Joni's Jottings

The Amber Fort is a marvelous piece of India’s heritage architecture.  The Fort has been much improved since I was last in Jaipur (seems to be true for a lot of India’s monuments), including a magnificent restoration of the frescoes around the main gate to the inner palace. Folks in the Tourism Agency asked Teamwork … Read more

A core part of the Jaipur Literature Festival’s mission is giving back to the community. Teamwork Arts seeks out local artisans and non-profits, then provides them with free space at the festival to display their wares and promote their causes. A cloth elephant, notecards made from camel dung, and a pashmina scarf (yes, Fran, there’s … Read more

This visit, I am struck by Jaipur’s cleanliness: no litter on the streets, fastidiously clean washrooms – there’s even soap! In the Delhi airport, I noticed signs promoting a “Green India” (solar power, environmental protection) with “Banega Swacch” on all the food waste and recycling bins. At JLF, these signs are displayed all around the grounds. Turns … Read more

Alexander McCall Smith on writing: “Many people think, “I have a book in me.’ With advanced imagery, they can see the book and tell you what kind it is – fiction, autobiography…” Ferdinand Mount, author of Tears of the Raja: “I hadn’t thought of my family as mass murdererers. In fact, I thought they were rather … Read more