Ila Garg: Language & Culture

What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you say - JAIPUR…?

Jaipur… well… Pink City? Think more… Culture? Art? History? Colors? Yes… now you are moving in right direction… Jaipur is full of colors. You step out in the streets, and your eyes instantly meet a feast of colors! The markets are full of irresistible clothes and jewellery… Yes, the ethnic jewellery! It’s like a revisit to the traditional India that we all hear about or read in textbooks. It will leave you mesmerized and let you breathe… Unlike big cities, where life is lived in a haste, Jaipur provides you a calm aura. It like to move at ease. Nobody is in a hurry, Jaipurwalas believe that life should be enjoyed and they make sure that it is reflected throughout the city. The cuisine, the clothes, the way they speak, all of it has a grace and charm of its own that will surely leave a lasting impression on you. The apnapan of Jaipur is hard to ignore and that is why, today I take you through the lanes of this beautiful city. Here are 10 things that you just can’t miss to indulge in while on a trip to Jaipur.

1. Treat yourself to some Delicacies: Jaipur maybe known for a lot of things but the food stands out among all its specialties. It’s a paradise for food lovers. This time when you visit Jaipur, take out time to explore some of the popular joints here - Nand Gol Gappe Wala, located in Raja Park, offers hands down the best economical and hygienic gol gappes in the city. Julie Furniture Bhel Puri Wala will leave you claiming that you have had the best bhel puri ever! Sampat’s kachori is yet another thing to look out for… Banna Ji Coffee Shop, located aside Mr. Beans at 22 Godam, is definitely a great coffee shop and a nice hangout spot with just the best ambiance. Jaipur aaye aur paan na khaaye!! Don’t even think of missing this out… you dare not call yourself a fan of paan if you haven't heard the name of Anu Mobile Paan Bhandar. Initially run in a Maruti Van, with time and efforts this joint earned a big name for itself, big enough to supply Jaipuriya paan for Saifeena’s wedding. Winters and ice creams… sounds like crazy! Saras Parlour offers the best ice cream for you to gorge on… And the list goes on and on… C’mon… Get, set, and eat…

2. Click-o-Mania: Photography lovers get your shutters ready… and click, click, click. The best thing to do in Jaipur is to wake up early in the morning and go on a photo-walk… The view from Nahargarh Fort at 6 in the morning is breath-taking and you can’t afford to let it go. You can rope in some of your friends and experience the calmness of the city. The Jaipurwalas are never in a rush, so the city stays peaceful till late morning hours…. In a nutshell, the ideal time to explore the city is 6-10 in the morning. An evening can be well spent at Birla Mandir.

3. The Royal Appeal: The list goes bigger and better here… Jaipur is the Royal City full of majestic Palaces and Forts that sing of its timeless glory. Amber Fort, City Palace, Jaigarh Fort, Rambagh Palace, Sheesh Mahal, Hawa Mahal, Jal Mahal, Samodh Palace, Nahargarh Fort, Jantar Mantar observatory… and so on. The city has been an eyewitness to the days of galore, when legends and sagas were sung in traditional folk songs for the beautiful queens and princesses. Jaipur is a mysterious land of snake charmers, enigmatic royal safaris, vivid colors and festivities!

4. Cultural Treat: Jaipur epitomizes the adventurous spirit of Rajputana. In spite of growing into a busy metropolis, it has managed to retain its character and rich cultural heritage. It has carried forth with it the traditions of yesteryear… Jaipur thus is a beautiful fusion of age old values and modernity. The music and dance reflects the culture of the city most aptly. Rajasthani music is so appealing to the senses that the listener can’t stop his/her feet from swaying to the beats. The iktara is used to play soothing tunes and the famous dance forms include ghoomer and kalbelia. Mehndi too plays an important role at times of celebration. Kite flying tradition of the city seems to be undying too. The language of Jaipurwalas is a very soft spoken language and can win hearts of other people. Learning the language and engaging in dialogues with local people is one way to have fun.

5. Puppet Shows: Jaipur’s most popular form of folk entertainment and traditional occupation is the Puppet Shows. The art of puppetry is practiced by a community of agricultural laborers of Rajasthan, known as the Bhats. No village fair, no religious festival and no social gathering in Jaipur can be complete without these shows. The puppets are also known as kathputlis, where kath is wood and putli is doll. These puppets are readily available in markets of Jaipur and form a wonderful gift. The puppeteers use the strings to move the puppets around the stage. A lot of interesting short stories are narrated through these puppets, making it a thorough learning experience. The pair of Moomal-Mahendra, Dhola-Maru and other legendary pairs are still popular with the general and local folk in Jaipur. Such shows can be seen at Nahargarh Fort, Hawa Mahal, and many more places in Jaipur.

6. Bike Racing: I know what you are thinking!! Jaipur and Bikes? How’s that even possible… but then Jaipur is a blend of both the worlds. As much as its cultural roots are strong, it has embraced the

modern source of entertainment too. There are various clubs and organizations taking this forward. SAAHAS (Society for Adventure Awareness Humanity & Automobile Sports) is dedicated to promote motor sports and is on the way to develop Jaipur, Rajasthan as the most popular International destination for Motor Racing by regularly organizing variety of Motor Sport Events which provide a platform to Amateur Motor Racing Enthusiasts. SAAHAS also offers proper guidance to the youngsters who are passionate for Adventure on Wheels. This organization is registered under Rajasthan Society Registration Act, 1958 & is affiliated member of The Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India.

7. The Safaris: Completely drenched in extravagance, the city offers camel, horse, and elephant

safaris. Camel Safari is arranged by Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC). Camel rides in Jaipur city attract large number of tourist every year. In ancient times, the elephant was used as a Royal Vehicle for the Kings. One can enjoy the heritage trip of the Pink City on these elephants and get a feel of royalty, especially while visiting Amber Fort. During Holi festival, an elephant festival is also held every year in Jaipur. A game of Polo is the main highlight of the program. The horses were earlier used by the Rajputs and Royal families of Rajasthan in battle fields and for hunting. Nowadays, one can enjoy horse riding during Jaipur Tour. For security reasons, tamed camels, elephants, and horses are used for the ride. These safaris will add to your memories of the city and give it a tinge of adventure.

8. The colorful markets: Did you say shopping? I can see that smile across your face broadening! For the shopaholics, Jaipur is a perfect destination. The markets in Jaipur are full of hand-looms and trinkets. The multi-hued dresses add to the color and vividness of the markets. The bangles are a sure shot buy. You can take a lot of good stuff for family and friends. The bazaar offers a wide range of ethnic jewellery, handicrafts, textiles, the mirror work on clothes and other items, the colorful dupattas, precious gemstones, the pottery, and the leather goods. The Johri Bazaar is most famous for inexpensive gold and silver jewellery, the Bapu Bazaar offers crafts and home décor items. Also, you can find camel leather bags near Hawa Mahal.

9. The Literature Hub: The city of palaces date literature and it is magical. Jaipur attracts the lovers of literature from all around the globe every year. The Jaipur Literature Festival is widely known and hundreds of people visit the historic Diggi Palace Hotel to attend it. Authors from India and abroad address the various sessions that consist of readings, discussions, and questions and answers segment. One can catch up with these authors, buy their books, and get them signed too. In addition, drink the Pushkari chai, eat the Diggipuri and slurp on the molten choco lava. Live music performances are also staged in the evenings.

10. Of hot air balloons and the metros: The city is also acknowledged for its hot air balloon rides. As you sail over the Pink City, the beauty of the historical monuments, placid

lake and the never-ending stretch of golden sand will surely leave you in a trance. Please mind the gap, there may be short delays in the journey, please do not sit on the floor, beware of pickpockets inside the train, male passengers are advised not to sit on the seats reserved for ladies, please do not obstruct the automatic doors; doing this is a punishable offense… Oh! By the way Jaipur City is now enjoying metro rides too. Do I need to say more?

You can also visit chowki dhani for a mini Rajasthan’s experience and can taste the traditional food items like daal, baati, choorma. And by the time you will relax in the afternoon, you will find yourself crooning to - Shaam Gulabi, Sehar Gulabi, Dopaher gulabi, hai gulabi ye sheher. Main bhi gulabi, tu hai gulabi, Din bhi gulabi, hai gulabi ye keher… The city will make you fall in love with the aura!

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Sanskrit is one language that our ancestors have left us with but so far what have we done with it? Nothing! We have degraded the language and still continue to neglect it most of the time.

All our ancient scriptures are written in the pious language of Sanskrit. At one point of time, it was considered the language of Brahmins, a language to be respected. It was a privilege to learn and converse in the language. Even speculations were raised to make it India’s national language but they were soon dismissed.

Plight is such that today, the youngsters run away from the language and are happily adapting to the English language as it appears trendier in comparison. Sanskrit has been marginalized as a result and English is soon replacing its earlier status. The lamp lit in reverence of Sanskrit language is now flickering by the strong tides and winds of Western culture.

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One of the major reason for the degrading status of Sanskrit language can be the rejection of Indian culture by the teenagers. They are no longer inclined towards their own culture as the fascination of West has taken over their mindsets.

Today, a degree in Sanskrit language holds no importance. The teachers teaching the language don’t have the same status as the ones who teach English. As soon as the students are given the choice between Sanskrit, Hindi, and sometimes even French, they either choose Hindi or French, but Sanskrit is always a big ‘no’. So where are we going wrong?

The country and the citizens are going through a major change and though this change is not that bad, but the roots should not be let lose else in no time, the tree dies out. This simple logic is often ignored by the natives. The keepers of the language that is, the Brahmins and the priests are themselves becoming a part of the corrupted society. This has made the common men directionless and unable to decide what’s best for them. Knowing English language is a good thing, in fact, in today’s world it is necessary to know it since it is the official language, but breaking ties with the cultural language is not the right thing. However, with globalization seeping in, it’s hard to keep the cultural ties intact.

I believe, people are blinded by the charm of the English language and the Western culture that is leaving them with no time to reconnect with their oldest language. The language is undeniably losing its relevance and nobody cares.

Though there seems to be no hope left for the rekindling of the love and respect for the Sanskrit language, yet in my opinion, if we continue to bring in more experimental ways to highlight the essential and interesting aspects of the language, we can retrieve back. Denizens of India need to revisit history and understand that what they are moving away from is not just a language, but a cultural history in itself.