Tatz's Travels Around the World

Our third day started early with a sunrise hike and a birdwatching tour.  Glorious!

We headed out to our location along with ox-driven carts with locals heading to work.  We passed the Tungabhadra River and walked up a steep but not very long hill.  The gray morning light slowly brightened as the perfectly round orange orb rose from the horizon, shining light on the hidden temple we were looking at.  Our quiet voices were overshadowed by a surround sound of bird songs.  I couldn’t get a lot of great photos of birds as the light wasn’t great yet, but I didn’t care. Chandra Shekara, our naturalist bird guide, pointed out various birds as they flew, landed and flitted away.  He had an amazing speaker that played bird songs to draw birds in so that helped us with our sightings.

After the sun rose, we walked down to the temple we had been looking at from above.  This temple is really affecting me positively, as I feel I’m in a place that is not normally visited. I could feel history there, imagine the sounds of the prayers and the merchants selling wares. I was a bit disappointed when other tourists came by, but I was able to enjoy my moment, nonetheless.

The Achyutaraya Temple is from the 1534.  This was one of the last grandiose projects before the fall of the empire and was built in the Vijayanagar style.

It was here we saw more interesting birds, including a whole colony of Spotted Owlets, an usual sight we relished. It’s been a while since the trip happened so I hope my bird name are correct!

Below was the rarest bird we saw: The Black Blue-Faced Malkova. Note the bright blue eye.

As we left there was a whole colony of Rosy Starlings, a migratory bird from Himanchal Pradesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.

We also saw a flock of Blue Tailed Bee-eaters enjoying the wires as a resting spot.  These migratory birds make nests in the ground!

The Bazaar located in front of the temple is of course called the Achyuarataya Bazaar.  A jeweler’s box with precious stones was found in the floor with historians guessing perhaps it had been hurriedly buried during the invasion of the capital in 1565.  Behind the Bazaar was the temple pool.  This is where we saw the Black Blue-Faced Malkova.  On the path we saw Leopard and Sloth Bear droppings, so one could imagine those animals walking up and down the path like we were!

Our guide pointed out some leopard poop with bones inside.  He shared how precarious life in the village is. The monkeys come into town because they forage food from the humans and then the leopards smell their urine and wait for them to stretch and fall down from the tree and then they eat them.

Our walk continued past more ruins of this city and the well-preserved Varaha Temple.

We walked and finally saw the river.  The first half of the river was surrounded by rocks, but the second half with greenery.  It was such a visual shock to see so much green!

These are the best photos of wild butterflies I have ever taken.  Their rapid movements made capturing such views very difficult so I was pretty pleased!

This man is fishing on traditional fishing boat.  One can pay for a ride on these boats, but we decided not to.

Women were taking advantage of the tourist location to sell vegetables, therefore, where there is food there are monkeys!  Most interesting for me was this baby Bennett Mako monkey who is about a week old.  The father (I assume) was grooming him and gave me a dirty look when I stepped too close, so I moved back.

The tour ended with us walking through the rock tunnel, past some wishing rock arrangements and off to the parking lot where the car was waiting for us.  We went out to lunch, rested and then continued touring without a guide. More on that in my next post!

Today started very quietly as we relaxed and enjoyed the hotel, reenergizing after the intensity of yesterday. 

The first jaunt was a Sloth Bear Safari.  These bears are called Bindu due to the white ‘bindi’ on their foreheads.  The bears live in a reserve started up by local people but is now a state park. While they feed the bears some sugary treats to get them to come -much to the offense of my friend Bhargavi (honey is part of their normal diet but honey is too expensive), the bears look healthy and clearly eat on their own, as we saw one bear looking for bugs in a nearby tree.  Because we paid for taking photographs, we got to sit in the cage near the bears (as opposed to a lookout on the hill). 

Many of the female bears have babies, another sign of a healthy life.  The mother will stay with the babies for 2 ½ to 3 years.  We saw one older set of twins and a very new (one month old) set.  It was fascinating to see the mom eating and the kids playing (riding on her back as well).  At one point the twins went off and after a few seconds the mom realized they were gone and rushed after them.  I could feel her worry.  They returned after 10 minutes safe and sound. 

At one point, the naturalist jumped into the cage and locked the door – he heard growling (leopards were spotted yesterday).  After listening a little longer, he concluded it was a bear, not a leopard and went back out.  Yep, this is a real reserve!

Hanging out among the bears was a mongoose.  I finally was able to get a decent photo as he wasn’t running across a road!

The visit also included spotting lots of other wildlife, photos of which I share with you below.

Last but not least, the ride in and out afforded us some beautiful views.

Lunch was at a restaurant called Mango Tree where we had the best hummus and falafel along with lemon mint juice.  It was so good we ate there again the next day!

These photos were taken while driving around Hampi.

We ended the day visiting the Malyavanta Raghunatha Temple where we could see one of the famous Hampi sunsets without climbing!  This 16^th century temple was built around a huge boulder, where Rama and Lakshmana spent the rainy season during their quest for Sita. This is an active temple where the priests live.  We sat and enjoyed the view as the red orb floated down to the horizon.  Not the best Hampi sunset, but a joy to watch and soak in the beauty around us.

This second temple, housed beyond the temple wall, is clearly older. We didn’t have any money with us so we didn’t enter this temple, nor take a photo with the boy dressed as the monkey king.

I can’t decide which of these ‘moon over temple’ photos I like more, so I am posting both!

The real end to our day, after dinner and drinks, was a lovely dip in the pool.

With mixed feelings I write about my last big trip in India, taken during our Spring Break in March.  While there will be other posts and short trips, this was my last long vacation, and it was amazing.  Some friends and I visited Hampi, Ellora Caves and Ajanta caves.  While these locations are not easy to reach, they are well worth the effort.

We flew into the closest airport and settled into the three-hour drive to the town of Hampi.  There were, of course, interesting moments along the way.  Most fascinating (no photo) was that while driving on a major highway, one could see local residents placed dung on the road to dry (!) – and yes, the drivers ensured the dung was safe and drove around the piles! 

I also loved looking at this ‘local laundromat’:

We arrived at our posh hotel. When Lynn was researching hotels, she saw one had cabanas with private pools and insisted we stay in one!  There were three of us sharing the room (I got the roll away bed since I have the CPAP machine) so the cost was quite reasonable.  It was a lot of fun being able to skinny dip and hang out by the pool in private.

Hampi is an archaeological, historical and geological wonder located on the Deccan Plateau, the third oldest plateau in the world. There were boulders everywhere, placed when the volcanic rocks would be thrown out into the air falling on top of each other creating interesting formations. The landscape is dotted with these smooth boulders that look like there were artistically placed into creative combinations.  However, these granite rocks are all natural, none of the formations have been created by man or by disasters, but rather millions of years of erosion and volcanic activity!  These photos show some of the more interesting combinations that caught my eye during our time here.

There are many myths connected with the gods of India residing in the Hampi area, including the daughter of Brahma the creator becoming betrothed to Shiva here.  Of more important value is Hampi being identified as the forest domain of the monkeys where Rama and Lakshmana arrived to find his abducted wife and met the Monkey warrior Hanuman.  Rama helped Hanuman defeat an enemy while Hanuman found where the missing wife was being held.

Of interest to me is more contemporary history. The city of Vijayanagara was established here in the 14^th century and at one time was the second largest city in the WORLD and of course was a powerful Indian state.  Fascinating is that by 1565, it was sacked and deserted.  After it was looted by the conquering moghuls it was abandoned by them as all the rocks made it hard to build a mosque facing Mecca.

The land was a great place to build an empire because it had the mountains for protection and the river for trade and transport.  There was much trade with Portugal and China so these cultures influenced architecture and culture, and remnants of pottery and other goods can still be found.

The 200 years of wealth and power of Vijayanagara can be seen in how the ruins are scattered around for miles. In the local museum, one can see a large 3D map which shows all the areas thus far excavated.  Our guide, Ravi, is one of the archaeologists working on the continued excavations. It was fascinating to learn such tidbits like they can only dig from March-April.  November through February there are too many tourists, and starting in May the rains begin.  As a matter of fact, the digging discovered during this brief period is covered up for protection in April before the rains begin.  Ravi told us scientists from China and Egypt are coming on March 13^th with the same technology used in Xi’an to uncover parts of the Terra Cotta warriors. The purpose is to scan the ground in certain areas to determine where to dig.

Our touring began at the Krishna bazaar, located across the street from the Krishna temple.  We learned that each temple had huge market place attached to it, the heart of trade and commerce.   Here Ravi was able to show us some of the more recent excavation work being done. 

This and other 16th century bazaars had two floors, with the top being for storage and the ground floor for trading. The grooves seen in the columns below were for the planks that merchants placed their wares on.

The prevalence of rocks resulted in their use for construction.  You can still these cut cubes all around, the first step in cutting a stone into smaller pieces.

The photos below are of the water tank associated with the Krishna temple and bazaar, as well as a water trough found at the road crossing from the temple to the bazaar, used by weary travelers.

Our next stop was across the small road to the Krishna Temple.  Built in 1513 this temple has some great examples of renovated and unrenovated work.

The temple has a typical layout, with a center shrine with carved columns and several smaller square structures around the four corners of the compound, all surrounded by a wall. Inside the temple, the columns show the various incarnations of Vishnu.  The entry gate was originally was 36 m tall and had seven big windows.

Here I saw my first carving of a prostrating man on the floor, which represents how one should properly venerate the idol. I have seen this behavior in temples around India even today.  There were several of these floor carvings here and in other temples around Hampi.

In the photos below you can see renovated pieces (red) of the temple.  Ravi’s friend is the one doing most of the work (funded by the World Bank).  What was fascinating to learn is that the women who sweep the temple save the rocky dust and that is used for the renovation work.  This work is a representation of the defeat of the Gajapati rulers of Orissa.  I could have spent hours looking at all the details.

Below, the temple on the left is totally renovated.  The image on the right is what it looked like before renovation.  Below that is a black and while photo of the unrestored compound.

The women sweeping the temple were taking a break and playing Indian chess. One of the women were very nervous to be photographed playing during her break because Ravi was there, who translated her worry that she would get into trouble for playing in the temple.  The other woman was thrilled to be the subject of my photos. 

Next, we walked up the road to the huge monolithic Sasivekalu Ganesha statue.  This was built in 1506 by a trader in memory of Narasimha II (1491-1505).  The pavilion surrounding Ganesha was an afterthought, not part of the original structure.  Ganesha is 2.5 meters tall and as the name indicates carved from a single rock.  Most interesting is that he is sitting on this mother’s lap.  It was hard to get a photo of the actual Ganesha due to the lighting and barricades, but the back had a great view. Sasivekalu means mustard seed in the local Kanaada language. In 2009 the women cleaning the road found the inscription detailing the story of this statue. They called the archaeologist to come see and that’s how they learned about the mustard seed story that gave the statue its name. One legend is that Ganesha’s stomach resembles a mustard seed!

While walking we passed this chart of the current excavated sites.  Ravi explained to us that they are always adding to this list. Archaeologists estimate it will take 45 yers to find all the monuments.

We continued our walk towards the Sacred Hemakuta Hill, which is dotted with shrines including the enclosure wall of the Virupaksha temple below.  Bearing in mind that we all had 3 hours of sleep, I truly was done and wasn’t going to proceed.  The guide politely said this was very interesting (and later I found out it was also because we were not returning in the same direction!).  It was WELL worth the effort as the area had stunning views of Hampi as well as presented a unique atmosphere.

I learned a lot here.  First, if you look at the pole below, this is a critical component of the temple building process.  The first item built on a proposed site, this massive column was used to see how the stone behaved.  If the land could take it, the temple building proceeded.

These structures precede the heyday of the Vijayanagara era and are the earliest structures in the area, dating from the 9^th to the 14^th centuries.  The dramatic layout, with manmade temples competing with huge, smooth boulders leaves quite an impression.  It is believed Lord Shiva meditated here.

Another fascinating tidbit I learned can be seen here.  These carvings in the wall were done by students.  They were not allowed to carve on the pillars (since most of them were part of a solid structure) so they practiced on such unimportant places until they earned the right to carve on the actual columns and temple walls.  It really struck home how you can’t make a mistake on such work!

We insisted on a stop in a cafe to rest, where mango shakes fortified us for the last stop on our tour: Virupaksha Temple, the most sacred, active temple in Hampi.  Walking towards the temple the intricate carving became clearer and clearer, when suddenly the erotic sculptures popped into my view.  Pretty graphic!  Such carvings come from the times before western influences, when love, sex and reproduction were an accepted and normal part of Hindu life.

While the centerpiece of the temple complex is the 50-meter tower, the temple was full of interesting carvings and details – including priests lounging and taking a break from the intensity within, it was getting late in the day after all!

Then one of those magical traveling moments happened.  The temple elephant was coming home.  Seeing an elephant close up is special enough, but a temple elephant is revered.  It was special to see devotes touch him for a blessing.  Of course, one could pay and get a blessing from the elephant.  It was amazing to watch – the elephant took your money, gave it to the handler and then blessed you.  Yes, I did it.

We headed back to the car as the sun was setting and projecting a golden glow on the temple.

We passed the Hampi Bazaar, which was a small street in the 1100s and expanded during the heyday of the 1400s and 1500s.  Here the second floor of the bazaar was still standing so it gave a more detailed impression than what we saw before. It is believed gems and pearls were sold here.

There was a final ending to our exhausting day as our hotel hosted an ethic drum and dance show.  We were too tired to stay for the whole event, but managed to watch some interesting moments.

This weekend I woke up at the crack of dawn and went to Thane Creek to go on a short, flamingo safari. I arrived early (well, early by Indian standards as I arrived at the requested time, 7am for the 7:30 ride) so I walked around and took these photos.

When it was time, we walked down the floating dock and almost broke some bones as the plastic squares were incredibly slippery, but we all made it without incident.

Before I head off into flamingo photo heaven, I will share some information I learned.   The Black-Winged Stilts are the first migratory birds to arrive in the area, then everyone else follows them! 

Mangrove trees have two sets of roots: one under the ground and one above.

I was beyond thrilled to finally get a photo of the bright blue Kingfisher, although the actual blue is much more vibrant that the photo shows.

Kites were kind enough to pose for me.  They are one of the few predators of flamingoes here, whose only defense is living in large groups.

The Black-Headed Ibis (also wintering here) were hard to photograph as they were in eating on the shore and were blocked by the Mangrove roots, but I was able to get one decent shot.

And now onto the flamingoes!

300,000 to 500,000 flamingos (Lesser Flamingos and Greater Flamingos) migrate here from the north for winter feeding.  They arrive white and leave pink, so it is good I came in March to see them, as a month ago they were all still white.

Thane Creek, the longest creek in Asia, became a preserve in 2019 and the cleaned water from the sewage treatment plant provides the algae and home for the shrimp that flamingos love to eat.  A win-win for mother nature.

Greater Flamingoes are taller and have a pink beak with a black spot. Lesser Flamingoes have a mostly black beak with some pink.  Their eyes are a distinct yellow but, in my photos, appear pink. 

Flamingoes are the largest bird species after the ostrich.  While these flamingoes breed in their native place, they find their mate before returning.  Flamingoes are chatty birds, with their honky-beeping sound filling the peaceful air.  Their family life is fascinating.  During the day, baby birds are all together with one or two adults watching over them. Parents come in the evening for family time, and they recognize their child by sound. 

To fly, these majestic birds need a running start and while doing so expose the bright black and pink feathers under their wings. Of all I saw, this sight fascinated me the most.

Little Stint birds sharing the buffet with the flamingos:

It was hard to believe I was in the middle of loud and crowded Mumbai it was so peaceful here, although through the mist I could see the tall buildings.

And now my favorite flamingo photos!

The ride itself lasted only an hour but felt like three and was worth it. Since Ubers couldn’t find the remote location, I started the 3km walk back to the entrance when a kind couple picked me up and dropped me off at the turnoff from the highway – a tiny dirt road with a hidden painting of a flamingo.  While waiting for my ride, I saw 4 cars pass the turn off, quickly stop and back up!

Two Wednesdays ago, my friend Shraddha and I flew to Delhi for the wedding of the Early Years secretary.  We left at 6am and took the 2am return flight home.   The reception was in the evening, so we had the day to explore.  Zeeshan joined us for some fun sightseeing.

I will start this entry with the wonderful art we saw exhibited at our Mumbai airport gate.

We arrived and were met with garlands from the driver hired by Zeeshan.

Once we arrived in Delhi, we headed to Shraddha’s friends’ house.  We were treated to a yummy breakfast with parathas and many other delicacies.  Then we were off for a day of exploring!

Our first stop was Humayun’s Tomb Complex, a World Heritage Site with quite a few tombs dispersed around.  At the entrance to the compound is the Sabz Burj, a mosque that was recently restored and would have been for the member of the royal household.

The first tomb we visited was Isa Khan’s mausoleum.  The aerial photo provided shows how grand it was, and he wasn’t even an emperor but rather a noble in the court of Sher Shah Sur.  He built it in his lifetime, and it even includes a mosque.  He was an Afghani Pashtun, a group that dominated the area during this time.  He died in 1548 at the age of 98!  The tomb had major restoration work that started in 2011, while the overall complex restoration started in 2000 and 2003, funded by the Aga Khan Foundation for Culture and the Archaeology Survey of India.

Next we walked towards the next landmark, passing the West Gate, a striking entrance to the main tomb.

Entering the mausoleum required climbing up some very steep stairs, which made me think it was one way to keep invaders out!  This tomb, built 20 years after the one we just saw, is known as the Taj Mahal of Delhi because it was built by the widow of Humayun, the second Mughal emperor of India about whom very little is known.  The widow, Biga Begum (Hajji Begum), had it built 14 years after his death, at a cost of 1.5 million rupees. I cannot help but wonder why she waited and what court intrigues were at play! It is the first mausoleum built in the Mughal style within India and is heavily influenced by Persian traditions.

The Persian/Mughal garden mausoleum style needs water sources, plus everything must be symmetrical.  That is why you will find such tombs near rivers.  While the original river is long gone, the pools and waterways have recently been restored.  As we walked the grounds and looked at the smaller mausoleum below, we were able to get a sense of the garden atmosphere.  Many Delhi residents come to enjoy the park.

As we drove to the next location we passed the government zone, which gave a sense of DC with these mammoth buildings to house the bureaucracy of a large government.  Not a pleasant drive with its traffic and blocked roads.  Hence, Delhi is not a favorite city of mine.  By the way, Delhi is actually many cities merged together. That is why you read about New Delhi, Old Delhi…and there are other names. Lastly, like Washington, DC, Delhi not a state but rather a federal government-controlled district. 

The drive took us to Old Delhi and a street called Chandi Chowk where no cars are allowed.  Located here are markets: spice and fabric to name a few.  And LOT of people watching.  But first on the agenda was lunch.  Zeeshan took us to a vegetarian Paratha place, you know, the kind that has no décor but amazing food.  There was every kind of paratha imaginable. We sampled potato and onion, mixed vegetable, cauliflower, paneer, dhal, and ended with sugar (usually for kids…my dessert of course!).  My favorite was the cauliflower. 

The passage ways were wonderfully cramped, and Shraddha shared that many people from Mumbai come here to buy clothes and fabric for weddings.

If one looks closely behind the plethora of shops, people, wires, advertisement, and items for sale – you can see the framework of architecture that was once quite beautiful.

This street is full of people walking, shopping, lounging and even sleeping!

Next we walked towards the spice market. I don’t need to buy spices nor is such a location a new experience for me, but ohhh-the photographic possibilities had me frantic!

Interesting was that as we went deeper into the passageways of the spice market, we clearly entered the wholesale section of the market where everyone was coughing from the large amounts of spice dust in the air. I was intrigued by the men who carried large bags of spices, their faces intently focused on balancing the bag and watching where they were going. It was interesting to learn from Zeeshan that even though there are no spices grown in this area, all the spices are shipped here because it’s easy to distribute to the whole county from Delhi.

Located at the deepest depth of the market is this tower, where if you climb it there is an amazing view.

Next was a long bike ride to our next location (our driver got a large tip since there were two of us in the bike and I am not the thinnest beanpole around; Zeeshan was in a separate bike).  Wonderful people watching as we rode through the narrow streets and watched life go on around us.  Being India, even on the bikes-only street there was traffic!  The traffic continued as we wove our way through narrow streets towards the Mosque.

We arrived at Jama Masjid (translated into Friday Mosque), Delhi’s principal mosque.  It was built between 1650-56 by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, who also built the Taj Mahal and the nearby Red Fort.  We climbed the steep staircase up to the compound, which affords a commanding view of the surrounding area.  I imagine years ago it was the centerpiece of the skyline.

In one of the archways, you see the names of all the Imams who presided over the mosque.  Currently it is the 14^th Imam.  The first Imam was from Bukhara, currently in Uzbekistan.

As large and commanding the building is, the actual prayer space is narrow.  Therefore, for Friday prayers many worshippers pray outside.  You can see these poles are erected outside, for awnings to protect from the heat and rain.

There is a direct line from the Red Fort (where the emperor would have lived) to the mosque.  Between is a street there was a market so after Friday services, families could do their shopping.  A vibrant market to this day.

Throughout the day there were many moments I was able to capture with my camera, as well as the requisite street art, all in the form of murals.  The new tunnel was especially colorful.

Street shopping at night?  Not a problem in Delhi!

Then it was time to return to our starting point to nap and get ready for the wedding.  We took the necessary selfie and said our goodbyes to Zeeshan.  When it was time to go to the weeding, we took a selfie with Shraddha’s friends as well.

Of course, I cannot leave you without a few photos of Priyanka and her special day!

I was happy to know that Shraddha was impressed with Zeeshan’s knowledge of Indian history. Should you wish to explore India, here is Zeeshan’s contact information: zeeshanbaba_taj@hotmail.com

Last weekend my friend and colleague Jonathan and I went to the exhibit of the Wildlife Photos of the Year.  This contest is sponsored by the National History Museum of London, and I believe was started by David Attenborough in 1964.  Celebrating its 60^th year, the 100 winning photos were displayed artfully, and I imagine there are similar exhibits all around the world.  For more information go to www.nhm.ac.uk/wpy.

The work was humbling and moving, especially those by teenagers and younger!  The photos were grouped in various categories and the exhibit displayed the honorable mentions along with the winners for each category.  Along with the story of how the photo was taken, there was information about the plight of the animals.  I hope I am not breaking any copyright rules by posting these photos, but I will be crediting to the photographer or showing his/her name on the photo.

Throughout the exhibit were quotes from the judges which were informative and thought provoking. Celina Chien says, “Be curious. You don’t need to travel far to explore the natural world. Discover nature on the doorstep. Observe it, listen to it and be curious in everything you do.”  Melissa Groo says, “Be patient. I’m not patient with much in life, but when it comes to nature’s stories unfurling in front of me, I have nothing but time and attention.  Only by observing over time can we witness behaviors that illuminate the wonder of nature.”  And finally, Lucase Bustamante wrote, “Communicate your story.  Think of the bigger picture and tell the whole story.  Inspire people with the beauty of the natural world, but also help them think about the problems it faces.  Learning about nature is the first step to protecting it.”

These were my favorite photos or stories.

Well, I have to compare my photo (on the right) with a professional’s on the left. Humbling, right?

Aside from being exceptional photos compositionally, I was fascinated by how they caught the mushroom spores being released.

This series won the overall prize (as did a high school student!). The photos were amazing and shared how the plight of these golden horseshoe crabs is critical as they have many medicinal properties (one was used in coming up with the COVID vaccine) and how synthetic medicines are then developed to mimic the natural property. They are only found in the Philippines.

After the two floors of the winners’ photographs, there was a third floor where you could view short documentaries on how photographers teamed with conservation organization to raise awareness.  There was also information on parks and reserves in the state of Maharashtra, along with 3 reserves in Mumbai I will be visiting with my camera!

On this floor was also a slideshow of People’s Choice winners. These were my favorites.

After this event, Jonathan and I went out for a snack and a drink, always a good time with him.  Lots of serious discussions and many laughs! 

As we walked to the restaurant, this work is by Subogh Gupta caught my eye. He incorporates everyday objects that are found throughout India, such as the steel tiffin (lunch) boxes, metal plates, bicycles, and milk pails. According to Wikipedia, from such ordinary items Gupta produces sculptures that reflect on the economic transformation of his homeland. I felt this piece told the story of consumer waste.

This was a new wall mural (or at least I hadn’t noticed it before) on the highway between where I live and South Mumbai.

So after we left the fort and had lunch we stopped at a warehouse….nirvana if you are into antiques, heaven if you are into textiles.  On the first-floor items are being sold on consignment.  Downstairs you find the real business, textiles.  They sell to major labels and companies around the world (Kenzo, Aeropostale, to name two).  Princess Anne wears their clothes as well.  I wasn’t planning on buying anything…but the prices were amazing and the work stunning: one bedspread and two tablecloths.  Christmas presents here we come!

By the time we started on the three-hour drive to the safari location, it was quite late.  We got into traffic, it was dark, and I was bored – so I started taking photos of the colorful trucks.  I realized this is a new form of street art, so on the way back I also took some of these artistic vehicles.  Here are the ones I particularly liked.

Now let’s jump ahead to leaving on Sunday morning.  We left early for our noon flight, getting to see the moon set and the sun rise (a stunning orange orb), especially seeing the moon over the field of our hotel and the farmer starting his long day.

Leaving early also afforded us one last glimpse into country life as people were waking up and tending to their chores.

Then there were some interesting sights as we drove on.

We had one more touristy spot to visit on the way to the airport.  On the highway is a temple dedicated to a man who died in a motorcycle accident many years ago.  The story goes that the police went to clear the bike away but the next day it appeared on the road again.  This happened three times so it was decided this was a message and a temple was built. There is something very appropriate in having a temple dedicated to safe journeys on the highway.

This is a fun story.  This woman asked to take a selfie with me.  I obliged.  Then I took a photo of her.  Then her sister joined.  Then of course I had to take a photo of her daughter so she wouldn’t feel left out!

I didn’t understand why people were brushing their teeth at the temple – some special ritual?  Then I turned around and saw the sleeper bus and the bus driver cooking breakfast!

Lynn decided to get into the spirit of our travels with her socks:

Now we go way back to the first day with a photo of what the Jodhpur airport looks like and then the art at our gate in the Mumbai airport.

And a final photo of street art!

Phew! Finally done with sharing about this amazing weekend.

And again, should you want a similar adventure in India reach out to Zeeshan zeeshanbaba_taj@hotmail.com

This final entry from my weekend in and near Jodhpur starts us flying in over the Thar Desert and disembarking with a large family group wearing matching t-shirts in pink (saying Bride Squad) and blue (Groom Squad).  This is the third time I have seen matching t-shirts on Indian traveling groups, I am SO interested in doing this one day! 

We met up with Zeeshan who picked us up, greeted us with traditional flower garlands (which made the car smell so sweet as we drove all day) informing us that we were ‘escorted’ by Indian fighter jets as we landed (many Indian airports are located on air force bases, and since we are near the Pakistan border, they were flying sorties). As we left the airport we were greeted with beautiful street art, welcoming us to Sun City the nickname for Jodhpur, that set the tone for the beauty we were to witness over the two days.

We then headed off to the Jodhpur Fort Museum, the local fort of the royal family that ruled the area for centuries.  This fort, built in 1459,  is still privately owned by them and maintained by the Mehrangarh Museum Trust, set up by His Majesty Maharaja GajSingh II of Marwar-Jodhpur.  All money collected from entrance and photo fees are used for restoration work, hence it is very well maintained.  This museum also hosts cultural events and special exhibits, has an award winning fine-dining restaurant (unfortunately only open for dinner), other good eating spots, as well as a superb gift shop. This is a ‘must see’ should you be in the area.

We hired a local guide and got into the line for the first elevator in a fort – finished in 1995, after taking five years to build as they had to drill through solid rock.   The rock was quite beautiful, with two types of stones on view.  The dark pink is rhyolite, a volcanic rock several hundreds of million years old.  The other rock is sandstone with its sediments from sea life here eons ago.  Two rocks with such close contact is called ‘unconformity’.  Of interest, these two rock formations were not created near each historically so there is no ‘record’ of what happened between the two periods.

Our first stop was to look at the views from the patio (where the fine dining restaurant is housed).  We learned that there was an ornate system of pumping water up to the castle using gutter-like ruts in the palace walls and Persian water wheels.

The guide pointed out the blue-painted houses in the old town.  There are several reasons for this.  First, historically Brahmans painted their homes blue and since it was back luck to kill a Brahman, others got into the act.  Secondly, it represents those who worship Shiva and Vishnu.  Third, and probably the main reason today, mosquitos do not like blue, so it is a natural repellant.  It is also believed that blue is cooling to the eyes and helps one deal with the heat of the day.

The lake closest to the palace is called Queens Lake, created at the request of the queen when the fort was built.  The lake further on (hard to see but beyond the palace wall) is called People’s Lake for others to use.

The fort was truly used to defend the palace, and these are some guns that were used.  There is an old-fashioned machine-gun which used gun powder that was imported starting in the 15^th century.

Our guide pointed out these relevant buildings. 

 

We then walked past the rooms of the crown prince into the courtyard where coronations were held. Like at the Jain palace I wrote about yesterday, my eyes didn’t know where to focus as each inch was filled with ornate carvings and details.

Coronations for Maharajas were simple affairs, with the younger brother or younger man from the bloodline cutting their finger on a sword, anointing the Maharaja’s forehead with the blood, pledging loyalty, and finally giving the sword to the new Maharaja.  The current Maharaja is 75 years old and was crowned when he was 4 as his father died at 29 in a plane crash (with his mistress).

You will notice there are two very distinct architectural styles in this courtyard.  This is because of the male (mardana) and female (zanana) living sections of the palace.  It is easy to know which is the female as the lattice designs (all 250 of them) are such that women can look out but cannot be seen.

Interesting factoid I learned: gargoyles are actually meant to be pipes to prevent water from seeping onto the buildings. Here the gargoyles were simple holes.

In the courtyard was this alcove with hookah and opium pipes.  Historically, soldiers smoked opium before heading out to battle (to incite bravery and energy) and then of course for painkillers when injured.

Next was what I called the chair room.  Here you found many examples of elephant howdah (on top of elephants) and pinjas (carried by men) which were used to transport royalty around.  The howdah of the most historical significance was this silver one, presented by the Mughul ruler Shahjahan to Maharaja Jaswan Singh I on the 18^th of December 1657.  He also gifted 100 horses (a rarity in those days).

This howdah is from the 18^th century.

From the 19^th century, this pinja transported the Maharaja’s wife on the way to her wedding (hence she was hidden) and the poles are to open windows for ventilation (since the side windows could not be opened).

This 16th century pinja was for the crown prince and since he was lighter, there is only one pole for carrying.  Note the velvet padding for comfort.

We walked through another archway to a courtyard where we entered the next room which displayed weapons and items used by the royals. 

The great palanquin in this room needed 12 men to carry the maharaja (factoid: the word maha means great). It was brought to the palace as war booty by Maharaha Abhay Singh in 1730 after defeating the governor of Gujarat Sarbuland Khan.

This is a toran.  It is placed at the entrance of the bride’s house.  The groom touches it seven times.  It (as well as the Ganesh idol) symbolizes an auspicious beginning. 

The two mauds were worn on the side of the bride and groom’s eyes.  They are removed after they seven sacred rounds around the fire, when they are officially married.  This is ‘modern’ as it is from the 20^th century.

These elaborate sword handles are from the 19^th century.  The one with enamel is Persian.

Toys fit for a king: especially the railroad station modeled after the first one in Jodhpur, established around 1880.

Next was a room dedicated to miniature paintings, with information on how the natural paints were created – complete with how shells were used as palettes. The works focused on the theme of the love story between Krishna and Radha, as well as Shiva and Parvati – who symbolize eternal love.  There were exquisite examples of this art form, by artists from this region.

Next, we climbed these stairs to see some royal rooms from the maharaja’s section.  They did not disappoint.

This is the bedroom of Maharaja Ajit Singh who ruled from 1679 to 1724.  It is known as the Palace of Mirrors.  After his reign it was a guest room. The art focused on religious figures, a style of the time, and the mirrors would glitter under the candlelight.  What a way to fall asleep!

Next was the Phool Malal, known as the Palace of Flowers.  This 18^th century chamber was the private audience hall of Maharaja Abhay Singh (1724-49).  There is no other word to describe it other than magnificent. I could have stood here all day, and while I spent a long time here there was still more to see!

The third room open for viewing was the bedroom of the maharaja from 1843.  Every inch of the space is painted and like the mirror room, the space is beautiful within its busy-ness.  There is a coziness to it.

As we walked from room to room and floor to floor, we caught glimpses of the views the royal family would have seen.  Quite beautiful, as every inch of the palace has a thoughtful design element to it.

There was an excitement as we walked through an archway and anticipation of what beauty will be seen filled my mind.  Each courtyard or room had some detail or factoid of interest.

Inside the palace room where the women could watch the coronations and other events taking place in the courtyard, was a display of royal cradles from the 19^th and 20^th centuries.  I have never seen anything like this before and the artistry and details were amazing.  Interesting, some of these were not royal cradles but used as beds for deity idols!  It took a while before I noticed the ceilings, also exquisite.

This was the current maharaja’s cradle, modern as it rocked electronically and was a gift from someone.

I will take this opportunity to share that some of the palace guards, dressed in traditional outfits, made a lot of money in tips from being photographed because of their amazing beards and mustaches.  Some, of course, were caught unaware!

We entered another courtyard which, hard to believe at this point, surprised me as the wood was different.  This courtyard housed the maharaja’s council room. I wondered if the mirrors on the ceiling were there to spy on any papers someone might have!  The window at the back was for the queen to listen in.  She was there to offer advise to the maharaja as well as to know what was going when ruling in his absence. This is the oldest part of the palace open to the public, dating back to 1549.

Then there was the final courtyard where we enjoyed a glass of lavender lemonade and people watched.

As we walked, we passed these swift nests.  There were many flying around. The guide told us there is a butcher who comes every day at 3pm to feed them. Since we took way longer at the palace than originally planned, we ran into the man on his way to feel the birds!  Another reason why it pays to have a tour guide rather than headphones.  Of course they knew each other!

Like the layout of all good museums, we left through the excellent museum shop, which also happened to be the female’s exit from the palace.  Kind of appropriate I think!

Then it was time to start our long walk down to the entrance.  We learned more history and culture as our guide showed us these spikes.  They are high up as protection from invading armies with elephants.  The sharp corner is also deliberate as it slows down an approaching army.

As we left the grounds of the palace the final awe-inspiring moment was seeing the palace from below. While you can’t see the palace it in its entirety, these angles give you an idea. 

I like how this angle shows the layout, with building wings between the courtyards we walked through. 

Since I was now curious about the layout I Googled it!   This is what I found:

This is a toothbrush tree as chewing on the twigs released the natural properties that prevent tooth and gum decay!

On this hill the cemetery for the royal family is located.  We were able to get a glimpse as we drove away.

Full circle:  the memorial gazebo we saw coming in, now with better lighting!

Two interesting factoids:

1. A lot of Bollywood movies are filmed here as well as the 1990s version of The Jungle Book.  It is an effective location for period dramas, especially since there are no visible electrical wires.
2. When the silk route crossed the nearby desert, the two maharajahs from the region would give them protection.  As a result, there would be a cattle fair before the desert so the traders could sell their horses and buy camels.  Going west they carried silk and other Chinese goods.  On the way east: opium.

Last, but not least, some random photos I want to share with you.

Well, I thought this would be the final entry from the weekend, but I think this entry is long enough.  One more on its way!

Between the two safaris on Saturday, we visited an architectural marvel in the town of Ranakpur, about 30km from where we were.  It is here we explored the Shri Ranakpur Jain Temple.

Before I go into the temple and its beauty, here are a few facts about this religion that was started 2500 years ago in India.  It is very similar to Buddhism in that the goal is to end the cycle of re-birth.  The main belief of Jainism is that all living beings and the universe itself should be protected and treated with care and respect, hence the most devout will follow a strict vegetarian diet that includes no root vegetables as that harms the entire plant.  Jainism doesn’t have a central God, creator, or any saints. Instead, they look for guidance to their 24 prophets who have achieved the ability to live without desire.

To go inside we first had to pass through security…not the usual kind.  There were two young women who were taking their job too seriously.  I wasn’t allowed to bring in my iPad because I might take photos with it (I had paid to take photos) while they didn’t notice the purse was leather (we had to take off all leather and I forgot about my purse).  There was a western tourist who had a scarf wrapped around her waist (she was in shorts) and the women wouldn’t let her in because ‘she might take it off’. Luckily calmer heads prevailed when she promised she wouldn’t.

Humor aside, this is a very holy place for Jains and I respected the request not to take photos of the key holy prophet statues (in the center of the shrine, where non-believers could not enter).

The building is entirely symmetrical, and took 63 years to build (1433 to 1496).  The cost at the time of building was 6,000,000!  Today, there is no price on the masterpiece.  There are 1,440 pillars that support the structure and there is no electricity.  There are 20 small and 4 large domes.  Every inch of space is carved and the beautiful details were endless.  The making of the temple reminded me of how the pyramids are believed to have been built: mud and dirt were piled, with pulleys and ramps so that the ceiling and domes could be constructed. This information was passed down from the head priest’s ancestors!

What strikes you first upon entering are the carved columns. Your eye flits from intricate detail to intricate detail trying to process the little shapes within the entirety of the whole. It took walking around the temple several times for me to gain a sense of balance.

After one calms down while looking at the columns, looking up started the overwhelming awe all over again.

We hired the head priest of the temple to give us a short tour. It was great to have him as with his sense of understanding, he took a photo of us in front of a door carving (even though it was not allowed). His words: “just for a memory”. He also allowed us to take photos of the intricate carving.

The figure on the left is the builder of the temple, on the right the architect. The builder asked that his figure face the main altar, not as a tribute to him. The architect was a farmer whose vision was an inspiration from heaven. By accident, I deleted the photo of the deliberately slanted column, because nothing made by man can be perfect.

While the temple is open for visitors during certain hours, there was still work being done.  One gentleman was making the flints for the temple lamps and one was grinding saffron and sandalwood for the anointing paste. 

After I was satiated within the temple, it took longer than planned, I did a quick visit to the smaller temple dedicated to the second prophet of Jainism.  Equal in its attention to detail, but much smaller.  Non-Indians are not allowed inside.

Leaving the temple afforded us an opportunity to observe and photo this cute little guy as well as an artistic drain pipe.

The ride to and from Ranakpur had some wonderful moments as well.  First was seeing the vegetation change from desert-like to the lush green and mountains of an area that gets more rain.  Of course, we passed many a water buffalo and I found it fascinating that Happy honked only at dogs to get them out of the way! 

Most fascinating was passing four auto rickshaws transporting red clad ladies to a wedding.  At first, we thought they were wearing blue sleeves and asked about why.  I didn’t understand the answer about ‘throwing’ until I saw these photos and realized they were wearing blue, plastic bangles.  SO wish I could have seen how they were thrown.  The ladies were as thrilled to wave to us and be photographed, as I was to see them and snap away!

This car was standing still, hoping the monkey might leave the roof!

Here are a few more moments:

So, between the two safaris, campfire, and this adventure, the day was quite full.  However, stay tuned because the ride to and from the airport was amazing as well.  That blog post is next!

We had a three-day weekend which I took advantage of and went to Jodhpur and a leopard safari.  Normally when I write about my adventures, I share chronologically but this time I will go by events and location.  Of course, I will begin with the safaris!

Located three hours south of Jodhpur, Perwa is lovely desert-ish location.  We stayed at this camp (glamping) which I highly recommend.  It is called Nirvana jawai and the website is nirvanajawai.com. The owner (a generational farmer) and his son own over 100 acres of land and two of the leopards we observed live on it.  Therefore, on one of our treks we were not surrounded by other jeeps, and the guide knew the leopards’ behaviors. 

On a side note, those who read my blog know that I travel with my tour guide Zeeshan. I realized today I never shared his contact information. Should you ever be in India or need to travel within India, I cannot recommend him highly enough. You can tell that all my travels within India have been excellent and it is due solely to Zeeshan. His email address is zeeshanbaba_taj@hotmail.com.

With us on the safari and staying at the hotel was a lovely young couple, Swarti and Rahul. Rahul took these nighttime photos. They really highlight the charm of this hotel.

The entrance to the compound has the amazing rock. The gate is always kept closed for one reason only: recently their dog was attacked by a leopard, so the gate is closed to keep the dog on the compound!

But let me begin with the first safari, which was early in the morning.  I exited my glam-tent to the sound of crickets. We headed out in darkness, feeling again like we were on the hunt.  We saw an adorable gray rabbit with his long ears sticking up.  He looked at us and we looked at him and then we both moved on.  The morning mist started clearing as we rode over gigantic rocks to where two cubs (teens really) were spotted: a male and female.  The excitement from the naturalist and all those around us was palpable as we saw the first leopard climb out of his cave and sit on the rock.  A while later his partner joined.  There was some communication between the two of them and then they both sat down and lounged.

What fascinated me (on top of observing these beautiful creatures) is how totally camouflaged they are when they sit on the rocks.  Even when pointed out by guide and looking straight at the correct location, it took a while to focus on the leopard.  It never occurred to me that black spots that are in direct contrast to the beige background of the fur is a powerful camouflage. 

After we satiated ourselves with these beauties, we drove off over the mountain of rocks to the top to see the views.  Stunning as you can see.  We had a snack with some chai and relished the view.  We joked that Happy’s job titles kept growing: driver, naturalist, photographer, waiter, bartender, and guide.  He is a wonderful young man and an exceptional driver whose company we enjoyed immensely.

I was fascinated by the patterns of the trees on the overflowing lake. I enjoyed taking photos of them and today, enjoyed doing some editing.

As this safari is on private land, there are no rules as to where you can and cannot drive. However, care of the land is a priority for everyone and set paths are followed. These photos give you a sense of how we drove directly on these huge rocks/mountains.

While looking at this village nestled between the mountains, we learned this is where Happy lives and it turns out a drive through the village was next on the itinerary.

We drove through the village as it woke up and everyone was starting their morning chores. 

As we were driving, I asked Happy to let me know when we pass his home so we could wave.  He did one better!  We stopped, met his family and got to see his home.

We drove to a few more scenic spots. On the way, we encountered herders wandering through town! Again, clear to see who has the right of way.

Morning chores include gathering food for the water buffalo.

As always, I was fascinated by the rock formations.

In the evening there was a second safari which was on the land owned by the hotel owners.  I will start with some photos of other animals we saw during the evening.

Two things of note in the photo below. First, the herder is holding a baby goat! The baby went out for a walk with all the other goals. Second, his turban. In Rajasthan turbans are for fashion culture and not a religious statement like with Sikhs. There is a lot of pride taken in how the turbans are tied and worn. They are also very functional, used for grabbing animals, heat protection, warmth, and even water gathering.

The location we were heading to is near this temple with its 200 steps to the top.

Before the light left us and while we were searching for the leopards, I enjoyed looking at the incredible rock formations.

We spotted the first leopard who was walking from the temple to the spot where we saw him.  There were times he was looking directly at us, challenging us to follow him.  I am not joking, it was a real challenge – because he totally tricked us later in the evening. 

We then heard a growl near us (!).  Happy quickly told Zeeshan to get out of the jeep and keep an eye on the leopard, so we don’t lose him.  He told Lynn and me to hold on tight as he sped off in the direction of the sounds.  We searched to no avail and returned, joking that we hoped Zeeshan was still alive!  He wasn’t upset but thrilled to be part of the safari (something he has never been asked before in all his years as a guide). 

There was evidence that the female was walking around here because this carcass, which we had seen a few minutes earlier, was moved!

We then saw the female join the male because in the dark we saw two sets of reflecting eyes.  They enjoyed each other’s company and as the sunlight faded, we continued to keep track of them by the reflections.  It was fascinating to hear them ‘fight’ with each other – the growls were pretty intense for a while.

Then my storytelling mind took over.   I decided the growling was when the male told the female to keep us occupied and she didn’t like the idea but agreed in the end as we focused on her eyes and searched for the other set of eyes.  Happy then saw or heard the male leopard near us. He knew the leopard was going for water and thus there were two possible locations: the stream near us or crossing the road to the lake. Happy realized the male was going to the lake.  He again told us to hold on tight as we speed off to the road.  Happy found the male walking (see the video) and this is where the leopard totally tricked us.  As we looked in the direction he was walking, Zeeshan noticed the leopard was crossing the road behind us.  I was able to catch the tail end of his run!  It was awesome to be fooled by this animal!

While watching these videos, keep your eyes focused on the flashlight.

The ride ended as we saw the moon rise, a perfect orange circle that mimicked the sun we saw set a little while ago and rise this morning. 

However, to our surprise the evening was not over.  The hotel hosted a campfire with music, drinks and snacks.  A lovely end to a wonderful day.