IT is interesting how an outsider can discern changes in a city, which most old resident often just fail to register. A few years ago, a friend, a true Indophile and in love with Jaipur, observed – ‘Romi, one doesn’t see as many turbans as one used to when I first started coming to Jaipur in the early ’70s.’ Yes, it is strange but true – pagdis, topis and safas have almost slipped into oblivion except at weddings and religious functions.

The best way to look at the city is to slip out at midnight and drive around, when minus the traffic and hustle-bustle one can observe all – the changing facades, the nocturnal activity. When the town goes to sleep, one sees people coming out of movie halls, eating places or drinking holes – all pointing to a changing Jaipur, though whether this is for the good or bad remains an open question.

Conjure up Jaipur and one thinks of the magic of a past era, with swashbuckling Rajput men and their beautiful ladies in the traditional poshaks and jewellery flashing into ones eyes; the forts, palaces, polo matches and shikar bringing out the romance of a bygone era. But now, turbans and dhotis, lehengas and odhnis have all given way to jeans and t-shirts and western outfits – page 3 of the newspaper tells all.

Entertainment activities have undergone a sea change, but traditional festivals are still celebrated in a manner which, as Jaipurites, we are proud of! People from other cities land up here just to enjoy Diwali, Holi and Sankrant, as well as Teej and Gangaur. Now we also have the Jaipur festival, the literature festival and art festivals – all of which have given the city a double plus. Just how Jaipur has assimilated all these cultural, literature and art festivals in its calendar is intriguing but praiseworthy.

One has to think very hard to remember any conventions or exhibitions in the past, but with the creation of facilities like the Birla Auditorium and multiple convention centres and halls in most of the upmarket hotels, Jaipur now plays host to multiple international and national conventions of doctors, engineers, industrialists and the like.

Recreation activities too have increased. Polo, shikar and Sunday morning English movies have now given way to or been supplemented by golf, shooting ranges, hot-air ballooning, dirtcross/cross-country races, vintage car rallies, and much more.

Unfortunately, the number of clubs has not increased. Maybe it’s just a matter of time before new clubs come up in new residential colonies – housing complexes are thinking on those lines, which is something one really appreciates.

Shopping in Jaipur has always been a delight for local and overseas tourists – for textiles, jewellery, carpets, artefacts, curiosities! Some legendary houses with years and years of experience are in the fray. It is rare for a tourist to even dream of leaving Jaipur without splurging. Along with the old, there is a whole list of new shops and boutiques which figure on people’s lists from Amer to as far as Sanganer on the other side. I think there is an addition to the list of shops and boutiques practically every day.

 

Food in Jaipur has evolved from dal bati, the traditional fare, to restaurants and five-star facilities serving multi-cuisine fare. One is spoilt for choice but yes, can always do with some more! Sometimes, after the regular sightseeing and shopping trips in the day, one is at a loose end as to what to do in the evening. Wish some more night clubs and coffee shops spring up to add to the growing restaurant list.

The pressure of a floating population from nearby villages has seen the city expand in all directions, including the mushrooming of new suburban townships. Yet, despite bursting at its seams, the city has to a great extent still preserved its old buildings, gardens and areas designated as heritage sites. The old city still maintains its old-world charm with its chaupads, City Palace, the bazaar, Hawa Mahal and Issar Lath, while coexisting with the new Jaipur reflected in its malls, hotels and mushrooming residential areas. The architectural style has at times been compromised and certainly things could have been done better. But when one sees the restoration work in areas around Sisodia Gardens, one cannot but feel great satisfaction – things are not so bad, Jaipur is embracing it all.

 

Growth in terms of a housing and property boom has not spared Jaipur. Some self-sustained new developments have sprung up in areas which used to be small villages and green farms around Jaipur. A few years ago, when it all began, one wondered as to who would occupy these plots of land in colonies, set-up shop in such far-flung malls or occupy these flats in the spread out high rises – but it is all happening. Some areas are already prospering with others following suit. The skyline, even in the city, is changing – some good, some bad, some ugly – but Jaipur has kept it under check and the good still outnumbers…

A great plus of Jaipur has always been its peaceful and easy life, with no industrial strife. Thank god that this, to a great extent, continues with only minor hiccups. Over the years, Jaipur has transformed itself into a handicraft hub with its jewellery, carpets, blue pottery, marble and other stone carving, textiles, and so on. But magically, it all found space in earmarked areas. And now, with the older establishments moving out of the city walls and narrow lanes into industrial parks and export zones, the old city is finding new breathing space.

Jaipur, being such an attractive tourist hub, has revived some old havelis and palaces and turned them into beautiful heritage properties which coexist with the modern 5-star and 7-star facilities that have sprung up. Traditional architecture has blended with the modern to create beautiful places in and around the city to woo a wide range of visitors.

Another exciting development that one notices about the city is that it has become a favourite destinations for people around the world to get married in. With its opulence and infrastructure in terms of hotels, tent houses, caterers, lawajma, light experts and florists, Jaipur’s economy is finding a new dimension.

 

Pressure on the city in terms of traffic has been on the rise, but kudos to the city planners of the past and the vision of our founding fathers 200 years ago. One can still drive around the old city; Jaipur, after all, was the first planned city. As a student, I remember we had St Xavier’s, MGD, Mahaveer School, Maharani’s College and Maharaja College and the university campus. Today, one can only admire and thank the royals for giving us all these wonderful institutions with beautiful campuses in the heart of this wonderful city. Now there are a host of other private and government institutes coming up all around the city, which together help make this lovely city of ours into an educational hub. Of course, one can always wish for more, and there is no doubt it will soon happen!

Medical facilities like SMS Hospital and the Medical College continue to provide great service, even as new hospitals and research centres are helping make Jaipur into an important hub for modern medicare. The administration has been rather generous on this score.

The Delhi-Jaipur highway, forever under repair, may leave one queasy in the stomach but the other highways connecting with other cities are excellent. Remember the old airport where one could jaywalk, admire the roses and relax in the canteen while one waited to receive guests? It has given way to two swanky terminals with international and national flights arriving in numbers. Though it needs sprucing up, the Jaipur railway station too has been extended, with the number of trains on the rise.

Public transport, as one remembers, was CTS buses, which have now given way to low-floor big buses (I only wish someone would check their emissions and clean them on a regular basis). Autorickshaws have taken over cycle rickshaws, and tongas and camel carts have become a rare sight.

 

For quite some time now, the government has been thinking of allotting land for a film city. If this ever materializes, it will be an additional boost to our city. Hollywood and Bollywood movies have been shot in and around Jaipur. Once new facilities are provided, the city will hum with more jobs and additional incomes.

One problem that has only grown with time is that of water. Lakes like Ramgarh, Talkatora and seasonal rivers have all but dried up. Unless the citizens and the administration take up the matter on a war footing, we are in serious jeopardy. The power situation at times is grim but not really as bad when compared to other cities.

The JMC needs to do something about stray animals and also graffiti and stickers on public and private walls. If the municipality rolls up its sleeves, it can regulate and enforce garbage collection in the city, which at times falters. I think this aspect needs a little tweaking, as the pressure on the city and its services is immense.

Now that Jaipur has a police commissionerate, crime should be bought under control. Crime has been on the rise because of increased connectivity by road and rail. Increased surveillance in tourist areas and a tourist force (which has been talked about for long) should be formed and activated. I am sure all this will be accomplished in the years to come.

 

Jaipur, the first planned city of India – its founder, Raja Jai Singh and planner and architect, Vidhyadhar, gave this fabulous city such a great blueprint – has stood the test of time. The legacy continued during the reigns of Raja Ramsingh, Madhosingh, and further with the founder of new Jaipur, Raja Man Singh and his charismatic wife Maharani Gayatri Devi. With able town planners like Sir Mirza Ismail, Jaipur was given a form that continues to be the envy of many cities even today.

The congestion of yesteryears, with government offices located in the Jaleb Chowk of the City Palace compound, has been systematically cleared up with officers/departments housed in aesthetic well-planned individual buildings alongside the secretariat (the erstwhile home of the state guards). The avenue, with the Vidhan Sabha at one end of the road and ending at the Statue Circle, should force the visitors to ponder over the legacy of town planning in this lovely city. Clearly, the traditional wisdom of the masons and planners, and their art of assigning areas like the old mohallas, still prevails in modern town planning.

The religious and secular side of Jaipur, with Govind Devji as its Isht Deva and Jama Masjid Karbala, the old and new churches and gurdwaras, are all a tribute to this lovely city of ours.

Despite the pressures of modern day living, Jaipur continues to shine with its peaceful and calm day-to-day activities, carried out at its own pace. That is why it remains city beautiful.