India’s Golden Triangle: Henna’d Up and Haggled Out in Jaipur (October 2018)

My tour of India’s Golden Triangle continued today in Jaipur, which is typically a 4 to 6 hour drive from Delhi, depending on traffic. However, since many people (as well as rhesus monkeys, cows, camels, and even an elephant) decided to take the same route, the trip turned out to be closer to seven hours.

Yet, in my Marvin Sapp voice, “so glad I made it.” And after a brief rest, my new friends and I set out to explore the ultimate shopper’s paradise in the heart of the city - Bapu Bazaar. There, you can find hundreds of vendors selling all kinds of goods and services to hundreds of shoppers.

But this market ain’t for the weak. If you don’t know how to haggle or how to say no, you gon’ learn the day you set foot inside this bazaar. It is intense, chaotic, overwhelming, stressful, and thrilling all at the same time. In fact, during one of my “negotiations” with a vendor, I believed he was trying to stick me for my paper and I started to feel my inner ratchet rise up from the depths of my soul. It was on the verge of making an international appearance, until he said, “You look like Michelle Obama. I like you. I’ll throw in another one for half off.” It was at that point we avoided a “situation” over high prices, and he gained a new customer.

Meanwhile, around the corner, the price was already right from one vendor offering henna designs. No haggling necessary. It was something my new friend Nora and I had never tried, so we sat down, picked out the designs we wanted, and he and his partner went to work. Henna is a plant-based dye used to stain skin, hair, and even fabric. 

For centuries, it has been used to create extraordinary body art for various celebrations in many countries all over the world. It is typically an expression of happiness, joy, and beauty, and I felt all of that as I walked away, admiring the intricate masterpiece on my left hand, which only took 10 minutes to create.

Tomorrow, I’ll hit the streets to explore more of Jaipur’s royal history. But right now, as I sit in my hotel room marveling at my hand as if somebody put a ring on it, I’m simply happy being henna’d up and haggled out...