Tourist handbooks described Galtaji in Jaipur as ‘an ancient pilgrimage centre, lying beyond the gardens amidst low hills’. Having covered the primary sight-seeing points (read palaces and forts) and left with one day to spare, I was looking for other places to visit, close to the city.
Located within 10 km from the city centre, Galtaji sounded just perfect. A mini bus from Hawa Mahal Circle dropped me on the Ring Road opposite an imposing gateway from where I was told to walk up the hill to find Galtaji. Walking past the huge gate, a cluster of buildings came into view, followed by a few temples and shrines of recent origin at the base of the hill.
As I climbed my way up, views of Jaipur materialised and I could a distant temple.
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Soon, a couple of boys rode down on a donkey. Shortly after, the neighing of a lone chestnut horse tied to a pillar was heard close by, and the din of the town. Close to the temple was an ancient-looking mandapam, which provided enough shade for resting cows and sleeping men. The hillside was also home to plenty of goats and monkeys.
But this was not the Galtaji Temple I had come looking for.
By now I had reached the top of the hill, and the villagers said that Galtaji was down in the valley. I could see a spectacular view with two rocky hills and a narrow deep valley in between. Women in bright coloured saris and groups of boys were taking the stone-paved path going down the narrow gap between the hills. Strangely, there was no sign of tourists.
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I followed a group of villagers without knowing what lay ahead.
The rocky slopes rose steeply, and the gap became narrower until a whole complex of palace-like buildings, temples and bathing tanks came into view. Water from a natural spring fed two bathing tanks. On one level, boisterous boys were making merry, and on another, a small group of women was taking a a dip in the water.
Hidden treat
In the valley, I found a Vaishnavite shrine. Climbing a flight of steps, I entered a courtyard. I found that it was a boarding school for Vaishnavite boys learning the Vedas. The courtyard had momentarily turned into a cricket ground for the boys, as their teacher watched them play. So engrossed were the boys in the game, they hardly noticed me clicking away.
I left the complex to take a look at the stunning hills. Blown away by the buildings, temples, pavilions, kunds and water tanks, I forgot all about the Galtaji Temple. Much later, it turned out to be a small shrine nestled in the hills. My day was made, my camera card nearly full. I climbed back up to catch my bus to Jaipur.