On a previous day of sightseeing in Jaipur, we’d had difficulty getting a tuk-tuk ride from Amer Palace to Nahargarh Fort, because the drivers complained that the hill was too steep. So we decided to take matters into our own hands — or rather feet — and hike up the hill, tackling it from a different direction. This, of course, necessitated getting an early morning start, to avoid subjecting ourselves to the possibility of heat stroke. Besides, who could resist the opportunity to photograph the sunrise from up there?

It may have been before dawn when the tuk-tuk dropped us off in a shady little neighborhood at the base of the hill, but the hustlers were already out and about. One of them hit us up immediately, trying to make a buck by taking us to the top — on a motorcycle! But we were determined to go up on our own two feet, and definitely not on two wheels.

So it was up the hill, up and up and more upness, a very steep incline, and we were beginning to see why tuk-tuk drivers would not want to tackle it. Past a number of cows, of course, as well as a milkmaid plying her trade, and hovels built into the hillside. Naturally, we had to rest occasionally, and we were grateful that the Indian sun was not yet beating down upon us in all its glaring glory.

At the top or near it, we came to Ghati Gate in the massive wall surrounding the area around the fort, and an attendant told us that we could not enter until 8:00. So we had our breakfast we’d brought along, and snapped some photos of the sunrise, and fended off a brave one-horned cow that tried to snatch Kimberly’s water bottle strap with its horn just after she took its picture. It only had one horn, but had learned to use it quite adroitly.

At 7:45, the attendant decided to let us in after all. So we at least could walk around the grounds and the wall surrounding the complex, though the fort itself wouldn’t open until 10:00. And we discovered that there were indeed plenty of tuk-tuks driving all the way up to the fort; they were just taking another road that was presumably not so steep — in fact, the road we’d walked up was off limits to traffic of more than two wheels.

While waiting for the admission gate to admit, we decided to use the time to explore the lengthy wall, finding an access point behind the parking lot. It’s edged by a platform suitable for walking, and even for a carriage; we have to wonder if in the old days the royals took horse-drawn jaunts along these walls (there was at least one ramp attached). Nowadays, we couldn’t get very far along the portion of the wall near the fort, because it was so overgrown. But farther away, just behind the Nahargarh Step Well, there were sections clear enough to take a long hike. So we did.

This included a stop by the stepwell constructed in 1734. It’s one of those huge antique pits designed to collect water — which surely was much cleaner then than it is now. This one is unique because unlike the steps on other stepwells going down in zigzagging straight lines, these steps were ahead of their time with a curvy undulating design. The stepwell’s very distinctive visual appeal earned it an appearance in a Bollywood film, “Rang De Basanti”.

Then we continued walking around the wall for quite a distance, making a huge loop. And getting a sweeping view of the valleys and mountains below. Before we knew it, we were back coming upon the entrance to the fort, and coming upon opening time.

View of Jal Mahal

But we still had time to sit down at a little stand outside the entrance and have a small cup of Indian chai. These were served in little orange clay mugs that looked like flower pots — they easily could serve that function if you added a drainage hole or two. The tea was not bad, and set us back only 25 rupees per cup (a little more than 50 cents all told). We weren’t quite sure what to do with the bonus flower pots; we hated to just throw them away, although that’s clearly what many people do. So we took them home with us, and as of this writing, Kimberly is still packing hers along with her for some reason or other.

Nahargarh Fort

Nahargarh Fort was completed around 1734, and built at the behest of Maharajah Sarai Jai Singh, Nahargarh, in conjunction with nearby Amer Fort and Jaigarh Fort, formed a formidable ring of defense along the crests of the Aravalli Hills that just dared invaders to try and invade.

According to a legend, Nahargarh was named after a spirt that haunted the site and impeded construction. Supposedly, after each day’s labors, the construction that had been accomplished during the day would crumble at night, thanks to this spirit who was indignant at his turf being encroached upon. So they decided to built a temple in his honor, and name the whole shebang after him, hoping that would appease him. Looks like it worked, because the fort is standing strong nearly three centuries later.

In 1868, the fort was expanded, and apparently redecorated as well. The patterns on the walls in the newer section look very Nineteenth Century, even rather Victorian. Evidently this esthetic appeals to the monkeys, of which there are quite a number on the grounds, because some of them ventured inside, and we had to take care not to bump into them unexpectedly as we rounded a corner. For us, the decor seemed like an inspiration to indulge in some silliness for the camera to counter the prim backdrop.

Going back down the hill, we were approached a couple of times by drivers of motorcycles who offered us a lift (for money, of course) to the bottom. But we declined as usual. Motorcycles don’t appeal to us even under the best of conditions, and it’s hardly the best of conditions when you have gravity-defying roads with whiplash turns.

Once we reached the bottom of the hill, which was much easier than walking up, it was on to our next destination: Gandhi Vatika, a sprawling museum honoring– well, you know. Mohandas Gandhi probably needs no introduction anywhere in the world, But to the Indians he is revered in the utmost, even to the point of putting his portrait on all the currency.

Gandhi Vatika

Our visit to the museum occurred two years and two weeks after it opened to the public. It’s a spacious three-story complex inside City Park, in a spot that was formerly occupied by a resort hotel and a historic polo horse breeding and riding center. Its eco-friendly design features construction with bricks made of compressed mud dug up on the property. Its grounds feature a garden with about 14,000 trees and plants and an amphitheatre.

When you arrive, a guard escorts you to the elevator, and then another guard conducts you on the elevator to the first floor of exhibits, and then you’re on your own. With nearly 90,000 square feet, the museum gives you plenty of room to breathe. It’s very thoughtfully laid out, and incorporates holographic projections (the first museum in Jaipur to do so) and other imaginative spatial presentations, moving you through the space in curves and swirls so you forget you’re in a square building, and get caught up in the flow of history.

The first section chronicles the British conquest and occupation of India, and the wording on the exhibits makes it crystal clear, in case you didn’t know, that Indians do not look back upon that era nostalgically. Then we get into Gandhi’s background and biographical events, including his childhood, wife and family, law practice, time working in South Africa, exposure to racism, and development as an activist. And ultimately his assassination at the age of 78, one day after he’d commented that he needed to complete a certain task because there was no guarantee that he would still be alive tomorrow. There are also tributes to him from numerous luminaries from many nations and fields.

The one thing that concerned us about the two hours or so we spent in this facility was that we mostly had the place to ourselves. Such an informative and inspiring tribute to one of the Twentieth Century’s most important leaders should be heavily patronized by the public. Let’s hope that the attendance on this day was atypical.

Events occurred 10/6/2026