An Artist in Jaipur

Jantar Mantar, Jaipur

The Jantar Mantar in Jaipur, unlike the one I wrote about in Delhi, is beautifully renovated and maintained, and people are prohibited from climbing atop the various instruments. There were several tours happening as we walked through, and people taking pictures. Though I'm an ardent supporter of historic preservation, there was something more endearing and inviting about the Delhi Jantar Mantar; people actively using the instruments as they were not meant to be used (as giant playgrounds).

Colaba/Cuffe Parade Reclamation Revisited

The above plan from 1911 (looking south) for a full reclamation of Cuffe Parade was only partially realized. I had posted earlier, and even earlierer about this, and was slightly mistaken in my explanation of why the reclamation was not completed. The current map of Mumbai (after the jump) looks incomplete because of issues raised by the Koli fishermen in the area, who feared a full reclamation of the land would severely damage their livelihoods. They took their case to court and won, leaving the reclamation work unfinished.

Amber Fort, Jaipur

It was the ancient citadel of the ruling Kachhawa clan of Amber, before the capital was shifted to present day Jaipur. Built over the remnants of an earlier structure, the palace complex which stands today was commenced under the reign of Raja Man Singh, Commander in Chief of Akbar’s army and a member of the Emperor's inner circle of nine courtiers, in 1592. The initial structure of the fort was entirely completed by his descendant, Jai Singh I. Amber was modified by successive rulers over the next 150 years, until the Kachwahas shifted their capital to Jaipur during the time of Sawai Jai Singh II. --Wikipedia (Whatever, I can use Wikipedia, this isn't an essay.)

Delhi Metro

When entering the Metro in Delhi, there are only people at ticket booths, no machines to buy tokens. The lines were long (we entered the Metro during rush hour, around 5:00 PM) but moved relatively fast. The token is magnetized, and when entering you swipe it against the turnstile, and when leaving you deposit it into the turnstile, similar to methods in places like Washington. Construction for the Metro began in 1998, and the first line opened in 2002.

Jantar Mantar, New Delhi

There are five locations known as Jantar Mantar, which are complexes of structures used primarily for astrological purposes. The Jantar Mantar in New Delhi is the newest of the five. I had the opportunity to visit one in Jaipur and one in New Delhi, the latter of which, though not as well preserved, was used much more and has been transformed into a pretty amazing public space.

(New) Delhi

New Delhi was built to replace Calcutta as India's capital city in 1931. Planned by British architect Edwin Lutyens, it resembles capital cities like Washington, with wide boulevards and similar architecture. While New Delhi is clean (almost sterile), expansive, and relatively devoid of activity, nearby Old Delhi is packed with people. The image above is Rashtrapati Bhavan, the presidents house in New Delhi.

The Taj Mahal, Part 2

The buildings and area have recently been restored, and it all looks pretty good. As a protective measure, when entering the main building, you're required to wear these fashionable numbers.

The Taj Mahal, Part 1

I visited the Taj Mahal, which is very beautiful. If you don't know what that is, you can read about it here.

Kala Ghoda Arts Festival

I (briefly) stopped by the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival last week. A yearly event, the festival takes over the Kala Ghoda neighborhood in South Mumbai for 9 days of "Colors, Art, Music, Plays, Dance, Movies, Children Activities, Book Readings and Walks that revive the heritage of the City." I have nothing to add by way of commentary.

Fight Test

I made a failed attempt at moving all this stuff to Wordpress. Turned out poorly. Instead, here's Beaker, courtesy of Auzelle.

Pune, Maharashtra, India

Pune is about 2 hours southeast of Mumbai, and, like Mumbai, is being developed at breakneck speed. The highway from Mumbai to Pune is littered with advertisements for new development projects, many of which are being built without regard to any of the other projects coming up. The above image is a new road being built to a new development I visited. These images were taken just outside the city center.

Khandala, Part 2

My parents at Khandala, 1982.

Khandala, Part 1

In the 1960's, my grandfather bought some land which came to be known by the family as "Khandala", named after the area. Over the years, small projects would be started here and there as money came in. It's become a staple of family trips through the years, and many soon-to-be family members visited as girlfriends or boyfriends. When it was fist purchased, it was one of the only properties in the area. 

Colaba/Cuffe Parade Reclamation

"I remember playing on the reclaimed stretch of  rocks across from Baug [the building on the right] when I used to go over to my best friend Kamal's house when we were in school. Kamal lived in a similar looking house a couple of blocks behind Baug. They were still reclaiming the land then in Cuffe Parade. We did not take much pictures then and yet the memories never fade.....and are more clear than some of the digital pictures taken in these times." - Shaida Khan