I got off the plane and bathed myself in the warm Jaipur heat. In contrast to my home city , where rain was battering down the streets , the sun in Jaipur was climbing to it’s zenith and there were no grey clouds anywhere in the surroundings.I collected my luggage, got out of the airport, sat in the car and i was straight off to a Mandir(temple) which was nestled in JhunJhunu, a city about 180 kilometers away from Jaipur. Coming from a Rajasthani background, I somehow related to the food that we ate on our way to the mandir . I found it exceptionally delicious. As I looked out of the window I saw piles of sand and dry bare tress race behind me towards the other direction.

It was a long drive to JhunJhunu . The last time I had been here I was a toddler. When we reached ,the honeycomb-yellow sun had become even more scorching . As i got off the car I could see groups of people all dressed in Indian clothes and holding thalis( plates with materials for prayers)in their hand and women wearing red duppatas(scarf like pieces of cloth) embellished with symbols of Om.

I was taken aback with the detailed drawings and inscriptions on the walls of the mandir. Moreover the beautiful red roses and the echoing of the chants added to the beauty of the place.

By the time we were back in Jaipur and had checked into our magnificent hotel-ITC Rajputana , all of us were exhausted and hungry so we ate and slept.The next morning I woke up ravenous . We rushed down to he breakfast hall to eat . The meal was scrumptious . The grand buffet had everything from marmalade and bread to muffins to different Indian breakfast foods and scones.

Our plan for the rest of the day was to visit some famous places around Jaipur . We saw the royal city Palace where the King of Jaipur and His family resided. We also visited the Jantar Mantar, an astronomical park built long back . However the blazing suns heat had gotten to us and we headed for lunch to a famous restaurant near the city palace that served delectable food.

The rest of our day was spent much in shopping , and relaxing in our luxurious hotel , playing table tennis and croquet , gorging on the scrumptious food, watching the beautiful folk dance of Rajasthan (ghoomar) , and star gazing under the mighty yet mysterious sky.

We got up the next morning and after another satisfying day of shopping and exploring the city , it was time to head back home. As I recollected every moment I spent in this three day getaway trip to Jaipur , I felt something pulling me back . This pink city really had seemed to have cast its magic on me , and little did I know that I would be back here soon for another adventure that awaited me , but this time with my friends!