“Pic of the Week”, March 3, 2023: A Puppet Show in Jaipur

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Often a few unexpected moments are what make a trip memorable.
As we were heading for a visit to the Palace in Jaipur, we noted a puppet show had drawn a small crowd to it.  We stopped for a few minutes and watched. Seemed the hero of the show was a snake-charmer who calmed a cobra that slithered on stage.  You can follow the actions of snake and charmer in the few images in the slide show below (images are placed in sequence taken).

(Puppeteer in Jaipur)

When the crowd thinned, one of the puppet masters emerged.  I like his turban.
(Click on thumbnnails to enlarge photos)
 
 

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A Wedding in Jaipur

01 A Wedding in Jaipur (2)

If there’s anything more colorful than a wedding in India, I’m not sure what that would be.  It’s uncommon for a group of tourists to be invited to a wedding celebration; this unique opportunity arose because our tour guide was a good friend of the groom, hence the invite.
Indian weddings are still mostly arranged affairs, the parents picking appropriate mates for their children.  I personally believe that marriage for love is better, but the Indians are happy with their system and it seems to fairly work well for them.  Marriages in India are as stable as those anywhere in the world.
We arrived at the rented venue, part of a total of about 250 people ultimately attending.  We were invited to …

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“Pic of the Week”, January 10, 2020: Lassiwala in Jaipur

03 Lassiwala Yogurt shop, Jaipur

 ‘Lassiwala’ is an Indian term for someone who makes lassi, a thick sweetened yogurt beverage.  This particular shop in Jaipur is the best known in the city and is considered by some to have the finest lassi in India.  It has been visited by politicians, celebrities and many thousands of tourists.  LassiWala has been serving its famous drink for over 70 years. 

We visited the shop very early one morning, just after dawn.  The place already had several people waiting for their drink, which is scooped from a large bowl when ordered.   The beverage is cool, frothy, refreshing and delicious.

Lassi is served in hand made red clay cups (mitti ka kulhad) of the kind so common in Rajasthan.  Once used, the cup is …

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Jantar Mantar — A Visit to the Royal Observatory of Jaipur

27 Jantar Mantar, Jaipur . Brihat Samrat Yantra

Jantar Mantar is a walled astronomical observation compound which adjoins the Royal Palace of Jaipur.  It’s home to a collection of astronomical instruments — many massive — and was built in the eighteenth century by the Rajput king Sawai Jai Singh.  The site was completed in 1734 and is an interesting hybrid of masonry, brass and science.  Although it was abandoned in the 19th century and fell into disrepair, the site has been restored and is well preserved (the best in India).  It is notable for being home to the world’s largest stone sundial, but I found all the instruments to be interesting.

Even a non-sophisticated or lay astronomer can have a sense of wonder at complexity of the instrumentation, and …

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