Markets, alleyways mayhem, blue houses and a pink fort: it's Jodhpur!

Thursday 27th September: Ajit Bhawan Hotel, Jodhpur

Glamping at the Ajit Bhawan with
all facilities of course!

The very lovely pool was well-used for wallowing

While the heat is starting to have a slight impact on the group, we are continuing to enjoy the wonderful scenery and places that are India.

After last night’s magic safari trip and barbecue, we woke to the sound of cattle mooing (we now discover that there are cows immediately behind our glamping cabins.)

Our next adventure was via Tuk Tuk into Jodhpur to (quoting from the program) ‘explore Jodhpur by foot walking through the narrow maze of streets (translates as narrow alleys) …… finishing by the iconic clock tower and markets.’ This description was very apt; narrow alleys with Tuk Tuk, motorbikes, donkeys, carts and people; gradually became narrower and steeper leaving room only for the motor bikes and scooters, people and of course, the cows, donkeys and the dogs.

Tarun was our local guide with two assistants (one kept us well supplied with bottles of water; his eagerness to offer water may have been as much to lighten his load as to keep us hydrated).

The electricity wires create an
interesting contrast to the old blue buildings

Tarun explained that this region is known as Marwar, meaning place of death as Jodhpur is on the edge of the Osian desert that is the 18^th largest in the world and stretches through to Pakistan with 80% in India/Rajasthan and 20% in Pakistan. We entered via the Chandpule (Chand gate) into the Old city (named by the tourists not the local inhabitants) has 7 gates or pules /pols.

Jenny elegantly negotiating a very
small door in a very large city gate!

The royal lake: a water supply for kings only

We manoeuvred through the narrow alleys (becoming increasingly better at stepping aside for other traffic) and appreciated the blue painted houses and buildings in the intricate Brahmin style and others in ochre shades from later times.

There were interesting systems for clearing away the rubbish and building materials using very small donkeys where carts are not possible.

The local rubbish collection as laneways are
 too narrow for cars

       Hand-drawn carts were used by vegetable sellers to supply the local households. There were great views from the old city across to the imposing Fort.

These are some of the sweets I bought made from milk cake
the product of lots of milk boiling and sugar.
 We bought the small gulab jamon golden balls at the back, and all of it was delicious! DA

In the market, we tried the local sweets – gulab jamun, coconut sugar and milk and later short pastry with spiced lentil filling; all very nice and yes, we are eating yet again (or perhaps we just haven’t stopped).

A rather disgruntled sweet seller as Tarun took us to the sweet seller next door.

Early Jodhpur had no water and lakes were built under the direction of the Maharajah’s wife using available underground streams.

We saw 2 lakes and also a deep well where people come to draw their water; this was in a cool open building under a banyan tree.

The priest in white is chanting and at certain points the men raised their arms in response

 The first lake had steps to the water and was being used by men for rituals to respect past family members. After a death at a specified time the family gathers to pay respects. In Hinduism water is very holy so bathing in holy waters is common. The second lake, accessed via the Gate of the Lake, was stocked with catfish and had a flying fox overhead – great to view but not to be tried. Yet another group photo was taken; this time under a large banyan tree near the lake kept for the royal family.

Local green chillies (very hot!) green beans which grow on trees not vines, and ...in the yellow bowl, frozen peas in plastic bags??????? 

Thelma doing deals with
 the spice seller

These women were packaging dried red chillies

A couple of us purchased some spices and our walking tour ended at the clock tower market, where our attention was taken by a baby asleep in a cloth cradle with little mother (~5 year old) watching the baby while the mother worked her stall in the market.

A very contented baby

Tarun assured us that this statue was about fertility and there were festival days held regularly to pay respects to the appropriate Gods for those wishing to reproduce.

The Tuk Tuk ride back to the Ajit Bhawan was very welcome (even if there were many ‘close your eyes’ moments as the drivers steered through the traffic) and we felt that we had accomplished something of a mammoth but very worthwhile feat in this particular outing.

After some relaxing time at the hotel a refreshed group re-assembled at 4.30pm to head to Mehrangarh Fort (majestic fort or sun fort).

It is difficult to know where to start to describe our trip to the Fort. First, the views on the way up to the Fort were marvellous and kept our photographic experts busy. We had a short wait for our tour to start and we watched the other visitors leaving, including some local people who befriended our group. Many photos and much laughter later they left for their transport and we started our tour.

A local uniformed Fort guide directed us up a short steep walk and into a rather antiquated lift that had been hewn from the rock, that took us to the higher levels in a couple of groups.

The views from the ramparts and various higher levels were wonderful and we were able to appreciate the blue city name; i.e. the old city from the higher levels of the Fort. 

A couple of lovebirds
enjoying the view

Laura, our curator / guide met us on the ramparts. Laura is from Minnesota US, on a 1-year Fellowship; her subject is Italian renaissance jewellery and she makes jewellery as well. Needless to say, we were interested to hear how she came to be in Rajasthan and found her knowledge of the Fort after only a few weeks there quite astounding.

Some of the amazingly intricate stonework

The tour started with glasses of champagne on the ramparts and we sipped and walked to an open courtyard where Laura explained the different eras of building in the fort and the styles of architecture over some 400 years.

This solid wooden 'room' was able to be disassembled and moved when the King moved palaces. It was his formal meeting room and furnished only with rugs and bolsters

We visited the Museum, the men’s quarters and the women’s quarters (the Pearly Palace) as well as the Maharajah’s bedroom and another courtyard area that was highly decorated. In both of these areas, the lights were switched off and candles brought in to give us a better understanding of what the rooms would have looked like in early use.  

Shimmering gold  room for the king to do business in, and impress visitors 

Laura’s described how the courtyards would have been decorated with drapery, hangings and soft furnishings (carpets and cushions) during the time that it was the home of the Maharajah.

Back at the Ajit Bhawan, a very weary group gathered for a wonderful dinner by candlelight in a grotto in the garden restaurant. Somehow we managed to do justice to the thali meal that was accompanied with buttermilk with cumin and coriander (to cool the body and palate).

Often after meals we have been served
a silver dish with fennel seeds and sugar
lumps to chew together: very nice and refreshing

Over dinner Jessica provided more information about the demise of the Maharajah system in the 1970s, when the British were establishing democratic rule and giving the Maharajah’s the choice of being part of the new country of India or maintaining their lands, wealth, etc. Some chose to join the new nation after carefully moving their wealth to secure places. Indira Gandhi was firmer with establishing the new nation. The Maharajahs still exist in name only and are still respected by the people.

After imparting all of this knowledge and description of today’s happenings, and having been informed that those who did both the morning and afternoon activities have walked more than 12,000 steps today, this weary correspondent is signing off.

Thelma