You miss Jodhpur and you miss….
Railway Station: One of the oldest railway-stations; belonged to erstwhile Marwar state. the red-brick look, toy train and adjoining clock tower, the taxi-wallas who’ll quote thrice the fare going by my not-so-Marwari appearance, statue of Ummed Singh next to it, the cheap food-stalls and “hotels” next to it, Sarvoday bookstore
City Clock Tower: Spice market, scrap electronics market, tobacco market, and congested gallis. And yeah; cows. Arora Namkeen
Jalori Gate: Shahi samosa, “second-hand” bookstores
Ummed Palace: Fondly called the Chittar-Palace; largest private property of the world. Residence of erstwhile rulers of Marwar
Mandore: abandoned erstwhile capital of Marwar state. In-laws’ home of the mythical demon Ravan, Garden and the monkeys
Walled City: and the old city market within
City Fort: Mehrangarh, 400 feet above the city; the view of Blue-City
The architecture of Collectorate, High-Court and Jodhpur University
Kaylana Lake and the ferryboat rides
Gulaab Halwa Paliwale; MG Road
Shastri Circle at the evenings
Monsoon Bike rides to Osiyan and Tinwari village; Highway food
Ramdevara Jaitarus in the months of July and August
Sundays at Sumer Public Library
Terminal at Mohanpura Bridge
Jaljog Circle and CCD
B-Road: Shiv Gauri, Bombay Sandwiches.
Kohinoor Twin Cinemas: They are a delight on opening days of any Salman Khan movie.
Hakeems of 12th Road and Station Road
Tanga rides from Nagauri-gate to old-city
Free-entry plays at Town-Hall
Free shows and art-exhibitions at Information Centre
Budget-shopping at National Handlooms
City-Buses at peak hours
Sojati Gate at elections
Silence of streets on Indo-Pak matches and next day front page photo of deserted Nai Sarak in local dailies
Reading local dailies; they are fun I tell you
Playing Cricket at Barkhatullah Khan Stadium
Ravan Ka Chabutra Maidan at Ramnavamis; Circus Shows
Listening to women haggling at the old-market, free-entertainment guaranteed
Feeding fishes at Lalsagar
Nightlong haithais and gupshups in the old-city
Paota Circle and traffic-cops; Sabzee Market
As much as I can remember….
Photo: City Clock Tower
©Rakesh 2011
