Garden of the Maidens

Next, he took me to a much more pleasant place. Saheliyan Ki Bari (Garden of the Maidens) was created by Maharana Sangram Singh in 1730 for the entertainment of royal ladies and their maids. It is a beautiful space, full of green lawns, well-kept flower beds, and fountains. Inevitably, there were hundreds of Indian tourists taking selfies at every turn, but I found a quiet bench and read my book for a while. It was nice to have a breather in the middle of such a hectic day.

Salim then drove me to Jhumar restaurant with lake views for lunch. He dropped me off and told me that when I came out, his son Sajid would be waiting for me to guide me for the rest of the day as he had to go to the mosque to pray. The restaurant was more expensive than anywhere I would choose for myself, but I went with it and had a mutton dish with jeera rice and flaky paratha.Read more