Thursday, August 23, 2007

One Afternoon In Hawa Mahal

While I started from my hotel, it was late afternoon. The sun was about to set. But the red shadows still hovered over the firmament. I called a rickshaw puller to take me to the famous visiting places nearby. The Rajasthani rickshaws have a typical outlook. Generally, their sizes are larger than found in any other places. They are also painted with different dazzling colours. As my rickshaw was moving slowly, it was better for me to realise and enjoy the traditional lifestyle and culture of Rajasthani people. Ya.... the modern trend of jeans and capri haven’t engulfed the generation totally. I found most of them wearing long Kurtas and pajamas. The women sect were found dressed with conventional garments. The traditional sound coming out from the flute, enchanted me a lot. The roads were almost clean. There was no traffic jam on my way. But the air was still hot. Gradually, we arrived in front of the Hawa Mahal. I was just spellbound at its outlook. A grand existence having a superb blending of Rajput architectural essence and Mughal artistry, won my heart at its first sight. As it was my first time visit to Hawa Mahal, therefore, it was very much natural for me to get wondered. I told the rickshaw puller to wait outside because I wanted to have a closer look of this supercilious existence.

As I stepped inside, I found that it was comprised of five floors. The caring attitude of the Rajput Rulers for their wives was really great. Hawa Mahal is the living instance. At those contemporary days, women could not be appeared directly infront of the outer world. To make them aware what was going on outside, the Hawa mahal was built. In those contemporary days, women peeped through those casements and became aware what was happening outside. I wandered like a child throughout the Mahal. Even I didn’t forget to peep through the windows to enjoy the outside view. It was a marvellous experience for me. Moreover, I would like to mention about the maintenance of the entire palace by the concerned authorities. The floor is polished too much that any one could be slipped if he/she was not careful. Everything was neat and clean. Decades have passed, but Hawa Mahal seems to me as a newly built palace. How speedily two hours were elapsed away there, I could not recall that. Then I returned back to my hotel.

Still now, when I lay on my divan in leisure hours, the mellifluent sound of Rajasthani flutes reverberates in my ears. While I reminisce about my experience there, I find that as a lively one.