Here we are in Udaipur, the romantic city or the lake city, having just left Jodhpur, the blue city. It's all amazing at the same time that it's overwhelming and an assault on your senses. There are smells, more noise at times than you can imagine. (Most vehicles say "Horn Please" on the back and the horns are a way of communication so vehicles don't run into each other. It's a language I don't understand, but there are short beeps, double beeps, long beeps, beeps accompanied by arm movements - it's a whole other language along with the over 30 languages that exist in India already.
We have been to the oldest Jain Temple, the largest Jain Temple, the largest fort (in Jodhpur and very impressive), the oldest 'living' fort in Jaisalmer (still inhabited in parts by families as well as shops and restaurants). It is all quite amazing. We are still trying to figure out the religions. Hindus claim to be the oldest, Jains also lay claim to that honor. When I mentioned that the statue of the Jain deity looked like a buddha I was told it was different because his eyes are open. It will take further research, but it appears that Hinduism has been around for over 3000 years with all its millions of deities!
Driving from place to place is long as Rajasthan is large and the roads go from being highways (with cows coming, going and standing in the middle as they please as well as herds of goats, sheep and camels with their herders walking down the highway. You just have to wait until they get out of the way!
On one of the toll roads there seemed to be a heated discussion between the toll taker and our driver. When we asked him what the problem was, he said, "No problem. It's his first day." I guess training was not included!
We also passed the site of a holy many who was killed in a highway accident on his motorcycle but somehow, the story goes, his motorcycle made it back to the sight of the crash and it has now become a holy site where people visit and leave offerings. I am baffled by this story. Did the motorcycle go anywhere else before it returned there? How? Why? We'll never know!
Some (probably too many) photos.
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| Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur (Largest) |
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| Jodhpur - the Blue City |
Below - Some Musicians in the Fort
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Some Photogenic Men
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The largest Jain Temple. I could include 100's of photos of the ornate carvings of these temples.
They are each amazing inside and out, but you really have to see them in person to get the intricacy of
each carving and the immensity of each building. Remarkable and beautiful workmanship.
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| This man says his photo is taken every day all the time |
The Market Place in Jodhpur
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| A Bathroom Sign |
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| Camels above and sheep below in the road |
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| Langurs, Langurs, Langurs and a very small bird with a noisy sweet song |
I want to know more about the strange motorcycle crash story!! Maybe the motorcycle is the holy thing and not the man! Anyway I love the pics as always. Such colorful clothing and such pretty animals. And When you said forts I was thinking maybe a bit nicer than what jeremy and I make in our living room out of blankets. Those are amazing carved masters of architecture. How cool. I think Carl pilkington stayed in one ;)
ReplyDeleteI always imagined India being overwhelming to the senses! Hopefully someday i will be brave enough. Is the food good?
ReplyDeleteAnd those carvings are amazing!
ReplyDeleteYou are right - the forts AND temples are amazing. The carvings just boggle the mind. I can see Carl Pilkington staying in one! LOL! We are in a haveli in Bundi tonight. It's a small city in the hills and interesting. There are pigs roaming around everywhere and a cow (bull) rammed me with his head because I was in his way.
ReplyDeleteThe food - demands more discussion and we'll do that later. Sometimes good, sometimes not so good but, when in doubt, nan, tomato soup and Chinese are pretty readily available! Strange but true!