Rocks, Roads and Laneways

March 22, 2014:

This is my older brother's birthday! Anyone who survived having a younger brother like me deserves an "attaboy"!

Yesterday we drove from Ranakpur through beautiful hills and twisty roads to Udaipur, the most romantic city in India according to some sources. We passed a number of monkey tribes sitting peacefully by the road watching the humans speed by. We also ran into (once almost literally) a quaint habit by some inhabitants of this area, to put a line of rocks across the road so they can extract a toll by threat. We were able to evade the first two by following a truck in one instance. Unfortunately, the last one was just over the brow of a hill and a youngster was just putting the second last rock in place. Only good reflexes on the part of Khan, our driver, saved us and the young fellow from serious injury. As usual in India the police seem useless, as this practice is carried on in plan view and with everyone's knowledge.

Yesterday, we toured the local fort (palace) and saw the usual expressions of excess, extravagance and ego on the part of the rulers of India before and after the British.

You can tell that I am pretty well finished with the string of palaces and temples covering this part of India. The quality of workmanship in these edifices is a wonder, but it can be overdone.

Today, we ditched our driver and did things Joy's way. Actually, we both enjoy heading off on foot to where the tourists don't go to see and meet the local people going about their lives. In Udaipur this involves wandering some narrow but interesting lanes.

As you can see, not all are passable.

 We met some real people, all friendly and some eager to talk. I was a little worried by the government worker with their agriculture department who asked what I ate when he found out how old I was. He was quite disappointed to find out that Joy was the vegetarian, not me. I don't know if he asked because my ruggedly handsome good looks or if he thought that I was on my way out?

This evening we went to a one hour dancing and puppet show at the government museum which was truly wonderful and a "must see" if you are ever in Udaipur. Tomorrow we are off to explore the countryside to find villages for Joy and in the afternoon we get on the train for Mumbai.

Jim

Rocks, Roads and Laneways

March 22, 2014:

This is my older brother's birthday! Anyone who survived having a younger brother like me deserves an "attaboy"!

Yesterday we drove from Ranakpur through beautiful hills and twisty roads to Udaipur, the most romantic city in India according to some sources. We passed a number of monkey tribes sitting peacefully by the road watching the humans speed by. We also ran into (once almost literally) a quaint habit by some inhabitants of this area, to put a line of rocks across the road so they can extract a toll by threat. We were able to evade the first two by following a truck in one instance. Unfortunately, the last one was just over the brow of a hill and a youngster was just putting the second last rock in place. Only good reflexes on the part of Khan, our driver, saved us and the young fellow from serious injury. As usual in India the police seem useless, as this practice is carried on in plan view and with everyone's knowledge.

Yesterday, we toured the local fort (palace) and saw the usual expressions of excess, extravagance and ego on the part of the rulers of India before and after the British.

You can tell that I am pretty well finished with the string of palaces and temples covering this part of India. The quality of workmanship in these edifices is a wonder, but it can be overdone.

Today, we ditched our driver and did things Joy's way. Actually, we both enjoy heading off on foot to where the tourists don't go to see and meet the local people going about their lives. In Udaipur this involves wandering some narrow but interesting lanes.

As you can see, not all are passable.

 We met some real people, all friendly and some eager to talk. I was a little worried by the government worker with their agriculture department who asked what I ate when he found out how old I was. He was quite disappointed to find out that Joy was the vegetarian, not me. I don't know if he asked because my ruggedly handsome good looks or if he thought that I was on my way out?

This evening we went to a one hour dancing and puppet show at the government museum which was truly wonderful and a "must see" if you are ever in Udaipur. Tomorrow we are off to explore the countryside to find villages for Joy and in the afternoon we get on the train for Mumbai.

Jim

Monkeys and Temples

March 20, 2014:

A small group of monkies ran through the gum trees out in front of our room here in Ranakpur and it is always difficult for me not to include a picture, especially when a baby is involved.

Mom seemed so patient with this little wretch, but eventually moved on.

We went to the Jain temple today as it is the main reason for one to come to Ranakpur. Once again the craftsmanship in the stone carving is amazing. India is certainly filled with these beautiful edifices to one god or another. Somewhat like the forts(palaces) they indicate spectacular wealth used to benefit a few. The Jain's stance against violence in action and word is very admirable, but I am not certain about celibacy.

Here is one of the ceilings:

We have had a relaxing time here as there is not much other than the temple. Most people go to the temple as a day trip from Udaiphur, but the hotel is nice and we needed some unwinding.

Jim

Of Forts, Elephants and Motorcycle Temples

March 19, 2014

Yesterday, after the coloured dust from "Holi" died down, we went up to see the latest in the string of monuments to excessive spending, the fort overlooking Jodhpur. Although much steeper/taller than many of the others, and overlooking a city where many roofs are painted blue, Mehrangarth is similar to many other "forts". Displays feature textiles, modes of transport, walls, ceilings, etc. all featuring the expenditure of tremendous amounts of $ to satisfy one family's ego.

Fortunately, each fort has something a little different. In this case it was the palm prints of the Maharajah's wives which were placed on the palace wall before they threw themselves on their husband's funeral pyre.

But enough of the rich. This morning I went out to find Joy before we left for Ranakpur. She had headed out for some sketching time and I always find her surrounded by a crowd. I didn't find her but I did find an elephant, who must come from Rajastan, because he loved getting 10 rupee notes and handing them with his trunk to his driver. I was too busy giving $ to get a picture.

On our way to Ranakpur, Khan, our driver, told us of this young boy who was the only child in a wealthy family. The boy asked his parents for a motorcycle and they immediately got him one. That day he was killed on the highway. The motorcycle was taken to the police station but the next morning was found back at the scene of the accident. It was then taken to the parents' home, but again, appeared the following morning back at the accident scene. The people, thinking that it was magically built a shrine and people go there to pray and make offerings to the motorcycle.

Much better, I must say, than our visit to the Rat Temple!

Jim

Spice Girls of India

March 19, 2014:

The high point in any trip is meeting real people, as we did when we met Gurdip and Tani Singh, about three weeks ago. This time we were fortunate to meet two of the "Spice Girls"! Joy had noticed in the LP guide that MV Spices was the place to get spices in Jodhpur, but then decided that she didn't want spices. So it was good fortune that we were cruising the market and came upon the shop.

We met this lovely young woman, "Neelam", who was extremely pleasant and Joy bought quite a few spices there. It turned out that Neelam was one of seven daughters of a man, who had become famous as the man who had developed a business selling spices up by the entrance to the fort. When he died suddenly and had no son to take over, his wife decided that she and the seven daughters would run the business. The overcame resistence from their own extended family and from others (men) at the market (including one failed acid attack) to become a great success story.

Neelam and Joy.

Neelam.

Now, in addition to articles written about them, there is a Australian documentary entitled "The Spice Girls of India" which has just been produced and is starting to make the rounds of film festivals around the World. Hopefully we can get it to Halifax because it is a great story of a family of strong women!

Jim

Of Dead Camels, Stone Cutting, the Military

March 17, 2014:

As we sit in our hotel trying to avoid the mobs of people outside playing loud; make that extra loud, music and throwing coloured dye on any inch of a person that hasn't been covered yet, I think back to yesterday's drive from Jaisalmer ( I think that I have misspelled Jaisalmer in previous blogs) to Jodhpur.

After all the dodging of cattle, sheep, camels and sheep on our drives through Rajastan, we finally saw dead camels in two places on the drive. There was no sign of the vehicles as they must have run off, but they also must have had considerable damage.

We also passed through an area where there were many stone cutting operations. Stone is used here in the desert for many things that for which we would use wood like fence posts and house building.

The process uses a gantry or lift to raise heavy pieces of rock quarried from the neighbouring mountains, and take them to a huge circular saw which squares them and them cuts of slabs for fence post. Some use these slabs for homes.

We also noticed the heavy military activity in Jaisalmer and on the road to Jodhpur. There were fighter jets over the fort and town of Jaisalmer many times every day, coming and going from the nearby airport. On the drive to Jodhpur, we had to weave our way through a continuous stream of army trucks carrying supplies. Even here in Jodhpur we hear the jets.

But we are here in Jodhpur and after our self-imposed exile in the hotel today, we will see the inside of the fort that towers above the town. 

Jim

The Golden City

March 16, 2014:

It seems that many cities in India are coloured. Agra is the pink city; Jodphur, where we are headed today is the blue city; and Jaiselmer is the yellow or golden city. In Agra we found the pink more orange, but Jaiselmer is made from a yellow sand stone and lives up to its colour. The stone looks the same colour as the surrounding desert from a distance and the fort looks brown. But up close and after wear the stone certainly takes on a golden hue.

This is the step of one of the Jain temples (there are 7) inside the fort. You can see how the sandstone is worn smooth and to a soft golden colour. A lot of the narrow streets in the fort are worn to this texture.

Jim