CUADERNO DE VIAJE Nº 6, DÍA 6 NOV 2010 JAIPUR
6th Nov 2010
Llegamos a Jaipur y nos estaban esperando ya nuestro guía Gajender y nuestro chófer Arif y tengo que decir que si conducir en la India hasta ahora nos había parecido caótica, el trayecto desde el aeropuerto hasta la ciudad de Jaipur es ¡mortal!. Aquí hay mucho movimiento, coches, camellos, bufalos, motoristas, todos juntos en unos viajes interminables. En medio las vacas claro. Me encanta, a los animales no les estresa tanto movimiento y tanto ruido.
- That day we flew from Udaipur towards Jaipur. We couldn´t complain with one single flight because all of them were on time. When we arrived in Jaipur, our guide Gajender and our chofer Arif were already waiting for us. I must say that we thought driving in India was caotic, but nothing could compared to the road from the airport to Jaipur. This was risky. There is movement in here, cars, camels, buffalos, motor bikes, all share neverending road trips. In the middle of the caos, the cows,walking slowly around you everywhere. I love this, animals don´t feel streesed with all the movement and the noisy roads.
- Jaipur is the largest city in Rajasthan and was built in the eighteenth century by Sawai Jai Singh as India´s first planned city. Jaipur is a major tourist attraction amongst Indian as well as international travellers. It belongs to the tourist Golden Triangle of Delhi, Jaipur and Agra. It hosts several attractions like the City Palace, various temples, and several massive Rajput forts and so on.
- However, not everything is as perfect as it seems. We must prepare for the smells and the contrasts of the city. It is overpopulated, collapsed by the traffic and heavily polluted, but believe me, even so you can be trapped by its beauty.
- Jaipur is often called the Pink City in reference to its distinctly colored buildings in salmon pink. It was so dirty that in 1876 during the preparations for the visit of the Prince of Wales, somebody decided to paint it. It is repainted every year since then. The 953 windows covering the lace-like facade of the Palace of the Winds, Hawa Mahal, were designed to allow the ladies of the royal court to watch the drama of the streets unobsesrved behind their delicate latticework. More information about the Palace of the winds here.
- Birla Mandir Temple. This magnificent temple is located on a rise at the base of the famous and small Moti Dungari Hill. It is built in white marble with fine carved sculptures and has three domes which represent the three different ways or the variety of ways there are to approach religion. The beauty of its marble it´s not indifferent to anyone, especially at night, glowing with lights in a very special way.
- We went back to the hotel, and I have to say that we have the perfect bathroom for that moment when you´ve spent all day walking around. I had a bath thinking I was going to ride on an elephant to go up to Amber Fort....
DIA 7 - Noviembre 2010
Nos levantamos muy temprano. Los elefantes subes solo hasta las 11 debido al calor. Es mejor subir con temperaturas bajas que al mediodía. Nos paramos para sacar unas fotos con los lagos al fondo, el día era maravilloso. ¡Qué sorprendente es la India!
- Day 7 - November 2010
- We got up very early. Elephants go up the fort only until 11 a.m. due to the high temperatures. It´s better to go up early than at midday. We stopped by to take some pictures with the lakes behind us. The day was awesome. India was a surprise really.
EL FUERTE AMBER - AMBER FORT
El Fuerte Amber lleva a la India miles de turistas cada año, y juega un rol crucial en el turismo de Jaipur. Está situado a 11 kilómetros desde Jaipur en la autopista de Delhi a Jaipur. Es la mayor atracción para los visitantes de todo el mundo y por supuesto de la gente local. La zona exterior del fuerte Amber se ha hecho de arenisca roja y luego con escayola blanca que hace que parezca en zonas mármol blanco.
- Amber Fort of Jaipur attracts thousands of tourists every year, and it plays a crucial role in Jaipur tourism. It is situated eleven kilometers from Jaipur on the Delhi Jaipur Highway, it is a major attraction to visitors round the glove and the local people also enjoys the fort. The outer part of the Amber Fort in Jaipur is made of red sandstone which is plastered as white and seems like white marble.
Al Fuerte, ejemplo de la arquitectura Rajputa se accede andando, en coche o a lomos de elefantes. Ya se que montar en elefante y subir colina arriba puede parecer muy de turistas, pero realmente te ayuda a sentir el ambiente del lugar y te adentra mas profundamente en la India. Además, el paseo en elefante te ofrece una vista de la ciudad Rosa desde arriba espectacular y unas vistas maravillosas del Lago Maotha.
- The Fort is a clear example of the Rajputa architecture and you can reach it walking, driving a car or by elephant ride. I know riding an elephant uphill seems a cliche for tourists, but it really helps feeling the ambience and plunging deeper in India. The elephant ride offers a skyline view of the Pink city and a mesmerizing sight over Maotha Lake.
El Fuerte tiene un significado histórico enorme y es el mejor ejemplo de una arquitectura muy refinada tambien. Dentro del Fuerte hay varias pinturas y trabajos de arte que atraen y maravillan también. A pesar de que el fuerte tiene cientos de años, la decoración exclusiva que tiene el fuerte es alucinante. Las pinturas de los murales y esos espejos con ese trabajo de arte en todas las habitaciones dan esa belleza especial que tiene el fuerte.
- The fort also has enormous historical significance and is the best example of fine architecture as well. Inside the Fort there are several paintings and artworks which will attract and astounds at the same time. Even though the fort is hundreds of years old, the exclusive decoration done on the fort´s is astonishing. The paintints of hunting murals on the walls of the fort and exclusive mirror and glass work in the rooms structures the beauty of the fort.
La mayoría de los turistas que nos montamos en estos elefantes no tenemos ni idea del daño que se les hace, tanto físico como psicológico. Los elefantes cautivos para los paseos hacia el Fuerte Amber han vivido en unas condiciones deplorables durante décadas, esto incluye tenerlos encadenados, en lugares pequeños y cerrados, soledad, aislamiento y falta de agua y alimento. Si en algún momento de sus vidas vuelven a disfrutar de la libertad, su sufrimiento permanece con ellos el resto de sus vidas a causa de las heridas físicas y emocionales. He sido una inconsciente, no volveré a montarme en un elefante nunca mas en mi vida. Siempre pensé que a los animales que vivían con las familias y ayudaban en la economía familiar como hacen los animales aquí, se les trataba adecuadamente. Estaba equivocada. Ellos no lo olvidarán nunca y yo tampoco.
- Most tourists take an elephant ride because we didn´t have any idea of the intense physical and psychological pain involved. Captive elephants at tourist attractions such as Amber Fort endure horrendous conditions for decades, this includes chaining and close confinement, loneliness and isolation, and food and water depravation. If and when they are free of it, their suffering stays with them for the rest o their lives through emotional and physical wounds, as well as the lasting effects of havinig not behaved as they would have done in the wild. These elephants never forget, and nor will I. I will never ride on an elephant in my life. I always thought that family animals, specially those who helping in the family economy as the ones we have here in our farms, were treated and loved as they should. Well...I was completely wrong.
El Sheesh Mahal es uno de los aspectos mas alucinantes de este fuerte el cual esta adornado con miles de azulejos con espejos y cristales de colores en sus paredes y techos. Este Mahal trae la fuerza a la vida con miles de reflejos parpadeantes. Los pilares también fueron adornados, una en concreto, tiene una flor en la base que muestra flores de colores diferentes cuando se ve de diferentes angulos.
- Sheesh Mahal is one of the most exciting feature of this fort which is adorned with thousands of mirror tiles as well as colored glasses on its wall as well as on ceiling. This Mahal brings a source to life with thousands of flickering reflections. The pillars are also designed very well, out of which one has uniquely designed flower carved at its base which shows different color of flowers when we see from different angles.
La zona de la Zenana son los aposentos de las mujeres que pertenecen a la familia real, se accede a esta zona a través de la puerta Tripolia. Esta puerta es un tercer patio que significa precisamente tres puertas. Se abre en tres direcciones. Una a la zenana, la otra al Jaleb Chowk y la tercera al palacio Man Singh.
- Zenana quarters are the Royal family women quarters which were residence of ladies of royal house. From the Tripolia gate these quarters are accessible. Tripolia gate is a third courtyard which means three gates. It opens in three different directions. One gate is towards the Zenana quarters. Second gate opens at the Jaleb Chowk, and the third gate opens to Man Singh Palace.
A la salida, encantadores de serpientes. Es una práctica que parece hipnotizar a la serpiente tocando un instrumento y moviéndose como si fuera una ola con un instrumento llamado pungi.
- On our way out, we saw some snake charmers. Snake charming is the practice of appearing to hypnotize a snake by playing and waving around, an instrument called pungi.
Baggi Khana es uno de los mejores museos que encierra carruajes antiguos, palanquines, las cabinas Europeas y baggi..
- Baggi Khana is one of the best museums which has a display of old carriages, palanquins, the European cabs and baggi.
EL PALACIO DE LA CIUDAD
Un complejo de patios, jardines y edificios, el impresionante Palacio de la ciudad está justo en el centro de la ciudad antigua. Las paredes exteriores fueron construídas por Jai Singh II, pero después el palacio fué creciendo y adaptado en los diferentes siglos. El estilo arquitectónico de este palacio es una combinación del Rajasthani, Mughal y Europeo. Este complejo palaciego es la residencia de Mukut Mahal, el palacio de la Maharani.
- THE CITY PALACE
- A complex of courtyards, gardens and buildings, the impressive City Palace is right in the centre of the Old City. The outer wall was built by Jai Singh II, but within it the palace has been enlarged and adapted over the centuries. There are palace buildings from different eras, some dating from the early 20th century. The archiectural style is an amazing combination of Rajasthani, Mughal and European.
- This palace complex is home to Mukut Mahal, Maharani´s palace.
Dentro del Palacio del Maharajá, hay dos vasijas enormes de plata, en realidad eran dos vasijas para transportar agua enormes. Cada urna tiene una capacidad de llevar 4.000 Litros y se llenaban con agua del Río Ganges para uso personal del Maharaja durante las visitas fuera de la India. Cada una pesa 345 kilos y miden 1.6 metros. Según el libro Guinness de los records, son el objeto único de plata más grande construído. Fueron construídas con 14.000 monedas de plata para su visita a Londres en 1902 cuando el Maharaja fue a la coronación de Eduardo VII. Madho Singh, el entonces Maharaja, no consideraba el agua Europea apta para beber y necesitaban agua del Ganges para las ceremonias religiosas, por eso se les llamó Gangajalis (Urnas para el agua del Ganges). Las dos vasijas están expuestas en el hall de audiencias privadas del Palacio de la ciudad del Maharaja.
- Contained within the Maharaja´s City Palace are the two largest single items of sterling silver, two huge water vessels. Each of the silver urns has a capacity of 4000L and were filled with water from the holy Ganges River for the personal use of the maharaja during visits outside of India. Each of the silver water vessels weighs 345kg and stand at 1.6 metres are recognised by the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest single object constructed from silver. They were created with 14.000 silver coins under the direction of maharaja Madho Singh for his visit to London in 1902 to attend the coronation of Edward VII. Madho was a maharaja who did not consider European water suitable for drinking and required Ganges water for religious ceremonies. The silver vessels were filled with water from the River Ganges and are referred to as Gangajalis (Ganges water vessels). The pair of fantastically expensive water containers are located in the centre of the Maharaja´s City Palace in the private audience hall.
En uno de los patios interiores del Palacio llamado Pritam Niwas Chowk, hay 4 puertas en las paredes. Cada una de estas puertas es única en diseño y decoración, y maravillosas. Las cuatro puertas representan las estaciones y los diferentes Dioses Indios.
- In an inner courtyarad called Pritam Niwas Chowk, there are four doorways in the walls. Each of these doors is unique in its design and decoration, and beautiful to behold. The four doors represent the seasons and different Hindu gods.
Un poco de comida callejera y paseo en medio de este sarao.
- A bit of street food, it´s a pleasure to try local food and a walk around the city center in the middle of this chaos.
Algunas compras
- Some shopping
- A chicken biryani for lunch and again back to the city tour.
- And in the middle of nowhere, even the cows rest.....they don´t even notice the noise.
- Our hotel is outside the city center, so we´re back to the worst part of Jaipur. God, I´m really lucky to live where I live.
- Tomorrow will be another day.....
- Hotel in Jaipur
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