Do you believe in destiny?
A story about lights, love, and unexpected surprises in Jaipur, India
It’s November 1, and I’m writing this on the airplane from Jaipur back to Hyderabad. Our trip to Jaipur was one we’ll remember forever. Lots of serendipitous moments happened on our trip to the Pink City.
Traveling to India wasn’t on our radar this year. The fact that Andy was invited to India was a complete surprise —while one that we gladly accepted— and we more than managed to make the most out of every moment.
Andy’s trip to Hyderabad was full of meetings, excursions, late nights, and laughter all around. My week in Hyderabad was full of cultural tours, people watching, and lots of chai.
One of the many painted nooks at the Amber Fort in Jaipur
We could have been like everyone else on his trip and flown back to America as soon as his meetings were over. But how could we leave and not explore this magical country?
Every moment in Jaipur had a bit of mystery and surprise around the corner. Other than a couple tours and the knowledge that we’d spend Diwali in one of the best places in the country, we kept our days free and open to possibilities.
And that’s exactly what happened.
First off, our hotel was absolutely magnificent. Between the pool below the pink limestone buildings, nightly cocktails in their lavish bars, and the amazing hospitality we experienced, the ITC Rajputana was such a gift.
The beautiful lobby at the ITC Rajputana in Jaipur
We lounged around the first day, knowing we had a full-day tour the following day. Andy and I have been engaged for more than a year so we were hoping to take some beautiful photos on the tour to include in our wedding announcement.
Choosing the right tour was a little tricky. We knew of some temples and palaces we wanted to see. Other than that, we just wanted to go where the dusty wind would take us.
There was a moment when I second guessed the tour I originally booked. A few Jaipur tours advertised a day full of Instagrammable locations with a professional photographer.
But alas, I kept our original reservation which advertised a full day excursion with stops at the most touristed temples and attractions.
My new favorite matching outfits from Jams World in Oahu, Hawaii
Pawan picked us up Tuesday morning from our hotel. I was already making Andy pose for photos in our beautifully ornate lobby. Andy and I wore matching outfits I picked up during my recent trip to Oahu. (shout out to Jams World!)
Pawan whisked us away to his large van and we took off toward our first stop, Hawa Mahal. The crown of Jaipur, a facade colored in delicate pink with hundreds of honeycomb-shaped windows. The wind palace was on my brain since we first started planning the trip. I was so excited it would be our first stop.
After learning more about the people of Jaipur, its royal heritage, and its natural resources, we took a few photos and hurried on our way to next stop.
We stopped at Amber Fort and the Anwar Stepwell. We marveled at the age of each structure, admired its beautiful curiosities, and took in all of the details and knowledge Pawan shared with us.
The little girl next to us was *not* a paid actress
There are no words to explain the beauty of Amber Fort. There are hallways, courtyards, gardens, and common areas that glitter with mirrors and 400-year-old murals painted with natural dyes.
Pawan shared his love of photography with us. After learning his own tricks and picking up others along the way, we were in awe of the angles and composition of the photos he took of us.
“I think you just took the main photo of our wedding invitation,” I told him after looking at one of the dozens amazing photos of us.
While walking out of the fort, we mentioned our love of animals and that we considered seeing elephants or tigers while in India. Moments later, he told us an elephant sanctuary was right around the corner from the main road we were on.
And just like that, we pulled into Elephant Village. We were amazed at not only how easy it was to manifest that experience, but how effortless it felt.
We made our way past the gate and approached four Indian elephants. Each elephant was a female with a Hindu name.
The attendant laid out two tables of sugarcane and bananas. We squealed at each other as we fed treats to our new gigantic friends.
As I watched Andy live out one of his lifelong dreams, I couldn’t help but notice the force of these animals, their strong trunks, enormous feet and toes. I hugged an elephant by its trunk trying to hold on to the memory of being so close to such a gentle giant.
We didn’t want to leave. We were in heaven. As we gave away our last banana, we said dhanyavaad to each elephant and thanked them for their time and friendship.
We then walked into an enclosed area where we were greeted by one of the elephants.
We were taught the commands of “walk” and “turn” and we held onto her necklace while we walked side by side with her.
“Agat agat” Andy called out as we walked through the grass. She mozied through the grass with us, dragging her trunk and making muffled sounds in her throat.
“Holy crap, we’re walking an elephant. It’s just like walking the dogs back at home,” I squealed.
We took photos with her, told her a couple elephant jokes, and led her back to her other giant sisters.
We honestly could have ended the tour there. We were exhilarated.
But Pawan had a few more stops in store for us. We saw the water palace, the UNESCO World Heritage astronomy park, and a local textile factory. He even took us to a local jeweler where we got to see why India is so well known for its rubies, sapphires, and emeralds.
We made friends everywhere we went with Pawan and our driver, Bhupendra. We couldn’t have asked for a more perfect day.
At Jantar Mantar, the UNESCO World Heritage Astronomy Park
Our tour ended up going well into the evening. So much so that we got stuck in the main city for a bit while encountering many road closures, which allowed pedestrians to get their goods for the holiday.
We finally said goodbye to our new friends, knowing fully well we’d see them again on our next tour to Jaipur.
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The next night, we had a walking tour through the local bazaars. Again, we met our guide at the Hawa Mahal and navigated the busy streets by foot, tasting local treats along the way. The tour was much shorter this time around, and we saw what a home looked like in the old city, and learned about their famous shopping alleys and roads.
A walking tour led us to the courtyard inside a local home
The market area was getting busier by the hour, so it became difficult to flag down a car back to our hotel. Our guide put us into a tuktuk (our first one of the trip) and led us to a less busy intersection near a museum.
We stumbled on the beautifully lit Albert Hall museum, which was full of coins, clothes, and jewels older than America’s constitution— and even a mummy. We enjoyed the nearly empty museum while the rest of Jaipur was getting ready for the holiday.
As we exited the museum, we tried ordering an Uber to get back to our hotel. The area was so insanely busy that road closures were preventing any of our drivers from getting to us.
Just then as the third driver cancelled on us, a young man approached. He first started talking to me in Hindi, and I had to tell him I was actually a foreigner. (A surprising amount of people thought I was Indian. From my long black hair, flat nose, dark skin, and big eyes, people were convinced I was from their country. It’s a blessing I didn’t know how much I’d love.)
His name was Ayan and he approached us because he could tell Andy was a foreigner. He told us he was just getting into the tourism business and asked us how we planned to celebrate Diwali the next day.
We hadn’t really thought about how we’d spend the day, so we were surprised when he invited us on a private tour and even back to his family’s home to celebrate the holiday.
Normally, Andy and I would be shy to accept such an offer, but there was something about Ayan’s gentle soul. He hailed down a tuktuk and effortlessly negotiated a better price for us. We agreed to text him the next day and said our goodbyes.
Before we even reached our room, we knew that going on a tuktuk tour with Ayan would be much better than our original plan of just lounging around at the hotel.
When else could we experience such a festive day seeing Jaipur from a local’s eye and be invited into someone’s home to participate in Puja? We knew we had to take the leap of faith. After arranging a meetup time, our Thursday was booked.
Ayan shows us his hometown in the best mode of transporation
Ayan met us the next day in a decked out tuktuk. He asked what we’d seen already to get an idea of where to take us. Eventually we drove a windy path to see a factory where textiles and clothes were made.
We got the royal treatment at Pink City Heritage Textiles & Carpets
We watched as four humble men sheared wool to create intricate designs on a massive rug. One of the owners of the factory showed us how they block printed designs on organic cotton, which would then turn into amazing bolts of fabric.
I was completely in awe when he told us they exported their goods to Anthropologie and Hermes. We loved the vibe of the business so much that we ended up picking out several fabrics and got fitted for some custom made clothes.
After a couple hours of picking out our new favorite shawls, clothes, and bedding, we made our way to Ayan’s family friend’s jewelry store.
We arrived late in the afternoon so many of the men were already preparing for Puja and other Diwali traditions. We spent some time in the store, laughed with Ayan’s friends, and enjoyed chai while trying on some amazing jewelry.
Ayan eventually dropped us off at our hotel so we could get ready to meet his family later. We’d visit his aunt’s house to watch Puja rituals and then his own home to enjoy some dinner.
Once we arrived at his family’s home, we met his relatives, nibbled on some sweet treats, and spent the evening chatting and watching his nephews light firecrackers in the road. We met Ayan’s wife and new baby, and shared a meal before he drove us back at our hotel.
We had an amazing day with him and told Ayan how much of a joyful surprise the day turned out to be. We expressed our gratitude and told him we’d stay in contact. He lovingly referred to us as his new sister and brother. We told him we’d always remember him and were so happy he approached us in front of the museum the night before.
“Do you believe in destiny?” Ayan asked us during our ride back to the hotel.
We definitely do believe in destiny, and know that the days we spent in Jaipur were a gift from the universe. We would have never experienced the week in Jaipur we did had we not leaned into what opportunities presented themselves.
Not only are we believers of destiny, but we made some true friends in Jaipur. Brothers and family even.
The people of India have been so welcoming. We’d never guess this country would be so impactful on us. We’ve collected memories and friends we’ll think of often.
Andy and I will part ways after this trip. He’ll be at home and I’ll visit my family in Indonesia for a bit. Now it’s time to open up to receive more adventures, auspicious opportunities, holiday time with family, and the wonders of the world.
Namaste and dhanyavaad 🙏🪔
