According to the "Birds of Northern India" by Richard Grimmett and Tim Inskipp, there are more than 1,000 species of birds in India. In my opinion, one of the most beautiful is the Indian Roller. My first sighting was in Pushkar in Rajasthan.
I was sitting on the lawn of a guest house when the bird streaked across the sky flashing electric blue, bright turquoise, and warm brown plumage. I startled my travel companion with a cry of amazement. I thought it was the most exotic, exciting bird I've ever seen. Our guide, Rennu, told me it was probably the "Bird of God." I've since come to know it as the Indian Roller, aka Blue Throat, aka Bird of Shiva (one of the Indian Gods).
Since then, I've seen this gorgeous, yet common bird many times. They're actually quite easy to spot perched on wires in the open countryside, especially in Northern India. I'm told it's considered auspicious to spot an Indian Roller first thing in the morning. I'm happy to see them at any time.
Jaipur is one of the hottest and most famous tourist attractions of India. A trip to India can never be complete without a visit to this place of immense historical and architectural importance. In its time it was among the best planned cities in the entire Asia and was the first planned city in India. Jaipur has a very happy amalgamation of the new and the old worlds. The charm and magic of Jaipur lies in the fact that it has a bit of everything- science, art and architecture, culture, religion, and history, ingrained into every inch of it. The warmth and hospitality of the people make a visit to the Pink city all the more memorable, remarkable and cherished. The best part of Jaipur is that even the hotels in Jaipur and the resorts have the flavor and fragrance of the ethnicity and hospitality of the place and its people. Most of the ITC hotels in Jaipur are not just places of shelter, but an experience in itself. Most of the leisure hotels in Jaipur have the ambience, feel and style of its rich and colorful history and culture. The treatment that the guests receive in the budget hotels in Jaipur is one of royalty and at the same time one of genuine affability.
ReplyDelete