A New Heritage Walk in Jaipur
This morning I went to the Hawa Mahal, better known as the Palace of the Winds in Jaipur to try out the new heritage walk designed by Australian audio guide masters Narrowcasters. Their previous guides at Mehrangarh Fort and New Delhi’s National Museum have received rave reviews so I was intrigued to see how the new walk through the famous pink city would work.
I set off with Fiona Caufield, author of the Love Travel Guides who is working on a new guide to Jaipur, bright and early to avoid the heat of the summer sun. We were lucky enough to also be escorted by Mudra who shows you the way, which can often be surprisingly elusive! From the Hawa Mahal we were led into beautiful temples and up to fantastic view points. Along the way the audio guide explained the history of the city and introduced us to various experts who talked about architecture and crafts in the area. Mudra also really knew her stuff and added lots of extra information as we walked through the markets to the royal observatory and around the grand courtyards of the city palace complex.
By the time we had finished an hour and a half later the sun was high in the sky and the streets were bustling with enthusiastic shoppers. The highlight of our tour was the Sri Govindji temple where groups of ladies dressed in brightly coloured saris danced for the revered Krishna statue. The priest blessed us as we left the temple with sandal wood on our foreheads and a roli, a kind of holy thread that brings good luck.
The audio guide is a bargain at 110 rupees (£1.50) and is a brilliant way to explore this corner of the old city. To include the tour as part of your holiday to Rajasthan contact India Beat.
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