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