Jaipur - Day 1

Today is my 1st day of sightseeing in Jaipur. 

We start the day in the city of Amber, just outside of Jaipur's city walls.  Amber was the first capitol city for this area's kingdom.  I enter the Amber Palace on the back of an elephant.  This would have been more fun if I had not had an elephant with allergies.  I ended my ride covered in elephant snot.

After passing, via elephant, through the main gate you arrive in a large courtyard.  From this courtyard you pass through another gate into the Palace.  This gate is decorated in elegant frescoes.

The gate leads you to the public area of the Palace featuring the Diwan-i-aam or public meeting hall.

To enter the private areas of the Palace you must go through the impressive Ganesha Pol, aka Ganesha Gate.

The private areas are comprised of winter and summer apartments.  These areas use innovative ways to manage the extreme temperatures.  The walls of the apartments are 20 inches thick and hollow to provide insulation from the elements.  The winter apartment is on a lower level to protect it from wind and covered in small mirror inlays to reflect the heat provided by candles and oil lamps.

The summer apartments are on the upper level to take advantage of the wind.  The domes serve as water tanks.  In the summer grass curtains were hung along the edges of the apartment.  Water from the tanks was then dripped on to the curtains through holes in copper pipes.  As the wind blew the curtains the water evaporated and cooled the air.  Old fashioned A/C.

The upper levels also offer some great views of Jaipur and surrounding areas.

The Palace also has some impressive gardens.

This garden on the lake was designed so that when the lake was full the garden would appear to float like a carpet on the water.

Even the doors of the Amber Palace are intricately designed.

This door is sandalwood with an inlay of ivory and semi-precious stones.

This door is carved teakwood.

On the way put of the Palace I see a snake charmer.  The snakes are defanged for safety but are still pretty impressive.

Our next stop is the Amber Fort, just up the hill. 

The fort served as the military base for the kingdom.  A series of passageways connects it to the Palace below.  The best part of the fort complex is the views:

And Jaivana, a 20 foot long cannon forged in 1720.  It was fired only once and is reported to have launched its projectile more the 20 miles.  It is beautiful, for a cannon.

After the Fort, we visit the cremation site of many of the local royals.  These monuments, called chandri, are unusual.  Ordinarily Hindus do not build monuments or mark the grave sites of their dead, instead the dead are cremated and some of the ashes committed to a river, preferably the Ganges.  There are no remains here only elaborately carved marble.

After a brief rest at the hotel we venture out to Galwar Bagh, the monkey temple.  The temple complex sits at the bottom of a granite canyon just outside of Jaipur.  The temple is built on the place where a holy man named, Gulta Ji, reportedly brought forth a spring from the holy Ganges.  The spring feeds the 3 pools on the site used for ritual bathes.  The temple is not dedicated to the monkey god, Hanuman, rather it is called monkey temple due to the large number of monkeys that inhabit the site.  GREAT, more monkeys!!!!

Today I am in luck, the temple is deserted (I am the only tourist) and there are very few monkeys.

The temple complex is old and worn.  It is not taken care of as well as many of the other temple complexes I have seen but it is still amazing.

I meet with a monk at the temple who tells me the history of the temple and offers me a blessing (and takes my photo).  I sit on the ground on a filthy pillow surrounded by wild red-faced monkeys and pray to the Hindu gods.  The monk tells me I can pray to the Gods for anything and I find myself praying I won't be attacked by a monkey while I am sitting there with my eyes closed praying to Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and Parvati.

Actually, the monkeys here are fairly well behaved and almost cute (note, I said almost) as they romp and play about the temple grounds.

It has been a long day of touring, trekking and avoiding monkeys and so I head back to the hotel to rest and recover for the next day's tour.  Tomorrow, City Palace, the Observatory and the new city.

Quick Update

I have arrived in Agra, my last stop in India before flying home.  This is the home of the Taj Mahal.  I cannot wait to see it.

I had some success in Ranthambhore.  I saw a tiger.  She was T16, Queen of the Lake, one of the oldest tigers in the park.  She was less than 10 feet away from me.  I was so excited that I only got 1 picture of her stripes before she disappeared into the brush.  She was so beautiful..  Other than her, I saw lots of deer and peacocks and a mongoose, very cool (Riki Tiki Tavi has always been one of my favorite stories).

I have had a wonderful time in India and I am embarrassed to say that I am sad to leave.  There is so much beauty and variety here it is amazing.  It has been a perfect trip (plane crash included).  I look forward to coming back.

I will update my posts and pictures as soon as I return. 

See you soon.

Jaipur done...on to Ranthambhore

I completed my tour of Jaipur today and will post pictures as soon as I am able.  but, tomorrow I am off to Ranthambhore of my safari.  there is no internet at the hotel so I will update you all when I get to Agra in a few days.

Wish me luck!!!  I hope I see some tigers!

Udaipur to Deogarh

Today I travel from Udaipur to Deogarh.  Deogarh itself is not much of a tourist destination but there is a fort, Kumbhal Garh, and a Jain Temple that are must-sees and Deogarh marks a good stopping off spot for the evening.

The road to Deogarh is a 1 lane, windy mountain road that has been severely degraded by the monsoons.  It takes 2 Cokes, a bag of cheese puffs and 4 sticks of mint gum to keep me from vomiting in the backseat (TMI, I know).  The landscape here however is fantastic.  It is lush and green and for some reason reminds me of the Alps, in "Sound of Music".  The are no safe places to stop for photos and I am not sure I could stand up long enough to take them anyhow.

Eventually we arrive at the fort.  I am happy to be out of the car.  I have no guide and am to explore the fort on my own however I am quickly mobbed by tourists anxious to get their photo taken with the Westerner and my driver must intercede and escort me through the fort.  I have no history to give on the fort as all of the plaques are in Hindi but the views are great.

Road to Deogarh



Entrance to Kumbhal Garh Fort



 After the fort we get back on the road, unfortunately, and head toward the Jain Temple.

Jainism is its own religion not a form of Hinduism as is sometimes believed.  There are many beliefs in Jainism but the most well-known is that all living things have a soul.  To this end Jains are strict vegetarians and even cover their noses and mouths to avoid inhaling bugs.  They believe in non-violence in both action and thought.  This temple, Ranakpur Temple, is made of white marble and is intricately carved.  No pictures are allowed here so I bought some postcards.  you'll have to wait until I get home to see them.
I fear I would be a very bad Jain (actually I would never have reached the level of Jain) because while I am at the temple a monkey steals my sunglasses and I have to chase her down and wrestler her to get them back.  I definitely have some violent thoughts toward that monkey.

Sunglasses recovered we hit the washboard, I mean road, to head for Deogarh.  On the way we stop at a roadside shop the makes Dhurri rugs.  These rugs are woven either from cotton, wool, silk or animal hair and are used like carpets on the floor.  The patterns are generally tribal in nature and bear a striking resemblance to Southwestern patterns.

 We also see a well driven by ox power.  There is a nice turn off here and so we atop to take a photo.

The oxen turn a wheel which drives a chain of buckets down to the creek below where they pick up the water and bring it to the storage reservoir.

Finally we arrive at my hotel in Deogarh, Deogarh Mahal.  It is a heritage hotel and a former palace.

My room is spacious and comfortable.  It is not the nicest hotel I have stayed in but it is the best Deogarh has to offer and will do for the night.

Upon reaching my room I collapse into bed.  I am not sure how you can get so tired doing nothing but I am exhausted.  They call me twice to come up to the roof for dinner and I politely decline.  I simply cannot summon the energy or the gastric desire to eat.  Beside, the steps are steep here and I am not confident I have regained my sea legs from the day's drive.

In the morning I enjoy the views from the terrace before meeting my driver. 

Next stop, Jaipur.  I REALLY hope the roads are better.