The Amber Palace

Th Amber Palace, sitting at the top of the gorge with the town of Amer at the bottom is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The last past of the journey from the bottom of the hill is taken on foot (after our ride up in jeeps), as it has been since the Palace was built….

Hawa Mahal and the road to the Amber Palace

Some people have asked if I have moved to India as it is taking me quite a while to work through the 2500 photos I took during our visit and to write a piece for the journal about everything we did. We accomplished a lot and the holiday lives on whilst I write the record…

Sunset and the Birla Mandir

We had hoped to make it to the Birla Mandir, to see sunset at the temple, but Jaipur traffic and our habit as a group of taking far longer then planned doing anything meant we encountered the sunset on the journey to the temple. On the plus side, it allowed me to take one of…

Gyan Jewellery Factory

Our busy fifth day continued with a visit to the Gyan Jewellery Factory, showrooms and private collection. The beautifully manicured garden and the security guards give you a clue that there is more to the modernist building that than the others in the area. Designed by Paul Mathieu, the spaces are breathtaking and a perfect…

Kagzi Industry Paper Factory

After our busy morning in Sanganer, with the block printing workshop and the pottery factory, we had a tour of the Kagzi Industry Paper Factory, the largest manufacturer and exporter of cotton recycled handmade paper and gift paper products in India. ‘The ‘Kagzi’ community in Sanganer is the primary owner of the handmade paper industry…

Blue Pottery

As well as being known for its block printing, Sanganer and indeed Jaipur is also renowned for its traditional blue pottery. A combination of Persian decoration and Chinese glazing know how, the style was brought to India by Mughals and was firmly established in Jaipur by the 17th century. The distinctive colours are produced by…

Block Printing Workshops

On our second day in Delhi, after the trip Chandni Chowk, we went to Isha’s house for our first block printing demonstration and workshop. Three of the lads who work with Isha on her block printed fabrics available from Aahilya, two block carvers Sachin and Saurabh and printer Ashok, made the trip specifically for this…

Sanganer

On our first morning in Jaipur, we travelled 16km south to visit the town of Sanganer which is famous for its hand-made paper and block printing artisans. ‘Printing developed between the 16th and 17th century following the constant wars between the Mughals and Marathas which resulted in migration of several craftsmen from Gujarat to Rajasthan….

The Road to Jaipur

The road from Delhi to Jaipur seems to go on forever. With a potholed brilliance that resembles Britain’s best B-Roads, the speed limit is 60kmh it really feels like it can go on forever. One thing is that all along the main road are buildings – cafes, restaurants, tyre shops, mechanics, cement works, loos, shops,…

Chandni Chowk

The Chandni Chowk is one of the essential places that one must visit when in Delhi. Shah Jahan, builder of the Taj Mahal built the city of Delhi from 1638 to 1649, and it contained the Lal Qila and the Chandni Chowk within it’s city walls. The Chandni Chowk, known as the Moonlight Square, was designed by his…

National Crafts Museum

I’m not sure I was in the best state to visit a museum, coming straight from the airport, but we were making the most of our time so off to the National Crafts Museum we went. Starting from very humble beginnings (Isha from Aahilya remembers it when it was very small) the low-lying Museum building…

New Delhi

Everyone said India would be a bit of a shock to the system, and they were right! After a very comfortable flight that Mum slept on (and sadly I did not) we arrived at the airport a little the worse for wear and a touch jet-lagged. Meeting Jane and Mandy by the money exchange (they…