6:30 am Meeting Point
Here you are introduced with our Lead explorers and bikes, with a short briefing about the tour, the route, dos and don’ts
We enter the Historical walled city that is painted in pink that explains the sobriquet “Pink City”. The Bicycle Tour of Jaipur is a cultural connection combined with rich architecture, top food joints of Jaipur and friendly people, as we ride through narrow streets of the city passing through vintage Havelis, and several other architectural marvels meeting and greeting the locals here we reach to Sahoo Chai wala whose family has been preparing traditional Indian tea (called Chai) for the last 3 generations. The tea here is refreshing as well as very filling due to their specific secret recipe of slow boiling milk on the traditional charcoal stove, gives it the unique taste. Also, enjoy seeing the local community involved in morning gossip and conversation.
7:00 am Aarti at the Palace Temple
We will then head to Govind Dev Ji temple dedicated to the Indian Godhead Lord Krishna. Getting close to the temple, we maneuver bikes through the pedestrians rushing to attend the grand ceremony. As you enter the grand temple of Govind Dev Ji you can feel an uplifting spiritual experience that looks so welcoming in the morning. A good community of devotees is busy preparing for the traditional Aarti (vesper service and devotional hymns). As the main deity’s curtains are about to open the people start ringing the traditional humongous bells. Feel the depth of the sound emanating from the bells and striking chord with your heart. The Aarti or main worship is equally exhilarating and charming. One just gets mesmerized in the song when hundreds of devotees sing at the same time with lighted wicks before the sacred idol of the Load Krishna.
We will then take a walk through the public park meeting and interacting with the locals and we do get a chance to participate in laughing yoga with people, We further enter the biggest vegetable and flower market of Jaipur. It is a wholesale market where you can see a number of traders busy in negotiating, conversing with the merchants, and ladies in their colorful attire carrying huge sacks of vegetables on their head and the traditional Indian pushcarts. At the leisurely speed of cycle, the whole scene reminds you of those old times merchant markets of the children stories.
8:00 am Secret Tunnel
Somewhere in this line, there is a narrow lane that could be called a secret way to the main road on the other side. This could also be termed as a hidden tunnel deliberately planned by the far-sighted kings of Jaipur.
The tunnel ends at the other side and you find yourself sniffing the air full of freshly fried fritters at the famous Jagannath Pakori wala. Pakori is the Indian fritter deep fried in the oil and very crispy when you eat. It is among the most famous fritter shops in India and you can see the workers frying the fritters in a huge traditional charcoal stove. We make a brief stop at a very popular tea seller’s rooftop settlement above a sweet shop. With the best Fritters (Pakoras) in the town, we enjoy tea on a rooftop and admire the most planned old city of India.
8:30 am Ride Through The Corridors
The best part of this Guided bicycle tour comes when we ride in the corridors of the historical spices and sweets market.
Although the shops are shut in the spices market we get the strong aroma passing the closed shutters.As we enter God’s own street, another heritage market of India where one can still feel the lingering aura of heritage even amidst the hustle and bustle of the street. The rhythmic sounds of hammer and tools present a bit loud yet soothing music. The artisans are busy in sculpting the images of Hindu Deities. The street presents a fine blend of spirituality and art.
9:00 am Lassi Wala
The food tour of Jaipur is not complete if we do not stop at a famous Lassi Wala (churned yogurt shakes). The Lassi outlet was built in the independence era just outside the walled city. We conclude our bike tour with a glass of Lassi.
