Unexpected Showers

The spring had just given way to sizzling summers and the child in me wished to spend her free afternoons eating slices of fiery and desiccated Rajasthani summer. I wanted to peel off excess time on journey. Udaipur being the nearest location from Ahmedabad I decided to shoot off. As a matter of fact, Udaipur is 5 hours journey from Ahmedabad by road but I longed for a relaxed and comfortable train journey for this budgeted weekend getaway. The destination started to play on my mind. I began to crave for being by the lake, engrossed in the sunset view from a palace window carved out of love to appreciate the outside world from the protected dwelling, arresting the colours of Rajasthan in my little black and white eyes. I was looking forward to an escape for letting my heart to be soft, free from hatred as I realised that it was turning into a rock getting affected by the negativity of people at work place, neighbourhood and by friends turning to foe. And the only remedy I could recollect to melt my heart was listening to the tunes of Sarangi played by the local artist at the lakeside.

I logged on to IRCTC site on Thursday for booking rail tickets and to my surprise, at the beginning of summer vacations in most schools, for onward journey on Sunday, seats were available. I had to book tatkal e-ticket for Ahmedabad to Udaipur city journey. When the e-ticket was delivered I was dismayed with the middle berth allotted to me even after stating my preference for side lower berth for to & fro train travel. Since nothing can be done than consoling self with philosophy that a traveller should be flexible with no much preference but with the purpose to learn, explore and experience everything that comes on the journey, I boarded the train. Honestly, I was eager to exchange my seat with the co-passenger allotted the Side Lower Berth in the train.

As I entered the train, I laughed at my idiocy. I discovered that Ahmedabad-Udaipur City Express is an elfin meter gauge train accommodating its passenger for 10-11 hours (whereas the road journey estimates to only 5 hours) in 6 berths in each compartment of a coach. There are no Side berths in the train. From here I picked up a clue that my soul was whispering ‘this journey through the Aravali ranges is going to be slow paced, tranquil and an enjoyable one, just the way you wanted it’.  Since the train was designed differently, I was curious to see the AC coach. A square old aluminium tiffin box with two tiers like looked the AC compartment.

Night was spent in peaceful snooze on narrow seat and morning sunrise was of majestic hue. Through the blackish brown mountainous ranges the sun was raising slowly exactly like the scenery drawing a child learns to draw in school. The train slowly without hurting anyone on contravention, halted at Zarwar Station for 10 minutes or more. All the passengers rushed towards one little tea stall on the station for having their morning cup of tea at 07.30 AM. There was neither pantry nor the chaiwalas, coffeewalas, paniwalas doing the ramp walk usually shouting chai..chai, coffeeee…coffee like in other trains. This also made the train less cluttered in sound and space. The scenic beauty on this journey was quenching the thirst of my soul yearning for god’s presence and miracles in dry lands.

The train passed through tunnels giving way to the sight of the ghettos of trees with beautiful white flowers blooming unnoticed amidst the huge yet empty mountainous ranges giving hope, renewing aspirations and enlightening a spirit to blossom even in unfavourable conditions. Opposite to me seated an early teenage girl who was scribbling in her little diary and often looking at father who was pretending to be asleep.  The girl was at the age of having secrets!

Unlike other railway stations of Rajasthan, Udaipur station is well maintained and clean. There is tourism desk at the entrance of the station which I chose to ignore as I wanted to explore the city on my own, unguided. The local auto rickshaw is expensive. For shorter distance of 3-4 kilometres they charges you Rs. 50-60. I could hardly locate any public transport bus within the city and the widely used mode of transport is shared auto rickshaw. 

I had visited many hotel sites on Tripadvisor and narrowed down to listing few adhering to my rule of sasta, swatch, safe and sundar hotel. I was keen on taking a room in either of the two listed RTDC hotels in Udaipur; Hotel Anand Bhawan and Hotel Kajri. The reason for opting RTDC hotels was 25% discount offered by the state tourism department to women travellers. This excited my spirit and my pocket. But soon they both were disappointed by the staff response at both the hotels–‘nahi madam aisa koi scheme nahi hai.’ My furious mind grumbled ‘either RTDC website requires to be updated or the staff working in RTDC hotels.’

The other budget hotels in my list were good enough but this particular one grabbed my attention. Hotel Gangaur Palace, an old Haveli converted into a budget hotel for tourist especially the foreign nationals. My heart was set on the windows of the room shown in pictures uploaded on Tripadvisor.

The hotel staffs were cordial to receive guest in person as well on phone. Before I bargain (in true Indian spirit) and accommodate, I requested them to show me the room.  As the staff unlocked the door, my heart screamed so loud failing my mind in its efforts to control it.

I was clamped by the fascination of spending time by the beautifully designed windows with colourful stain glass. Moreover a well cushioned platform was provided to sit comfortably by the window to gaze and get lost in scenes of the busy streets outside.

The hotel was enjoyed more because it’s location.  Situated in the heart of the city, helps you connect to major tourist attractions and local markets of Udaipur City.

From the hotel walking 5 steps down the main lane you find yourself at the majestic lake

and the Gangaur Ghat

Diagonally opposite is the Bagore ki Haveli

The hotel also runs an artistically designed café offering a wide variety of French breads, pastries, fruit custards and the crispiest, softest and yummiest French toast.

The café is draped with Warli (Maharashtrian tribe painting) painting all over the walls.

It also has a roof top restaurant (a very common concept to appeal tourist and it is loved by the foreign tourist more) giving you the best view of the lake, and the activities around the lake like children and men having dip in the lake, women washing clothes on the ghats, the babas in orange performing religious rituals, local people trying their hand at fishing, bird taking smooth flights, bells ringing in the temple, boats taking ride with tourist boarded in it while you satiate your hunger with good food served in the restaurant. This place relaxes your emotional, creative mind and I was blessed since I got to enjoy the mild showers of rain and the cool dark clouds gathered around the lake during summer mystically beautifying the whole experience of a Saturday afternoon in the city. 

Supposing that you want to soak yourself in images of the city just described, I am taking a break on this note and will soon return with some more interesting experiences of discovery, dance and diet of Udaipur City.

By

Minal Vaz