For those of you who know me well, it should come as no surprise that I never consider a trip to be complete without at least a full day set aside for shopping. Of course when we’re talking about a shopper’s paradise like Rajasthan, a day is never enough. In fact, I have to say that I’ve seen many a self-confessed shopaholic go almost a little crazy when it comes to shopping anywhere in Rajasthan. Udaipur is no exception, it’s an out-and-out treasure trove of vibrant handicrafts, extraordinary curios and glorious silverware so do slot some time out for a spot of shopping. I remember our taxi driver took us to this quaint little shop on top of a hill (unfortunately I can’t remember the name) where we picked up some truly eye-popping things including an antique silver plated dessert service and the most beautiful, ornate table runners perfect for formal dinners at home. Of course if you don’t have the time to plan a separate shopping expedition, you could try and stop in at the City Palace Complex which houses an entire fleet of shops including Aashka, a luxury lifestyle boutique owned by Princess Bhargavi. It’s a great place to pick up presents for family and friends, in fact, I was looking for a present for a fussy aunt when I chanced upon something rather interesting. It was a handbag but not just any old handbag. In fact, it was a limited edition one, complete with glossy, multicoloured pictures of horses on it. I’d never seen anything like it before and when I asked the salesperson about it, he informed me that the princess is an ardent polo enthusiast. Needless to say I bought the bag since I wasn’t likely to find another like it again.

And now for something very, very important, something that you just cannot miss. Whatever else you do, do not forget to make a quick stop at a music store. You see, local Rajasthani folk music has a special haunting, almost seductive, quality to it and you want to be able to take a piece of that back with you. I was lucky because after I admired the local folk music playing in our car, our very kind driver was sweet enough to present me with half a dozen CD’s of local folk music just before I boarded my flight back to Delhi. In fact, as long as we’re still on the subject of music, when anywhere in Rajasthan, try and take in a Ghoomar performance if you can. There’s really something extremely elegant and graceful about this Rajasthani folk dance originally performed by the local Bhil tribe as a form of worship to Goddess Saraswati, the goddess of wisdom and knowledge. Trust me, it’s a treat for the senses.