Jaipur.

I keep thinking about going to Jaipur. I keep thinking about going there when I'm sleeping, when I'm studying, when I'm in college and when I'm not in college. I am meant to go to Jaipur. I'm meant to go on this soul searching trip.

I know its not all very clear now. I don't exactly know how I'll go, where I'll stay, or even how I'm going to convince my friends and family. But, like I said, I'm meant to go there.

Now, why Jaipur? Why not just go to Delhi for a week or so? I've got friends in Delhi, I've got none in Jaipur. I've got family in Delhi, and I've got family in Jaipur. But I really wouldn't want to bother the Great Family with my personal little trip. :P

That I'm fond of history and that I've already visited almost everything that is historical about Delhi is one explanation for me wanting to go to Jaipur. Delhi's mostly about modern history. I paid my homage to Nehru at Teen Murti Bhavan, paid a little visit to Indira Gandhi Smriti, went to old Delhi and a couple of other places. Thats that. I don't remember missing anything and if I did, I'll be sure to get it in my next trip.

A friend of mine tried 'glitzing' me with Delhi's malls and joints, the wide roads, North Campus (or was it South Campus?) and I respectfully declined his offer. He still can't understand why I chose Purana Quila over City Walk. My reason was simple, a lot of things are unique to every city, and a glorified mall ain't one of them. And especially for a city as historically important as Delhi. I didn't want the Punjabi Delhi, I was there for the Mughal Delhi, the British Delhi, even Indraprastha. There are so, so many things to be proud of our National Capital but you gotta know where to look.

I remember the first time I stepped into a Metro. "Bombardier". I was so impressed by not just the metro, but the entire service that I often would spend half a day travelling in the Metro and not going anyplace. I would get in at one end and get out at the other. And get in again. Delhiites are so proud of a service like that and rightly so.

I'm not particularly emotional. But I'm terribly emotional when I'm travelling. I remember going to the Rasthrapati Bhavan at night alone, when some of my friends were at home watching the World Cup. I armed myself with a couple of bottles of water and my camera and traversed the entire length of Rajpath trying to take in everything I saw. The security, the architecture, the tourists, the lighting, the Parliament. And on the gates, standing on top of Raisina Hill, Delhi was magnificent. Everything was right about Delhi. Magnificent. I've never been prouder.

I'm one of those people who believe that the journey's more important than the destination. I kept notes. I tried writing down everything. And I have to say that I'm still not perfect at that but I'm getting better. People don't understand why or what one's gotta write when a person's visiting Delhi, and sitting in the Israeli-sque suburbia that is Noida. But when you consider yourself a traveller, or even the more romantic notion of an explorer, you've got stuff to write, believe me. This greatly amused my pals, me thinks.

But Jaipur. Its been years. I remember visiting the Amber Fort somewhere in the late nineties. Ditto for the City Palace and the Birla Mandir. I like the empty roads there. And I'd very much like to be there again. And maybe sneak in a trip or two to Chittor. I remember going to Chittor when I was a little kid in school. Standing below the Vijay Stambh there built by Rana Kumbha, Chittor seemed to be the Center of the Earth. I'll go. When this semester ends. Sometime in January.

And yeah, I'd very much like to see my old school again. I'm so grateful for the time spent there. Yes. Silver Bells is on the list.

I'm creating a new page to track it all. Thats all for this post, I guess. Its been some time.

ps: I've got a bigger camera now. :)