March 5, 2016

March 5, 2016

India is studded with stone forts because like Europe it consisted of a multitude of little kingdoms always fighting among themselves.  With the invasion of Muslims beginning in the 12^th century, culminating with the Mughals, all the forts were enlarged.  Just north of our hotel on a hillside in a narrow valley is the Amber (or Amer) Fort which played an early role in stopping the conquests.  Eventually the local ruler thought it better to join the enemy than die fighting, and this fort became a bastion of the Mughal Empire.

Amber Fort, now a World Heritage site, has a series of long ramps to reach the entrance.  Pretending to be visiting Maharajas (high kings) we sit side-saddle on the back of an elephant and join a procession of dozens of gaily-decorated elephants up to the fort.  While great fun, it feels a little anti-climatic.  Between the driver, the blanket, and where we sit, we can’t really see our own elephant.  The elephants also lumber up the ramp, so we sway left and right in great sweeping movements.

 

We disembark at the soldier’s parade square and walk up a grand staircase to enter the palace.  Allying with the Mughal Invaders apparently was profitable as the interior is regal.  The decorations are mostly Islamic (to appease the conqueror) with Hindu symbolism tossed in.  The most spectacular building is the Mirror Palace that has inlaid glass pieces that make it sparkle.  There is also a courtyard garden that has the same ornamental pond and dance platform we saw yesterday at Fatehpur Sikri.   One of the features of Islamic architecture is the multitude of stone screens.  Behind these screens is where the unveiled women of the harem could watch activities without being seen.  We have the opportunity to look through these screens and see how harem women would have viewed the world.

 

Whenever I tour ancient living spaces, the engineer in me is always asking practical questions (e.g. How do you get water to a hilltop?).  I got this one answered by accident. For a 10 Rupee note (about 15 cents), a guard led us down a secret passage to the king and queen’s bathroom and a water pump.  Like out of an old Tarzan movie, water was raised up here via a servant-powered conveyor of clay pots tied to a rope.  Very cool!
 

Since mining is a big industry in Rajasthan, our factory visit today was to a gem cutter and their jewelry store.  We saw how the gems were cut in ancient times.  I can’t get excited since I have faceted gems myself at the Tucson Gem Show. 
 

Our next stop is in the heart of Jaipur.  When warfare began to wane, a later king of Rajasthan, Jai Singh, moved his home from the Amber Fort here to this planned city and named it after himself.  This walled city is nicknamed the “Pink City” because it was plastered and painted pink for the 1878 state visit of the British Prince of Wales. 
 

The City Palace is still owned by Jai’s descendants.  One side of the compound has its iconic landmark, the Hawa Mahal, or Palace of Winds.  It is a façade of screens that the harem women could use to watch life on the city streets below while safely hidden away.
 

Our tour of the City Palace starts in an outdoor audience hall that has two enormous silver vessels.  They were used by the king to bring Ganges River water to England during a state visit.  We continue to the throne room of the Maharaja.  It looks like out of the movies where the king would have sat on a big pillow to meet visitors.  When the British took over rule of India from the Mughals, they continued the same strategy of supporting dozens of local monarchs.  These puppet rulers lived liked kings making them loyal British subjects.
 

A Textile museum has dozens of royal gowns and ceremonial robes.  Uninteresting except I see that two of the garments are named the Jama (top) and Pajama (bottom).  I didn’t realize I already have drawer full of Indian Maharaja clothes at home.
 

Jai Singh was also an astronomy buff.  He built the Jantar Mantar observatory we saw in Delhi.  That was a prototype for an improved version he constructed here.  This World Heritage Site has dozen of huge instruments including the world's largest stone sundial, accurate to just a few seconds.
 

After a short break at the hotel for lunch, we went for a shopping spree to please the ladies.  Dodging a couple elephants our bus stopped first at a textile factory where block printed fabric is made.  To make patterns an inked wooden die is repeatedly stamped onto the fabric.  We then learned about the chemistry of fixing the dye.

 
Afterwards we were dropped off at a downtown bazaar.  Aimee really wanted to buy fabric and an Indian top but we both found the task too grueling.  Between the constant “bait and switch” and need to bargain constantly, we finally just gave up.  It didn’t help that Aimee almost got gored by a sidewalk cow.  Shopping for women is supposed to be fun, not work.