On my frequent visits to Jaipur

I am looking forward to my third visit to Jaipur in a span of just six months. Jaipur, the pink city and amongst one of the most popular tourist destinations of India, is as radiant and beautiful as India can get. However, this visit of mine like the past two is to attend a marriage function of a dear friend.

Two months back my supervisor called on me to know the reason behind my frequent visits to Jaipur. Since neither it was my hometown nor he could fathom the fact I would love a city so much that I was planning my third visit since I have been working with him. It took a lot of convincing at my end to make him believe the real reason for these unavoidable breaks. The more speculative of the choices were "I have my girl there who has her way to make me visit her every few days", "I love the food there", "I am looking for some long lost relative of mine in Jaipur", "I love the forts in Jaipur", "I love the walled city and just can't get enough of it" or "I am making sizeable personal investments there". Undoubtedly I love the walled city and the walk through narrow lanes, I simply crave for certain delicacies in Jaipur and yes the forts and the architecture.

However, none of these even come close to the fact or the eventuality a graduate of IIT-Bombay faces once he is out of school. That being a typical IIT Bombay class comprises of a large number of students emerging from the city of Jaipur or the state of Rajasthan. Thanks to Kota IIT factory the number of naturalised Rajasthanis at IITs only increased and thus added onto our friendlists in facebook, alumni network and phonebooks. Who would not have friends in Aggarwals, Agrawal, Agarwal (used interchangeably :)), Shuklas, Jains and Paliwals, the communities which hail from Rajasthan and identify themselves as Marwaris. Then there are Sindhis and others who come from the state. Not only is the Rajasthani cuisine delightful but also Rajasthani people have a great intellect and business acumen. Hence, there is hardly any entrance exam they can't crack and a school they can't attend and a business they can't run.

Thus I ended up making lots of Marwari friends and others who came from Jaipur, Kota or Udaipur, all large cities of Rajasthan. For many of them marriage came early in their lives, for others it was delayed but yes it did come by my own standards early (in my reference all marriage are early :)). And I have played and will continue to play my part of an invitee ready to shake a leg to the Baraat Band and enjoy the several Jalebis, Rabri and Dal Batis served at the Rajasthani feast.

And to my supervisor "Sorry Boss, this ain't the last one, Yet!"