There have been countless stories and folklores surrounding Rajasthan. Starting from the times of Sri Satyajit Ray who directed the blockbuster Sonar Kella to more recent television shows that deliberate on the supposedly haunted ruins of Bhangar and Kuldhara. Though Mr. Ray’s depiction of the majestic Golden Fort and the beautiful cities of Rajasthan was pretty close to its original beauty, most of the later media presentations in popular culture have not been able to do justice to the historic place.
The vast undulating sand dunes and the monolithic castles spread out atop barren hills are quintessential to the culture and symbol of our nation. They can be regarded as being just as important to our country as are the castles of Transylvania to Gothic literature – more particularly, Bram Stoker’s famous novel! However, the attractive feature of the state of Rajasthan does not lie in the presence of the supernatural but in the history of the cultures and emperors that played a part in shaping it as it is today.
A person travelling to Rajasthan for the first time is bound to have his/her wits blown to pieces at the first sight. To start with, the number of forts mesmerizes the senses. There is hardly another state in India except Maharashtra that has been blessed with so many vestiges of the preceding millennium. Take a closer look at the name: Rajasthan. The first four letters describe a king – Raja – and it is no joke that every person who steps foot inside that magical state is momentarily transported to the world of kings.
Locals in a certain part of Jodhpur speak of an incident when a tourist started speaking like a king and demanded to be treated as a part of the royalty! It so happened that he had visited a fort on his second day of arrival in Rajasthan. Since the palaces have tremendous historical significance, most tourists are advised to take guides along with them so that they can enumerate the stories that are associated with the place. This man had eagerly listened to all of the stories that the guide had to tell; there was probably a war, the subjugation of a king, the victory parade and a royal coronation. When the tour ended, the person was seen standing with his eyes closed in front of an armor kept as a display.
Photo by Mohit GuptaThe guide informed him that the tour was over. On hearing this, the man opened his eyes and looked at the guide with a clear expression of annoyance. It is said that the guide then watched in amusement as the man walked straight into an antique shop located a few yards away from the fort, picked up a fake sword put on display in the shop and struck a pose.
Bewildered, the shop owner thought that the man was probably trying to select the perfect imitation sword that would complement his look and also lend the air of ‘royalty’ to him. He politely asked the man whether he wanted to get his photo clicked, and also complimented him saying that he looked like a king indeed. To this the man, it is claimed, suddenly said, “Look like a king?! I am the King, fool!” Nothing is known about what happened afterwards, any verifiable links to this story have not been discovered as of yet, but there is one thing for certain that this story proves. It is the fact that Rajasthan is synonymous with royalty, and that to such an extent that urban folklores revolve around people from metropolitan cities who start imagining themselves as kings.
Photo by Mohit GuptaThere are very few places in the world that can boast of being famous because of what had taken place on its soil in the past. Rajasthan is one of them. From the majestic Mughals to the fearless Rajputs, the conflicts between the two have engendered stories that subsequent generations have repeatedly looked back to. Besides, the confluence of so many cultures and traditions has given rise to a variety of delicacies that is known as the Rajasthani cuisine at present. From spellbinding hotel stays to fantastical visitations from the past, Rajasthan will forever be the refuge of past centuries.
What are you waiting for? Book your tickets now. And firm up your visit to this majestic state in Western India.
Written By Paul Palathingal
Week 10, March 2021
