A Millennial's Guide To Touring In Rajasthan - Travel Diary [ IFC S2R18 ]

If you're planning for your next travel to India but you don't know where to go first, then Rajasthan is probably one of the best places to start your adventure.

It's a must-see as it's one of the few places left where you can still get a feel for what India used to be years ago when kids on the street used to play ball and not on smartphones.

My family and I traveled to Rajasthan about two weeks ago to revisit some of my relatives after years and also my maternal grandpa and the 200-year-old haveli that he lives in that once used to be filled with people.

Thanks to the renovator, the front door looks as beautiful as ever.

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In Rajasthan, social relationships are a very big deal and I can see why. The resources are scarce in the remote areas and you have to keep healthy contacts with people in case you need their help or they need yours.

Going there in summer was a challenge, to say the least. The bed, the wall, the water, the floor, everything is hot and it gets really uncomfortable. You would think that it gets a little cooler at night, but surprise surprise, it doesn't. So your best bet is to go in winter/autumn.

The place itself though, is really beautiful once you get used to the heat. You can find small temples even in the most remote areas possible, no matter if it's at the top of a mountain or in the middle of a rocky desert.

Since there's a lot of empty uncolonised space, the potential for wind energy is huge as we saw a number of windmills while commuting in the train.

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One of the things that I liked the most is how much the people care about making their homes beautiful. The architecture there is simply fun to look at. You will almost never find any boring-looking buildings.

The artistry in even the simplest of things is just amazing. Not to mention how there are tons of places you can visit that offer a great view of the mountains and the small cities.

There aren't many tall buildings, which allows for a clear-sky viewing experience alongside the forts which are sure to make you imagine of all the kings and their empires that once used to rule the place.

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Though we weren't able to explore much, what we saw was enough to give us an idea of how beautiful Rajasthan is and how it has changed over the years.

We also went to see the school that my mom once used to go to and it's so interesting to see how simple things like this made me see how fast time has gone by.

If I remember correctly, the last time we were there which was years and years ago, the place was pretty much a desert. The villagers back then had to depend on wells to get water and it was really important not to waste any.

But today, things have changed because the wells have almost dried up completely, and now they depend on the water trucks which come by every alternative day.

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My mom actually woke up my brother and I around 6 am to show us how the villagers were gathering up for the water truck. In a couple of minutes when the truck actually came in, the rush was as if there was a 50% off sale going on for branded clothing.

If you're slow and socially insecure, trust me you don't wanna be in the middle of that crowd. There is absolutely no time to waste and there are often times when some people don't get enough water and have to ask for it from their neighbors after the truck has gone.

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It's was so crazy to see how even after so many years, the place isn't free from scarcity of water. It made me realize how easy it is to forget or simply ignore that problems like this still exist in the world.

We are often so busy in living our urban lives full of conveniences that we don't pay attention to how a large number of people in the world still don't have access to some of the most basic necessities of life.

But it was so nice to see how people are always willing to help each other and somehow work things out. While urban cities have consumerism and convenience, these rural villages have culture and connections.

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If you're planning to tour Rajasthan for about a week or so, do keep in mind that it's better if you pack less stuff because it can get extremely inconvenient trying to load and unload all your bags from one rickshaw or bus to another.

Bus transportation is usually the standard mode of transport here but they are almost always very crowded because of the cheap prices of the tickets. But if you are claustrophobic like me, private taxis are also available though they are comparatively more expensive.

For short distances, rickshaws are a super fun ride. Since the narrow street roads are usually not well made and the rickshaws obviously don't have suspensions, you can expect some pretty bumpy rides and it's just simply fun to bounce around haha!

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Fortunately, I also got to revisit my paternal grandparents' haveli that they and my dad once used to live in. Everything inside was breaking apart and the place is pretty much covered in dust now since my grandparents moved to my city a long ago leaving this haveli here just the way it is.

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The writing on the front wall says " जालान सदन ​" which means "The house of Jalan," which is my surname.

I couldn't bring myself to believe that this is the very place that my dad grew up in and spent all of his childhood. When I looked at the cracked walls inside, all I wanted to think was how beautiful this place must have been before it started falling apart.

I wish my grandparents didn't have to leave this place and I wish they do something about it. If they don't, it's only a matter of time before it comes apart completely and I honestly don't want that to happen.

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On a more positive side though, I highly recommend checking out the Rani Sati temple in Jhunjhunu. It's the biggest temple I've ever seen and there are just so many details in its beautiful walls that it becomes impossible to look at it entirely in one glare.

Hundreds of devotees go there to pray every single day and if you're planning to stay for a little bit, the temple even provides rooms and you can book one at super cheap prices.

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The sights you'll see when travelling from one place to the other is a big part of what makes the whole tour worth it. You can find small homes in the middle of nowhere.

When I looked at these people living in such remote areas, I couldn't help but think of all the hard work they have to do just to survive. Even getting a bucket of water is a challenge in itself when you have to walk 10 kms in this scorching heat.

No to mention how they also have to take care of their whole family and their cattle. Some of the most basic necessities of life are like a luxury to them.

It really makes me see the big picture about how even though we are developing fast as a civilization, we still have a long road ahead. Progress in urban cities will always be limited if these rural villages aren't helped first.

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Rajasthan is an absolutely beautiful place, but it's also true that parts of it are still far from the world that most of us live in today. Even though some states like Jaipur are making remarkable progress, there is still so much more that needs to be done.

Still, I'm happy to see how dearly the people there hold their culture and values and how they try to show their love for it in almost everything they do.

Experiencing their little inconveniences makes you appreciate life in a whole different way. No matter if you're visiting Rajasthan for the first time or revisiting it after 10 years like me, it's sure to make you wanting to come back.

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