A profusion of colour, vast deserts, opulent palaces and ancient fortresses, spices piled high in the market, a lone cow holding up traffic, and some of the most lavish moustaches imaginable. Rajasthan is a photographer’s dream.
This northern state of India boasts a rich cultural heritage that spans several centuries and rulers, from the princely Rajput, to Mughal invaders and British colonisers. A legacy of those times are today’s palace hotels. Centuries ago, the Maharajas lived the high-life in their beautiful palaces, until modern times brought the withdrawal of royal privileges. The cost of maintaining the ‘family home’ proved too much for many, the more entrepreneurial of whom reinvented their palaces into luxurious boutique hotels. Ornately decorated, often with family portraits still hanging on the walls, a palace stay allows a rare glimpse of a time gone by.
Udaipur’s Taj Lake Palace hotel is the most romantic of all, set in the middle of Lake Pichola with the beautiful Aravalli Mountains as a backdrop. Marble walls are adorned with semi-precious stones and fountains adorn the shady courtyards of this famed hotel where Octopussy (of James Bond fame) was filmed.
For one of the world’s most luxurious hotels head for the beautiful Rambagh Palace of Jaipur. Once a residence of the Maharaja of Jaipur, this architectural masterpiece transcends time. Its 19 hectares of gardens are perfectly manicured, its furnishings beyond opulent; bookend your day in the sophisticated charm of the legendary Polo Bar!
My absolute favourite is Samode Palace, just out of Jaipur. At least 475 years old, each suite has its own unique personality, with marble baths, four-poster beds and stunning views over the mountains to delight even the most jaded traveller.
The atmosphere of this place will remain with me forever.
Jaipur is the capital of Rajasthan, the most famous of its pink sandstone buildings being the Palace of the Winds (or Hawa Mahala) from where ladies of the royal household were able to view life going on in the streets below. Walk those streets to browse shops selling wool carpets and colourful saris, and pick your way through the markets of handicrafts and flowers. Just outside the city, Amber Fort offers stunning views of the surrounding area and the very best of Rajput architecture including ornately carved marble panels, mirrored ceilings and sandalwood doors.
Jaisalmer is my absolute favourite Rajasthani city, its medieval fort rising from the desert like a hazy mirage, housing ancient havelis (homes) where generations continue to live.
Of course, this wouldn’t be India if there weren’t outrageously colourful and chaotic festivals! Diwali and Holi are the most popular, but if you’re in the vicinity of Pushkar for its legendary Camel Fair you’re in for a treat! Desert tribes bring their camels and horses to compete in races, turbaned Rajasthani men haggle over livestock, and traditional musicians add to the cacophony.
From the humblest roadside market stall to the most opulent palace hotel, Rajasthan is colourful, complex, extravagant and endlessly fascinating. And I love it all.
Words — Caroline Clegg, World Journeys
