DAY 7 : INDIA : Udaipur

Weather : hot, hazy, 37o

 

Today we drove from Kumbhalgarh to Udaipur

 

 

We set off this morning as children heading off to school

 

 

We were travelling today along a valley in the Aravelli Hills.

The valley was lush and green as a result of a good supply of water-

not seen so far in any part of Rajasthan. Here terracing took advantage

of multiple use of water when it was flowing.

 

 

 

Large sections of land were devoted to sugar cane.

Here a women carries part of her crop home.

 

 

Village women juice the sugar cane powered by bullocks.

Then they put the juice in large dishes with a fire underneath.
One woman continually feeds the fire with wood. When the water

evaporates off, there is a thick syrupy residue which dries to

coarse sugar which they use for household consumption.

 

 

A guide, Humesh, met us in a small town to take us through the

Eklingji temple, dedicated to Shiva. It is a huge complex  consisting of 108

temples built in 734 A.D. Thought to be one of the oldest existing continually operational temple complexes.

 

 

This is the Nagda Temple complex thought to be

built about 6th century on the banks of the Lake Bagela.

The Moghuls raided the temples taking the symbols of the gods

and thus, the temples were considered invalid.

 

 

Exquisite stone carving in Nagda temples

 

 

Samosas and lassies for lunch in a great cafe

in Udaipur, recommended by Humesh.

 

 

Our hotel tonight is the exquisite 5 star Lake Palace.

It was the Maharana's summer palace built 250 years ago.

It is built in the middle of Lake Pichola and only reached

by hotel ferries.

 

 

We were upgraded into a picturesque room near the upper tower.

 

 

Gorgeously decorated common areas

 

 

Sumptuous grounds and gardens

 

 

Traditional dance and music performances every evening

 

 

A range of restaurants

 

 

Maharana and Maharani Smith-Singh

 

 

M&M

mm_smith@bigpond.net.au

 

DAY 6 : INDIA : Kumbhalgarh

Weather : hot, hazy, 30+

Our destination today was Fort Kumbhalgarh - 5 hour drive from Jodhpur – 235 kms.

On our way out of the city we drove up to see the Maharaja's Palace, where the present Maharaja of Jodhpur lives in one wing and the rest has been developed into a very exclusive hotel. Radhney, our guide, puts it in terms of a cup of tea worth 2000 rupees ($40).

Cows, being holy, are fed fresh feed every morning throughout the country, they are milked for general use because Hindus believe the milk is nourishing and pure. Then the cows and bulls wander as they will all day through the city and country side.

 

 



Radhey took us to a family's home, where the husband and wife make traditional carpets called 'duri', essentially handwoven carpets made in Rajasthani designs in a range of materials - jute, cotton, silk, coconut husk. The beauty of these carpets is that they are reversable.

 

Cows and animals have priority on the roads

 

 

 

Traditional Rajasthani herders

 

 

Using bullocks for power to draw water

 

 

Surprise, surprise - a grove of gum trees

 

 

Hot and dry day driving on very questionable roads with goat, sheep herds wandering the roads, turbanned herdsmen moving their cattle and traffic as unpredictable as ever.

Lunch at a small wayside restaurant/ resort, clean and excellent buffet for travellers and caters for large bus groups as well.

 

15th century marble Jain temple

 

 

Every column uniquely carved

 

 

Jain prophets

 

 

Local worshippers dazzle with colour

 

We visited a fifteenth century Jain temple, Chaumukha Mandir in Ranakpur, which took 50 years to complete. It was exquisitely carved in white marble. It has 29 halls, 80 domes and 1444 engraved pillars.

We saw our first monkeys, quite accustomed to tourists. As we left the temple and climbed into the Aravalli Hills, driving up a winding road that cuts through the Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary. We saw many monkeys and signs to be aware of leopards and other wild animals.

 

The impregnable fort

 

 

Standing on the roof above the Maharaja's quarters

Suddenly we saw Fort Kumbhalgarh, high above us. In fact, it is 3600 feet high. We met our guide and walked up the path, through 9 gates to the top. Built in the fifteenth century, when the Moghuls invaded India, by the Maharaja of Udaipur. There is a more modern wing built in the nineteenth century after the treaty with the British, who ensured security for all the states and thus, the focus of war and defending the fort diminished. It is an impressive fortress. The Maharaja has since returned to Udaipur earlier last century.

 

 

2,000 year-old Jain temples

 

Around the fort is a wall running for 36 kms. Within the wall are several villages and 360 in tact temples, including some Jain temples which date back to the Mauryan period in the second century B.C.

Hotel chalets sit on side of hill with breathtaking views

 

Hotel entrance with welcoming musician playing amongst other repertoire,'Frere Jacques'.

 

 

The view from our room

 

Our hotel tonight is Club Mahindra Fort Kumbhalgarh. Set high in the side of a hill, the hotel comprises several chalets in large grounds, with pool etc. Most of the patrons are Indian families here to enjoy the facilities and explore desert (camel safaris) and tours through the wildlife sanctuary. Our room overlooks the hills – a spectacular sight in the fading light. www.clubmahindra.com

M&M

mm_smith@bigpond.net.au

　

DAY 5 : INDIA : Jodhpur

Weather : hot, hazy (with heat and pollution) and 30+

 

 

Jaisalmer to Jodhpur

   

 

Lots of traffic on the road today, Sunday.

Trucks and tuk-tuks crammed with people.

 

 

.....and goats.

 

 

Family walking their cows for sale at the market

 

 

The market was set up in the desert - camels, goats and cows for sale.

 

 

Lots of locally made homewear products for sale, including

colourful strips of cloth used to make bases of beds and camel saddle covers.

 

 

We saw many pink sandstone quarries. This is now a major export

for Jodhpur - interstate and internationally to Africa.

 

 

Our heritage hotel tonight is Ranbanka Palace.

www.ranbankshotels.com

 

 

A welcoming swim on arrival

 

 

Local women waiting for a bus to transport them to the temple for

a special celebration for the wedding anniversary of the god, Shiva and his wife, Parvati.

 

 

Shrine in local temple decorated for the celebration.

 

 

 

Mehrangarh Fort

Not another fort, we thought, but we were in for a big surprise.

 

 

Built in 1459 by Rao Jodha to protect themselves from rival states, the ramparts are up to 36 metres high.It features spectacular sandstone carving and wonderful view of the sprawling city (1 million inhabitants).

 

 

Although still owned by the present Maharaja it is open to the public as a museum which has been maintained by entrance fees and the museum shop. Here is one of the elaborately decorated rooms where the Maharaja held court.

 

 

 

Our guide today was Kanal. This is at the entrance of a memorial to Jaswant Thada Singh, a maharaja in the 19th century. His wife built this marble structure in memory of him. It is set in beautiful gardens overlooking the city. Jaswant Thada Singh was responsible for improving schools, health and providing a water pipeline to every household in Jodhpur. It is now serviced by the Indira Gandhi Canal - a first in Rajasthan and all in the 19th century.

 

 

This is in the grounds of the memorial to the Maharaja . Until Moghul times Hindus just burnt bodies on funeral pyres and spread the ashes without further acknowledgement but with the influence of Muslims, who bury their dead in mausoleums now Hindus build similar structures to commemorate their dead relatives although they do not house bodies or ashes.

 

 

 

The busy Sandar Markets.

 

 

Textiles, silver, handicrafts for sale.

 

 

Vegetables, sweets and spices as well.

 

 

We enjoyed a meal at a local restaurant, On the Rocks, just near our hotel, is a leafy garden restaurant with an excellent menu and great atmosphere. We've downloaded the Rajasthan section of the Lonely Planet, which has helpful suggestions for restaurants and some wonderful tips for each city.

 

 

 

M&M

 

mm_smith@bigpond.net.au