Polo match and session with Chetan Bhagat
January 25, Jaipur: Yesterday was a busy day. After checking in at the ITC Rajputana I went to the Jaipur Polo Ground to watch the Maharaj Prithi Singh Baria Cup 2015 sponsored by St Regis Hotels & Resorts.
I left the polo match a little early and went to Radisson Blu where I attended the FICCI Flo event where Chetan Bhagat was the guest speaker.
It is not easy to get Chetan Bhagat for such events and I must compliment FICCI Flo Chairperson, Apra Kuchhal, for this.
In the evening, I went to a private dinner at a private residence. The dinner was organized for the Jaipur Literary authors and is an annual affair. I finished dinner late and from there went to the Jaigarh Fort.
The Jaigarh Fort is a majestic stronghold built by Sawan Jai Singh II.
This almost-intact fort is surrounded by huge battlements and is connected to the Amer Fort (also called Amber Fort) with subterranean passages. IT was originally built to protect the Amer Fort and the palace within the complex.
The Jaigarh Fort is architecturally similar to the Amer Fort and offers a panoramic view of the city of Jaipur. The fort houses the world’s largest cannon on wheels, a majestic palace complex and the assembly hall of the warriors known as ‘Shubhat Niwas’ along with a museum and an armoury.
Apart from the intricate architecture of the fort, the fort was also renowned for a huge treasure that was believed to be buried under somewhere in the fort. It is now said that the government of Rajasthan seized the treasure when it was discovered in the 1970s. The Jaigarh Fort was built to secure Jaipur City as well from the warlords and rivals.
When I was going to the Jaigarh Fort I saw many cars coming down and I was sure that by the time I reached there I wouldn’t find the host or the guests. But to my utter surprise, when I reached there at 1.30 am the party was in full swing.
I think Jaipur is one of the cities where late night parties are very much a part of the life. This party was hosted by the the directors of the Rajasthan Polo Club and St Regis Hotels & Resorts to celebrate their inaugural sponsorship of polo in India.
Today is the last day of the Jaipur Literature Festival and I am planning to get there at the earliest.
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