocks made by an eminent artist.
19. Central Park is a most popular place for a morning walk, a date or for birding.
20. French Sculptures in the Central Park & the Man Sagar Lake- Made by a French artist these sculptures are a thing of beauty.
21. Isar Laat was constructed to celebrate the victory of the Jaipur forces under Sawai Ishwari Singh Ji in 1749.
22. Jantar Mantar– An astronomical observatory having with huge Sundials etc made out of marble & masonry.
23. City Palace-Residence of the ruling family of Jaipur. Some parts are open to public & some parts have been made into museums.
24. Hawa Mahal Palace- Built in 1799 by Sawai Pratap Singh ji for the royal women to watch the religious processions etc. & still be in purdha.
25. The façade of Hawamahal- It has 5 stories & 953 windows & is painted terracotta pink.
26. The various gates of the walled city- As Jaipur was built according to Vastu Shastra it had 9 gates.
27. Maharanion ki chatriyans- This is the funeral grounds of the Maharanis of Jaipur.
28. Gaitore- Cenotaphs of the past Maharajas are here.
29. Sawai Jai Singh Statue Circle- Almost all circles of Jaipur have statues installed on them but only one circle is known popularly as The Statue Circle. A statue of Sawai Jai Singh stand tall here.
30. Birla Planetarium-Plan a visit to be updated about the universe.
31. Conference venue at the Birla Institute of Scientific Research (BISR)
32. Rambagh Palace Hotel- One of the best hotels in the world today.
33. Silver urns- Huge utensils cast in silver used to ferry Gangajal to UK for the use of  Sawai Madho Singh II.
34. Light & Sound Show at Amber Fort
35. Light & Sound Show at Amar Jawan Jyoti in remembrance of Kargil War Martyrs.
36. The pillarless hall at the Govind Dev ji Temple is Jaipur’s contribution to the Guinness Book of World records. It is the world’s widest RCC flat roof construction with a single span of 119 feet.
37. Rajmandir-A single screen theatre, offering bollywood song & dance movies.
38. Science Park in Shastri Nagar. A huge statue of a T-Rex roars here.
39. National Flag In The Central Park

There are so many ancient Temples in Jaipur that it is also called Choti Kaashi.

1. Thikana Govind Dev ji – The rulers of Jaipur claimed to be His Deewans & ruled in his name.
2. Shilla Mata in the Amber Fort. It has doors made of silver with  9 roops of Goddess Durga & 10 roops of Goddess Saraswati engraved on it.
3. Laxmi Narayan Temple- A poetry in white marble made by the Birlas.
4. Ganesh Temple, Moti Doongri, Jaipur ke pratham poojya!
5. Hanuman Temple, Moti Doongri, Another ancient temple
6. Kala Hanuman Temple near the old Ram Prakash Cinema Hall.
7. Garh Ganesh on a hill near Gaitore
8. Nahar ke Ganesh ji- This Temple is about 175 years old.
9. Jagat Shiromani Temple-Dedicated to the Lord Krishna His likeness in a black stone idol is worshipped here.
10. Akshardham Temple-Located in Vaishali Nagar this temple is dedicated to the 18^th century saint Swaminarayana.
11. Ram Krishna Mission is in the C-scheme colony.
12. Sanghi ji Jain Temple-A 1000 year old Digambar Jain temple at Sanganer.
13. Choolgiri near Jaipur on a hillock is a Jain Temple.
14. Padampura Jain Temple is about 30 km from Jaipur on the Tonk road.

Clubs of Jaipur-These are the best options for eating, drinking, staying, exercising or meeting people of Jaipur. They have rules about allowing non-members to use their facilities.

1. Jaipur Club on Jacob Road
2. Ashok Club on Janpath
3. Polo Club on Bhawani Singh Road
4. Golf Club on Bhawani Singh Road.

It does not matter if you like festivals to disrupt the hum-drum day to day rhythm of life  or not they do leave you rejuvenated by their mere presence. These are some of the important festivals celebrated in Jaipur.

A Bazaar Decorated For Deepawali

1. Deepawali- The festival of lights is celebrated with much gusto in Jaipur. The whole city is bathed in colored lights to welcome the Goddess Laxmi.
2.  Makkar Sakranti – A day for giving. The young guns of Jaipur fly kites, this day.
3. Holi-Is the Festival of colors.
4. Elephant Festival around Holi- If you wish to see this huge animal in huge numbers in one place all beautified for the day, this festival is for you!
5. Gangaur – is a widely celebrated festival of Rajasthan where, Gauri, symbolizing Parvati, the consort of Lord Shiv, is worshipped as a symbol of virtue & fidelity. A big procession is taken out from the City Palace on 2 days.
6. Teej-The festival is celebrated to pray to goddess Parvati for a happy married life, well-being of husband and children. A procession is taken out from the City Palace.

Excursions

1. Samode is about 42 km from Jaipur Samode Palace is used as a heritage hotel & charges an entry fee for non residents to view the Sheesh Mahal & Darbar hall.
2. Abhaneri- About 95 km from Jaipur off Jaipur-Agra Highway it is a huge stepwell in the shape of an inverted Pyramid.
3. Bhangarh– Ruins of an ancient town said to be haunted .It is off Jaipur Agra highway.
4. Tonk- About 110km from Jaipur it is also known as the ‘Lucknow of Rajasthan’. Sunehri Kothi is a must visit place. It is famous for Namdahs.
5. Sambhar-About 65km from Jaipur it has the biggest salt lake in India. It is also a birders paradise around monsoons.
6. Bharatpur-About 175km from Jaipur. It has a rich bird life for the Nature Lover and The Lohagarh Fort for the history buff.
7. Ajmer- About 135 km from Jaipur. Holiest Muslim shrines of the world, Dargah Sharif is located here.
8. Pushkar– is about 145 km from Jaipur & is famous for the Brahma Temple and the Savitri Temple, Sarovar  & the yearly Camel Fair.
9. Pachewar-About 90km from Jaipur it has a 300 year old fort which has been coverted into a heritage hotel.
10. Sariska Tiger Reserve– About 107km from Jaipur this National Park is spread over 866 sq km.
11. Bairath or Viratnagar – About 86km from Jaipur. This town has been around since the times of Mahabharat. It was also a flourishing Buddhist centre during the reign of King Ashok.
12. Seel Maata ki Doongri- 35km from Jaipur near Chaksu. This temple is dedicated the the goddess of small pox. Sheetala Ashtami is her day.
13. Ranthambore- About 180km from Jaipur. This National Park has a rich natural life to be observed by the Nature Lover besides the Tiger.
14. Alwar-About 150km from Jaipur. Famous for its monuments & Alwar Ka Mawa.
15. Siliser-About 110 km from Jaipur near Alwar & Sariska. There is a palace hotel in the middle of the lake.
16. Shekhawati- Encompasses the Districts of Jhunjhunu & Sikar.It is most famous for frescos painted on Havelies.
17. Mehndipur Balaji off Jaipur-Agra Highway. The deity here is famous for exorcising evil spirits from a person.

Personalities

1. Sawai Jai Singh Ji II (1688-1743) A keen Astronomer he made the Jantar Mantars of Jaipur, Delhi etc and also founded the city of Jaipur.

2. Rajmata Gayatri Devi( 1919-2009) Voted as one of the World’s 10 most beautiful women by Vogue she was also an educationist & a philanthropist. She founded MGD School for girls & Sawai Man Singh Vidyalaya. She also revived the art of Blue pottery.

3.Pt. Vishwa Mohan Bhatt- Born in 1952 he won the Grammy award in 1994 & the Padam Shree in 2002 for taking Indian classical music to new heights.

Shopping

1. Silk/Woolen Carpets, Rugs & Durries made in Jaipur are world famous.
2. Mojari-Traditional leather shoes.
3. Lac Work – Bangles made of lac are a must for any auspicious occasion.
4. Laheriya- A saree dyed in diagonal stripes of different pastel colors usually worn during the monsoons.
5. Bandhej is the process of tying & dying a saree etc.
6. Thewa-This process of fusing 23 carat gold with colored glass was developed about 350 years ago in Pratapgarh, Rajasthan.
7. Jewelry made with silver has much favour with the rural folk.
8. Kundan- is the process of inserting gold foil between the stones and its mount, commonly used to make necklaces, believed to have originated in Rajasthan and Gujarat. It is the oldest method of making 24 carat gold jewelry in India.
9. Meenakari is the art of fusing metal like gold, silver or copper with different lacquers of colors like blue, red or green.
10. Miniature Paintings are a fine rendering in water color of the court life etc over the years.
11. Brass decorative items are a must buy on a Jaipur visit.
12. Hand made paper of Sanganer– Paper made out of waste materials. One brand even adds a ratio of elephant dung to the formula. A variety of paper is made of Akda plant, commonly found in Rajasthan growing by the roadsides.
13. Jaipur Blue or Blue pottery a collectors item.
14. Jaipuri Razaai-A sheer delight to use, made according to a centuries old formula, a must buy on Jaipur visit.
15. Bagru Hand Block Printed clothes & furnishings
16. Sanganeri Hand Block Printed clothes & furnishings
17. Turbans-Headgear of men in Rajasthan. Every region had its own style of tying a turban. They were made of different colorful materials & designs all with its own significance.
18. Heritage Liquor- Traditional liquor made by Ganganagar Sugar Mills as per recipes provided by the former Royal houses.
19. Itra- locally made traditional perfumes
20. Supari/Churan- A huge variety can be found at Link Road near Sarawagi Mansion.
21. Gota- Lace made of metal or plastic used to trim traditional clothes of women.
22. Batik print- A variation of Bandhej tie & dye process.
23. Terracotta stuff- The best terracotta articles come from Baswa village.

Miscellaneous

1. Jaipur Bus – A fleet of Lo-Floor Buses are plying the streets the city every day & connecting the far flung areas of Jaipur.
2. Musical Fountain, Jawahar Circle, JLN Marg performs everyday from 7-7.30 pm in winters. They even show music videos on a wall of spray.
3. Sanganer Airport – Recently renovated one of the top air-ports of India.
4. Akshay Paatra- Providing free mid-day meals to the school going children.
5. Gaalibaazi- An irreverent Kavi Sammelan at Holi, a tradition almost as old as the city.
6. Hella Khayal Sangeet Dangal have been held in Lalsot on the 2^nd day of Gangaur  for more than 257 years now. Through this platform the artists inform the public about current affairs and issues, put forth problems to government officers, or comment on social, political and economic issues.
7. Jaipuri Weddings– you have got to attend one to know the difference.
8. Sculptures at the Circles– part of the drive to beautify Jaipur, this is priceless art commissioned for the city of Jaipur.
9. Mandana-are the rangoli done in white & red colored lime on the floor & walls of a house on an auspicious occasion to welcome the gods.
10. Bandarwal- door hangings tied at the entrance of a house on an auspicious occasion.
11. Shorgar-They make traditional crackers by hand in earthen pots to be used at weddings etc.
12. Neelgar- They dye clothes.
13. Mehendi is used in all important occasions in life. A woman’s Shringar is incomplete without some mehndi on her hands & feet.

Educational Institutions

1. St. Xavier’s School on Bhagwan Das Road
2. MGD Girls School, off M.I. Road.
3. St. Xavier’s College in C-Scheme.
4. Rajasthan University on JLN Marg
5. Rajasthan School of Art in Kishan pole Bazaar.

Music

1. Maand-The local singers sung praises of the Rajput folk heros like Tejaji, Gogaji and Ramdeoji in this style of folk singing.
2. Pabu ji ki Phad-The heroic stories of the folk hero Pabuji sung as folk songs.
3. Kathputli- Folk songs which accompany the antics of the puppets on stage.
4. Ravanhattha is a two-string stick fiddle used by bhopa community to narrate the epic tales of Pabuji.
5. Panihari- songs sung by the local women, narrating the scarcity of water etc.

Dance

1. Ghoomar – A dance performed mostly by Rajput women in groups or singly.
2. Kaalbelia- Dance done by the snake charmer community.
3. Therah Taali- This dance is performed in praise of folk-deity Baba Ramdeo by the Kamad community of Pokaran & Deedwana.
4. Kacchi Ghodi- An important dance form of Rajasthan. It is performed with the help of a dummy horse and elaborate costumes.

Mela

1. Pushkar- Camel Fair

2. Nagaur- Cattle Fair

3 Looniyawas, near Sanganer- Gadarbh (Donkey) Mela

Museums

1. Albert Hall -The central Museum of Jaipur. It has an Egyptian mummy here.
2. Sanjay Sharma Museum-A fine collection of rare manuscripts, art & shoes.
3. Alice Garg Sea Shell Museum- A huge collection of sea shells.
4. In the city Palace
5. At the Jai Garh Fort
6. Anokhi Museum- Hand Bloc printing museum
7. Dolls museum- A collection of dolls from all over the world.

Work-In-Progress

Jaipur Metro Is On Its Way

1. Jaipur Metro
2. Museum in the Old Town Hall in the City Palace complex.
3. Pet Show- usually held in Delhi going to be held in Jaipur this year.
4. The tunnel at Ghat ki Ghuni on Jaipur-Agra Road

Unique Eating Places of Jaipur

Rambagh Palace

1. Swarna Mahal, Dining Hall at the Rambagh Palace
2. Steam, Lounge & Bar in the Bogies of a defunct train & a Steam Engine
3. Polobar, Bar at the Rambagh Palace
4. Neelmahal, Restaurant for snacks at the Rambagh Palace
5. Durg Cafetaria at the Nahargarh Fort.
6. India Coffee House(ICH) on M.I. Road
7. Jawahar Kala Kendra (JKK) Branch Of India Coffee House
8. 1135, on the ramparts of Amber Fort.
9. Restaurant at the Jaigarh Fort
10. Palace Café, Café at the City Palace.
11. Cave In Natraj Restaurant
12. Revolving Restaurant at Hotel Om Tower
13. Pink Pepper A restaurant on a moving Bus.
14. Tapri – A tea stall, much frequented by the youngsters.
15. Niros- If Delhi has Moti Mahal Jaipur has Niros.

Adventure

1. Skywaltz- A firm providing Hot-Air Balloon rides in & around Jaipur
2. Vintage Car Rally- An annual fixture in Jaipur’s List of yearly events.

Culture

1. Rabindramanch– The 1^st venue of Jaipur where plays were held over the years.
2. Open Air Theatre Behind Rabindra Manch
3. Open Air Theatre near Simriti Ban
4. JKK- A hotbed of cultural activity in Jaipur
5. Open Air Theatre at JKK
6. Jaipur Lit Fest – A trend setting congregation of the elusive faces behind the books we read. An annual affair.

Flowers

1. Rose Garden- Located at the Jawahar Circle. It is a sight to behold in the winters when the flowers are in full bloom.
2. Guldaudi Exhibition & Sale – Annual fixture. A very successful show & sale of Sevanti.

Bazaars

1. Bapu Bazaar & Nehru Bazaar-You can shop here to your hearts content for all the stuff Jaipur is famous for.
2. Johri Bazaar- You can buy all sorts of jewelry, women’s clothes & bangles etc here.
3. Thatheron Ka Raasta- A lane home to the utensil makers.
4. Maniharon Ka Raasta – For Lac jewelry & other stuff made of Lac
5. Khazanewalon Ka Rasta- Marble stone carvers lane.
6. Raja Park Market- A micro Punjab in Jaipur
7. Sonthliwala Ka Rasta- For all things Namkeen
8. Choti Chaupar- silver jewelry. Rosted Namkeen at Vijay Store. Mithai at Bhagat ji.
9. Bari Chaupar- Flowers, Bangles.
10. Rajasthali at Ajmeri gate. A state government (RTDC) showroom offering all goodies Rajasthan is proud of.

Birding At

1. Simriti Baan on JLN Marg
2. Chandlai Dam30 km from Jaipur ahead of Sanganer. Home to the Flamingoes visiting Jaipur.
3. Man Sagar Lake on Amber Road.
4. Central Park in C-Scheme

Zoo

1. Jaipur Zoo Ram Niwas Garden

2. Animal rescue centre at Nahargarh

3. Deer Park & Duck Pond are located in the C-Scheme. Nice place for a visit with children or a date.

Library

1. Maharaja Library 1^st public Library of Jaipur home to many rare manuscripts.
2. Radhakrishna Library Located off  JLN Marg. Popular among the students preparing for their exams.

Activities

1. Morning Walk in the Central Park
2. Shopping
3. Clubbing
4. Golfing
5. watching Polo
6. Camel/Jeep/Horse Safari in the dunes
7. Attending A Conference
8. Fine Dining
9. Judicious Street Food Sampling
10. watching Bollywood Potboilers
11. Cycling
12. Photograph Monuments of Jaipur
13. Photograph the people of Jaipur
14. Sightseeing
15. Birding
16. Going on Excursions
17. Fly Kites
18. Learn to cook Indian cuisine
19. Learn a language like Hindi or Rajasthani
20. Write a journal about your Jaipur trip & share it on the Net
21. Bar hopping
22. Sampling Heritage liquor & learning its legends
23. Learn how to tie a turban & its history
24. Learn how to tie a saree
25. Learn how to wear a Dhoti
26. Go for a ride in a Cycle Rickshaw or a Horse drawn Tonga
27. Go for a ride in a Vintage Car.
28. Get Mehandi applied to your hands & feet
29. Learn Indian Classical music at Naad Sadhna www.nadsadhna.com

Interesting Facts to Know.

1. State Tree of Rajasthan – Khejari

2. State Flower of Rajasthan – Rohida

3. State Bird of Rajasthan – Godawan or Great Indian Bustard It is pretty rare now.

4. State Animal of Rajasthan – Chinkara (an antelope)

Got To Have Gota!

Recently my wife went shopping in the Johri Bazaar and came home with some spools & a couple of cards of  gota ribbons. When I asked her what she would do with them she said that they were for a saree. But she had no idea which saree she would use them on. Between you & me I doubt if she even has a saree that could be trimmed with gota ribbon. That is the appeal & the use of gota in Rajasthan.

To put it simply gota is lace made with silver or gold colored metal or plastic threads.

In Rajasthan, gota trimmed clothes for men, women & children are  used on all festive & ceremonial  occasions and marriages &  marriages proposals, celebration of the birth of the latest child of the family or even  the last journey to the funeral pyre of the lady of the house. Even the idols of our deity are dressed with costumes trimmed & decorated with various types of gota. Our holy books are treasured in swatches hemmed with gota. Gota work is even used in making enchanting wall hangings.

Gota work or lappe-ka-kaam has seen the days when pure silver & pure gold threads were used to make these ribbons to trim the clothes of Royalty & people of Rajasthan. These, gold & silver gota, ribbons were  in use till about as recently as 1970s. But due to the high prices these metals command now a days, plastic and other metal thread ribbons are in vogue today. The metals with which they are made may have changed but their use has not lessened or their demand decreased in these modern times among the Rajasthani women.

Hand Made Paper

They are able to make hand made paper from the strangest of things.At the Kumarappa National Handmade Paper Institute (KNHPI), Sanganer in 1999 they succeeded  to make hand made paper from banana fibre even though they have to get the fibre from Assam, Tamilnadu, Bengal, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Kerala, and Karnatak. But the paper produced is of such high quality that it can last for 700 years. KNHPI  were able to produce thin tissue paper weighing just 10 gms per square mts. This paper is used to preserve ancient manuscripts, paintings and documents as a laminate.

In Sanganer they usually make paper from hosiery fibre. But hand made paper can be made from fibre of pine, jute/jute waste  and  bhimal (Grewia oxysporia) -a  fibre brought in  from the himalayas. Hand made paper  is even made from elephant poop. The finished product goes under the brand name of Haathi Chaap.  Shredded currency waste and Bodha grass from Andhra Pradesh is also used  to make hand made paper. They are making paper from Akda ( calatropis  procera). This plant is widely available in Rajasthan.

Calotropis procera- Akada

These papers are environment friendly also as they are biodegradable and produce little waste during manufature as the water etc used to process the raw material is used again and again.

This paper is used to make diaries, Bangle Boxes, Carry bags, Photo frames, envelopes, jewelery boxes, lamps, cards, makeup boxes,  handsome gift packing boxes, visiting cards and wedding cards. There is a huge demand for these products in developed countries which is met through exports. Jaipur is the leading exporter of handmade paper.Next are U.P. Pondichery and Haryana. However local people do not show much interest in using these products. Need of the hour is to promote these products locally also.

Hand made Paper Craftsmen came to India in 1522 A.D. with Babur from Bulkh Bukhara. Emperor Akbar sent 2 families of Paper Master craftsmen to Amber. On advise of Sawai Jai Singh ji they settled in Sanganer in the year 1728 A.D. These families came to be known as the kagzis.

Some handmade paper products can be bought at the Dharti Dhan Shop in between the Police Memorial and Narain Singh Circle and at the Ratan Papers, Papriwal Cottage on Ajmer Road( 0141-2222392).Kagzi’s, Sitapura (0141-2770718).

This Jaipur-At A Glance

Listed here below are some of the important posts about the city of Jaipur on this Blog for your ready reference.

BIRDING

This Pink City-In 1000 Words!

Museums

Shopping

Jaipur By Night

Books

Clubs

Gardens

Morning Walk

Birding

Thikana Govind Devji

Libraries

Jantar Mantar

Around Jaipur

Some Recipes

Jaipur Marriages

Where to Eat-1

Where To Eat-2

WORSHIP

Karan’s Guesthouse

An old man in the Central Park of Jaipur

Local Perfumes Of Jaipur

Recently Boucheron launched a perfume  called ” Jaipur”.You would think that was the only association Jaipur had with perfumes. But do you know local perfumeries have been making variety of local  perfume or Itr for the use of the Royal family of Jaipur for years now. It might be a   dying art due to easy availability of cheap deodorants and western perfumes but in its hey day Kings proposed their love for their Queens by offering these perfumes.

Naturally made from Rose petals ,Sandal wood etc. by a recipe handed down from one generation to next  there is a different Itr for different seasons of the year. They can even reproduce the smell   first rains of monsoons produce when they wet the parched land of  Rajasthan. This perfume is also used to stop a nosebleed.

Now a days Itr is not commonly  used. But people use itr  sometimes  to   perfume the stage on which the bride and groom are going to sit during the reception to receive their guests. Sometimes they use Itr on religious festivals to perfume temples etc.

Chocolates-A Life Long Affair

In this post let us talk about where we can find this ‘food of the gods’ in Jaipur.The chocolate junkie & the Jaipur Romeo will already know where to go.For others-here goes.

Factory made mass produced chocolates by Cadbury India  and Nestle India are freely available. Cadbury India has been around since 1948 when they imported the delicacy for repacking and sale in India.They hold about 70% of the domestic chocolate market share.

Imported dark chocolates and chocolate bars are freely available in the better department stores  and in stores in the newly constructed Malls.They are more expensive than the domestic chocolates.But the new flavours and  the international brand and the sugar free option are the major attractions.

Chocolate is used in pastry, biscuits, cake,ice cream,toffee, indian sweets,desserts and even coffee shakes and hot chocolate ( Hot milk with sugar and Drinking Chocolate or Cocoa).

The Chocolate Boutique at 68,Gopal Bari(2370734) in C-Scheme offers 45 different types of egg less hand made chocolates in attractive packing  & brownies,cakes & pastries.

For baked goods with chocolate- Hot breads on Sarojni Marg and Bake Hut off M.I.Road and Sunrise in Crystal Palm all in the C-Scheme and Bakewell in Raja park.

Melting Moments in Crystal Palm,C-Scheme for chocolate brownie with hot chocolate sauce.

Barista,Mall 21 off  Panch Batti  for Chocolate brownie with hot coffee.

Cafe coffee Day for egg less chocolate chip cookies.

Chocolate ice cream in 1589 on Ashok Marg,Nirulla’s(3130100/200) at the Polo Victory complex Baskin Robins(2388688) at Ganpati Plaza and New Zealand Natural ice Cream at Crystal Palm, Sardar Patel Marg &Crown Plaza,Vaishali Nagar.

Lac-Worth Its Weight In Gold

Lac was known and being used in India during  the Mahabharat times. The Kauravs had a Lac Palace made for  the Pandavs  to stay in during their Banbas period.They wanted to torch the palace while the Pandavs slept.Lac flows when heated and burns easily if naked flame is applied to it. Fore warned Pandavs had to make a tunnel to come out of the burning Palace alive.

Lac is commonly cultivated from the insect species   kerria lacca in India.The secretion is scarlet in color and is deposited by the insect in the branches of host trees like Ber, Dhak and Kusum. It is harvested from the trees for various uses.

In ancient times in India it was  used as a dye for woolen and silken materials and for torturing people.I It is also used  as a filling in fat gold and silver bangles as it gives weight to the ornaments. Transparent lac is also used in Ayurvedic   medicine and in airplanes to fill cracks.

From 18 th century onwards the  artisans of Jaipur in the maniharon ka raasta  have been producing lac bangles- Chura. Now a days  they make whole jewellery sets of Lac.  They also make gift items of Lac like replicas of guitars,jewellery boxes, mirror frames  bottles  and pen stands.To add beauty to these items they are inlaid  with little pieces of mirror etc.These items are in huge demand by the locals and tourists alike.Lac items are exported also.

Karan’s Guesthouse

A Quick Bite To Eat In Jaipur-2

Here are some more tips about mouth watering edibles Jaipur has to offer us all. As I intend to keep adding new establishments as people share their favourites with me  I decided to contribute these gems in a  new post.

Let us start with Rabri this time-Mahaveer Rabri in  Mishra Rajaji Ka Rasta, and Raja Park and  on Tonk Road.

For a  snack  Cafe Delta Food Counter in Mall 21. They also deliver food to your door step.

Sodhani’s on Tonk Road offers  Rasgulla’s, Kulfi and great Dal ki Kachori’s besides rest of the sweets.

Sambharwala  in Ghi walon ka rasta for Ghewar & phini and Doodh Mishtan Bhandar in Chand Pole Bazaar (near Sikar House area) for the same items and also for good Chaat.

For Gulab Sakri & Mishri Mawa –  Somy Ji Rawat in Sonthli walon ka Rasta & LMB.

For Gajak – Narayan ji in Johri Bazar & Jagannath Ji in Ghi walon ka Rasta.

Sanjay omelet at Janta Store,Bapu Nagar  for Omelet.

Dal-Baati-Choorma & Rasmalai & Rajbhog at Natraj on M.I.Road

Chinese cuisine at the Golden Dragon,near Bake Hut off M.I.Road

Sundaes and Milk Shakes At the Ice Cream Parlour next to Surya Mahal Restaurant on M.I.Road

Dana Paani Restaurant in Vidhya Dhar Nagar offers Fast Food Joint & a Disco besides a Restaurant.

For Paan Mohan & Prem Paan Bhandar on M.I.Road & Murli Paan Bhandar In Tripolia Bazaar.

Karan’s Guesthouse

A Quick Bite To Eat In Jaipur

Times Food Guide-First Jaipur Edition

This post is about best of the snacks Jaipur has to offer to its residents.You will share my feelings when I say that these shops etc. are world famous in Jaipur.But however hard I might try to list them all I am bound to miss your favourite shop selling the finger licking delicacy to eat.So feel free to list the eating joint in the comments section.I will try to put them in the main post later.

Let us start with some of the more famous and obvious ones.

Lassiwalla, on M.I.Road, right next to the Charmica Co-Operative Leather goods shop. They open early and offer lassi in earthen kullhars.In the summer months a kullhar of Lassi is a welcome thirst quencher.

In the galli next to the Zeiss Optical Shop there are two shops selling Indian snacks made of gram flour just 25 steps from the lassiwalla. Not a bad idea to have some thing hot and spicy to eat before the lassi.

LMB in Johri Bazaar,Sury Mahal on M.I.Road, Bistro,Near Panchwati Circle,Raja Park,Chawalas in Raja Park all offer Chaat in hygienic conditions. At  the Bistro you can mix your own Paani Puri.LMB offers a legendary Allo Ki Tikiya & Dahi Baras besides Achars & Sherbets & Mangoris & ghewars & phini you can buy to take home.Their forte is stuff made in desi ghee ( All joints above are full fledged vegetarian restaurants also).

Bakeries

Cake Town,G-1,V-Jai City Point, Ahimsa Circle, Ashok Marg, C-Scheme, Jaipur-1, M.96609 96609

Hot Breads,on Sarojani Marg,Bake Hut,On M.I.Road,Bakewell in Raja park.They offer Top of the line baked goods.Venus Bakery on Subash marg,one of the older bakeries,is also good.

National Handloom  offer snacks in their stores it self.Gaurav Tower in Malviya Nagar has its own open air Chaat Bazaar.

On station Road there  is Rawat Misthan Bhandar and Kanji sweets shops.Try Rawat’s Mawa Ki Kachori, Pyaz Ki Kachori, Mirchi Bara and Ras Mali (Indrani).Try Kanji’s Dal Ki Kachori.They offer lot of other snacks and sweets too.

Try Pandit Ji’s Kulfi in the Gangori Bazaar. It is very good.

Milky Way, off Bhagwan Das Road offers numerous flavours of Shakes and other snacks.

Vijay Store on Chaupar , for namkins ( especially salted peanuts and masala chana).

Samrat Restaurant in Kishan Pole Bazaar for Dal Ki Kachori And Samosas and Gazak in a near by shop. Near by Bhagat Mishtan Bhandar for Thal Ki Barfi & Boondi Kae Laadoo.

If you decide to see a hindi pot boiler in the Golcha Cinema hall Complex be sure to have some samosas.

Chawala Sweets on Mooti Doongri Road offers some great mouth watering Kesar Barfi. And their paneer is so good people eat it there and then with salt and pepper masala.

Off Tonk Road,Near Kuttons Show room Shankar Misthan Bhandar Offers some great khasta dal ki kachories.

On Subash Marg, Williams Juice bar offer great Papaya Shake.

On the link Road on Nehru Bazaar you can have Sugar Cane Juice all the year round.

On Chatoriyon ka churaha on Bapu Bazaar link Road You can have great Paani Puri.

Where To Shop When In Jaipur

Jaipur A Fun Place Even By Night

Karan’s Guesthouse

A Rajasthani Delicacy-Ker Sangri Pickle

In a guest post Ms.Vishnu Priya shares the recipe for preparing Ker Sangari Pickle.

Ker is a green berry like fruit of a thorny bush(capparis decidua) found in the arid parts of Rajastnan.It is very sour, and is commonly available during the months of April and May. In Jaipur you can buy fresh ker from Choti Choupar. (The traders go to the extent of sorting ker by size as the smaller berries are considered to be tastier. ) Local Pansari shops in the walled city provide dried ker all the year round. Fresh Ker has to be put in an earthen utensil or preferably a matka in salt water for 15 days so that it looses its sourness.After two weeks the salt water is thrown away and the vegetable is dried in shade to be stored for the rest of the year or to be cooked right then.Because of its numerous medicinal qualities ker is also used in many ayurvedic medicines.

Sangari are the bean like fruit of the Khejari (prosopis cineraria) tree.This tree is commonly found in rajasthan .And it gives its fruit, sangari, in the winters months.Thin and kachi sangri are plucked from the tree and lightly boiled and dried in shade to be used during rest of the year.They can be eaten as a pickle,vegetable or a snack-fry in oil & serve with salt and red chillies.

Ingredients

150 gm Dry Sangari

100 gm Dry Ker

50 gm Dry Lasore

250 gm Sesame Oil (tilli ka tel) OR Mustard Oil(Sarson Ka Tel)

50 gm Aniseed Powder ( Saunf)

50 gm Kachri Powder (A flavoring agent commonly found in Rajasthan.Also used to make uncooked meat tender)

25 gm pomegranate seed powder ( Anar dana)

100 gm Mustard seed powder( Raai)

1/4 Tea Spoon Asafoetida Powder ( Heeng)

1 Tea Spoon Mustard Seeds ( Sarson)

1 Tea Spoon Cumin Seeds ( Jeera)

1/2 Tea Spoon Fenugreek Seeds (Methi)

1 Tea Spoon Salt

1 Tea spoon Red Chillies Powder

2 Tea spoon Turmeric

Method

Soak the dried Ker,Sangri & Lasore in water overnight.

Throw away the water the vegetables were soaked in overnight and add the vegetables to a pot of boiling salt water till they are soft.

Throw away the salt water and put out the vegetables to dry on a soft cloth.

Heat the oil in a Wok till it is smoking and crackle cumin,mustard,fenugreek seeds and add asafoetida and take the wok off the flame.

Add all ingredients except raai and the vegetable and cook the masala on low flame till the masala is cooked.

Let the masala cool down after it is cooked and add the vegetables and raai and mix well and store in a glass jar for 2 to 3 days stirring 2-3 times daily till the mixture turns sour-khatta.

The pickle is ready to be served with poories or parathas.

If the pickle is to be stored for a long period of time, take enough oil to cover the pickle in the jar. Heat it till it is smoking. Let it cool down.Then add it to pickle in the Jar so that the pickle is covered in oil.The oil will make the pickle last longer.

Karan’s Guesthouse,In Jaipur