The Marvel revisited - Statue of Unity after three years

The last article was written when this marvel of a tourist-destination-dream had just seen its fruition and opened its gates to one and all. I revisited the Statue of Unity now after three long, with one non-year in between due to the tiny havoc-wreaking being called Covid-19, years. The attraction, the magnetism, the charm has all grown multifold since I last visited The Statue of Unity. Now the Statue is not “just a statue” anymore but a full-fledged tourist destination with as many as 36 state-of-the-art attractions / activities in place. Everything is though nature and local centric and promotes nature in all its beautiful forms - be it the Wildlife Safari Park or Jungle Safari, Petting Zone, Cactus Garden, Valley of Flowers, Butterfly Park or just a serene cruise over the waters of Sardar Sarovar Dam. The local tribals have been employed and trained to run this ecosystem called Kevadia with unmatched efficiency.

What’s New

Let me take you through my experience of re-visiting SoU after three years.

Started as a day excursion option, but now Statue of Unity is easily a two-day if not three-day destination. An attraction suited to all age groups, young and old alike. Facilities and attractions are planned keeping every age group in mind. With wheel-chairs being available to travellators to take you to the Statue, details have been thought through to keep seniors also equally engaged and interested. The stay options have mushroomed in and around Kevadia, accommodation to suit all pocket sizes is available. An ultra luxurious tent city, a hotel of class, a budget tent city, even a few lodges and tribal-homestays, there is something for everyone to choose from. 

Bookings are available online, reducing your dependency on the “ask-around" option. Go online and in three easy steps book your tickets. Make bookings for your stay at one of the many options that suit you and you are ready to live a grandeur of an experience!

A quick re-cap of the must-knows

Dedicated to The Iron Man of India, The Architect of the Unified India and The Farmers’ Leader, Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel, the Statue of Unity stands 182 meters tall, approx. 600 feet. This is the tallest statue in the world. As a true symbol of national unity, about 5000 tonnes of iron from farming implements and soil from villages across the country was collected and utilised in the construction of the project. Completed in record time, the Statue stands as a tribute to the visionary Sardar Patel and is a paragon of artistic expression and engineering excellence.

The Statue is a three-level engaging wonder, with a museum and theatre at the base, an open deck at the mezzanine and an observation deck inside the statue at an astounding height of 500 feet. The tickets are available with two options - one that allows you to visit the base and the mezzanine and the second one that allows you a trip up the elevators to the observation deck as well, where you can get a panoramic view of the valley from and witness the Sardar Sarovar Dam and Narmada in all its glory. The tickets have time slots mentioned and one must stick to the allotted time in order to have a smooth and glitch-free “statue-darshan”!

The Base

The museum at the base is now more vibrant and has a few newer additions, one being an “I-pledge” console. The digital console allows you to fill a brief form with your name and place of residence and a section where you write a pledge that you wish to take when you visit the memorial dedicated to the Iron Man of India, the one who united us all- Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel. The pledges are displayed on a screen above the console. Next to this console is a beautiful collage of all the rulers of various princely states of India who joined hands under the able guidance of Sardar Patel to make one big united nation that India today is. Imagine the mammoth task of bringing the recalcitrant princely states together to become one to form a Unified India!

Besides these there is a wall mural of Sardar Patel’s silhouette that is made up of a collection of various farm equipments. And indeed the prototype of the head of the statue too. Queue up for your elevator ride, and be ready for that view from up above.

The Observation Deck

There hasn’t been any change here in the last three years. The deck is as clean as it was then. If you are punctual as per your ticket time-slot, you can get ample time to walk around and have a good view of the river flowing below and the Steadfast Dam standing afar. Do not hesitate to use that camera!

The Mezzanine

The elevators bring you to the open deck at the mezzanine floor, which is the pedestal of the statue. Yes, you are now where the feet of the grand statue are. You get a good panoramic view of the valley from here too. The location has been chosen keeping the climate in mind and the temperature here remains moderate all the year round. Spend some leisurely moments marvelling at the grandiosity of the vision that now stands towering over you, riveting the gaze of one and all who come here to Sadhu-Bet to visit the memorial to India’s Iron Man.

Food Court

Once out, the food court will signal a “come-hither” and no force of any resolution can then stop you as the wafting aroma from deep-fried goodies will guide your path to a table inside this coming together of flavours. Savour the local dishes or just grab a cuppa to recharge yourself for the trip ahead, you have options galore. When I last visited this food court, there were only three outlets with one being solely for bottled water. Now you have many options here with some International brands also making their presence felt.

So much to See, so little time

I must mention that a few attractions charge a nominal entrance fee while others are free of charge.Tickets can be bought at the entrance gates of these attractions.

Hop on to the next available bus (there are 17 bus stops in all, along the circular sightseeing path) and embark upon a journey through the valley of Kevadia. There are bicycles available for renting if the cyclist in you wants to get adventurous. Next big attraction definitely is the Jungle Safari. At the jungle safari, a ticket is required to be bought. Queue up to take your ride in an electric cart and go meet the various carnivores, herbivores, reptiles and avian fellows that live here. The Safari Park is a unique zoological park and is home to many indigenous and exotic animals and birds. You can walk through the huge dome of the aviary and can see the many rare and exotic birds up close. The deer park too has many species in their respective enclosures. Animals from far and wide have been brought here, one can see a Rhinoceros, a White Tiger, Emus, Wildebeest and even a Giraffe! Children are sure to have a fun filled experience at this attraction at the Statue of Unity. The domestic animals are kept separately in a Petting Zone, where one can feed, touch and play with these animals. Close to the Jungle Safari is the Dino Trail, very much worth taking.

The Cactus Garden, the Valley of Flowers, the Butterfly Garden, are all huge crowd pullers. Exotic species of flora and fauna add their uniqueness to this tourist hub. 

Indulge in some boating over the Panchmuli Lake in Kevadia, or take a cruise over the Sardar Sarovar Dam and get a closer look at the Statue from your boat as you sail past Sadhu-Bet. Adventure seekers, there are water sport activities too, the details of which can be sought once you plan your trip.

The highlight : Light and Sound Show

As the day progresses with one activity after another, a sumptuous lunch later one can either take a short break and rest in their room / tent or can further carry on exploring the other remaining activities, while reserving energy for the light and sound show, because that is one attraction that should not be missed. Gather at the Statue at the theatre that has been specially created for the show, and sit back while the 20 minute show takes you through the life and times of Sardar Patel. A slice of history that will fill you up with tank-full of inspiration!

Post the show, take a bus ride to the Dam promenade for another light and sound show, of a different kind. This one is a stage performance by some very talented artists, the artists being colourful laser beams dancing across the horizon to the tunes of very popular peppy songs. DO NOT MISS THIS SPECTACLE! 

Talking about all things light, there is a Glow Garden too that should not be missed. Though, I being very tired wanted to skip this one but the thought of “when will I visit again”, dragged me inside the gates of the Glow Garden. A beautifully lit garden spread over 3.61 acres of land where light and colours play together to create a visual-sensory delight. Walk along to marvel at illuminated installations, figures and optical illusions. A dance floor where one can hop and dance and try catching the glowing tiles by jumping onto them, as I said earlier, there is something for every one here. Old and young, each member of your family will return delighted and pleased from this vacation with a difference.

Statue of Unity, has established itself as a very popular tourist destination already. Now, with huge banquet spaces coming up all around, vast expanses of open spaces for hosting events and large inventory of rooms to accommodate many guests, the destination is also emerging as a wedding and events venue. Corporates are considering hosting their off-sites and incentives at Kevadia, Destination weddings are being planned around it and other meets and conventions are already being hosted here. The plus plus is the fantastic connectivity, with trains connecting Kevadia to Surat, Vadodara and Mumbai, Seaplane connectivity from Ahmedabad and of course the good expressways from Vadodara and Ahmedabad, bringing your troupe over to Kevadia is not a difficult task anymore.

If you already have visited the Statue of Unity, go visit again and experience the newer attractions, if you haven’t yet, hey what have you been waiting for?

Mademoiselle Demoiselle

 I lived in Jodhpur for beautiful six years of my life. I glowed and thrived in the Sun of the Suncity, immersed myself in the history and romance of the Royal sagas, shimmered in the cultural hues, danced to the Langas’ and Manganiyaars’ rhythms and yet missed out on hopping next door to meet these dainty yet brawny visitors from Siberia. Yes, I did not get a chance to go birding to Khichan. Now after thirteen years of migrating to another state, I travelled back to Marwar to meet these migratory birds - I guess because now we both fall in the same category!!

Kurjan or Koonj is as much a part of Rajasthan as is the peafowl. Songs are written and sagas are sung around these beautiful birds whose calls, they say evoke a sense of longing; longing for the union with the beloved who has travelled far in search of a livelihood, longing for a visit home, longing for meeting a long lost friend. 

About Demoiselle Cranes

Kurjan or the Demoiselle Cranes (Grus virgo) are a species of cranes from Siberia, who every year travel some 4-5 thousand kilometres to come to Khichan near Phalodi in Marwar region of Rajasthan, to spend the winters in a more favourable weather than the harsh one back home; though now their average length of stay is around eight months, starting from August to the March of next year. Smallest of the cranes, they measure some 33-40 inches in height with a wing span of 61-71 inches. A slender white neck has a dark plumage in the front that runs down to the chest of the bird, thus giving it a maiden like appearance. No wonder then that Queen Marie Antoinette christened them “The Demoiselle Cranes”! Delicate and lady-like in appearance, Kurjan (with a nasal sound in the pronunciation) have pretty powerful wing muscles that help them fly over 4000-5000 kilometres or even more, from Siberia, Russia, Mongolia, China to Rajasthan, Gujarat and some other places in India as well as a few locations in Pakistan.

About Khichan

A quaint little village, just 3.5 km from the nearest town of Phalodi and a mere 139 km from the nearest airport- Jodhpur, Khichan is a village of Jain settlement. Jainism preaches an inclusive way of non-violent living. Jains, like most other communities as well, feed animals and birds around their homes. You would notice a lot of bird-feeding towers in Jain villages.

One can take a train also to reach Khichan via Phalodi. Other option is to fly to Jodhpur or Udaipur and drive down to Khichan. There are some decent places to stay in Phalodi in case you wish to stay the night and revisit the birds the next morning. Mostly, a day excursion from Jodhpur is preferred.

Atithi Devo Bhava in the true sense of the word

In the 1970s, Ratanlal Maloo who was working in Odisha but returned to Khichan after losing his job there, was assigned the task of feeding the pigeons every day in the village. Ratanlal and his wife diligently spread the bird-feed twice every day, at a designated spot. Many birds would come there to feed including pigeons of course, sparrows, parrots, peacocks, some squirrels etc. One fine morning, in a year not identified but sometime in the 70s, Ratanlal noticed a few new visitors who definitely looked like “foreigners”. As is the culture in India, guests are always welcome and so Ratanlal started feeding these visitors too. With around a dozen birds the first time, the number of the migrating visitors grew to over 30,000 during the last year! Noticing the birds being attacked by village dogs, Ratanlal requested for allotment of a separate land, on the outskirts of the village to be fenced and demarcated as a separate “Chugga-ghar” or bird-feeding house. And thus came by the world famous Demoiselle Crane inhabitation into existence. Initially it was the villagers’ efforts and resources, including monetary assistance to keep the bird feeding pond and ground well, but now a few NGOs and other organisations have joined hands too in raising the funds for the upkeep and bird-feed.

Distinct characteristics

Demoiselle Cranes are family oriented birds and usually fly in rectangular formations with the mother leading the flight, followed closely by her young ones with the father trailing behind as a guard. Large groups fly together while migrating or even while shifting their resting spots.

The birds are fed twice a day and after feeding, the birds move to water-bodies, ponds and dunes nearby, only returning to the feeding spot for a drink of water later in the afternoon.

A hop and skip dance can be seen as an expression of affection among couples. The cranes go to nearby farmlands for roosting and return to the feeding spot the next morning.

Their migratory formations have been imitated by the infantry in various battles. There is a mention of the “Koonj formation” being adopted by both the warring sides in the Mahabharata, on the second day of the Kurukshetra war.

The throaty trumpet-like call of the Koonj has inspired many songs and references in the daily lives of people around Khichan.

Why visit Khichan?

Number one reason, of course is a date with these dainty mademoiselles and another important reason is to see how a small village and its people fiercely protect this endangered species of cranes. Little children in the age range of 5-13 years old will surprise you with their knowledge about the cranes. Do take a little help from these little guides and let them earn a deserved pocket money :)

Happy birding!

Rajasthan at a glance

A musical walk-through over the dunes and through the Forts, skimming the lakes and zigzagging the mountains. 

Recommendation : Volume High!!

Surreal to Real

Rajasthan - The land of many wonders

When in Jaipur... Part 2 - Jaipur in a Day

The name that resonates with Royalty, Vibrance, Colours, Music, Festivities, Forts and Palaces, Leheriya and Bandni, Kachoris and Dal Bati Churma, and the colour Pink is JAIPUR. A must visit destination on every traveller’s bucket list, Jaipur has so much to offer to everyone that a day is too short a duration to experience this lovely carnival of a city. This is a short guide to quickly cover sightseeing of this beautiful city in just a day. For shopping you need another day and a comprehensive guide is available here.

Begin the day with the tour-des-Forts. Jaipur proudly boasts of presence of three majestic hill Forts - Jaigarh, Nahargarh and Amer. Each Fort is definitely worth a visit and no two forts are alike, while Nahargarh offers panoramic views of the Pink City and has a modern art gallery inside its courtyards, Jaigarh houses the largest cannon in the world The Jai Vaan and also a thoughtfully curated weaponry museum but the most visited Fort remains the Amer Fort or Amber Fort reasons being, easy accessibility as compared to the other two Forts, original grandeur restored and preserved well, is surrounded by many manicured gardens, is a chosen location for many a film shoots and Elephant rides add another huge attraction. Amer also is home to Mata Shila Devi, a revered Goddess among the Rajputs and many other communities from Rajasthan and neighbouring states. Since this article is about covering the city in a day, we recommend you take a jeep ride up to the Fort to save time. We highly recommend you to take the assistance of an audio / personal guide as the visit remains incomplete unless you understand the details of every aspect of not just the architecture but also the history of the magnanimous Fort and Palace.

Picture Courtesy : Mr.Hemant Sharma

Jaipur is a photographers’ paradise. Groups of photographers climb up the many forts each morning to get their magical shots of sunrises and cityscapes in the surreal hues. One such popular photo-opp stop is on the road in front of the Amer Fort which gives spectacular panoramic shots of the Fort. Take a quick stop here and feed the Canons and Nikons or your Phone cameras with the delights of the sights around. And before you head back to the city, remember to pick the famous namkeen and mithai (locally known as Ganthia and Gundi) from Amer, available at most of the shops around the main road of Old Amer Town.

Picture Courtesy : Mr.Hemant Sharma

Next photo-opp stop is the Jalmahal. Built for the kings as a leisure palace in the middle of a water reservoir, The Jalmahal again is one of the most photographed locations of the city, vying for the top slot in close competition with The Amer Fort and The Hawa Mahal. 

Next is The Hawa Mahal which is more like a wall with windows and not really a Palace as the name suggests. The structure was built for the women of the noble families to sit in the many windows, unnoticed by the general public below and watch the processions during festivals like Teej and Gangaur. Read more about Gangaur here. The market around Hawa Mahal stocks Jaipuri Razais, Jaipuri Jutis, Bangles, Silverware, Fabrics and Handcrafted Artefacts. A gentle reminder : we are covering Jaipur in a day, shopping must wait for another day!

Your next stop : The City Palace where the erstwhile Royal Family still resides in a private section. A large part of the Palace however has been converted into a museum that showcases the Royal Era of Jaipur and Rajputana. The various sections of the museum house textiles, garments, weapons and armoury, artefacts and things of daily use used by the Maharajas, ancient manuscripts and carpets, a transport gallery and beautifully hand-painted but realistic portraits and paintings. The museum is not just famous for the collection but also for its architecture. The doors of various sections here symbolise different seasons. There is a Leheriya Gate, a Peacock Gate, Lotus Gate and a Shiv-Parvati gate. The City Palace also serves up some sumptuous snacks and beverages for the tired tourists in the Palace Cafe.

City Palace Pictures : From the Internet

Right in front of the City Palace is the UNESCO World Heritage site of Jantar Mantar, the observatory that houses The World’s largest Stone Sun Dial and other astronomical instruments. His highness Sawai Jai Singh Ji II, the founder of Jaipur was a scholar and a learned man with his interests in such varied subjects as astrology, astronomy and architecture and built this one of its kind marvel. Do check the time at the Sun Dial and come back amazed. After all, Jaipur must stay with you long after your visit is over!

Take a lunch break here to refuel yourself and move onto the second part of your Jaipur in a Day Tour which must be spent soaking in the beauteous and impressive architecture of The World Heritage City.

Take a tour of the Ramniwas Bagh complex at the centre of which is The Albert Hall Museum which houses collections of fine bone china, silverware, swords and hold your breath (!) An Egyptian Mummy! Another photo-opp locale Albert Hall is a favoured spot among locals for feeding pigeons. The flocks of pigeons add an interesting element to the picture compositions. The complex also has the famous Masala Chowk - a street food bonanza that comes alive every evening. 

From Albert Hall, take the route through MI road, Panch Batti Circle, Rajmandir cinema hall and reach the Statue Circle. The most beautiful road in all of Jaipur is this very road that connects Panch Batti to New Vidhansabha. Statue Circle is a mini carnival in itself every evening with ice cream and street food vendors and balloons and toy sellers all around. The New Vidhansabha building is yet another awe-inspiring architectural wonder. Aesthetically designed keeping in mind the existing architecture of Jaipur, it blends in very beautifully with the rest of the city.

If time permits, do visit the Moti Dungri Ganesh Temple and Birla Mandir before heading to Chokhi Dhani for an authentic Rajasthani dinner. The village themed restaurant is not a regular “get in - eat - leave” kind of a place but a centre that exhibits local art, culture and flavours in the truest forms. Right from the traditional welcome to the village-fair experience and the customary “manuhar” at dinner to the “Pachha Padharjo Sa” or please visit again adieu, it is an experience to be thoroughly enjoyed.

The other attractions of Jaipur include : A heritage Water Walk at Nahargarh Fort, Biological Park at Nahargarh, Kanak Vrindawan Gardens, Hathi Gaon, Sisodiya Gardens, Galta Ji, Leopard Safari at Jhalana, Heritage and Food Walks through old Pink City, Heritage Walk through Sanganer, exploring Bagru, night tour of Jaipur and many more such wonders.

Explore the heritage, culture and traditions of Jaipur with us. Click here to get a customised tour plan made just for you.

When in Jaipur… Part 1 - Shopping Guide

Jaipur is known World over as the city of Forts and Palaces, the city of Royalty and of course a foodies’ and shopper’s paradise. Be it the exquisite Gems and Jewellery or the handcrafted toys and artefacts - Jaipur has something for everyone. We today bring you a gist of the many lovely things that a shopper can fill their shopping bags with in Jaipur. Foodies, you need to wait for the Part 2.

To make things simpler, let’s take you on a tour from one market to another telling you all about the specialities these markets are known for. But first things first, Link Road in Bapu Bazaar is the foodies’ paradise and we too like a true blue Jaipurite start our tour from here with some Chaat and Falooda to provide us with the much needed energy to last us through the day. We will stop over for lunch at LMB, but that’s another story.

We begin our shopping trip from Bapu Bazaar itself which is one of the main and many well-designed and laid out marketplaces of the Pink City. The shops display an array of Lac Jewellery, Imitation Jewellery, Bangles in vibrant colours, Leather Mojris and Bags, Readymade garments in Tie and Dye and Hand Block Prints, Sarees and dress material - cottons and chiffons being the most popular choices, handicrafts - puppets, toys, key rings, pens, artefacts, mirror frames, etc etc., - there is so so much to see and buy in this lovely market of Jaipur. Take your leisurely time to window shop or to pick some souvenirs for yourself.

The straight lane that Bapu Bazaar is converges into a perpendicular road called Johri Bazaar which connects Sanganeri Gate and Badi Chopar. This is the most famous market for tourists and locals alike. The shops towards the Sanganeri Gate end store the secrets from the Maharajas’ Kitchens - yes! These are the spice and condiments shops and stock everything that your kitchen might need. From freshly ground regular spices to some of the exotic ones, they also keep spice mixes that come in handy when you want to try your hands at the authentic Rajasthani dishes. You may find the local ingredients and dried versions of the locally sourced vegetables too like Ker, Sangri, Kachri etc.

Next comes the chiffon and cotton paradise with the most beautiful tie-dye patterns on sarees, turbans, dupattas and dress material. Jaipur is also known for its “Gota” work and you can easily find something that you would love to add to your wardrobe here. This is the market that the brides-to-be come to for their trousseau shopping. Silver jewellery and Gem Stones jewellery shops also line this market very prominently. Approach Badi Chopar and it is no less than a Shopper’s Utopia! Hand made perfumes called Itra or Ittar, handcrafted wall decor pieces with intricate embroidery and mirror work, fabrics, bangles, handicrafts, mojris, imitation as well as real jewellery and hand block printed bedspreads - think of it and it is there! The quintessential collectible from Jaipur is the Jaipuri Razai - the featherlight cotton-filled quilts that come in Cotton and Velvet versions. This you have to definitely add to your Linen collection. 

Club your shopping with a bit of Sight seeing and go towards the JalMahal, the intervening market is the hub for carpet and GI tagged Blue Pottery shopping. You may alternatively choose to take a walk with us through the Industrial Town of Sanganer to pick up your stash of Blue Pottery, Hand Block printed textiles and Hand Made Paper. More information on the walk is available here.

While browsing through the very many shops we crossed the famous Laxmi Misthan Bhandar, to satiate the hunger pangs let us go back there for the best Ras Malai and Aloo Tikki Chaat in town. Lunch options too are galore here, but that is for a later time.

Next comes our spinal road, the road that is still unsure if it is a road (that’s us Jaipurites’ inside joke), the M I Road. One walk across the length of this road can give you a glimpse of what Jaipur is all about in just forty minutes. The buildings call for your attention for the brilliant architecture, the shops whistle out with all the lovely wares they display, the eateries whisper the names of the mouth watering dishes in your ears, the jewels and gems wink a colourful wink, the handicrafts stores wave at you and the famous Lassi shop just smiles at you, well knowing that you would end your walk with a tall glass of rose flavoured lassi.

A walk with a difference - tracing the footsteps of water!!

Thousands have lived without love, not one without water said W H Auden many years ago. Water is Life. Who better than the people of Rajasthan would know the true meaning of these statements. The land that has forever lived with scarcity of water. The important word here is “lived”! Yes, lived and survived and thrived. And continues to do so.

Today, let us make an attempt at understanding the creations of the masterminds of the people of yore. How in such trying times they created a self sufficient system of rain water harvesting, and created channels which guided the stored water to the end user without wasting a single drop!

Our story telling friend is a knowledgable water-space professional who also has a deep connection with the water systems of Rajasthan. As deep as 300 years stacked one on top of the other! To know more about this connection, come with us and walk through an era. We start from today, take you 300 years back and bring you to the future. 

The dry state of Rajasthan might be very low on water supply but has no dearth of hope and positivity. We don’t measure our water in litres, we talk of millions and zillions of droplets! Just how someone would put a mirror in a tiny room to make it look bigger. 

Best time to navigate through the water system and the different eras connecting it, one must reach the Nahargarh Fort by 7 am in winters and 6 in summers. Behold a breathtaking sunrise and proceed to a captivating story of water, experienced on feet.

To make it simple to understand - there are three main components in the whole water system viz., the catchment area, the channels and the accessible storage tank. The catchment area is generally higher than the rest of the system simply because in the days when there were no electrical pumps available, the gravity was used to propel and move the water down the channels. The channels are very thoughtfully designed with no scope of any overflow resulting in any wastage of water. The thickness and height of walls, manual valves to control the direction of flow of water and apertures in the walls to reduce the force of water were the various means of controlling the flow of water. How and where the catchment areas were made, why were those spots chosen, why are the channels so different all along the path somewhere very wide and somewhere very narrow, and how were the direction controlling valves installed - get all of these answers during your walk with us. Just click here to write to us.

Our water walk is named thus because we follow the path of water otherwise calling it a history, geography, cultural, culinary and everything walk would be an understatement. Our storyteller shares the ancient food wisdom, the cultural significances of various practices followed in ancient times, the patterns and fabrics of garments worn then, the basics of how a fort is built, how are dams built and so on and so forth. The information he shares is so immense that we recommend you carry a small notepad and a pen!

As we proceed through the walk and inch towards our ending point which is the tank made famous by the Amir Khan starrer Rang De Basanti, we cross many temples and shrines, we meet a whole lot of different species of birds and also a few dogs who joyfully escort us out of their territories. The most interesting part of the walk is the storage tank which is flanked by a dam and ramparts on one side and a very smart water flow control system on the other. There are steps leading down the tank which are of ornamental purpose only as one can not reach the steps from the edges of the tank. Thoughtfully designed ramps and slopes guide the water to the storage tank, reining its speed and force along the way. The details of these systems are better seen than read about. For pictures you may go to our Instagram page.

The water walk is not long in terms of distance traveled but is definitely long in terms of information assimilation. Keep sipping water all along the way to keep yourself hydrated. Similar walks are conducted at Amer Fort too and a water walk at Ramgarh also is coming very soon. All of these and for many other off-beat travel experiences, write to us here.