Jaipur - "O Let Me Bathe My Soul In Colours"
Today, we spent our first full day in Jaipur, which is known as the Pink City because when Queen Victoria and Prince Albert visited in 1876, the whole city was decorated in pink, the color of hospitality. The residents of Jaipur continue this tradition today, making their city, renowned for its gems, textiles, and sculpture, into a parade of color, light, and embellishment.
Our first stop was the Amer Fort and Palace, a sixteenth century home to the Maharajas of Jaipur. The fort is high on the hills surrounding the city, so a conveyance of some sort is helpful to climb to its lofty heights. Fortunately for our group, there were jeeps available as well as a more traditional means of transportation.
Our first stop was the Amer Fort and Palace, a sixteenth century home to the Maharajas of Jaipur. The fort is high on the hills surrounding the city, so a conveyance of some sort is helpful to climb to its lofty heights. Fortunately for our group, there were jeeps available as well as a more traditional means of transportation.
Once in the fort, we were able to explore the bedchambers, meeting halls, and even the bathrooms of the palace. Of particular note were the beautiful decorations set into the ceilings and walls, as well as the elegant window structures that were designed to bring cool breezes to the royal family and court.
Although it’s been warm during our trip, we haven’t had a lot of sunny days, and the plazas of the fort were the perfect opportunity for some sunbathing, occasional rests, and taking in the views.
We continued to explore Jaipur’s long traditions in craftwork by visiting a gem-cutting workshop and a textile workshop where block-printing and rug weaving are still done today as they have been for hundreds of years. A few of our students were given one-on-one lessons in how to tie the tiny knots in a rug, hundreds of which make up one square inch of finished carpet.
After the weaving is complete, the rugs are clipped, burned (to get rid of loose ends), washed, and dried. The final products can take months, or even years to complete, but once finished in wool, cashmere, or silk, they are as comfortable as they are lovely.
Although it’s been warm during our trip, we haven’t had a lot of sunny days, and the plazas of the fort were the perfect opportunity for some sunbathing, occasional rests, and taking in the views.
After finishing our tour, we descended the hill in decidedly less grand fashion in jeeps, but this alternate route allowed us to absorb the many sights, sounds, and scents of Jaipur. Some of which could have existed no place but here.
We continued to explore Jaipur’s long traditions in craftwork by visiting a gem-cutting workshop and a textile workshop where block-printing and rug weaving are still done today as they have been for hundreds of years. A few of our students were given one-on-one lessons in how to tie the tiny knots in a rug, hundreds of which make up one square inch of finished carpet.
After the weaving is complete, the rugs are clipped, burned (to get rid of loose ends), washed, and dried. The final products can take months, or even years to complete, but once finished in wool, cashmere, or silk, they are as comfortable as they are lovely.
We finished our day with a quick shopping trip to a local market, led by our intrepid guides Gaurev, DeAnna, and Sunny.
The students got to practice their negotiating skills as they bargained for shoes, cloth, jewelry, and art. The market was also an opportunity for all of us to remember that alongside the palaces and monuments live many Indian people in abject poverty. While this experience is not always a comfortable one for us to have, it is one of the truths we should confront as educated world citizens and visitors to another country.
Similarly, an important truth about poverty is that we often imagine it to be drab, grey and dull. And yet, India and her people, be they rich or poor, are draped and wrapped in color. From the fluttering saris of women on motorcycles to the colored tinsel tassels with which truck drivers adorn their vehicles, the subcontinent is completely vivid, wholly dazzling. As the Lebanese-American poet, Kahlil Gibran wrote, “Let me, O let me bathe my soul in colours.”
Brimmer and May School
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Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
617-566-7462
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
617-566-7462
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