star ruby of jaipur
star ruby of jaipur / words and pictures #6
“Yes, yes, no worries, it will be ready. We will meet you at the station.”
Let me tell you a crazy little story, about a star ruby ring made quickly in Jaipur, India.
I’d spent the best part of two weeks at an ashram in the centre of Rajasthan. An arid region in India’s north west - striking in the way of desolate landscapes that act as the perfect blank canvas to showcase everything painted upon them.
I’m probably over romanticising it since it was my first experience of India, but what stands out in my memory are red-turbaned Rajasthani farmers, fields of blazing marigolds, cows - a lot of cows, and large colourful sculptures of Hindu gods that would look totally kitsch and incongruous anywhere else but India.
The ashram itself is a world of its own. A country within a country. India without the chaos.
My days consisted of yoga, meditation, chanting, and chit chat with new friends made over communal meals eaten cross legged on a marble floor. And karma yoga (otherwise known as helping out). I swept, weeded, painted and chopped vegetables.
I was feeling pretty darn chilled and inspired by the end of my few days there. A stripped back life, with no obligations, responsibilities or complications for a few days.
Before heading home, I had planned to spend a day and a night in Jaipur on the way to Delhi to catch my return flight.
After the simplicity and serenity of the ashram, Jaipur was like a loving punch in the face.
Boom! Here is life again – colour, movement, noise, chaos; every object and action competing for space and attention.
At first it was overwhelming. But you have two options in India. You can either resist it, or let the crazy, colourful circus sweep you into the show.
I literally had 24 hours in Jaipur so I jumped in headfirst.
I spent all day walking, looking, exploring. I did a lot of saying ‘no thanks, no thanks, no thanks, no thanks,’ as hawkers of every size and description, offering up everything imaginable appeared and then eventually moved aside to make way for the next one to try it on.
After a while I stopped saying anything and maybe gave them a polite smile of acknowledgement, and a faint nod no – although in India where yes can mean no, and no can mean yes, it was probably completely pointless.
I took pictures of colourful glass windows, pointy shoes, saris hanging in the breeze, a barber cutting hair in a side alley, a cow walking down the middle of a busy street.
By the time I was standing in front of the jeweller I was happily exhausted.
“Come in madam, come in. Chai madam, chai?”
I never ever say no to chai, so in I went.
They sat me down at their display cabinet and presented me with an ornate glass of sweet, aromatic tea.
I knew I was a sitting duck. The sceptic in me said, “What are you doing? You’re totally playing into their trap. You are never getting out of here without buying something!”
But then the traveller in me said, “Okay ringmaster, what are we performing next? Trapeze? Good, let’s go for it."
I sat there drinking my chai with, by this stage, a group of four or five Indian men who I'm sure were very happy to have a lone western woman as their captive audience. They presented many items for my consideration.
“Try it on madam, oh so beautiful it is on you madam… More chai?”
“Yes please.”
It was a game. And I was in, enjoying every minute of it.
There is such a sweetness to life that can be tasted by simply allowing it to wash over the top of you.
I’d read a bit about star rubies which were supposed to be kind of special. And since Jaipur is known as the pink city, I thought it would be a nice to have a star ruby from Jaipur to take home.
No sooner had I uttered the words, than a box with blue satin lining containing an array of star rubies appeared before me. I told them I wanted one that I could get made into a ring once I returned to Australia.
“No, no madam, we will make for you here a very beautiful ring.”
“But I leave for Delhi this afternoon. There is no time.”
“Yes, yes, madam, always there is time. We will meet you at the station. No problem.”
My memory is a bit sketchy here, but I think that gave them only a couple of hours to pull off a custom-made sterling silver ring, sized to my finger, with the ruby of my choice.
Sounds a bit ridiculous doesn’t it? But, great adventures always have some ridiculousness about them.
“Okay, well if you are sure I will trust you.”
As I handed over the cash I thought to myself, goodbye money, this has been fun, and expected never to see the ring. But it felt like a fair exchange for the chai and the chance to be a star performer in the circus of Jaipur.
I think they may even have offered to arrange transport for me back to my accommodation and then on to the station.
This is vague, but I think at this point I was probably pushing time down to the wire, which I have had a lifetime of inadvertently mastering, to the irritation of so many people in my life.
I imagine I would have rushed back, packed quickly, heart beating with adrenalin, squeezed by an ever-narrowing window of time. A bit like Indiana Jones racing through narrowing stone tunnels towards hidden treasure.
Sure enough, good to their word, my ruby ring was waiting for me at the bus station. I slipped it on my little finger, admired it momentarily, then raced to find my bus to Delhi... Which I missed. But that's another story!
Leonie x
