Going to the office of Jaipur Rugs basically showed us what happens to the rugs after they are weaved. The attention to detail the workers put into the rugs is truly astonishing. They basically cut the rugs to give texture, restore rugs, and preform other grooming processes on these rugs before they are sent to the retail store, and ultimately the end customer. It is truly unbelievable how soft some of these rugs were. I could compare it to petting a baby animal.
The corporate office also houses the design department, and while Jaipur rugs collaborates with designers it always adds ensures their designers have the final say. However, one thing I found strange as a marketing major is that they don't sell their rugs under a universal brand name. They are actually in the branding process right now, which is generally the first thing a business will try to do.
After Jaipur Rugs our group grabbed a quick lunch at Cafe Coffee Day, and then we made our way to Jaigarh Fort. The fort is basically on the top of a small mountain, and the road to get up it snaked around the mountain with 180 degree turns. Obviously the only way to drive up would be to floor it and hope other cars got out of the way. People were holding on to whatever they could get their hands on. It was easily the loudest/scariest bus ride we had taken thus far.
We saw our first monkeys up close at the fort, and as always were attacked by the local merchants to buy things like post cards or pens. Thankfully it wasn't long before we started our tour, and they had to leave us alone. Some people braved the bathrooms before we really got going, but after hearing the horror stories about the things on the floor I decided I didn't have to go that bad.
Our guide brought us through a dark doorway. I followed Meredith closely. In fact, it was too late for her to warn me of the "water" on the dark down step. I almost immediately stepped in the same spot she did. It was only after we looked all around and saw all the monkey droppings we realized we stepped Ina fresh pile of monkey shit. Excuse my French, but I am still livid over the fact that a monkey had the nerve to drop a deuce in a dark doorway.
Needless to say we were over the fort once that happened. I didn't pay much attention after that. I do know that this fort has the largest cannon on wheels. It was fired once and the cannon ball soared over 20 miles. It was fired around 1728. Yeah, that about it. Oh, and I hate monkeys. We saw one drop down two stories to grab a granola bar from a tourist. This monkey also had a baby attached to it. Go figure.
Once I was able to wash my foot and shoe I was in a vastly better mood. With that we went on a hunt for camel and elephant rides. I think I was the only person super excited for the camels. I thought riding a camel was way better than an elephant. My adrenaline was pumping went the camel stood up with Bridget and I on its back. (The camel and I almost budded heads.) Also, it felt like at anytime we could just fall off. It also walked a lot faster than the elephant. It wasn't anything too wild, but still I can check it off my bucket list.
I would actually say the animal keepers were scarier than the animals themselves. A large group of men surrounded Bridget and I saying we didn't pay when we obviously did. Thank goodness Bhadana was there to sort everything out while we hid on the bus.
We rode the elephants after, which as I said before was alright, but not as fun as I was expecting. The place we went was pretty sketchy if you ask me. To set the scene, I would compare it to a back alley where a person would go to buy black market goods.
Overall it was an eventful day, and many of us needed a nap, but there wasn't anytime for that. We had to be ready for The New Year's Eve part in two hour, and we all obviously needed a shower.
आगे अपने कदम, बंदर गोली चलाने की आवाज़ देखो (Watch your step, monkey poop ahead.)
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