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.