The airs and graces of Hawa Mahal

On a blistering afternoon in Jaipur this summer, I set out with my daughter to see the celebrated Hawa Mahal. We joined a long queue at the fort gate, shuffling slowly toward the lone ticket counter. The wait under the sun felt endless.

Just then, a scruffy man appeared from the side, half beggar, half philosopher. With a wry smile, he declared: “Sardarji, aap apna paisa kyon barbaad kar rahe ho? 50 rupaye ka 2 ticket kharid kar andar dekhney ke liye kuch bhi nahin hai. Ye sab bewakoof bana rahe hain. Isse accha jaa ke 100 rupaye ka kuchh khaa lo. (You are wasting your money by buying two Rs 50 tickets. There is nothing to see inside. It is better if you spend Rs 100 to eat something).”

His blunt advice drew a few chuckles from the crowd. Embarrassed, I muttered that since we had come this far, we might as well continue. My daughter’s fascination with forts kept me moving, though the sweltering heat made every step heavy.

Inside, his words proved prophetic. The fort was poorly maintained, water was scarce, and the “palace” was a series of weary ruins. Only later did we realise that the famed façade of Hawa Mahal, the one adorning postcards, was visible freely from the road outside.

The stranger was right. In Jaipur, sometimes the best view really does come without a ticket.

Col RS Narula (retd), Patiala