A day in Jaipur

Jaipur, India

Dawn - Amber Fort

The early light hits the yellow and pink sandstone high above Maota Lake. Built in Rajput and Mughal styles, the fort ramparts are still empty of crowds.

Morning - Johri Bazaar

Jaipur was laid out on a geometric grid rather than organic alleyways. Wide avenues slice through dusty rose walls while motor rickshaws squeeze past wandering livestock.

Midday - Old Quarter Artisan Workshop

Hereditary family workshops sit tucked into the historic blocks. Hand-block printed textiles with natural dyes and blue glazed pottery have been made here for centuries.

Afternoon - Central Bazaar Thali Hall

I sit at a busy counter in a central bazaar dining hall for Dal Baati Churma. Baked wheat balls dipped in ghee served with spicy lentil curry and sweet crumbled wheat. The ghee is not a suggestion here.

Golden Hour - Hawa Mahal

Five storeys of pink sandstone lattice face the wide avenue. Constructed in 1799 with nine hundred and fifty-three screened windows so royal women could observe street pageants below.

Night - City Palace Gates

Night falls across the central sector near City Palace. The pink terracotta walls keep the day's heat as motor rickshaws trail light down the historic avenues.