'Once Upon In Jaipur' is more than just an illustration project - it is a memoir of all the places and moments the live in my heart, long after having left Jaipur. This city, always known for its heritage - had a very contemporary side to it which I had never known till I moved there. In the quaint corners and fairylight lit cafes - I met people who eventually became my family. Jaipur is so much more than just its heritage. It's true lineage lives in the heart of its people - in the stories they tell, in their food and their ways of living - a life where mornings begin on sandstone paved highways and evenings end with 'chai' on the banks of Jal Mahal.
Quick olour studies were the first step to capturing the moment. These were doodle-style quick drawings where the aim was to capture feeling more than reality. The same principle was applied while selecting the colour palette. Instead of using real colours, I wanted to used ones that capture the fairytale feelings of these evenings — slightly lit, dreamy and glowing with the city's legacy.
THE EVENINGS AT ATARIYA CAFE
On days when we desperately needed an escape, it was Atariyaa, its Pesto Pizza and Prateek Kuhad songs playing in the background that healed us. It was this corner, this very corner where we used to sit, our favourite spot - and share anything and everything about life.
A WALK AT THE MAGNOLIA
Walking into this garden cafe was love at first sight. The amphitheatre, the garden, the walkway - all of it had a silent romance in itself. A place hidden in an unknown corner of the city, a place that told me there is more to Jaipur than its tourism - a quaint beauty hidden in its silent getaways.
A FAIRYTALE DINNER AT THE DIGGI PALACE
The night of FDCI Men's Fashion Weekend at Diggi Palace was unexpected and impromptu. But more than the runway, it was the dinner hall that captured my heart. A place so charming and quiet, yet gracefully flaunting its vibrant legacy.
