Jaipur, the pink city

The pink city is no more a pink city, yet the effort to retain the art is still there. The new buildings and walls are neatly decorated. This is a developing city and the problems of a developing city exist here too. We were already tired from our 4 hour journey from Bharatpur to Jaipur through poor villages, dirty streets and ponds and sites of tirelessly working laborers (India shining my foot). We walked from our bus station on the busy streets of Jaipur and pondered on the dismal traffic situation. It seemed like a Herculean task to change the mentality of people to start adhering to the rules.

After having lunch, we were picked up by our guest housekeepers. From then until we woke up after a short siesta, I do not remember anything. Travel in India can be tiring but we wonder the plight of all the rickshaw pullers and other laborers who work long hours in heat and still are barely able to manage two meals a day.
Anyway in evening we decided to watch a movie in the world famous cinema hall, Rajmandir. I may not have words to express the sheer delight of watching a movie there. This cinema hall is an artistic creation and is definitely unparalleled. The cinema screen slowly rolls up as the ambient green light from behind the beautiful patterns on the walls dims. We watched a crappy Shahrukh Khan film Don (this guy has been doing a same role from day one) and were thoroughly bored by the movie. But, we made it a point to stick around until the intermission when the reception or the common area lights up to conjure a magnificent display. The very creative inlay of the mirrors and strategically placed lights gives it a look no lesser than a palace. This surely is one great initiative for promoting tourism.