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About Jaipur India I invite you to come with me to Jaipur, India - a place that literally defines Alexandra Imports - and introduce you to the people responsible for this beautiful handiwork. Imagine you are standing in a typical Indian marketplace: it is a narrow, crowded street lined with vendor carts and stalls. It is a hot day in Jaipur. All around you, men and women are negotiating their purchases, selling their wares and some are sitting, drinking in the scene. Men are dressed in loose shirts and shorts with sandals on their feet. Some, however, wear the traditional dress of a colored turban and a long robe with their long mustaches curled up at each end. The women are beautiful with long colorful saris, some wearing silver jewelry on their biceps, wrists, fingers and in their noses. Children are juggled on their mother's hip, and some of the older kids are running about the busy marketplace. Animals are everywhere you turn -- dogs, goats, cows and camels scavenging about for a meal or carrying a merchant's load. This is a vibrant place with loud chatter and colors everywhere. The stalls offer a world of goods: baskets of red fruit, beaded shoes, florescent bracelets and gold fabrics are all a feast for the eyes against the backdrop of Japiur's pink buildings. I am very drawn to India - the joy, the humor and even the sadness - it all is the context of the jewelry that I import.

Artisans Jaipur is an important commercial mecca in the Rajasthan province for merchants. The city's markets and shops offer handicrafts, textiles, paintings, sculpture, clothing, artifacts, and, most importantly to me - jewelry. Jewelry has special importance to the Rajasthani women who wear all sorts of bold silver pieces adorned with precious gems. Most of the stone processing in northern India occurs in Jaipur. Local artisans also are world-renown for their cutting, polishing and carving skills. Each Alexandra Imports piece reflect this indigenous craftsmanship that is passed on through the generations - sometime three generations of a family can be found working side by side. The jewelry industry is important to Jaipur's commercial viability as it employs roughly 400,000 people.

Jaipur Facts Jaipur is located approximately 175 miles south of Delhi in the Rajasthan province. It is home to 2 million people and is considered the most commercially-advanced city in the province. Jaipur also has the reputation for being not only one of the youngest, but also the most flamboyant city in the vicinity. Jaipur was founded in 1727 by Jai Singh, a king with a penchant for mathematics and astronomy. He invited artisans, craftsmen and traders to settle in Jaipur, thus laying down the foundation of craftsmanship that would later make the city famous.

The Pink City Jaipur, also known as the Pink City, boasts the uniform terracotta pink walls in its downtown. In 1876, Ram Singh II ordered the walls to be painted to welcome the arrival of the Prince of Wales. The pink hue, which mimicks a sandstone effect, was the only color rumored to be widely available at the time. The process of painting is repeated to this day giving the city a distinct image as the Pink City.

Photo Album Please take a minute to enjoy a photo album of images collected on my latest trip to Jaipur, India in October 2005.