Travelling in Rajasthan in February 2008
Jaipur >> Shekhawati >> Pushkar >> Jaisalmer >> Jodhpur
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Raju is my escort in Jaipur, taking me from place to place and helping me with every little thing. It is unusual for me have someone show me around, but a friend in Delhi puts me up with Raju, and I find it convenient.

He is a thin man; it looks like he will collapse at a strong wind. He sounds a little harsh and groggy when he speaks, but behind that voice is an innocent person. He makes a living out of showing tourists around the city, and most of the time he will have someone book his services from Delhi. His rickshaw is ancient enough that it’s a wonder that it still moves. It makes an awful noise as he accelerates, as if begging to let it die in peace and be forsaken as a scrap in some dingy garage. But like everything else in India, this rickshaw too will be dragged on until the last fragment of its body comes loose and there is nothing of it left to drag further.

I try to start a conversation with Raju when I sit in his rickshaw for the first time. But the sputter of the rickshaw dissolves all sounds around it, including my voice. It is like sitting in a classroom and being commanded by a monitoring bully to stay quiet. It takes less than a minute to learn, and I give up all attempts of chatter.

But it’s good to have Raju along. He is no efficient guide who can tell me of the past and present of touristy monuments or give a scholarly lecture on Maharajas of Jaipur. But he takes me to places where they serve good Dal-Bhati-Churma and great Aloo Parathas. He knows artisans who work on the streets and sell Katputlis(puppets). He knows all the small alleys where you can find Marwari films, and tells me how Marwari is becoming a diminishing language in the state. He gives me company even in sitting quietly when I want to spend time doing nothing in a relatively empty corner of the lake that hosts JalMahal. When I try to take pictures of Black Winged Stilt wading the lake shore, he asks me inquisitive questions about the birds, making me almost feel proud about my knowledge.

Most of our conversation happens in Hindi. My fledgling Hindi is good enough to for everyday affairs, but I search for words once in a while. One of these days I tell Raju that he must learn English, and make a sales pitch telling him on the benefits of being able to cater to a global customer base. He nods in acceptance. In fact he does speak bits of English and understands what others say.

Raju had become a good friend in the four days I spent wandering the forts and ancient structures of Jaipur. On the day I left the city, we agreed to stay in touch as I offered to help him improve his English. He is kicked up but we both know distance education is not that simple. Having seen me ask inquisitive questions about Marwari language before, he offers to teach me Marwari in return. But that’s not something that kicks me up. How much ever I desire to speak ten different languages, an attempt to learn just one more in recent past has been a miserable failure.

But we have managed to keep in touch in the last few months with occasional conversations over the phone about progress of our lives. Raju now owns a brand new rickshaw and the old rickety has finally heaved a sigh of relief. Or who knows, it might have been dragged further to a miserable geriatric life by a new owner!

Posting Raju’s number here after he requested for it. He can be reached at +91 9829900473

Continued at Jaipur Old City: City Palace, Hawa Mahal and Jantar Mantar

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