6 Things That I Learned From My Jaipur Trip

Akshhat Srivastava
Aug 27, 2017 · 5 min read

I recently inculcated a habit of making a list of things that I learned during the whole day. So it seemed quite obvious to make a list of lessons after a trip to another city. I have been procrastinating this mammoth sized task of writing about my travel experience, but then I am finally here, writing my first blog post ever.

Hawa Mahal, Jaipur

Jaipur is a fascinating city. It is a living example of a city that explains the rich heritage of my country, India. Although I’ve been to the Pink City no less than four-five times, this visit was special. I saw this splendid city with a whole new perspective and got fascinated by its culture and the way it has evolved to keep pace with the present times.


Here’s my list:

1) Rich Heritage of India

We are being taught since middle school that our country, India, has a very rich cultural heritage. Somehow all of us believe this and utter the word “heritage” every time we speak about our country, but it was for the first time that I experienced or rather got exposed to my heritage. I saw those forts and palaces with a sense of wonder and questioned the very existence of them in such a rough terrain. It must have been really difficult for all the first generation kings to clear the forests and create something so spectacular, in a place where there had been nothing at all. I saw all those people practising the art of block printing and creating beautiful designs on different apparels and furnishings. In a world of snap chat and Instagram, I got my dose of excitement from a Rajasthani puppet show. The scene where the puppeteer dropped a cloth snake really made me jump on my toes. I think I know the meaning of heritage now.

2) India has a Lion Economy waiting to roar

We hear it almost everyday in the news that India is one of the world’s fastest growing economies with a GDP growth of approximately 7% per annum. It was in Old Jaipur that I realised the meaning of this statement.
I went to this famous market in Jaipur called ‘Bapu Bazaar’. Most of the shops were selling clothes or handicraft items. Bapu Bazaar made me realise the meaning of 7% annual growth rate. Almost all of the shops in this area were family bussinesses. They were carrying out simple supply-chain from local manufacturers and selling them to the local consumer. Some big players were also making business in the mega cities of Delhi and Mumbai. A sudden questioned popped in my mind, “What if this Sharma Lal & Sons expands its business globally and becomes a brand synonymous to Zara?” And there are at least a million family businesses similar to Sharma Lal & Sons operating in India, all of them waiting for some magical force to catapult them into the global markets. This would create a bang and disrupt the world economics, similar to the roar of a lion. I just can’t wait for that time to come. Maybe I can take the baton and carry this task myself. Who knows?

3) Marwadi Marketing

This is something that can’t get unnoticed. Marwadi people are probably the best salesmen on this planet. Period. They can make you buy stuff that you thought you would never buy. Their focus on customer experience and the way they pitch their products is unparalleled. The business owners’ devotion to the customer is next to godliness in this community. I saw the shopkeepers going out of their way to make the consumer happy, be it car parking or the service or the billing process — they made sure everything was hassle free. One thing is for sure, if I ever go out and start my own venture, there has to be Marwadi person with me!

4) Amber Fort

Amber Fort is one of the most impressive forts amongst the hill forts of Rajasthan. It is a timeless structure that speaks about the Indian Renaissance, a time when art & culture were at an all time high in this holy land. Its red sandstone and marble courtyards are mesmerising, they make the visitor feel like the Kachwahas royals. This fort has witnessed several wars, it has seen the growth and downfall of various dynasties, the construction of a new city ‘Jaipur’ and the merger of this princely state into the Republic of India. Amer Fort is a reminder of all the struggles and glories that laid the foundation of India. The light & sound show at this fort during the night is a must visit for anyone interested in the history of this architectural marvel. The show’s voice over is done by none other than Amitabh Bachchan!

Light & Sound show at Amer Fort

5) Jaipur City of 1727

The first impression that the Pink City makes on the visitor is a clumsy, old and chaotic town. Metro construction just adds to this chaos. The uniformly choral coloured buildings break this noise and provide an architectural rhythm to the scene. One can not understand the grandeur of this city without knowing its history. Jaipur was constructed in the year 1727 and was India’s first planned city. It was founded by Maharaja Jai Singh II and is named after him. Maharaja Jai Singh had a keen interest in science and astronomy, which was very unusual for the kings of those time. He made heavy investments for the development of infrastructure and created a new city whose streets cut each other at right angles and had wide roads for easy flow of traffic. Sawai Jai Singh established the Jantar Mantars, which were sites for scientific astronomy study and also served as sun-dials, at five prominent cities of that time — Delhi, Jaipur, Ujjain, Mathura and Varanasi. All this in 1727?! And we are not able to solve daily traffic jams in Delhi in 2017. Jai Singh must have been a great visionary who looked beyond his own whims and wishes and created something for the society.

6) Cultural Diversity

There isn’t a better example to look up for cultural diversity than the city of Amber during the reign of Akbar, or I should say Jodhabai. During this time, the festivals of Eid and Diwali were celebrated with equal zeal and happiness at the Amer Fort. This tradition was a new benchmark set up by Mariam-uz-Zamani (Jodhabai). When she married Akbar, she didn’t only embrace a new family and city, she embraced a new religious philosophy. Now all the Hindu and Muslim festivals were celebrated at Agra as well as Amber. She must have been a really strong woman to bring this change. We all need to reflect back upon such great people and learn to embrace differences and celebrate similarities.


“Wherever you go becomes a part of you somehow.”
― Anita Desai

I can’t agree more with Anita Desai on this. This Jaipur experience has now become a part of me. And there are so many more to come.

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Akshhat Srivastava

Written by

Trying to make a positive impact.

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