Brahmapuri Blues
Brahmapuri, Rajasthan, India
Rajasthan is indeed a land of fortresses, rajputs, grandeur, valor, and hospitality. It is a riot of colors, land of sand dunes, of hues of orange at sunrise and sunset, of meandering narrow lanes, of hot spicy food, of rajasthani turbans and scenic-scapes. Nothing exemplifies this better than Jodhpur – a wondrous city, dominated by the mighty Mehrangarh fort, but that seemed to catch less of my attention as compared to the scattered blue settlement, yonder, at the foot of the fort-Brahmapuri!
Brahmapuri – a settlement of Brahmins, set about the same period as the fort in Jodhpur. It’s due to this azure expanse that Jodhpur is called the Blue City of Rajasthan. Humble though it is, it does intrigue an outsider because of its heavily organic form, its tangled network of cramped lanes and its shy and unassuming people. Their simplicity, commensurate only with their own humble “shack”.
I was with three other of my friends in Jodhpur and we spent a couple of days in Brahmapuri trying to understand the various aspects of this place, from its street network to its relationship with the fort.
Very narrow lanes flanked by ground-plus-one structures on both sides, one lane leading to another narrow lane and more often than not the many lanes leading to dead ends is what is typical of Brahmapuri, apart from its blue color. These lanes are the very essence of this settlement. The lanes are, therefore, the settlement is!! Like the innumerable capillaries running in our body, these lanes are spread widely at Brahmapuri. They break the settlement into fragments and at the same time integrate it into a whole.
The blue color is very soothing to the eyes and senses and hence is popular amongst the localities. This place has seen 22 generations and yet it seems as vibrant, as zealous and as true as ever. Almost nothing has changed except for the better electricity connection, telephone lines and an improved drainage system. Incorporating the modern advances in such an interwoven plexus was never an easy task. It took several years to set up a flawless and fully functional drainage system that negotiated a topography as irregular as Brahmapuri’s.
The gates to the Fort City (within which lies Brahmapuri) are always open now and are a part of the street. They fall en route as transitory archways and help in establishing distinct landmarks in this labyrinth of lanes. There are hearsays that these gates were broken by elephants during a destructive deluge, some 55 years back. We got to hear all the history of the place from the various homes we visited in Brahmapuri.
The first day of our study was interesting. The 3-wheelers and 4-wheelers cannot enter Brahmapuri because the lanes are barely two metres wide. It becomes imperative therefore that one stops at one of the gates to the settlement and takes the foot route thereafter. All roads of Brahmapuri lead to a temple, be it the Ek Ling Mahadev or any other. The primary lane of Brahmapuri runs north-south and slopes steeply downwards to the fort and ends at the twin lakes – Roop Sagar and Padam Sagar. The lakes are the primary cooling ingredients and the chief source of water. There is a secret route from the lakes that directly lead to the palace – the abode of the kings. To construct such a route, needless to say, is an architecture and engineering marvel! It is said that these routes were later sealed so that no marauder could jimmy his way to the treasures of the Rajputs.
The Brahmins were respected highly by the kings and therefore the royalty assisted the Brahmin’s in establishing a settlement at the foot of the hill. One can only wonder at the breathtakingly organic growth of the settlement. It is a true challenge to find the same house again on a second visit to the place. A few houses, however, are distinguishable due to the intricate bracket work on their exterior façade. These were the homes of the slightly superior Brahmins who assisted the king in the administration. The jail work is unbelievably well carved for a Brahmin’s residence. The plinth is unusually high so as to prevent the reflected radiation from the earth to glare into the interiors. This high quality detailing is sheer brilliance!! The stone carving, though not as ornate as at Jaisalmer, is dainty. It helps increase the surface area of the stone so that more heat is reflected to the exterior and less heat is absorbed into the rooms. Even the water network was well worked out. Due to severe floods in these regions early on, the community made a provision of two man-made lakes. The water stored in these two lakes was supplied to the rest of the settlement and was transported merely on the principle of difference in water pressure. Intelligence behind such technological advances is the only reason that the settlement is still able to sustain itself.
One look at the murky interiors and gloomy courtyards of these houses and one tends to quickly assume that the Brahmins might just have faltered here. But that is not so, for it’s these dim-lit interiors that make mild the harsh and glaring May sun. I must say that these walls did have a somnolent effect on my senses. The whirring fan and the sumptuous Rajasthani Thali only added to my drowsiness. After a short afternoon “power snooze” at our guesthouse, we left for our destination in the evening. The shops were shutting down when we reached them. It grew dark soon after, since it was the month of October. The sand suspended in the air added that mysterious crepuscular glow, which accentuated the sandstone marvel. In no time the lights in the tiny dwellings were glowing bright. I found myself able to catch a glimpse of the sensational evening view of Brahmapuri. The overcrowded thoroughfare, the folk songs on the flat terraces, the kites soaring high in the sky…there is a deeply embedded humanness in their way of life, in their over-modest demeanor and their never-say-die spirits that touch your soul.
As I was lost in my thoughts, a feeling of enchantment pervaded me only to we awakened by the harsh sounding “we need to get back to the guesthouse soon…or else we shall not be able to find our way!” I grumbled at the thought of getting back so early!! “It doesn’t seem like she wants to get home,” chimed in another friend of mine. To simply put an end to more gibes, I hastily marched towards the lane that led to the exit.
The lanes meander and as you advance deeper inside this settlement you find yourself running down lanes that dip steeply downwards. After that downhill lane, you find yourself negotiating an equally steep slope upwards. After a lane running downwards and another lane running upwards, you either realize that you have managed to reach the same place from where you started or have managed to reach a place that leaves you caracoling and wondering…”Where did I start from?” That’s exactly how we lost our way. Up and down…round and round in circles…every first timer gets lost here. Does one really have to nervously finger worry beads for that? I think not…get lost!! Lost not only in its lanes but also in its marvel and brilliance!!
I’ll tell you what, no absinthe, no tipple of alcohol, no unproven liquor could sting you to such heights of atavistic intoxication as this romantic settlement! But, it all depends on what you define as intoxicating!!
