Enriched by such intense exposure to spirituality, we were then ready for the mundane. Sailesh took us to the local market to experience the Indian bazaar, an expression of a traditional way of life that continues to coexist with the onset of modernity in India. We truly enjoyed the experience- the cloth vendor sleeping in his shop oblivious to the passers-by, the young woman with a clock, both attired in matching colours, the old lady with thick spectacles who offered me a handful of fresh peas. Although we were the only foreigners around, we felt that we did not disturb anyone around, on the contrary, we were an amusing distraction.

We finished our discovery of Udaipur with a pleasant walk in Saheliyon-ki-Bari, the garden where the princesses of Mewar used to frolic, I wish I had some time to sit under the extravagantly huge bougainvillaea and draw images that the story conjured in my mind. By the time we were back at the jetty, we were left speechless by the magnificent sunset over the lake that seemed staged just for us. We crossed the lake and regained our princely abode for the night.

The whirling dancers, accompanied by folk musicians, perform in one of the numerous courtyards of the Palace, making for a pleasant transition between the world outside and the intimacy that we enjoyed inside.

We washed away the emotions of the day with a relaxing bath in the Jacuzzi hot tub and were ready for an unforgettable dinner that was masterfully laid out for us on the rooftop of the Lake Palace. Sitting under the starlit firmament graced by a stunning view in front of us, we stayed silent for a while in awe of such beauty. At the end of a lovely evening, when the chef and the maître d’hôtel came to ask if we had any suggestions to improve their service, we truly had nothing to offer but compliments.