“Here are the two main things Im excited about inIndia, said Leo, our six-year-old.
Painting, and elephants.
But elephants and specifically riding an elephant?
No one is quite sure where that idea came from.
Leo, however, was downcast.
Our driver, Mr. Singh, could feel it; we all could.
Over loudspeakers, a sermon reverberated off the fortress walls.
Singh cried, speeding up to overtake the animal and pulling over onto the shoulder.
Expressions of astonished glee lit up both kids faces.
I grew up in the English countryside, a place of immense beauty and persistently gray, gloomy weather.
After that, we moved to New York City, and somehow, a decade went by.
Then there I was, reading those same books about India to my own daughter.
Arent you worried theyll get sick?
was a common reaction.
How long is the flight again?
India is a fairy tale, Bealby said.
The old heritage palaces give children this sense of wonder, this Disney-style experience.
And Rajasthan, in particular, delivers all of that in real life.
This brings me to one of my golden rules of long-haul family travel.
Yes, we felt disoriented and a little peculiar when we woke up.
Black-and-yellow taxis beetled along Apollo Bunder, the road in front of the hotel.
Behind them, a flock of pigeons flew in formation over the sparkling Arabian Sea.
Peacocks arrange themselves decoratively among bougainvillea and hibiscus flowers, against postcard views of the lake.
And then we arrived at the Udaivilas.
Lets just say there was a camel involved.
And a shower of rose petals.
And a troupe of dancers in dazzling, rainbow-colored clothes, accompanied by a brass band.
We spent the rest of the day at the Udaivilas, just soaking in the splendor of it all.
Unlike many of Rajasthans iconic hotels, the Udaivilas is relatively new, having opened in 2002.
Its design, however, is unapologetically regal.
(We are building a palace, said P.R.S.
Oberoi, then chairman of the company, back when it was under construction.)
It ends in a single hair, Pujari said, holding one out for the kids to inspect.
Squirrel fur is preferred because of its softness, he went on.
Next, Pujari showed the kids how the miniaturists make their paints.
We go in search of the stones and we bring them home, he explained.
He picked a little rock out of a bowl.
This is sulfur, he said.
He dipped it in water and ground it against a tile.
See, it gives a beautiful yellow.
Stella, can you guess what this yellow paint comes from?
The kids made various guesses, mostly involving plants and flowers.
This is the pee of cows, Pujari announced, to a chorus of shrieks and giggles.
Not for the last time on this trip, we had to restrain ourselves from buying too much.
Well, India was nothing like that.
Our next stop was Jaipur, the Pink City founded by Maharaja Jai Singh II in 1727.
Wed seen kingfishers flying over a lake, vultures, parakeets, and a crocodile basking on a wall.
But had we seen a tiger?
Our hotel,Rajmahal Palace RAAS, was a perfect example of that fusion of old and new.
It also has a delightful pool surrounded by mango trees and pink stucco walls.
“Today, we are goingfull tigering, announced Ashlesh Sharma, making a pumping gesture with his fist.
Their property is made up of 12 elegant, safari-tent-style accommodations tucked away in the deciduous trees.
At first light that morning wed met Sharma and our driver, and set out on a game drive.
Wed seen kingfishers flying over a lake, vultures, parakeets, and a crocodile basking on a wall.
But had we seen a tiger?
So there we all were in the jeep again that afternoon, and Sharmas sense of urgency was clear.
We were in full tigering mode, and it was time to get serious.
At that time it was pure jungle life no electricity, no schools, he said.
One day, Sharma and his father had been walking through the forest when they came upon a tiger.
(The kids paused snack consumption mid-mouthful at this point.)
We hid behind a tree, he said.
The tiger knew we were there, but it didnt attack.
I was seven and a half years old.
I asked how his village had felt about leaving Ranthambore.
The old people didnt want to leave the forest, Sharma said.
But the young people saw the future.
We toured the Shikar Bhuj, a tower once used for shooting tigers and now a dining space.
Today this ornate 30,000-square-foot structure is home to the Six Senses Spa.
And I hoped, more than anything, that they would carry those things with them always.
I remembered all the curiosity Id had about the world at that age and how little real knowledge.
And I hoped, more than anything, that they would carry those things with them always.
Doubles from $421.
Fabindia: This cotton emporium in the Kala Ghoda neighborhood is a must-visit for souvenirs and climate-appropriate clothing.
Ganesh Emporium: A mazelike town house stocked to the rafters with vintage textiles, crafts, and artworks.
We stayed in the QEII Suite, where the British monarch slept on her 1961 visit.
Guests can get a ride into town in the hotels adorable red vintage car.
Anokhis Jaipur flagship is the place to stock up on clothing and home textiles.
Youll find antique and traditional pieces on the ground floor; the second-floor atelier carries more modern styles.
From left: A visitor captures the frescoes on Ganesh Pol, one of the gates at Amber Fort; a quiet corner of Ganesh Emporium, a textile and craft store set in a haveli, or traditional town house, in Udaipur’s Old Town.Aparna Jayakumar
From left: Surveying the grounds of Rajmahal Palace RAAS Jaipur, a hotel in the former home of a maharajah; the eastern façade of the Hawa Mahal, or Palace of Winds, in Jaipur.Aparna Jayakumar
From left: A guest room at Villa Palladio, a boutique hotel on the outskirts of Jaipur; breakfast at Rajmahal Palace.Aparna Jayakumar
From left: A campaign chair in a guest suite at Suján Sher Bagh; chicken thali at Sher Bagh.Aparna Jayakumar
From left: A pink tourmaline and amethyst sathlada, or seven-strand necklace, on display at Gem Palace, in Jaipur; taking in views of Lake Pichola from the Zenana Mahal, or Palace of the Queens, part of Udaipur’s City Palace.Aparna Jayakumar
From left: Amber Fort, outside Jaipur, founded by the Rajput royal family in the 16th century; splashing in the waters of Lake Pichola, in Udaipur.Aparna Jayakumar
The main pool at Six Senses Fort Barwara.Aparna Jayakumar
From left: Breakfast is served at Villa Palladio, outside Jaipur; a quiet corner of Jaipur’s Bar Palladio.Aparna Jayakumar
From left: A seating area in one of the suites at Six Senses Fort Barwara; a view of the Kharbuja Mahal, or Muskmelon Palace—one of the original 14th-century structures the property was developed around.Aparna Jayakumar
From left: Miniature painting in the studio of Udaipur’s Shyam Arts; Maharaja Man “Jai” Singh’s 1950s Ford Thunderbird at Rajmahal Palace.Aparna Jayakumar
From left: A visitor at the City Palace, in Jaipur, India; a guest suite at Six Senses Fort Barwara.Aparna Jayakumar
From left: Spotted deer in Ranthambore National Park; on safari in Ranthambore National Park with Suján Sher Bagh.Aparna Jayakumar
From left: An Oberoi staffer ferries Udaivilas guests across Lake Pichola; the view from the Kohinoor Suite at the Oberoi Udaivilas.Aparna Jayakumar
From left: Ranthambore’s 14th-century fortress gate, home to a banyan tree said to be hundreds of years old; a peacock—India’s national bird—displays its tail feathers in Ranthambore.Aparna Jayakumar
Cooling off at the resort Oberoi Udaivilas.Aparna Jayakumar
Early morning at Six Senses Fort Barwara.Aparna Jayakumar
Pastries from Cortile restaurant at Six Senses Fort Barwara.Aparna Jayakumar
From left: Fruit stalls at a street market in Udaipur; pigeons at Gangaur Ghat, at the edge of Udaipur’s Lake Pichola.Aparna Jayakumar
Suján Sher Bagh’s family suite, with two tents arranged around a private pool.Aparna Jayakumar
