Itinerary through Rajasthan

There is something special about Rajasthan, it is so Indian and so little Indian at the same time. You won't find colonial and modern cities, you won't find the sultry jungles of Kerala , not the shopping centers of Goa, nor the busy streets of Uttar Pradesh. Everything is more intense in Rajasthan, the heat is sharper, the architecture richer, the food spicier. You can find everything you would expect from India, in Rajasthan, and also something you would never expect.

JAISALMER

Our flight from Goa landed in Jaisalmer, in a tiny light stone airport, just larger than a couple of gates and a luggage belt. Around, nothing. The taxi took us through a secluded road in the barren expanse of stone and sand, to the only town shaking like a mirage on the warm horizon, the typical background of Rajasthan.

When we arrived in the small town in the desert, we immediately immersed ourselves in the old town, an agglomeration of ochre-coloured sandstone buildings surrounding the fort. The enormous defensive forts are a constant in the cities of Rajasthan, more or less large or sumptuous: imposing crenellated and turreted walls, large circular ramparts standing out on steep slopes, imposing portals inlaid with complex designs carved in stone. Complex overhanging windows and balconies, adorned with pointed gargoyles and finely chiselled gratings. 

The historic town of Jaisalmer develops within the walls of the fort, almost all abandoned buildings, but decorated with regal elegance. The Moghul architecture, the Persian dynasty from Afghanistan, which reigned in the India of Islamic domination between 1500 and 1700, is the predominant architecture, and the one that characterizes all the forts and traditional buildings, the Haveli. 

Meshes, balconies, cornices that seem to be crocheted, with a unique grace and skill. In no other place so far visited I have seen so much attention to detail and elegance coexist with such a state of abandonment. Yes, because most of these buildings live in a precarious state of neglect, surrounded by cobwebs or guano, some still inhabited, others completely abandoned.Nevertheless, it's hard not to be enchanted by them.

The Jaisalmer fort is very small, and it is not worth visiting inside. Instead, it is interesting to reach one of its ramparts, from the top of which you can observe the immense sea of indistinct sandstone houses, which blend in with the surrounding sand. An indistinct succession of walls, uncovered reinforcement irons coming out of the incomplete colonnades, water tanks and parabolic antennas, between the laundry laid out to dry and the children chasing each other on the terraces.

If you immerse yourself in this city you will find the typical taste of India, among bumpy streets full of rubbish, cows eating undisturbed, wandering free among the dozens of scooters parked or rumbling in the alleys. During the day there are hidden haveli to discover, during the evening you can browse through the colorful shops full of soap boxes or kitchen utensils that climb high shelves.

A whole day will be enough to visit Jaisalmer.

JODHPUR

With "just" 6 hours by train you can reach the city of Jodhpur, the famous blue city. Here too, the fort dominates the town, both immense compared to the small pearl of the Jaisalmer desert. The fort is an enchantment, on the outside, where tall towers and walls pierced by windows stand out in front of flocks of birds circling over your head, as on the inside, full of preciously decorated rooms. From here you can enjoy an immense view of the city, which will explain the nickname this place enjoys. The blue city is really a succession of sandstone houses alternating with buildings painted blue. The color blue was used to distinguish the houses inhabited by the Brahmins, belonging to the caste of priests, and today they form a labyrinth of plastered walls of many shades of blue that blend with the sky.

Fort Mehrangarh is really beautiful and worth a detailed visit. In addition to the fort, which stands on a rocky spur overlooking the city, of which it is a uniform extension, not far away, there is the small temple Jaswant Thada, an excellent observation point of the sunset.

The town is an immense labyrinth without any landmarks, if not the fort, when you can see it among the high blue inlaid walls. It's difficult to find your way around, but it's beautiful to get lost, going up the stairs, walking along the narrow alleys, snooping around the markets you meet on the road.

Two days are barely enough to scratch the surface of this city if you want to immerse yourself in local folklore. For the main attractions are enough.

UDAIPUR

We reached the beautiful Udaipur by car, as no train coincided with our plans. The city lies on the shores of two lakes, the most famous of which is Lake Pichola. The city is less picturesque than others, but the whole complex of buildings surmounted by spires clinging to the royal palace, overlooking a lake shore, is wonderful, especially at sunset, when the amber lights that illuminate the complex are reflected in the lake.

You will recognize famous images of the rooms of the royal palace, and visiting it inside is a must. A couple of days are more than enough to explore Udaipur.

PUSHKAR

Hard to reach pushkar. We arrived to Ajmer, the nearest town reached by train, and from here we were escorted by taxi for another 45 minutes to the sacred city.It is one of the sacred pilgrimage sites for the Hindus, and it is not very extensive beyond the ring of bazaars and a few houses surrounding the sacred lake.

A visit to Pushkar revolves around observing ablution rituals in the sacred waters of the lake from sunrise to sunset. One day is ideal for a visit to Pushkar, unless you want to stay for the camel fair in October or take a yoga class.

JAIPUR

Also to go to Jaipur, the last stop of our journey in Rajasthan, we have to go back to Ajmer, and then take a couple of hours by train. Jaipur is a city different from the others, the town is less picturesque, more modern and very busy with traffic. But among the coils of the most anonymous streets certainly hides the most interesting architectural pieces.

Let's start from the Panna Meena Ka Kund: the Baoli are stepped wells, they can be shaped in the most disparate ways, but the one of Jaipur has a picturesque chessboard of steps and niches that proceeds towards the water basin at the bottom.

The Hawa Mahal is the other wonder hidden among the streets of the pink city. The reddish sandstone and the pinkish stuccoes of the walls and beautifully decorated gates that surround the city have earned it this nickname. The Hawa Mahal confirms this fame with its ancient pink walls perforated by decorated women's galleries. 

Jaipur has other wonders, such as the Amber Fort, the Astronomical Observatory, the City Palace, and you won't want to miss any of them. We visited Jaipur in two days, but a day or two more won't bore you.

For details of our itinerary in Rajasthan, tips on where to stay or eat, read also the travel diary Travel to Rajasthan.