Mom wanted to see Rajasthan. Apparently, the in-season for Rajasthan is September to March. Usually people go to India during December. My friend Amriti suggested that I should go to the VI when there arent too many people queued up for the VI. And so - I landed in India in Feb. Away from December visa-seekers, and too early for the Fall-students.
More about jaipur trip in later blogs, but I came across a disturbing poster in Jaipur.
It features a wooden crib (palana), and urges people not to kill their unwanted female babies, but to drop them off in the "palana". Note that Rajasthan's Chief minister at the time is a woman.
Following are the excerpts of some conversations/ incidents during the trip:
1. Our driver has two sons. Mom asks if daughter was also venerated. Driver changes topic.
2. A illiterate woman in train, travelling with her 2 daughters, out of which one has completed BA. Her husband is 12th pass, and doesnt have a fixed job. The woman, though well educated, stiches saree blouses at 20Rs each (the rate in Pune is 100 Rs) to make ends meet. The older woman has only one son. His wife has 4 daughters. She tells that her son wanted to stop after 2 kids, but the mom insisted they try for a son. I have an only son - "vansh" should propogate. My mom is like "beti to donon gharon ko ujagar karti hai" (Daughter lights up both homes - her parents' and in-laws').
3. We meet a young high ranking army officer. Baaton-hi-baaton mein the topic shifts to if he is married, and mom asks if he has kids. The man says he does not want to bring new kids to the bad bad world/ overflowing population. We are like, we are sure you will raise your kids to be good citizens.
4. I see some women in traditional ghaghara at Pushkar. Our driver tells me not to take the pics of women because if someone catches me in the act, they may misinterpret it and I will be in trouble. I finally get a pic later in the day at Chittorgarh.
5. The fort which houses Jayaban cannon, Jaipur: a group of other tourists are hitting on me. My driver asks me to identify the guys and tells me that "ye rajpooton ka ilaaka hai, yaha koi tumhara baal bhi baanka nahi kar sakta".
6. We are returning quite late from the sound and light show at Chittorgarh. The road from top of the fort to the city is dark and isolated, and I am literally praying. But all is well.
More about jaipur trip in later blogs, but I came across a disturbing poster in Jaipur.
It features a wooden crib (palana), and urges people not to kill their unwanted female babies, but to drop them off in the "palana". Note that Rajasthan's Chief minister at the time is a woman.
Following are the excerpts of some conversations/ incidents during the trip:
1. Our driver has two sons. Mom asks if daughter was also venerated. Driver changes topic.
2. A illiterate woman in train, travelling with her 2 daughters, out of which one has completed BA. Her husband is 12th pass, and doesnt have a fixed job. The woman, though well educated, stiches saree blouses at 20Rs each (the rate in Pune is 100 Rs) to make ends meet. The older woman has only one son. His wife has 4 daughters. She tells that her son wanted to stop after 2 kids, but the mom insisted they try for a son. I have an only son - "vansh" should propogate. My mom is like "beti to donon gharon ko ujagar karti hai" (Daughter lights up both homes - her parents' and in-laws').
3. We meet a young high ranking army officer. Baaton-hi-baaton mein the topic shifts to if he is married, and mom asks if he has kids. The man says he does not want to bring new kids to the bad bad world/ overflowing population. We are like, we are sure you will raise your kids to be good citizens.
4. I see some women in traditional ghaghara at Pushkar. Our driver tells me not to take the pics of women because if someone catches me in the act, they may misinterpret it and I will be in trouble. I finally get a pic later in the day at Chittorgarh.
5. The fort which houses Jayaban cannon, Jaipur: a group of other tourists are hitting on me. My driver asks me to identify the guys and tells me that "ye rajpooton ka ilaaka hai, yaha koi tumhara baal bhi baanka nahi kar sakta".
6. We are returning quite late from the sound and light show at Chittorgarh. The road from top of the fort to the city is dark and isolated, and I am literally praying. But all is well.
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