Udaipur & Ranakpur: For the Romantic in You

November 27, 2015
Currently: Enjoying a sunset view at a rural lake at our campsite somewhere in Rajasthan

Ranakpur is a small village located somewhere between Jodhpur and Udaipur known for its fabled Jain temple. I can vouch and say it is without a doubt the most beautiful temple I've ever seen. Ever, ever. It even beats out Chang Rai's Wat Rong Khun (though that is still a must-see). The craftsmanship behind this temple is a true homage to the beautiful religion it represents. I gave you a taste of Jainism earlier, but I can't stress enough how alluring this religion is. I'm drawn to it like I am Buddhism, especially in two of its values that I believe the world could never have enough of. Anekantavada, or non-absolutism, preaches open-mindedness. The basic idea is that everyone has a different perspective and differences in opinions and beliefs should be respected. Tolerance. Remember the parable of the blind men and the elephant. And aparigraha, or non-attachment. Material things aren't important to Jains. Don't take more than you need. Share your wealth and possessions. Holding onto things is what leads to direct harm not only to others but also to yourself. Swirl those ideas in your head while you take a mini-virtual tour of this temple.

As you can see, I had zero chance of containing the photographic nerd in me. When in a beautifully ornate Jain temple with a portrait lens burning a hole in your pocket and a tour guide/photographer at your disposal... what's a girl to do but have a serious photography session!

On to Udaipur! This city is known around India as one of the most romantic cities, burrowed between the rolling foothills of the Aravalli Range and nuzzled next to the spectacular Lake Pichola. It holds a kaleidoscope of attractions. Fairytale palaces, sprawling gardens, narrow alleyways, and lush mountain views make this city's storied and chivalrous history come alive. And if I haven't sold you yet, it was voted "Best City in the World" by Travel + Leisure magazine in 2009!

Founded in 1559 after a hermit blessed the future grounds of its famous City Palace, Udaipur was the capital of the Mewar kingdom. It escaped the Mughal influence (including Akbar's grip if you can believe it) because its hilly location provided too complicated for the Mughal horses to reach. With two full days here, we had all the time in the world to explore its charm. And we were right in the middle of it all - and by it, I mean a Thamel-inspired tourist district filled with handicraft stores complete with nonstop hustling storeowners all claiming the lowest prices in town. The biggest attraction is the City Palace, where you can roam the gardens and amble through a neverending maze of a museum.

City Palace from the grounds

 view of the main Tripolia (triple) gate and the city sprawled beyond

so ornate!

The other main attraction is the Jag Mandir, or the Lake Garden Palace, set in the middle of Lake Pichola. The palace was a summer residence for the royal family, but has also served as a sanctuary for asylum seekers in the past. It's also the setting of the infamous Octopussy Bond movie from the 1980s. Across the way in the same lake, the aptly named the Taj Lake Palace is constructed only of white marble and sits like a float on top of the water. If you're wealthy enough, you can stay there at a five star hotel. I just drunk in the free view from a distance...because #budgettraveler.

Taj Lake Palace

Beyond that, I did my favorite thing and something I try and do in every city: get lost. Mike, as always, was my partner-in-crime and we ended up stumbling into a local Tibetan market. We were actually left alone for once (if you ignore the perpetual staring, of course)! The only thing missing was an authentic momo stand to polish off the experience. If you get away from the tourist district, you really can get a pretty good sense of the local Udaipur lifestyle.

It seems crazy to me how much I've changed in my time traveling around India. I've grown so confident and comfortable, no matter what city I'm thrown in. It all works out in the end, and you really do get used to the customs and staring that go along with being a tourist in India. I would have been plenty happy to dream away more beautiful days in this city, but onwards we must trod in our journey as tourists.

Lots of love,

Lena

Jodhpur: The Blue City

November 24, 2015
Currently: Trying my darndest not to think about the fact that I only have a week left so I keep enjoying every moment!

It was blue! Recap: pink city (Jaipur), golden city (Jaisalmer), and now the blue city (Jodhpur). They really like their J-names here in Rajasthan don't they? Jodhpur is another desert city along our path towards Mumbai. It's been listed as one of Lonely Planet's most extraordinary places to stay, so it was another worthy stop on the itinerary. 

Rewind 110km. We took a little detour to the small desert village of Setrawa. This region is remote and home to a women's empowerment center called the Sambhali Trust. Founded in 2007, this nonprofit operates sixteen projects around Rajasthan to disrupt the cycle of poverty so often seen in rural areas within India through education and skills trainings. They fight against inane belief systems, like ones that argue domestic violence against women is justified for things like "poor cooking" and "leaving the house without permission." If you can believe it, 55% of Indian men and 50% of Indian women stand by that previous statement. From after school programs to sewing training to language courses to self defense classes, it combats discrimination of caste, gender, and economy. We arrived on a sunny Saturday afternoon and were warmly welcomed by three teachers and a roomful of children aged 4-16.

A short introduction and tour later, we spent some time just hanging out and getting to know the vibrant personalities within this little haven. Under the shade of an old tree, we sat in a huge circle playing duck duck goose. Giggles and laughter replaced words and sentences. It's wonderful how something as simple as a smile or music or games can be so universal! After a delicious homemade lunch, we had a little henna party. Henna is another skill taught here that girls can use to earn a little extra income, so we happily offered our hands as blank canvases!

While they were chattering in Hindi, we couldn't understand much but still caught on to the authenticity of the relationships. Their friendship is one of family. You could see it in teasing comments and lighthearted laughter. It was a wonderful few hours and I'm so happy that this organization exists to provide the space and time to flourish children and women into their full potential.

After arriving in Jodphur, we were again amazed by our stunning accommodations complete with a rooftop view of a palace. We took a tuk tuk tour of the city, starting off with a visit to the Umaid Bhavan Palace before setting off to explore the ever impressive Mehrangarh Fort. 

Umaid Bhavan Palace - built by a really cool king, Umaid Singh, who decided to build this palace to give thousands of people a job to survive a three-year famine in the 1930s

Mehrangarh Fort - built by the Rathores

This fort is invincible. It has never been taken in a siege even when that siege lasts over six months! Cannon holes puncture the walls and are now a symbol of pride for the city and a reminder of the might and spirit of the Rathores. Today, it houses an impressively well-stocked museum filled with galleries of priceless items from the olden days - from howdahs to palanquins to royal paintings.

blue indeed

We saw some other touristy things like the mausoleum, Jaswant Thada, and the clocktower, Ghanta Ghar. But the highlight of the day was definitely getting swept into the madness of the Sandar Market. Mike, Nicola, and I meandered through the narrow streets, half browsing for souvenirs and half aimless strolling. It was great to be back in the "heart" of an Indian city again.

We stumbled upon the Mohanlal Verhomal, a small spice business run by three sisters. After a great conversation about their business (they export to Homer, Alaska!) and the best way to make masala chai tea, Mike and I invested some money in masala chai tea spice mix. And, if you're interested in buying some for yourself, you should check out their website! You can order online the same magic spice mix I bought. I cannot wait to go home and try my hand at recreating amazing Indian tea! I also happened upon the 'local tea guy' (seriously, five locals cut in front of me while I was attempting to buy some) and bought some Assam tea for the crazy low price of Rs 55 for 250 g. Awesome.

my tea guy!

my spice gal!

Another one to check off the list. Another city closer to my final destination. Jodhpur was good fun and a city I highly recommend putting on your to-see list.

Lots of love,

Lena

Jaisalmer: The Golden City

November 20, 2015
Currently: Jamming out to some Indian dance wedding music. It's loud and late, but it's a good thing I have this blog as an excuse to stay up!

I love Jaisalmer! Big surprise, I know. It's a whole different side of India. Driving in, the change was immediate. The landscape more desolate, the sunsets clear of pollution, the air drier. This desert town is known as the golden city and was once a stop along the Silk Road. It lies close to the Thar Desert and sits only 120 kilometers away from the Pakistan border. The city holds a mere 80,000 people (a blip compared to the rest of India) and only 2,500 of those live within the confines of the fort. We had the luck to be guided by a local who was born and raised inside the fort. As you'll see, the yellow sandstone along with the bright sun and desert backdrop help Jaisalmer live up to its nickname as the golden city. It's also a truly desert city. Our guide told us this summer the temperatures got up to 42.6°C (~108°F). You could make chapatis sans tandoor in that heat! I highly recommend a winter visit. It's still plenty hot and you can easily avoid the midday heat with some shade and a chilled lassi. I love lassi. I will miss lassi.

We took advantage of the early morning light and went first to the lake, which was very full due to a lucky monsoon season this year.

 a smart woman built this gate next to the lake and saved it from destruction by order of the king by putting a Hindu temple in the top bit

Ganga Sagar on the Gadsisar lake

Our next stop was the fort - the only livable one in India. The architecture was beautiful, and you can easily see the history ingrained in the walls. The first stop was the main courtyard where you can see the king's and queen's old homes. Immaculate on the outside, decrepit on the inside.

 the view of the royal residences from outside the fort

Winding through the fort's streets, it's easy to see why Jaisalmer is the site for many a Bollywood movies. The artistic structures and impressive monuments sprinkled throughout the city transport you back to another time. Further enriching this time warp is the Jainism influence. Another Indian religion, Jainism's hallmark feature is the principle of ahiṃsa, or non-violence/non-injury. The most devout Jains take on this principle to include all living things, refusing to eat root vegetables for the mere act of retrieving the vegetable injures the insects that live there. We were lucky enough to visit a stunning Jain temple with carvings reminiscent of the Khajuraho temples.

detailed carvings

 an idol

The rest of the day was spent meandering through the narrow streets and enjoying the daily life before heading out on our camel safari. Yeah, we did the camel safari thing. We are good tourists after all. All of 30 seconds on that thing brought me back to my last camel ride. Camels are not comfortable. I think I'll opt for a horse ride next time around. The desert landscape itself was a bit different than what I was expecting (this expectation was definitely set by last year's desert excursion in Morocco). There wasn't just some giant sand dune that you got lost in.

There was a special couple of minutes where all of us meandered down to the sunset spot and simply sat in silence with our cups of tea. Complete silence. In India. I know... I didn't believe it was possible here either. Those of us who have been here for two months truly appreciated that time and took it all in. 

A striking sunset, a solid campfire dinner, a bit of alcohol, and some Lisa sand drawings entertained us for the rest of the evening. There's nothing that can really beat stargazing in the desert for a night. The whole evening was exactly what I'd hoped it would be and more. Shout out again to the wonderful people with me on the trip!

And because a campfire is never complete without a ghost story. Welcome to Kuldhara, the now deserted village where a thousand people vanished overnight. All for one chief's beautiful daughter.

Legend has it that a minister fell in love with a local chief's daughter and demanded he wed her. With pressure from powerful sources, the chief was given two days to decide. Instead of responding, the minister came back to a deserted town. Thousands of people disappeared overnight. To this day, few dare to tread through its crumbling walls. Never at night. This story caught the attention of Delhi's Ghost Busters (okay, their Paranormal Society. yes, really) who risked an overnight stay. The most terrifying night of their lives. Using their Ghost Box, they spoke to the spirits - even capturing the names of some. They witnessed instantaneous and baffling drops in temperatures, haunting voices, children's handprints on the cars, and unexplained moving shadows. Would you dare spend a night?

In other news... the village made their huts out of cow shit. As we were told. Many times. Cow shit. Lots of it. I reckon they scared the cows shitless with their haunty ways and needed some use for it all.

A house of cow shit. Pretty though, right?

We've got one more colorful city left, and I'll leave you guessing which color it could possibly be.... India is colorful for sure. In more ways than one!

Lots of love,

Lena

Delhi...and some rats for good measure

November 18, 2015
Currently: Dusty... very, very dusty.

End of part two of three came and went with Delhi. We had to say goodbye to some really incredible people - Kerry, Rachel, Emma, Glen, and Elaine! They were all such great fun to have on the trip and it was sad to see our time together come to an end. I wish everyone safe journeys onwards for those continuing their travels and safe flights home for those ... well going home!

Delhi is very metropolitan (many plus points for their insanely awesome metro system). It definitely went against all my expectations. I was expecting a more Kolkata-like experience, especially when the second we got off the truck we were accosted, and I do mean accosted, by a small child beggar. She was daringly aggressive, going so far as to grab our legs, clothes, bags and refused to leave even with hotel staff chasing her away. It was both heartbreaking and maddening. It wasn't like the other beggars we'd witnessed before. This was targeted and almost barbaric. I feel awful using words like aggressive and barbaric to describe the actions of a child, but it felt that way. To know that this child has been raised to act like this towards foreigners is distressing. I feel so helpless in these situations. What should I do? Is there even anything I could do? I know it's a part of traveling, but I will never get used to it. On principle I never give money to beggars, because I don't want to contribute to any sort of begging scam or culture. The begging industry in India is real and ever so complex. Just to give you some ideas of numbers, India has been quoted as having the highest level of child labour in the world, accounting for 7% of its workforce with estimates from 20 million in total up to 44 million children out of school and at least 300,000 of them as beggars (Child Labour in India - An Overview; Child Labour in India). The reality is many of the families of these children rely on the income produced by the child, whether they are working jobs or simply begging on the streets. The begging industry has been estimated to reel in Rs 1.5 billion (~$22.6 million) in Delhi alone. But, let's not forget the Slumdog Millionaire reality either (recap: gangs maim, throw acid on, blind, threaten/torture, underfeed children to increase begging profits). I could never live with myself if I unknowingly contributed to any business that forces these conditions on children. Looking back on that girl with caked hands, mangy hair, and wild eyes, I haven't seen that level of desperation before. Especially not in a kid. It pulled at my heartstrings and made me wonder the story behind the desperation.

Sorry for the dark tone, but it's not something I wanted to overlook. It's better to have a conversation (or at the very least, one-sided commentary) about it, than to simply brush it under the rug. But for now, I want to move on to all the other sights and impressions Delhi made on me. We had a wonderful day tour through Old Delhi that began with a visit to the largest mosque in India, Jama Masjid. It was kind of expensive to take photos there, so you'll have to google some images to see what I saw! Or visit Delhi. Much better idea. We also checked out some spice markets and climbed up on top of a terrace to get a beautiful view of some old colonial style buildings.

 a glimpse into Sunday mornings in Old Delhi

 dried pastas and other Indian things

colonial rooftop view

After a fuel stop at a famous paratha restaurant, we continued to the Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib, a Sikh temple. The gurudwara (literally translated as Gateway to Guru) is a place of worship for Sikhs that oftentimes contains a hotel, kitchen, and school. Our guide was Hindu, but couldn't stop singing the praises of the Sikhs. He told us Sikhs are by far the best "kind" of Indians. He described them as a hard working lot with giving souls. You will never find a Sikh beggar, a lazy Sikh, or a heartless Sikh. So what is it about Sikhism? It actually sounds like a lot of other religions. Sikhism is a monotheistic religion originating in the 15th century. Its preaches truthful living, selfless service, and social justice for all. The difference is their practices wholly mirror these words. The temple is the perfect example. It is open to anyone regardless of race, religion, or caste. Sikhs and volunteers host meals several times a day feeding over 40,000 mouths every day free of charge to anyone. The temple also has a hotel, where people who have lost their job or are visiting Delhi can stay for highly discounted rates. It's a fascinating religion and one that other religions should be taking pointers from.

 at the impressive rate of 3,000 chapatis/hour - all by volunteers!

free food for everyone

Besides scouring the Janpath Market for souvenirs, my last exploration around Delhi was of a slum also known as Sanjay Colony. This colony is more of a community that survives on two key industries - clothes recycling/manufacturing and the factories that surround the slum. Its narrow alleyways and sewage-ridden streets are abound with children playing and adults running their small shops. Really not much different to daily life in Delhi. Despite the filth and general lack of basic human necessities, people are happy there. Even when they have the money to, they don't leave. They have what they need and the community is that invisible and unbreakable tie that binds it all together.

As a bonus we got to visit the Karni Mata Temple, home to 20,000 holy rats. Karni Mata is actually a Hindu woman worshipped by people as being a reincarnation of the goddess Durga. One of the folklores goes that 20,000 men ditched their service in the army before a battle and escaped to Deshnoke. Upon arrival, Karni graciously spared their lives and sentenced them instead to life as rats, providing this temple as their home. The army was so grateful for their twist of fate that they all promised to serve her devotedly.

line of Indians waiting to get in - foreigners weren't allowed inside the temple itself

they are cute.......not

So that's Delhi. And the rats. I'm ready to start my Rajasthani experience. More to come soon on the wonders of a golden city!

Lots of love,

Lena

Jaipur: The Pink City

November 14, 2015
Currently: In denial that I've almost completed two-thirds of my trip!

En route to Jaipur, we stopped by another palace created by Akbar. Quick recap: he's the grandfather of the man who ordered the construction of the Taj. You might also remember him as the Mughal's very own royal casanova. We ended up visiting another one of his palaces, Fatehpur Sikri. Despite all of his womanizing, Akbar had some serious problems conceiving a male heir. He tried everything, including a visit to a renowned holy man named Salim Chishti deep in the desert. With Salim's blessings, Akbar finally received a son. His gratitude was so great that he decided to build a new city in his honor. Because that's what Akbar does. He builds things. Fatehpur was only the capital for fourteen years before Akbar moved the capital to Lahore, claiming a water shortage in the area as the reason. Historians, however, debate that it was a political move to stifle an impending rebellion in Lahore. My personal theory is that he wasn't happy enough with his 800 concubines in Fatehpur. That's 4,200 shy of his Agra palace numbers. Now the place resembles a ghost town... well a ghost town filled with tourists during the day and local boys playing hide-and-seek at night.

 the main complex area

 Buland Darwaza - the main entrance into the palace, the highest gateway in the world (because Akbar doesn't do second best)

Jama Masjid - mosque on the left and the white tomb of the holy man Salim Chishti on the right

I love architecture. I've totally been nerding out this whole trip. At the end of this trip, I really should count how many UNESCO World Heritage sites I made it to. Anyways, on to Jaipur which is known as the Pink City of India. A long time ago, some king decided he wanted his city to look nice for Queen Victoria so he decreed that everyone paint their houses pink. Our first photo stop, the Hawa Mahal (translation: Palace of Winds), gives you a great example of that iconic pink color. Excuse the Diwali decorations!

Our next stop was the Am(b)er Palace, which has more amazing architecture.

a section of the Ganesh Pol Gate couldn't believe the quality and intricacies of this artwork

Sheesh Mahal, the mirrored palace - the definite highlight of the day for me!

view from the fort

Another quick photo stop was necessary to capture the ever famous Jal Mahal or Water Palace.

Next was the observatory Jantar Mantar, where our tour leader, Kate, geeked out on some science. To be fair, it was super cool. This place looks like a playground for grown ups, filled with 19 astronomical instruments that are exceedingly simple and exceedingly complex all at the same time. It has the world's largest sundial accurate to two seconds, a pole star locator, and lots of other nerdy stuff that give information about location of planets and stars in relation to Jaipur. My favorite moment was standing around in the heat arguing over the accuracy of birth charts with the tour guide. After much circular discussion, our final conclusion came to this: If it's not accurate, they did it wrong.

largest sundial

Our final stop was the City Palace, which holds more impressive architecture and courtyards inside. We were pretty knackered at this point... you know with all the arguing about astrology in the sun... so my enthusiasm was pretty low. But it's a staple tourist destination in Jaipur so we trudged our tired, sweaty selves around the museums and courtyards. I did quite enjoy the beautiful gates in the Pritam Niwas Chowk. Four gates for four seasons and Hindu gods. Really beautiful work! I also enjoyed the irony of being able to take photos of the Hall of Private Audience but not the Hall of Public Audience.

 Chandra Mahal - the most commanding building in the complex; the building behind it is where the Royal family lives when it visits Jaipur

Southwest Lotus Gate dedicated to Lord Shiva-Parvati and representing summer

Jaipur is a beautiful city filled with so much history. It was a great last hurrah for the group before the official end to the second leg in Delhi. It's crazy to think how quickly it's flying by. I'm already close to only two weeks left here in India and I'm trying to soak up as much as I can without wearing myself down. Touristing is exhausting! But don't take that as any sort of complaint. It's just more motivation to keep on keeping on. I love India and I don't want to miss out on any possible experience. Especially considering me sitting around doesn't make for good blog posts.

Lots of love,

Lena