Sunset in the Pink City

 

 

Jaipur
 

Three cities of our itinerary – Jaipur, Udaipur and Jodhpur – go by different names: The Pink City; the White City (or Lake City) or The Blue City. These names are not coincidences. In each, the shop fronts and facades of buildings are painted their namesake colour. Walking down the street greets you with a wall of uniform colour, and adds to the peculiar beauty of wherever you find yourself.

 

 

Most of the hotels or guesthouses we stay at have amazing rooftop views. They will often be the highest, or one of the highest points in the city, and you’ll get a panoramic view of the city.


 

I love it, just sitting out there on the rooftop, or leaning over the balcony, and watching the sun slowing set over the dense activity of the city. Every house is made of stone, and although none are tall, three or four stories at most, there is no uniform height, and it looks likes a mosaic collection of ancient stone buildings. There is no space between these buildings, just narrow alleyways and deep crevices.

 

You get a sense of how big these cities are, from up there. They stretch as far as the eye can see, in every direction. Here I was thinking the cities we were in were relatively small – perhaps comparable to where we are from – no, they are cities of millions, all crammed into dense stone housing three of four stories high, each home to multiple families.

 

There is a kite festival coming up in Jaipur. All the kids are on the roofs of their houses, flying their kites, getting practice for the upcoming tournament. When you look in the distance you can see hundreds of kites flying, all different colours, all steered by children no older than ten.

 

The sun sets slowly, glowing more golden by the minute, and casting its hazy glow over the city. I watch as the light disappears, the kites come down, and the kids go inside, knowing in my own heart, this is their home.

I think too, of all the places we have visited, and all the places we are to visit. How many different rooftops will I see? Will they be the same, or different? Will I get to the point where I don't even bother to look anymore? I hope not; and I don't think so. I'm a stranger in these lands, and these rooftops, that sunset, holds a spell over me, one that I can't shake no matter where I am.