Safarnama #7 Journey of Heritage: Unveiling the Past in the Pink City
If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten - Rudyard Kipling
Safarnama is a work of fiction created solely for entertainment purposes. The series aims to tell stories about various places and lost time in a creative manner. While the names of some places and individuals may be used, any resemblance to real places, events, or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
The creators of Safarnama have taken certain liberties in the storytelling process, including the use of creative freedom in naming and describing various elements of the series. Therefore, any resemblance to actual events or places is unintentional
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After a nearly three-week-long journey, we finally arrived in Jaipur, and the bullock cart came to a halt along one of the city's wide streets. Throughout the entire trip, the most challenging aspect was tactfully evading countless questions from a man who keep asking questions. The man is a textile merchant from Jaipur who had journeyed to Sahajanabad for trade and appeared to be intrigued by my background.
Over these three weeks, he asked just about every conceivable question. One of his recurring inquiries was about my place of residence in Jaipur. I eventually divulged that I hail from a town called Pali, located near Jodhpur. My reason for initially claiming to be from Jaipur was that Pali is relatively unknown to most people, and I didn't want to complicate our conversations.
My family, in fact, belongs to the Paliwal community, which originally resided in the Pali. Then they moved to the easternmost part of uttar pradesh and over time, my grandfather relocated to Faridabad, where I was born. So, in essence, I had spoken the absolute truth to him, for in the 19th century, my roots in Pali would indeed be accurate.
Throughout this long journey, the man in the turban remained a silent observer, his penetrating gaze fixed on me. His wife, on the other hand, spoke up occasionally.
As we entered Jaipur, I couldn't help but notice the city's impressive planning. The well-structured roads and gates stood in stark contrast to Delhi's chaotic streets. Unlike Delhi, there were fewer Englishmen, and the absence of saluting officers was noticeable.
As we neared our destination, Amber Fort, I inquired about its distance from our current location. The driver informed me it was about 11 kilometers away. The textile merchant expressed an interest in accompanying me, but I politely declined, promising to meet him later in the evening. I wanted to savor the experience of exploring Amber Fort alone.
As I walked those 11 kilometers, my anticipation grew with each step. Finally, the majestic Amber Fort and the serene Moata Lake came into view. Finding a quiet spot near the lake, I took a moment to catch my breath and gather my thoughts. Gazing at the Amber Fort, I whispered to myself, "Amber, this is where the history of Jaipur began, and this is where I'll begin my journey to find my ancestry." The sense of history and connection to my roots enveloped me, filling me with a profound sense of purpose as I prepared to embark on a personal quest to discover more about my heritage