The local favorite: Ghevar

Wandering through the bazaar's of old Jaipur is an experience in itself, whether you buy anything or not. They are colorful, noisy and happily chaotic, and you can buy anything here, from Jaipur's famous Meenakari Jewelry to Bars of Soap, marketed under the unique promise that they are made from holy Ganges Water, to give you a holy Ganges water bath every time. The most interesting bazaars lie within the Pink city quarter. The best way to tackle them is perhaps by first taking a slow recce by cycle rickshaw and then coming back to the parts you find most interesting. Jaipur is known for its delicious traditional candies.

A favorite is Ghevar, a crunchy orange honeycomb like disc made from cottage cheese. Probably the best known candy shop in town is within the restaurant Lakshmi Mishtan Bhandar, said to have operated from the same premises since the 18th century. Choki Dhani en route to Sanganer is a novel "folk village" serving authentic Rajasthan food in a charming rustic setting complete with puppeteers, ballad, singer, bangle makers and potters. Its sprawling campus is lit entirely by flickering hurricane lamps. The food is served on leafplatters while you are seated on the floor in the traditional manner.

Handmade Paper

If you've ever used handmade paper from India, chances are it was made in Sanganer. The craftsman are the descendants of those who, for generations, made paper of the Rajput princes and the technique hasn't changed: the raw material is ordinary scrappaper which is ripped up, stamped into pulp by foot and washed.

A handmade paper factory

Then it is bleached , dyed and very dexterously lifted out, layer by layer.... each layer, of course being a fresh sheet. The sheets are then dried, either by hanging them from clothes lines or by sticking them up on the walls of the town's houses. Finally they are smoothed out with heavy stones and speckled if necessary with gold.

Rajasthani Textiles

Whether tie-dyed, woven, block-printed, appliqued, embroidered or hand painted, use certain motifs not generally seen elsewhere. The motifs are mostly derived from the flora and fauna found in the region. Some flowers, like the Marigold, Jasmine, Rose, Champa or Raibe, have sacred associations and some animals such as the Elephant, Lion and Monkey are considered more important than others. Caparisoned Elephants and Camels, Peacocks or a girl holding a flower or in a dance pose, add more Rajasthani Character then other motifs.

Famous Textile Prints

However motifs based on geometrical forms trellises, symbolic patterns used in age-old paintings or decoration in daily rituals by the village women. The mandana motifs used to decorate mud houses during Diwali in certain parts of Rajasthan and flowers and flowering plants are also common.