Jaipur India

Our first day in India was spent exploring Jaipur, THE PINK CITY!

I was not expecting to be in gem shops on my very fist day in India – but that is how it went! It was a whirlwind day… hard to describe and put into words. It is so different here in India – and so amazing!

The following gallery of photos are of the unique and blue: Gomes Gem Complex, Inside Gomes Gems, and some shots of the Pink City – Jaipur.

The Great “Hawa Mahal” -can you find the monkey?

The Great “Hawa Mahal”

The Great “Hawa Mahal”

Our bus ride back to Udayan – a view from the door.

The streets of Jaipur

Paying my bill

Strands of gemstones that I picked out

Look through the window – I love the exposed brick on the adjacent wall, a hallmark of India.

Picking out gemstones

Gomes Gems Complex

Gomes Gems Complex

Gomes Gems Complex

Gomes Gems Complex

Gomes Gems Complex

Gomes Gems Complex

Hawa Mahal: “Palace of Winds” or “Palace of the Breeze”), is a palace in Jaipur, India. It was built in 1799 by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh, and designed by Lal Chand Ustad in the form of the crown of Krishna, the Hindu god. Its unique five-storey exterior is also akin to the honeycomb of the beehive with its 953 small windows called jharokhas that are decorated with intricate latticework. The original intention of the lattice was to allow royal ladies to observe everyday life in the street below without being seen, since they had to observe strict “purdah” (face cover).

Built of red and pink sandstone, the palace is situated on the main thoroughfare in the heart of Jaipur’s business centre. It forms part of the City Palace, and extends to the Zenana or women’s chambers, the chambers of the harem. It is particularly striking when viewed early in the morning, lit with the golden light of sunrise.