Hi friends,
Hope y'all are doing great.
So, it had been long time I was out on a trip. I wanted to go to the mountains but my friends were busy doing shenanigans of various sorts and kept delaying plans. Then an opportunity knocked. I got Sikar, Rajasthan as my exam centre. Lo and behold, I planned the itinerary and braced up for the solo trip.
I boarded an overnight bus from Chandigarh and reached Sikar early in the morning. It was my first time in Rajasthan and the ambience was really different from what I expected. Then, I waited for an hour before entering the exam centre, gave the exam and was free by 12 noon. By 1pm I was on a bus to Jaipur and was searching for interesting places on Maps.
After a 3 hour journey, I reached Sindhi Camp in Jaipur, had lunch and boarded the Jaipur Metro to reach the first place of interest : Hawa Mahal. As I reached Badi Chaupar metro station and got to the main site, I was overwhelmed by the crowd and the traffic jam. It was pure chaos. I used the google maps and reached the Hawa Mahal. It was amazing to say the least. I roamed around the area for some time and explored the narrow lanes and doorways that lead to nearby places.
As I had less time, I quickly booked a Rapido ride and headed to the Jal Mahal. The traffic scene is utter madness there. The Rapido captain advised me about nearby places like Amber Fort and Elephant park. It took me around 20 minutes to reach there. With the Aravallis in the background and in the calm waters of the lake, there stood the Jal Mahal. The view was enhanced manifold as the sun set and the darkness grew.
Although the view was spectacular, the lack of cleanliness dulled the vibe. Then I met a group of friends who were clicking some pictures. We chatted for a while and I requested them to accompany me to the Amber fort. They told me that it was late and the entry was not allowed after 7 pm. We headed back to the Hawa Mahal, which looked absolutely marvelous in the night. We clicked some pictures and they headed back to their place.
As it was still 8 pm and my return bus was at 11 pm, I decided to visit the Birla Mandir and the Albert Hall Museum. I got on the auto and headed for the Birla Mandir. The roads in Jaipur were illuminated as if it was Diwali. A perfect blend of tradition and technology can be seen in Jaipur buildings which have traditional architecture yet are equipped with latest facilities.
I reached the Birla Mandir and went inside. It is stunning modern temple of white marble dedicated to Lakshmi Narayan, built by the Birla family. I was amazed to experience its gleaming beauty, intricate carvings, and serene atmosphere. The Moti Doongri Fort, in the backdrop looked stunning especially when illuminated at night. I sat inside the temple for a while and tried to soak in the tranquil vibe.
It was around 9:30 pm and I had to reach the Sindhi camp to catch my return bus. So I did not go inside the Albert Hall Museum, though I saw it from outside. It was majestic and looked liked an ancient palace studded with lights that shined like diamonds. Then I took the metro and reached the Sindhi Camp by 10pm.
I had dinner at a restaurant and waited for my bus. The bus was late by half an hour and I wondered if I could have managed to see Albert Hall museum from inside too. Then I boarded the bus and slept like a horse. The 7 hour journey was complete in between a couple of naps as I reached Chandigarh by 6 am. All in all, it was fun to travel alone and make some new friends. The trip was worth every penny as I gave an exam and got to explore a city in the same expense.
Until next time...
Thanks for your valuable time. It's all for now. Signing off.
May the gods watch over you !