Rajasthan : Jaisalmer

JAISALMER FORT
RIDE INTO THE DESERT NATIONAL PARK TO VIEW SNAKES AND BUSTARDS
THIS IS THE JAISALMER FORT
PALACE PAVILION IN AN ENCLOSED LAKE
DANCES FROM THE LOCAL PEOPLE
RIDE INTO THE DUNES ON A CAMEL BACK

I have always been a traveller and felt like a traveller . Their is a natural force that pulls me towards places and explore them but sitting in a closed Aircinditioned Bus is not the way i like travelling. The best way to travel is to decide to go at place 1 , pack essential luggage and within 1 hr of deciding reach another place 2 and keep the feel of the fresh air rushing into your face alive.

Travelling to Jaisalmer from Udaipur is a long journey . thank god the roads are good and you can easily cruise at 80 kmph. As you pass along the terrain of rajasthan green prosopis and acacia trees vanish from both sides green farms of overhanging jowar crop ready for harvest and bajra crop vanish . Its all barren all around and small statured horizontally prolific trees have grown aroung the roads and bushses at various points in the middle. For long hours you dont have a village or a habitation and then you pass by POKHRAN and rest for a colddrink which you dont find. the air is dry and biting hot . the grounds hardness which was experienced in the middle of journey ( due to the aravallis and rocky substratum ) has given way to a sandy texture. You are depressed as you dont find the drink.

You go on reach the Rajasthan Torism Hotel and explore the city after some rest.

Well Jaisalmer is a expansively built city . roads are broad and shops and residential areas are far off . Traffic is minimal and beauty is maximal. You happen to see a Heritage hotel built all alone in a barren land of red rocks as if it were a medieval castle . Nearby are huts of the same construction materials but round and cylindrical shapes with conical domes . Some groups of tents are seen - tourism is promoted through these.

Away from these is the Desert National Park which you cover on a camel cart and see the GREAT INDIAN BUSTARD - really a rare sighting.

The sand dunes ? where are they i ask the driver i want to see the real desert . The driver told me - Sir actually the deserts have been largely afforested specially after and as a result of the Indira gandhi canal . The area around the canal is now no more a barren land but covered with prosopis FORESTS for large areas . Still we managed to see the sand and the dunes . you can enjoy caml riding here and view the sun as it drops into one of these dunes.

Enjoy the local dance and songs of the beautifully and colourfully attired girls in the night . They amaze you with their go round and round dance and flexibility of the body with which they do tricks. Culturally these people and the people across the border are the same- u r told.

Next Day you explore the nearby lake built in the middle of a palace and enjoy boating there . you observe some pavilions in the middle of the water and try to avoid them and reach an island in between where herons are waiting for you . But actually they were not as they fly away at your arrival.

The jaisalmer fort is another pearl in the RAJASTHAN STRING OF FORTS. beautifully and exquisitely built with innovative ways of aircculation it is place from where you can see the whole city in pink ( as you can with all rajasthan forts ).

Rajasthan :Jodhpur

inside the royal mehrangarh fort : the meeting place of the rathore rulers
the defences from the walls of the fort
exquisite archtechture : beauty +architechtural brains

THE UMAID PALACE : IT IS ALSO A HERITAGE HOTEL

If the Mewar is having udaipur as the tourist capital the Marwar across the aravallis are having Jodhpur. this city is called the sun city and rightly so . Jodhpur was THE LAND OF THE RATHORE'S and the place is named after Rao Jodha. Contrary to perception that Rajasthan is not a green place Udaipur and Jodhpur are one of the most coulourful cities in India ( at least I think so) and the most dominant colour of them all is GREEN. The place is green and the trees have variety in their shapes and sizes .

In our short excursion to the place we visited two places and they were the MEHRANGARH FORT and the UMAID PALACE.

At mehrangarh fort we saw the culmination of architechtural beauty and brains.a fort which at that time would be penetrable as it was bulit on a hill and was as very strongly built. The view from the top could ensure that any incoming trespasser could be viewed from several kilometres away and blown away to pieces by the number of cannons placed at strategic locations.

There was the sheesh mahal the queens rooms and the meeting place of the rulers of Rathore clans from all India ( the seats in which were expanded as the clans grew in number.) The queens would view the proceeding from the windows on the walls .

inside the fort you see people selling all sorts of things : Marwari texts to lehngas to fabrics woven in the local styles. One thing gets reaffirmed in your mind : Rajasthan is the place of colours , even the fabric is so colourful. At the corner you see a man singind with his sarangi like instrument in a language you half understand ( if u understand hindi fully) but the music is so enchanting that you wait there till he stops.

There again the guide shows you how the Rajas converted a long piece of cloth into a PAGDI .and then you enter the museums and find the PALKIS SWORDS GUNS THRONES are all in front of you.

Umaid palace was bulit very late ( early 20th century and the architechtural style hence has a victorial tinge to it).

Rajasthan : Khejarli

THE SYMBOL OF THE PROTECTOR -MEMORIAL AT KHEJARLI
INSIDE THE MEMORIAL : 2 MINUTE SILENCE FOR THE BRAVE LADY
THE INSPIRATION FOR THE CHIPKO MOVEMENT IS HERE
STARE AT THIS PICTURE AND YOU CANT MOVE YOUR EYES OFF IT

No wonder the history of Rajasthan is written in red in blood in courage in honour in dignity. You keep on exploring the place and you find something that will amaze you. If you have not heard this story before you will not believe me. because like you i also didnt.

It is a place called KHEJARLI.

On a Tuesday in 1730 A.D., Amrita Devi, a Bishnoi woman was at her home with her three daughters (Asu, Ratni and Bhagu bai) when she came to know that a number of people had descended on their otherwise sleepy village of Khejarli. The name Khejarli was derived from "Khejri", since these trees were found in abundance in the village.The people were a party of men sent by Maharaja Abhay Singh, the ruler of the kingdom of Jodhpur in the Marwar region, who wanted to fell green Khejri trees to burn lime for the construction of the Maharaja's new palace. Since there was a lot of greenery in the Bishnoi villages even in the middle of the Thar Desert, the king ordered his men to get the wood by cutting the Khejri trees.Amrita Devi protested against the Maharaja's men who were attempting to cut green trees as it was prohibited according to Bishnoi principles. The malevolent feudal party told her that if she wanted the trees to be spared, she would have to give them money as bribe. She refused to acknowledge this demand and told them that she would consider it as an act of insult to her religious faith and would rather give away her life to save the green trees. It is at that stage she spoke these words:

Sar santey rookh rahe to bhi sasto jaan (If a tree is saved even at the cost of one's head, it's worth it)
Saying these words, she offered her head. The axes, which were brought to cut the trees, severed her head. The three young girls Asu, Ratni and Bhagu were not daunted, and offered their heads too.

The news spread like wildfire. The Bishnois of Khejrali gathered and sent summons to their counterparts in eighty-three Bishnoi villages in the vicinity to come and decide on the next course of action. Since the supreme sacrifice by Amrita Devi and her daughters had not satisfied the royal party, and the felling of green trees was continued, it was decided that for every green tree to be cut One Bishnoi, volunteer would sacrifice his/ her life. In the beginning, old people voluntarily started holding the trees to be cut in an embrace as in the 20th Century Chipko Movement.

Despite many valiant old persons, giving away their lives, the Hakim (the royal party's leader) , Girdhar Das Bhandari, taunted the Bishnois that they were offering unwanted old persons. Soon, young men, women (including recently married ones) and children were sacrificing themselves in a similar manner.

There was intense pandemonium. The tree-felling party was badly shakhen. They left forJodhpur with their mission unfulfilled and told the Maharaja about what had happened. Soon as he learnt about it, he ordered the felling of trees to be stopped.
By that time, three hundred and sixty three (363) Bishnois, young and old, men and women, married and unmarried, rich and poor, had already become martyrs.

The place has been afforested by the Forest Department and a memorial has been placed -the epitome of supreme sacrifice that we can only dream and not see or hear nowadays. While coming to the same memorial we could see chitals roam around the villages along with domestic cattle -an unseen picture of co existence . The wild animals treat these bishnoi villages as their own home. and why wont they?

Rajasthan : Udaipur

view of udaipur city the lakes and the landscape from the hill top Sajjangarh Fort

PANNA OFFERS HER CHILD AFTER SMUGGLING THE RANA OUT

We are in midst of changing times and for sure people have different perceptions about Rajasthan : is it a barren stretch of land? is it a desert ? If you are one of those people then change your opinion . The ride along a wonderfully maintained highway is as pleasant as your bedroom stay : the road cuts across the Aravalli mountains . With sharp yet small cliffs of sandstone on both sides of you and every inch of non rocky surface covered with lush green grass and cultivated barley the colours that you see are only green and greyish yellow and sky blue . Add to them the tree plantations on either side of the roads and you realise how green the Aravalli ecosystem could be?

Rajasthan is the land of history , of courage , of honour and of dignity . Standing as a shield to the invasions from the west the word that Rajasthan could use is sacrifice. One of the many dynasties of Rajputs in medieval Indian History are the sisodias who stood with their heads held high.
Let me tell you what sacrifice really means : the fort of the sisodias is under attack because of an internal succession feud between two brothers . The Elder dies and his son Rana Udai Singh is just about an year old . The younger Brother comes to eliminate the heir raises his sword and cuts the baby into pieces . Hidden in the same hall is Panna with a baby in her hand : this baby later on is crwoned the king . The Reason : Panna the foster mother of Rana Udai Singh kept her baby in place of Rana in order to keep the lineage of the mighty sisodias intact .


Let me tell you what courage is : When the mighty Mughals had captured the whole of Rajputana ,one kingdom was still at bay . That of the Sisodias . Todar Mal the Mughal general took on the numerically outnumbered but equally strong in nerves battalion of Rana Pratap . Rana Pratap who could wield such a heavy sword that in a single flash tore not only the cavalry rider from head to bottom but also the horse that was being ridden. A closely fought battle at Haldighati was won by the Mughals but the sisodias could not be captured , they came to the forests regained strength and ate only breads made from grass.

Let me tell you what honour is : after the capture by enemy forces the females in the fort committed mass suicide : so that no malicious eye could capture the body as pure as fire .

Let me tell you what dignity is : the fabled city still welcomes people of all backgrounds to visit the forts and lakes and add to the culture .

The Ciy of lakes is made of a unique system where the lakes of various sizes are connectedc to each other and intricately dammed to ensure that the flow from the catchment first fills the first lake to brim and then the next lake starts filling up and so on . The good enough green cover in the nearby hills ensure the catchment is always protected and the lakes are filled round the year . Also noteable is the fact that the water level is at the same level as the road but still the magnificence of levelling in the construction of the lakes ensures that the water does not come over the roads. Legend of Udai Singh is that he was asked by an ascetic to build the largest of these lakes the Fateh Sagar Lake .

The City Palace is a Heritage Hotel as well as a museum which reveals the lives of the royal people and their attendants. Marble Sandstone have combined to give the palace a grand look. and note the intricate passage ways that were amazingly designed so that only a resident could reach from one place to the other . The pillars are well carved and the palkis are magnificent . You start feeling like the durbar is taking place right in front of your eyes . Dont forget to see the sheesh mahal and the locations of the rooms of the Ranis The maharanis and the others.

Someone interested in sunset viewing has an opportunity to drive up to a Hill top fort managed by the Forest Department and experience the red sky the redder sun the fluttering larks and the pigeons . Ever gave a though why larks dont sit up on the ground anf fly constantly or at max on lines above ground ?

Himachal : Shimla Kufri and Chail

After a day long journey on the road you reach the capital . But the journey has been as much enchanting : across water filled dams , below clouds crisscrossed by multiple rainbows and the little hill towns and villages, not to forget the landscaping of the himachals.
At times you see heritage buildings of Maharajahs and of British. You stop at one of them at Chail : The Chail Palace . An exquisitely designed palace which has a wonderful bar : good wines , low charges and in a wonderfully served ambience.
Shimla is the place where british presence was maximum and this is pretty much evident as you walk along the MALL road. You notice victorian architechture including the one that experienced the meeting which partitioned India at the Shimla Conference. Local crafts can be bought at many shops as you explore the market . Clothing made from Yak wool is one of the prime sellers.

Himachal :Manali and Rohtang Pass

THE CLOUDS THE WHITE MOUNTAINS AND THE COLD WIND

A VIEW OF THE MOUNTAIN ON THE SIDE OF THE PASS WITH TENTS OVER THE ICE

THE VIEW BELOW THE PASS : THE TRAFFIC JAM ON THE ROAD AND THE LAKE

HOT AIR BALLOONING FOR THE BRAVEHEARTED

For years you read about the dream destination for honeymoons and very soon you realise you are at the place. Manali is a popular hill station destination : so popular that roads get choked at the prime of the season.

Hotels are lined up along the stream that gushes right across . Cross over the bridge and you feel the popularity of the place. Markets at night are a real delight : if you are as lucky as me you could see a himachali marriage procession going along the road ,with all the traditional attire and beautifully dressed ladies. Just when the lights are about to fade you see a woderfull display of firehandlers . Local performer performs his skills with sticks on fire dangling between his legs and hands.

Wake up the next morning to rush to various other destinations :the prominent being Rohtang pass. This pass connects Kyelong with Manali through a ice covered gap between two mountains. The treachorous ride along stone bordered mountain roads could stop at a lake where traffic jam causes delays of hours. Have strong legs and a will to reach the top and you trek over the rocks , over the grass over the snow. be careful while walking on the snow for it is muddy ground beneath the ice and you could get feet deep into the ice without noticing it.

You start experiencing the wild during the trek :vultures ravens rare birds grazing horses and their attendants . At a place you see parasailing activity and wish to stop but then time is what you are short of . A point comes when ice begins to dominate the otherwise greyish green collage of the surrounding and you need to put on your ice goggles. when at the top you are at the rohtang pass . Two mighty mountains of white on both sides of you and a road bordered by at least 3 feet snow on each side. There are icesporting activities going on on the ice . And there are tents the warmth of which induce you to enter them . Just when hot tea and maggie were beginning to enter your thoughts you realise that they are being sold inside the tent.

There is much more at manali if you like adventure sports: hot air ballooning and river rafting . The temples around the place and the hot water springs are some other delightful places to visit around Manali. Dont Forget to pay a visit to the Van Chetna kendra and witness aome rare species of Pheasants ( Himachal is famous for the seven species of very colourful pheasants most of which are endangered ).

Himachal :Dharamshala and Mcleodganj

TYPICAL BUDDHIST ARCHTECHTURE











PRAYER FLAGS :WINDS REACH THE BLESSINGS TO AS FAR AWAY

INSIDE THE TEMPLE

Tibetans have a strong connection with highlands and their music also reflects the msuic of the elements of highlands. Wlaking along the streets of Mcleodganj you observe tibetans all around you. Momo Shops C D shops garment shops memorabilia shops. But the air is different around you -its the divineness that is magnified by spiritual chants of Om Mane Padme Hum being played at many C D shops. Visit the Monastery visit the temple sit at a restaurant enjoy tibetan momos and some beer.
The one thing that puts Tibetans apart from others humans is their self belief . A resistance that has persisted itself in the most non violent form cant be crushed so easily. So cant be their spirits be put down.
Come down to the valley and you are in lower dharamshala enjoying the market and a picturesque valley view. Dharamshala will be known in history for two things : India 's tradition of welcoming guests like Gods and the Tibetans tradition of will to fight all odds and contribute to their society. No wonder the place is called Dharamshala : The Religious House.