Feb. 26 Udaipur

Ancient Carved Stone in Wheat Field

We took an hour and a half ride through the country side to the reach the village of my friend, Himanshu's, maternal uncle.  The road went from highway to gravel as we drove further into India's interior. 

The village was a quiet one which is not visited often, and quite possibly never by westerners.  People came from their homes to see the stranger - children giggled and adults unabashedly stared at my blue eyes, light hair, and white skin. 

Making Paparie

His uncle's home was a 150 year old home and was built with a stable downstairs for the cow and newborn calf, and the residence upstairs.  The bull lay in the walkway outside the gate; protecting his interest, no doubt.  The roof was rough tile and the walls brick, covered with a smooth surface of concrete and white paint. As we lie in the sun to warm up, his cousin laid out paparie (like a thin corn tortilla with spices) on straw to dry in the sun.  After drying, they are stored in a tin box to be deep fried as needed.  Very tasty, I might say.  I liked them so much, she cooked some up to send with me! Yum!

Irrigation Well

After a relaxing lunch, Himanshu, his uncle, and I hopped on the motorcycle to head out to the fields to see his farm land.  He had wheat fields, and various vegetables & herbs, with natural fences of cactus to separate the plots.  There was a deep kund (large well with steps leading into the water), that had a spring in the bottom for irrigation.  Quite a nice set-up!

On the ride back, we stopped at the local museum, which told the history of the Mewar Maharaja who was fierce in battle turning back the Mughal invasion many times, and his horse, Chetak, who was fearless and ran 5km with a fatal injury to save his master, after which time he lay down and died.  There is a statue in the traffic circle commemorating him in Udaipur - Chetak Circle.

Feb. 20 Udaipur

Shiva's Birthday Celebration

Today is Shiva's birthday and there was a large celebration here in Hanuman Ghat.  I saw blocks of ice being carved and thought it would be something elaborate.  Instead, they just made a dip in the top and painted and decorated the sides of the huge blocks of ice.  



It looked very interesting, but the rice pudding they were dishing out was the best part!  I do love the lifestyle here.

Feb. 16 Udaipur

Sunset at Monsoon Palace

I went to Monsoon Palace today with my friend Himanshu for the sunset...how beautiful!  Perched on top of the distant mountain range like a fairytale castle, this late 19th century palace was once an astronomical center, which later became a monsoon palace and hunting lodge.  Now government owned, it is open to the public, but while there is not much to see inside, it has the quintessential sunset view!

Feb 13 Udaipur.

Monsoon Palace overlooking Udaivillas Hotel

Palaces and forts located on hilltops, serene lakes and tales of valor, make Udaipur a jewel among the cities of the state of Rajasthan. There are a large number of temples, havelis, and many green parks and gardens. It is culturally rich as it is a center of performing arts and crafts. Founded in 1568, Udaipur was the capital of the Rajput kingdom of Mewar and was only integrated with the rest of the country when India was liberated.

Rajasthan really is a unique place with its strong tribal customs, ladies who still cover their heads with their sari, and in some villages must cover even their face if a man other than family enter their home. They have high cheekbones and distinct facial structure making them very handsome people.

My Window Seat

The guesthouse where I am currently "living" is one of my favorites so far, except for the noise. The Little Prince Guest House is located in a very old part of the city called the Hanuman Ghat area and is set in a residential neighborhood. It has 5 floors with a rooftop seating area as well as a restaurant with a view of Lake Pichola, the Lake Palace Hotel, Jagmandir Island, and the sunset over the mountains next to Monsoon Palace. It is a new establishment and everything is new, fresh, and is kept very clean. If it were not for the noise at 3-4am and at night until midnight, you might even get to sleep without earplugs!

Chipmunk Sunning outside my Window

Night in the Chowk

The guesthouse is very much a family affair. The owner has his nephews and other extended family members working and you are treated as one of the family. My room on the 3rd floor has a fabulous window seat with windows opening onto the rooftops of the neighboring homes with a backdrop of the Monsoon Palace, the sunset, and the surrounding mountains. I spend a lot of time lounging here working on my computer, reading, and just watching life in this area. There is a chowk (open area) in front of the hotel with a parking area, short water tower, and hand pump. The homes that do not have running water, of which there are many in this older area, have to pump and carry water to their homes. You can hear the pumping start as early as 5 am and it is not even light. Water is carried in buckets, urns of ceramic & stainless steel, and various other containers, large and small. Everyone pumps and carries water - men, women & children.

Feb 11 Gokarna to Ahmedabad

I got up about 5:30 this morning and lie in my hammock for about an hour waiting on daylight, then had a stroll on the beach before the sun rose.  The small fishing boats are out in the bay for the early morning catch and a brilliant blue kingfisher is sitting on the hotel sign.  Life is sweet!

The procession of women will start soon as they haul all supplies for the restaurants and hotels.  Picking up cases of water, food, and provisions, balancing them on their heads, they climb down the hill and walk across the bay in sand for delivery; then back up for another load.

I have noticed that in the southern part of India, there are more women working in the shops, restaurants, and hotels as opposed to the north where men do the cooking, cleaning, and run the shops.  From what I understand, in the state of Kerala it is mostly a matriarchal society... interesting in a country where men are the dominating force of society.

Well, time to go up the hill to catch a rickshaw to the train station.  I got a porter from the hotel to carry my bag to the top of the hill on his head, and made my way to the train station.  Now I find out that the only train already left and I will have to take a taxi all the way to the airport for a cost of 2,500 rupees (approx. $50)!  Oh well, I got there in time for my flight to Ahmedabad, then after 5 hours, I get the overnight train back to Udaipur.

Feb 10 Kudle Beach

Best Friends

Sunset at Kudle Beach

I had a good night's sleep with the sound of the ocean all I could hear.  It is so peaceful here!  I got up early and did laundry before walking on the beach.  People are meditating, doing yoga, jogging past cows arising and dogs playing - everyone's enjoying the morning sunrise.  

There are 2 good friends, a duck and a rooster, who visit my yard daily, so I put out a container of water.

This is my last day here and I can certainly see why some people come here year after year and stay the whole season.  I lie in my hammock most of the day yesterday and edited photos on my netbook between naps.  I am glad my cough, cold, and lung infection are finally gone as I return to the north tomorrow.

The men here wear lungis, both short (mid-thigh) and long (ankle length) and sometimes nothing else - how comfortable!

Children in school uniforms, old ladies with canes, women in saris balancing bundles on their heads, and workers carrying tiffins to their jobs...I sit drinking masala chai and the Arabian Sea washes the shore clean.

Feb 9 Kudle Beach, Gokarna

Kudle Beach

Today I ran into Ali from Iran that I met in Hampi.  He's only staying a couple of days.  We chatted awhile and after, Niki and I walked toward town with our empty water bottles.  It seems there is a temple on top of the hill with a fresh water spring that comes out of a pipe and we filled all our bottles with fresh water.

Sandcastle

Gokarna is a small town on the other side of the hill from Kudle Beach with a proper beach of its own.  We had a great time shopping and I bought 24 glass bangles, a long sleeve Ganesh t-shirt for my return to cold weather, and a hammock.  The hammocks here are made of what looks like heavy parachute material in 2 colors with a rope run through each end...and they are awesome!  Of course, I tied it wrong, got in it, and promptly fell on my backside from about 3' up.  The good news was that I fell on the dirt and not the tile porch!  Ouch!!!

Feb 6 - 7 Hampi to Gokarna

Cottage at Kudle Beach

Today, I have a ticket from Hospet (next town west of here), by bus to Kudle Beach, Gokarna where I will meet up with Niki again...I have missed her!  The bus left Hospet about 6:30 pm and I took a Valium to sleep.

I slept well until 3 am when I was awakened with the rest of the passengers going to Gokarna to get off the bus and into a much smaller one that was going to Gokarna as the one we were on was going to Goa!  The second bus was built for 16-18 people, however, we crowded 28 people onto it while the driver roped the backpacks onto the top.  Now that we were on our way, the driver started playing music as loud as the stereo would play.  We were all half asleep and not in the mood for loud music, much less Snoop Dog singing "I Want to Fuck You" full blast!  I asked him to turn it down with no response...perhaps he did not speak English?  So I reached up to the speaker next to my head and yanked the speaker wire out...ahhhh, much better!

At the bus station, I shared a rickshaw with another girl and off we went toward Kudle Beach...at 4am!  They dropped us at the Yoga Farm at the top of the hill/path leading down to the beach.  After climbing down the hill, with Niki carrying my suitcase, we reached the beach.  It was a full moon and I must say, between the moon and the sound of the ocean, it was a wonderful place to be!  We went to her beach cabin and I got a room there for the rest of the night.  The next morning after breakfast we went in search of a better place for me to stay.  I found a wonderful cabin with a privacy fence around the front area, a porch to hang a hammock, and a lovely cabin with bath, tile floors, mosquito net - almost right on the beach...nice!

Feb. 6 Hampi

Lotus Mahal

I hired a rickshaw today to explore the outlying temples and see the famous stone chariot.  We arrived at the Zanana Enclosure which houses the Lotus Mahal, a two-storied structure that is a blend of Indian and Islamic architecture.  It is a beautiful old structure and in its original state it was fully decorated, painted, and covered with polished lime plaster work.

Elephant Stables

On the corners of the enclosure stand 3 fairly intact watchtowers that are not attached to any walls, suggesting they are of a later date.  The palace situated in the center was the largest in the city of Vijayanagara.

Next came the lofty, dignified, elephant stables north of the Zanana enclosure.  It has eleven large chambers with beautiful arched entrances.  The domes on the top are of different types - circular, ribbed and octagonal - and are arrranged in order on either side of the central chamber, which is a square structure on top.  Each chamber has a lotus motif on the ceiling.

Stone Chariot

Next we went to see the Stone Chariot at the Vitthala Temple.  The temple dates to the 1400s, has 100 pillars, and is dedicated to Vishnu.  The pillars are decorated with carvings of  gods, women, dancers, and drummers.  Thick stone rings at the corners were for stone chains to be attached. The stone charriot of this temple is a remarkable structure.  All the intricate and delicate details found in the wooden chariots are simulated in this stone chariot...it was amazing!

There are so many temples here, I think it would take quite some time to see them all.  But this evening, I have a bus ticket to Gokarna on the coast to meet up with Niki, my friend from the U.K.

Feb. 5 Hampi

View from Hanuman Temple

Met Ali from Iran as I walked toward the boat dock early this morning.  We stopped to chat over chai and decided to share a bike to go to the Hanuman Temple.  After mounting 572 stairs, we marveled at the view from the temple.  Below, the river wound its way through the rock-strewn landscape reflecting the morning sun...so beautiful!  The white painted temple itself was not all that, but the location could not be beat! 

Virupaksha temple

On the way back across the river on the ferry boat, we noticed 2 motorcycles coming across the river in one of the round boats we saw on the other side.  The boats appear to be made of split bamboo, straw, and tar to seal them.  We watched as they stood the cycle on its back tire and rolled it toward the edge of the boat.  Then dropping the front tire on the bank, they rolled it all the way off to the ground - all in all an amazing feat!

Ali had to catch the 4pm bus, so I wandered around town and visited the Virupaksha temple in the middle of town.  It is considered the most sacred temple in Hampi and has an elephant as a permanent resident.  It is taken to the river daily for its bath, then returned to the temple complex where he is stabled.  The 52 meter high gopura is the main entrance to the temple.  It is a well proportioned, nine storied structure, with a 2-tiered stone base and a brick superstructure.  Both its ornate carvings and large size make it a noteworthy entrance to this fascinating temple compound.

Feb. 2 Hampi

Boat Landing

Nandi Carved in River Rock

Went to breakfast with my new friends, Julie & Steve, to the Paradise Garden situated on the river and overlooking the mountains on the other side.  After muesli, fruit, & curd, Steve and I made our way to the small temple at the bottom of the ghats, in the edge of the river that served as a boat dock to go to the other side.

Upon reaching the other side, for a cost of 15 Rupees, we climbed the hill to the top and reached a small community of stores, restaurants, guesthouses, and bike rental places.  We rented a small motorcycle and took off for the surrounding countryside to go exploring.  Rice paddies, banana plantations, and sugar cane fields dominated the landscape for miles with temples sprinkled among them.  It could not have been a better day!

I am having trouble getting a phone signal here as we are so far removed from "civilization".  It is probably just as well as I seem to go through my phone minutes so quickly anyway.

Feb. 1 Hampi, Karnataka

After another overnight bus ride, I arrived in Hampi, home to 1,500 temples and the most stunning landscape ever!  The prior capital of the Vajayanagara empire, today Hampi is a small village on the southern bank of the Tungabhadra River.  The ruins here include some of the finest specimens of medieval Indian architecture and include not only religious temples, but military and civil structures.  It is an amazing place!

On my first day, I got invited to come on a hike with 2 French-Canadians, and a guy from France.  We set off down the road, passing through banana plantations, the plants laden with stalks of bananas in various stages of development. After about 3km we came to a large area of huge black rocks which we climbed over, around, and down, and arrived at the rapids area.  I submerged my feet in the cool water causing a large spray and accompanying rainbow - fabulous!  I could have sat here for hours, but we once again mounted the rocks, many of which I needed a hand to ascend.

On the road back to town, we decided to go north on up the hill overlooking the town to the Krishna Temple complex.  It was a very impressive edifice with elaborate carvings on the inner side of the gate as well as the temple itself with its many decorated columns.  Dating to 1513 AD, this large and ornate temple complex contains fine stucco figures of warriors with shields, spirited horses and elephants.