Brown Rock Chat or Indian Chat (Cercomela fusca) is one of my favourite birds. I love their handsome pose, inquisitivenss, bobbing action and soft calls. Above all, I love the fact that Brown Rock Chats come and visit me at my home every day! Here are some photographs taken from my balcony in Jaipur (India), in November 2009.

In the hospitality world today minute details that provide perceived value in the guest’s mind is what ultimately makes a Hotel beautiful as well as practical. We at The Fern Ecotel, Jaipur are happy to educate everyone with only one motto TRAVEL GREEN

This presentation will bring to light the plight of the natural environment due to our negligence.

In the hospitality world today minute details that provide perceived value in the guest’s mind is what ultimately makes a Hotel beautiful as well as practical. We at The Fern Ecotel, Jaipur are happy to educate everyone with only one motto TRAVEL GREEN

This presentation will bring to light the plight of the natural environment due to our negligence.

In the hospitality world today minute details that provide perceived value in the guest’s mind is what ultimately makes a Hotel beautiful as well as practical. We at The Fern Ecotel, Jaipur are happy to educate everyone with only one motto TRAVEL GREEN

This presentation will bring to light the plight of the natural environment due to our negligence.

If you do not live near the Man Sagar why would you want to go there far a walk  at day break? It is a good question. The answer is because  I like to take pretty pictures. And sun rise is the best part of the day if you ask me. It is a different dawn every day. And each is prettier than the last one. There are birds, there are flowers and desert vegetation and paved paal to walk on. There is even a guy selling tea even before dawn. If you ask him he will serve your tea in disposable cups.There is even a Cafe Coffee Day at a petrol pump just opposite the lake which one presume is open during the day.Later in the day you can get Camel and Elephant rides too.You get a good walk, some fresh air and get to capture the changing moods of Jal Mahal Palace and the Man sagar Lake  in your camera.

Jaipur is one of the most sought after destinations in India, where tourists from around the world to the Royal capital of Rajasthan experience. The Rose Pink City founded by Maharaja Jai Singh II, is the first well-planned city in India. It is a great city on all sides by rugged mountains, castles and surrounded by walls.

The city has a rich cultural heritage that one encounters in every nook and cranny of the city. It is a living example of the Indian customs,Traditions, culture and rich heritage. Everything that contributes to the city, a certain similarity with the culture and traditions of the Rajputs and the Royal Family.

Today Jaipur is transformed into an important business center, with all the requirements for a major city. Rosa painted the town attracts admiration and appreciation for each visitor. As a royal city, the ancient monument commemorating and witnessed one of the past. For the tourists the city is home to the famousStructures like Hawa Mahal, City Palace and Amber Fort, which may be cited as the best examples of architecture in India. Artistic temples and gardens of Jaipur, lend an atmosphere of peace to the land of Rajasthan. This pink city welcomes thousands of visitors from around the world over, and serves them with numerous accommodation options. The accommodation is never a problem in the city with well-appointed hotel in Jaipur. The beautiful land of royal forts and palaces, Jaipur is the numberwere converted from old palaces into heritage hotels.

Jaipur city buildings and festivals confirmed the fact that there is a royal and magnificent city. The city and its surrounding regions is an endless museum. It may even be a variety of crafts and the famous Jaipur jewelry. The people in the city today to celebrate their traditions in the form of various festivals like Kite festival, Elephant festival and many others, of Indian origin. The city is a must visitCity and with an exceptional infrastructure, make way for a pleasant stay. The city offers a wide range of luxury, deluxe, heritage and budget hotels, which you can choose according to need and budget. The luxury hotels offer world-class ambience, right in line with international standards. Boutique Hotels in Jaipur is a popular option for most tourists.

How I’ve longed to say these 3 words (No No … “Back to Civilization”). After a short ‘n sweet six month stint in Bangalore, I was combo packed with my life … and sanity and chucked to Ludhiana. Oh Wait. I did have a nice – royal one month sojourne’ in Jaipur and Jodhpur.

Anyhow, what began then was … Shit I’m so troubled by the mere recollection of the story that the words just scamper away from the mind.

No point really in dwelling in the past. As I’ve already said, I’m just glad to be back to Civilization. Back to long, irritating traffic jams. Back to bad road sense and driving manners. Minimal Powercuts. 5 day weeks (Awwright !). ‘Co-ed’ Parties . Impossible to solve parking problems. Marriage parties bang in the middle of the road. Chicks . English Movies ! Hard Rock Cafe`. Delhi Winters. GK M Block market. Khan Market. Big Chill. (I could just go on and on and on…)

Also, (hopefully) back to blogging as well with Suds 4.0 !

If you are a novice in the kitchen and know enough cooking to boil water this recipe is for you. We are just going to assemble a few processed goodies and some vegetables and rice to make a wonderful meal.

Time Taken : About 40 Minutes

Serves: 2 Persons

Ingredients:
1 packet Chinese Manchurian Knorr make a meal
1 cube Maggi Chicken concentrate OR 1 cube Maggi Vegetable concentrate
2 Cups of Soya Chunks
1 small onion
1 small carrot
1/2 a  small  cabbage
1 small capsicum OR 2 Big green Chilies
2 spring onions
Some red OR green chili sauce
Some vinegar and green  chili  sauce
1 cup rice
salt
ghee

Method:

Wash the rice in cold water. Soak the rice for 20 minutes in cold water.Throw away the water used to soak the water.  Take 2 cups of water in a pan add the soaked  rice,  a pinch of  salt and a little ghee and cover the pan with a lid and boil the rice on Simmer setting of your gas burner till the rice is tender.( Do not stir the rice while it is cooking.The rice will be cooked by the time all the water is used up. )

Grate all the vegetables and mince the spring onions. Put the spring onions aside.Take a wok add a little ghee and sauté the vegetables for 5 minutes. Add 3 cups of water to the vegetables. Add the chinese Knorr Manchurian make a meal mixture and bring to boil. Simmer for 5 minutes. Set aside.
In a little water boil the chicken cube or the vegetable cube ( as per your taste) and set aside.
Boil 4 cups of water in a pan add 1/4 tea-spoon salt and add 2 cups of Soya chunks and boil for 10 minutes. Use a strainer to get rid of the water used to boil the Soya chunks and to wash them in cold fresh water. Squeeze out the excess water.Put some ghee in a wok and fry the Soya chunks till they are a little brown. Add the boiled chicken or vegetable concentrate to the wok and bring to boil till the chunks absorb the concentrate a little and add the mixture of Soya chunks and concentrate to the Manchurian sauce.Garnish with the minced spring onions.

Your meal is ready. Use the chili  sauce as per your taste.

COOK IT UP A RECIPE WEB SITE

Today did not get off to the best start, we got ripped off by nearly every rickshaw driver and the hotel tried to fleece us with a complimentary car which wasn’t exactly complimentary.  All that aside we realised we had not seen Jaipur proper yet and it turned out to be quite a charming city with the added bonus that we ran into the French family again.  The best thing that came out of today was the discovery of the ultimate mullet as pictured below.

The ultimate mullet

Having already had experience with the Indian railways I felt certain there could be no confusion as we approached our second train journey and I was mostly correct.  We nervously asked a few people where our carriage would arrive on the platform, but in the end it was pretty clear.  The most interesting thing about this journey was the French family sitting next to us.  PZ and I had differing opinions of how they were all related to each other, but of course I was right.  First impressions of Jaipur are not great, but we are approaching that point in the trip where we are a little travel weary so I feel it’s note entirely the fault of Jaipur.  PZ was too hasty in washing off the greeting from our hotel in Jaipur so a solo pic for today.

Upon arrival at our hotel in Jaipur

When I go traveling, I say yes to things I usually say no to. Think meals with strangers, uncertain water, cover charges, transport in autorickshaws, and puddles of ghee on my rotis.

Past 10 days : adventure. Now : predictable stomach ache. Here are a few misty sights from the route.

Red Fort, Delhi

Also at the Red Fort, the Diwan-i-Khas

Taj Teaser

Agra Fort, also red

Agra's Nobility

Relaxing around the estate

Hawa Mahal, the back, Jaipur

Jain Temple, close by Virat Nagar, Rajasthan

And finally, the architecture I actually traveled all that way to see

Next two days : marathon story of Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, and Virat Nagar before I go to Tamil Nadu on Monday.

WELCOME FRIENDS TO DIAMOND WORLD COMPANY.

In 2006, I was dying for some clarity in my life.  I needed to get away and really experience life somewhere else, so I convinced my parents to come to India with me.  We traveled to Baroda, Mt. Abu, Jaipur, and Agra and I got exactly what I was searching for.  For the Baroda to Mt. Abu leg of the trip we traveled via train and let me tell you, sleeping on the top bunk of a sleeper car and being stuck there for about 18 hours is NOT fun.  But I thought it was an awesome experience to travel like the locals do.  I got to see the sunset in Mt. Abu (almost eye level!) and met some monkeys there too   We visited the Ambaji Temple just as they were starting the nightly aarti and I’ve never felt so uplifted.   Standing on the white marble floor listening to the tablas beating loudly, something inside of me just started dancing.  It was probably the most memorable aarti I’ve experienced.  No pictures were allowed, so my memory is all I’ve got.

I loved Jaipur.  The architecture is so beautiful and there’s so much history there.  We visited some of the old palaces and made our way to the top of one where a section was closed off.  Turns out it was where they filmed Mughal e- Azam decades ago.  My dad is as much of a Bollywood lover as I am, so he convinced the guard to let me go in so I could see it.  I walked into the room and it was magical, there was bits of glass everywhere and the room started to sparkle when even a little ray of sun hit the room.  They filmed the song Pyar Kiya To Darna Kya in the room I was standing in; there’s a bit of magic to be felt when you’re standing in a room that has obviously aged and deteriorated, but once was the set of one of the most beautiful songs/movies in Bollywood.

My parents had never been to the Taj Mahal, so this part of the trip was especially special.   I’m not sure how to describe how it feels to stand in front of the building…overwhelming?  mind blowing?  beautiful times 1000?  The reaction on my parents faces was priceless.

Starting this year, a new crown will be placed on the head of Miss Earth. Designed by Jeweler Ramona Haar, this is how it is described in the official Miss Earth website:

“Preservation of the planet Earth is one of the most important considerations when the new Miss Earth crown was created. The masterpiece was designed by an ecologically minded Jewelry Designer, Ramona Haar, and Official Jeweler of the Miss Earth pageant.

To lessen the environmental impact that mining creates, the crown is made of 100% recycled precious metals comprising of 14K Gold and Argentums Sterling Silver. What sets this crown apart is the fact that the gemstones used both precious and semi-precious were donations from over 80 different participating countries. These are gemstones that each country is known for either as the origin or source. The gemstones were sent in various forms: faceted, cabochons, beads or rough. The designer travelled to Jaipur, India to have these gemstones individually cut and faceted to the required cut and sizes.

The Flower as the central design represents Mother Earth and as Ralph Waldo Emerson puts it “The earth laughs in flowers”. The recurring spiral motif has always been associated with Maternal Power and Feminine Prestige which is the Essence of Miss Earth. The gentle curves symbolizes Unity and the Spirit of Cooperation.”

Ramona Haar's design of the new Miss Earth crown

Miss Earth 2008 with the new crown.

Availing a golden triangle tour in India means you are going to explore all the prominent tourist attractions of Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. Destinations such as –Delhi, Agra and Jaipur during his/her leisure moment, then his/her India tour is incompleteMany tourists plan to visit India only to see the wonderful architectural monument of Agra i.e. Taj Mahal. Some tourists plane to make their India tour to explore the royal and colorful charm of Pink City whereas some plane to take a trip to India to experience the metropolitan and sophisticated life of capital city of India i.e. New Delhi where they get chance to explore many historical and other tourist attraction sites. But, if you get chance to explore all these three charming destinations through an exclusive tour package i.e. Golden Triangle Tour Package in India, then you can imagine the significance of this personalized tour package. Indeed, the golden triangle tour package in India offers best tour interlay through which tourists not only get chance to take a glimpse of world’s wonder Taj Mhala only but they also get opportunity to see other historical monuments of Agra, such as-Fatehpur Sikri, Sikandra: the tomb of Akbar and many others. Similarly, they also visit many heritage sites of Jaipur and Delhi such as- Hawa Mahal (Palace of winds), City Square & Palace, Albert hall museum in Jaipur and Kutub Miniar, Red Fort, Lotus temple, Akshardham Temple and many more other sites in Delhi.
Depending on your limitation of overnight stay, this tour package molds its schedule of overnight night stay as per your suitability. The most important thing about this golden triangle tour package is that it can be covered in very short duration. Some golden triangle tour packages are made of 2 nights and three days involvement and some are made of more than 2 overnight stay throughout the tour. It depends up on you that how much period you have planned to spend for your leisure.
Some golden triangle tour packages are attached with some other tourist destinations apart from Delhi, Agra and Jaipur. Like if a tourist is a wildlife lover then he/she can choose ‘Golden Triangle Tour with Birds and Tiger Tour’. Such kind of golden triangle tours are intended to offer a choice tour with a popular tour package Such some popular tour packages with golden triangle tour are Golden Triangle with Lake City Udaipur, Golden Triangle Tour with Ganges and Golden Triangle and Bandhavgarh with Khajuraho.

Jaipur, es la capital del estado de Rajastán en la India, y actualmente cuenta con 2,7 millones de habitantes, y todos con casas rosas.

Y es que como símbolo de su hospitalidad y con motivo de la visita del Príncipe de Gales en 1.905, la ciudad construida en estuco pintó todos sus edificios de color rosa. Y no es para menos, pues le debían su existencia a la protección británica gracias al tratado de 1818. Fijando un tributo anual, consiguieron eliminar todos los conflictos internos, así como las peleas entre los jefes de Jaipur y Jodhpur, que llevaron al estado al borde la ruina.

Actualmente el maharajá de Jaipur, Bhawani Singh, ejerce un papel fundamentalmente cultural y mantiene su residencia en un pabellón privado del palacio real de Jaipur, aunque reside habitualmente en Londres.

Más información

Os pongo algunas fotos del Palacio de los vientos de Jaipur, construido en 1799 por el marahá Sawai Pratap Singh. Servía como extensión de la zenana o cámara de las mujeres destinada al harén. La función original del edificio era la de permitir a las mujeres reales observar la vida cotidiana de las calles de la ciudad sin ser vistas.

Until the summer I’d never really considered watching a Bollywood movie.  Having worked in a cinema I’d seen snippets of some of the epics produced by the east, but I’d never fancied sitting through a mushy three-hour love story and tolerating either the bad dubbing or the eyeball-sapping subtitles.

The closest I had got was, like most of the rest of the world, watching Danny Boyle’s fantastic Slumdog Millionaire, though even that hadn’t piqued my interest sufficiently to explore the scene further.

But, as the saying goes, “When in Rome…”  So when in Jaipur in August I went to Raj Mandir, widely described as India’s best cinema, to see Love Aaj Kal.  The whole experience was a delightful coalescence of East and West – after four weeks of parathas and rice and a vegetarian diet I tucked into a McDonald’s chicken burger and followed it up with an ice-cream with some gusto, before crossing the road and going back into the Raj Mandir.

Got shouted at for taking this picture...

The inside is deliciously opulent, with sweeping stairways and big chandeliers.  I was admonished for taking photographs by a woman dressed like a maharani, so I went and explored the food offerings – the usual popcorn and confectionery, but also a range of Indian snacks like samosas and pakoras.

Tickets come in three different bands; I was automatically given the diamond rate as a tourist, which meant I was sat in a balcony on a very comfy reclining seat rather than sat on the harder seats down below.  It was a Tuesday night but it was still packed; cinema is big business in India. 

The audience cheered and whooped along as the on-screen frissons developed into relationships, break-ups and then ultimately a nicely tied-up wedding; pretty conventional stuff, but it was high on entertainment and dancing.  One especially memorable scene took place in London and saw a dancing beefeater emerge from a red phone box and end up in a nightclub (check his moves in the song link below).

It was very easy to follow what was going on as there were occasional words and conversations in English, and the plot wasn’t exactly deep.  The soundtrack was much more heavily integrated into the film than in Hollywood movies, with frequent song-and-dance routines performed by the characters.

The film was a Bollywood blockbuster, and the song Twist was playing everywhere (as was Jai Ho from Slumdog) – I managed to pick up a copy of the soundtrack for less than a quid in Kathmandu’s equivalent of HMV, and still haven’t tired of it.  Now the challenge is to find the DVD in time for Christmas…

Experience Rajasthan’s beautiful Pink City Jaipur, was the stronghold of a clan of rulers whose three hill forts and series of palaces in the city are important attractions. Known as the Pink City because of the colour of the stone used exclusively in the walled city, Jaipur’s bazaars sell embroidered leather shoes, blue pottery, tie and dye scarves and other exotic wares. Western Rajasthan itself forms a convenient circuit, in the heart of the Thar desert which has shaped its history, lifestyles and architecture.  - all you  need in a valueless vacation for your love ones, forget the conventional holiday. Indulge yourselves in these truly unforgetable vacation.
We have homestays in many India cities as well as popular tourist areas, and our network is growing rapidly Jaipur pride gives you the luxury of choosing your stay from the wide spectrum of properties at various prime locations in Jaipur

visit our website www.pridehomestay.com

A Brahminy Starling (Sturnus pagodarum) at our neighbour’s house in Jaipur, India, seconds before it took off! (Photo date: November 13, 2009)

November has been a month full of accidents for Indian Railways:

• Nov.11 – Mysore-Ajmer Express derailed near Pune, as a result five passengers were seriously injured.
• Nov.4 - Gandhidham Bangalore Express derailed at Dombivli near Mumbai. Four of the total 11 coaches which derailed were heavily damaged. 12 passengers were reportedly injured in the incident, however no deaths were reported.
• Nov.2 – Gorakhpur-Ayodhya passenger train collided with a truck killing 14 and injuring scores.

A railway personnel informed about diversion of 24 and cancellation of 2 trains as a result of the accident.

Railways have opened Helplines for people to get information about the accident:

• Jodhpur Helpline no.: 0291-2636683, 0291-2002964
• Jaipur Helpline no.: 0141-2201567
• BSNL toll free no.: 18001806131

Update 1:

NowPublic

Hi Friends, Walk-in interviews for jobs – 14/11/09 and 15/11/09 – Nov 14/15 – Sat/sun.

Hot Walkins [Sourced by Company HR Directly]:

Walkin Interviews at TOP companies of India – November 14/15 2009 (nov 14th/15th – sat/sun)

More Walkins ? http://jumbowalkin.com

Good luck and a great weekend!