Steve McCurry’s Magical Blue City

Dan and I went to Mumbai and Kerala for our honeymoon eight years ago (where we found one of these!), so India will always hold a special place in my heart. The trip blew my mind – and frazzled me at the same time. India is intoxicating, all-consuming, brilliant country to visit. It’s not an easy holiday, but, I want to go back – especially to the north.

I am also in love with the work of legendary National Geographic photographer, Steve McCurry, the man behind the famous portrait of the Afghan woman – so I feel this post is appropriate today.

The Blue City is a nickname for the medieval quarters – or old town – of Jodphur in Rajasthan. It’s a small tightly knit maze of houses at the foot of the vast Mehrangarh Fort, where no cars or motorbikes are allowed and all the houses are painted brilliant blue. No one really knows why they’re all blue though – apparently local guides often say it’s to indicate the homes of the upper-caste Brahmins. Others say they were painted white to begin with; but turned blue after the copper sulphate was added to white lime in an attempt to deter nesting termites; a beautiful accident. Whatever the reason, it caught on and blues of every shade began to cover the city. So seeing as we can’t upsticks for India right now, here’s a little tour of Steve McCurry’s Magical Blue City to fill the gap…