The Hindu : Here comes a tome on street walking

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Feb 26, 2004

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Here comes a tome on street walking

By Sunny Sebastian

JAIPUR, FEB. 25. Want to explore the Pink City in all its myriad hues, colours and sounds on foot? Care to go footloose inside the architectural marvel Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II built in 1727 as the first planned city in the whole of North India? Now there is a brand new book to help you.

Demystifying the labyrinths of the good old City of Hawa Mahal, Jantar Mantar and Sarga Suli --and of course, the Amber Fort and palaces -- and introducing the people and the culture of the 276-year-old hub of civilisation is "Jaipur: 10 Easy Walks''.

Hailed as the first book of its kind on the Pink City -- perhaps one of the rare books on "street walking'' amid heritage landmarks in any Indian city after the one Delhi alone has, "Jaipur: 10 Easy Walks'' is authored by a local historian-writer, Dharmendar Kanwar. Published by Rupa & Company, the book also boasts of some of the best photographs on and about the city and its people.

"A city like this is still hard to come by. The Walled City will throw many more surprises if explored on foot or cycle rickshaw. Except for increased crowds and many more motorised vehicles than before, nothing seems to have changed here,'' notes Ms. Kanwar, whose book on the former Queen Mother of Jaipur, Rajmata Gayatri Devi, "Enduring Grace'', is ready for release.

Any lover of Jaipur would be curious to know about the walks the book recommends. Ms. Kanwar, while conceding that it is not an exhaustive list -- as this one is expected to provide a glimpse into the enchanting city, she says -- expresses her confidence in its viability and worth.

The first recommended walk -- not always in that order -- covers the Chandni Chowk-Jantar Mantar-City Palace route, the core of power -- both temporal and spiritual -- in the bygone days. The second too is in its periphery -- Sireh Deori Gate-Chini ki Burg-Chaugan -- taking one in and around the erstwhile centres of power.

With the third onward -- Kishenpol-Choti Chaupad; Chandpol Gate-Surajpol Gate; Link Road-Kale Hanumanji temple; Chhoti Chaupad-Chandpol Bazar -- you are out on the breezy streets, craning your neck to have a view of a temple here and cornice there, at times tumbling, racing with the cows and camels and fighting the ubiquitous cycle rickshawallahs.

The recommended walks include Khazanewalon ka Rasta-Mirza Ismail Road; Tripolia Gate-Albert Museum; Narsingh temple-Bharmal ki Chhatri, Amber and the Digambar Jain temple--Narsingh temple, Sanganer. The last two are forays into the outskirts of the historic city. The township of Amber had been the original seat of the Kachchawa (Jaipur) rulers while Sanganer, over 16 km away, was created as a crafts town.

"Jai Singh visualized Jaipur as a flourishing centre of commerce and art with a special area designated for the different trades and crafts. Vidhyadhar Bhattacharya, the royal architect who designed it, kept in his mind the principles of the Hindu treatise on architecture, the Vastu Shastra,'' the book notes.

The meticulous planning, the right combination of commerce and beauty not only made the place self-sustaining and liveable but also attracted visitors and talents from all over the world through centuries.

The author has avoided the main streets as well as the core interiors of the city. In the first case, she wanted to keep out the visitor off the heavy traffic and in the second, it was avoiding unfamiliar surroundings in the deep interiors of the city -- an act of abundant precaution. But is also leaving scope for more books in future on walking in the Pink City with gay abandon!

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