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Published: March 14th 2013
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Harry our driver
We feel safe with him Jodhpur to Udaipur
Harry was waiting for us at nine and we left our lovely retreat, probably the loveliest place we have stayed for a long time. The journey started off across the flat plains of Rajastan but soon we were in to the countryside. There is much evidence of farming and people are using old methods, carrying water on their heads and wheat they have cut. There are haystacks as they prepare for the dry season. Cows meander across the road and we have to slow down to avoid them. Lots of men congregate hoping to get some work for the day and the markets are starting to get busy. The mountains appear either side of the road and we begin to ascend. The land becomes drier and more desert like when we stop for a drink. It is very hot and to only
11 am. We carry on and notice that the surroundings seem litter free, we pass through a small town and they have pavements! and no rubble, wait now it comes and women are digging out a channel for the rain when it comes.We stop at Ranakpur to visit one of the largest and most important of Jain
Temple complexes in India. Built in 1439 it has 1444 pillars all different and each telling a verse of the holy book of the Jain religion. Before entering he temple we must be dressed correctly, no shoes or socks, long skirt, or trousers, no leather of any kind as the Jain believe that killing is wrong and will not even eat an egg, luckily plants remain in the diet they obviously didn't understand that plants are living organisms. The temple is awesome with intricate designs on every pillar, it really should be a wonder of the world. As I walk down the steps a holy man blesses me and puts an orange mark on my forehead and for that I have to give him some rupees! HOLY.?? We leave this amazing temple and drive to Udaipur complete with our new guide Andvil Singh who is the most delightful young man who instantly starts to compete with Steve at jokes, now that was amusing. We discussed what we were going to do and decided to have lunch then do the second two temples today and move the boat ride to tomorrow. We had lunch outside overlooking a lake in the countryside
with birds all around. Another yummy curry can't believe we are enjoying the food so much all vegetarian and amazing variety.Lunch over and we are back on the road, all sorts of animals inhabit these hills but for how long, their habitats are being destroyed and the number of leopards are on the decline. The government want to make this a national park but that would mean moving many indigenous tribes away from where they have always lived, and naturally they are not happy about that. We saw some of these people walking in the markets and on the hills all dressed in beautiful bright colours.We drove to Sas-Bahu temple at Nagda which is no longer used and dates back to the 11th century. There are two temples here one known as mother-in-law temple and the other as daughter-in -law temple, both were intricately carved and although they had had their statues removed you could see an outline of where Lord Vishnu once was. The temples were built beside a lake and egrets, kingfishers, and coots were flying about or on the lake and a woman washing her clothes on the rocks. Acacia, mango, and spruce trees all around made
View of temple from the outside
This should be a wonder of the world it is amazing this a very peaceful place.From here we drove to a 9th century active temple in the town of Eklingji which is dedicated to Lord Shiva, the god of destruction. We had to remove shoes and socks and were then treated by women selling flower rosaries, long chains of flowers which they were selling for 10 rupees, these were to give to the God. People were praying when we arrived and their offerings accepted by the priest. Spontaneously music and singing started and we just stood and watched. Again this temple is intricately designed. Each column of marble is carved and the masons were paid according to the amount of marble they removed the more marble the more gold hence the amazing carvings.We finally arrived at our hotel about 7 and at last had Internet although at a cost. A good meal in the restaurant and a night on the computer before we eventually went to bed at about midnight.
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