HOME AGAIN TO JAIPUR

Five long months and it was time to go back home.  We reached Amber and went up the hilly road and duly made our usual offering at the Mazar. Through the gate on top of the hill and there it was, a sweeping view down Kanak Ghati, Man Sagar lake, Jai Mahal on to the outskirts of Jaipur. Sir Walter Scott's famous lines that we learnt in School swept through my mind, 

"Breathes there the man with soul so dead, 

Who ne'er to himself hath said, 

This is my own, my native land, 

Whose heart hath ne'er within him burn'd,

As home his footsteps he hath turn'd."

Yes, with Bharatpur and Alwar blood racing in my veins, growing up and schooling in Udaipur and Jaipur and finally settling in the capital city, I am a proud Rajasthani. This is where I belong and my footsteps will always turn towards my home.

By chance and not by design, we were coming to Jaipur on the eve of the 73rd Foundation Day of the state of Rajasthan. By now, the city like the rest of India, was almost completely free of the pandemic, at least for the present, and people were out in big numbers enjoying the evening on the 'Marine Drive' by the lake. Further on as we entered the old city, the sun had set which was lucky for us as we were able to see the tasteful illumination of Hawa Mahal and Badi Chaupar continuing through all the shops and houses of Johari Bazar. Ram Niwas garden was illuminated too with Albert Hall as the centrepiece. The stage was being set for the next evening's celebrations.

What a great celebration it was. We were treated to an evening of brilliant performances on the stage with the magnificent Albert Hall in the background. Led by Anwar Khan's delightful Manganiyar folk songs, Sunali Rathod and Roop Kumar Rathod followed up with some swinging, foot-tapping numbers. There were captivating folk dances too like Ghoomar and Kalbeliya accompanied with puppetry bringing out the myriad colours of Rajasthan spotlighted by the bright green, blue, red and yellow switching illumination. A large number of people, out in the open after two long drab years, thronged to the Park to watch the free concert.

There is more to look forward to. The big Rajasthan festival of Gangaur is on 4 April and I am sure it will be celebrated with renewed 'josh' this year.

Also waiting for some rain and peacock dancing.