Tripolia Gate and Chaura Raasta, Jaipur

Namascar Friends.

From today I wish to focus just on the walled city and it’s happening.  To start–a little briefing about the architectural plan of Jaipur. The geometrical design of Jaipur has three parallel markets, the Kishanpole Bazaar,  Chaura Raasta, and Johari Bazaar.  All these three Bazaars are joined by innumerable Raastas (alleys) at right-angle.   Today, we will set foot in the Chaura Raasta which is the central market.  Its entrance is called the New Gate.   But here I am standing at the end of the Bazaar that meets the Tripolia Gate, which is a private entry to the Royal City Palace.  Today, I am not focusing much on the planning as it requires lot of details.

While facing the Tripolia Gate  if I rotate my camera anti-clock, right on the corner is the old Hind Hotel.  One of the very first hotels that came into being in the city of Jaipur, unfortunately it doesn’t function anymore.

Further I move and you’ll see this old Eatery called the Khandelwal Pavitra Bhojnalaya,. It displays “Recommended by Lonely Planet”.  Though I haven’t tried food there ever, but now I’ll do it soon to share with you all.  Interestingly, any pure veg eatery is called ‘Pavitra’ that means pure and Bhojnalaya is Restaurant.

Just as I was admiring the Bhojnalaya I caught in my camera this group of foreign tourist taking a Rikshaw tour in the walled city.  It surely is an interesting travel mode, also quite adventurous!  Fun! I personally love and recommend it to all the tourists.

Tourists who visit Jaipur Bazaar have multiple things to do, but I usually visit for one sole reason, to eat a ‘Samosa’. One of the most famous snack in whole of India.  For us it can be eaten as a breakfast, post breakfast, lunch, post lunch, as a tea snack or as a cola snack.  Usually, we don’t think before having one (unless one has an upset stomach).

So let’s go the most famous Samose-wala of Chaura Raasta, the Samrat.    Every market, every lane has there own very very famous smosa shops.  These triple shop run under same name, selling Bread Pakora, Kachori, Samosas and also Jalebis.  The LMB sweet shop about which I did a post couple of months back is globally recommended by tourists.  But apart from that there are numerous not so fancy Halwai (sweet vendor) shops that sell incredible Indian sweets and snacks.  And they are a must try for any tourist who want to actually taste the local flavors.

This one in particular has been around for almost a century.  The best part about them is, they just sell what they can make best and seems so unaffected by modernization of F&B.

Honestly they are not the best looking eateries but surely they make the best tasting Samosas.  Up in pic you can take a closer look of freshly deep fried snack variety.  In simple words, the round ones are kachories i.e. dough balls filled with either dry-roasted very spicy pulse or a masala of onions.  Samosas are the pyramid-shaped deep-fried thing that have essentially potato, green chilli, and green coriander.  There is not much variation throughout the country.

Now if you feel it is going too hot for the palate, just step into the third shop on the right hand corner and order for a plate of  freshly hot piping spiral jalebies.  Jalebies are made of flour-always spiral shaped (though size varies) and soaked in sugar syrup.  They are really juicy and incredibly simple.

I am not a great fan of the 5 star restaurants serving Indian Dishes, though there are some very good places in Jaipur for dinning, but I don’t like them getting too focused on transforming the simple dishes into some fancy plate of creamy thick curry.

These snacks are completely safe for anyone who loves hot spicy food.  Just avoid taking chutney and curd over anything and nothing will go wrong.  Also, vegetarian food is always safe and mostly harmless.   If you have fewer reservations regarding the look of eating places, you’ll find innumerable eating joints in India.

So for the moment enjoy the pictures till you visit my city of Jaipur.

And here comes the bonus picture.

Be aware of these free-spirited cows that wander the roads along with all of us.

Good Day.

Taste of Jaipuri Sweets–LMB

Welcome to the most favorite and world famous shop of traditional sweets in Jaipur, LMB the Laxmi Misthan Bhandar.

Authentically Rajasthani Sweets.

Misthan as in Hindi means sweet dishes.   This store opened its door with this Brand name in the year 1957.  And since then it has been the landmark of Jaipur.

I bet every tourist that visits Jaipur, comes to LMB.  This picture shows the pile of Phirnis in front and Paneer Ghewar behind.

These below are traditional Rasgullas.

Rasgullas

They are small balls made of freshly curdled milk and flour, then soaked in sugar syrup.

A variety is available throughout India. Different version and different shapes are found in various parts of the country.

Here first in the row is Rose flavored, second is plain white, third is Kesar (Saffron) flavored and the fourth is a brother of Rasgulla— Gulab Jamun.

Glimpse of the shop.

I was accompanying a group of friends from Mumbai and was mesmerized as always.  Though my frequency to the shop is like twice in a month(minimum) but I am always happy going there.  Colorful Mithais, lovely crispy savories they have so much to offer.

Apart from sweets they have a full restaurant serving traditional meals.

This shop is situated in Johari Baazar, the whole of  market has either traditional Saree shops or Jewelry shops.  Johari in Hindi means Jeweler.  The master plan of the city that took its initial shape sometime in the year 1727, has three parallel markets. The Johari Baazar, the Chaura Raasta and the Kishanpol Baazar .

Wish to see the colors… Come and see here.

This  click is from one of the many many Saree shops that you’ll witness in Jaipur.

Traditional Indian Wear–Saree.

See the colors.

Colors compliment the sandy background of Rajasthan.

For us colors signify the essential beauty of life, which has uncountable shades.

These are traditional Leheriya sarees-a tie & dye method in which a mustard seed is used to make intricate designs and patterns.

Jaipur’s another famous thing– the Gota Work, i.e. borders made of golden colored threads.

Traditional Gota Patti Work

It is widely used in all ethnic wear.

Again something very typical of Jaipur.  The artisans work really hard to make these beautiful designs.

The Gota Patti Work

Festivals here are all about sweets and colors…  wear beautiful colors, eat and be merry..

Happy Day!

Confusions in the middle of festivals..

Festivities are never at ease in India.
Festival holidays are much more than the total number of Sundays in a YEAR.

Ya! You are reading right..

Now as the Navaratri begins, quite a number of communities are involved in making preparations for upcoming religious ceremonies.

Nava-ratri are literally two words–first nava which is a Sanskrit word that means NINE and ratri means NIGHTS.

Nine Nights of Puja (rituals) and Celebrations. Though the Deity that is worshiped is same Devi Durga (Goddess of Power), but it takes different celebration in different communities and groups.

For the Gujrati Community Navaratri means Garba (Traditional Dance festival); for Bengali Community the Durga Puja is all the most important; for Punjabi Community nine day Sthapana (bringing the idol home and doing the rituals) of the Goddess.  Same is for Jaipur, for nine whole days the Goddess is worshiped in almost every hindu household. On the ninth day a feast is prepared and nine girls that symbolically represent the Nav-Rupa (nine-forms) of the Goddess are invited and offered food and gifts.

It is much more confusing to be there in the middle of these festivals and almost COMPULSORY celebrations, than what I’ve tried to write above.

Honestly, the celebration fever here is so high and so infectious that I bet if anyone can resist..  This is the time that the city witnesses the most heavy tourist traffic.

The markets are going colorful.

The houses are repainted.

The temples are being decorated.

The deities are smiling.

The ladies are busy making traditional festival sweets & savories.

The news papers and magazines are trying to compile best recipes for the festive season.

Everyone seems necessarily happy.

Well, the list is tooooo long. I can’t write in one post, look for my upcoming posts.  Also I’ll be trying to bring some pics of city’s celebrations colors.  As India is nothing without its colors and surely nothing without its CELEBRATIONS…..

Have a Happy Day!

Shraada and the food for the departed Souls..

Greetings Everyone!  Namaste

This time of the year is significant for Indian Hindu Community in many ways.  The fifteen day long Shraada Paksha is ending and Navratra is to begin with the next new moon.

The Hindu Calender is different from the World Calender.  It varies and has a complex system to determine the days of different occasions, festivals, etc.

Shraada Paksha are the days to remember the family members who have passed away and offer traditional delicacies to the spirit world.   The meals are strictly vegetarian and special.  Though, we keep in mind some personal favorites of the person whom we are remembering, but major part of the menu is common in every household.  It is then first offered to a Brahmin (usually a temple priest) and then shared amongst the family members.

Interestingly, a share of the meal is offered to a crow, as Indian Mythology states that after death the human soul first gets into the life of a crow.

And so this not-so-happy looking and not-much loved bird get his day and his share of royal treatment.  Surely for 15 full days in a year!!

But the best part is to find a CROW and make him have his meal!! As they seem to be holidaying in some unknown place-where men are not running behind their lives to have PURIES.

Though,we all enjoy these days as this is not a mourning time.  But yes it is not considered auspicious time for anything: be it shopping, be it partying, be it MARRYING, or be it starting a NEW VENTURE.

Well, Well, Well!!!

Don’t worry, at least there is one good thing.

FOOD.

So enjoy!

Have a Great Sunday!

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