Jodhpur to Jaipur “ALL ABOARD”

The long journey to Jodhpor from Ranapur on our 20 passenger bus was fairly uneventful and much of the distance was traveled through the dry and desolate Thar Dessert. Periodically, nomads would appear out of nowhere, but where they were going………only they would know.

We are awakened at 6 am in the dark, by a symphony of at least three Mullahs calling Muslims to prayers, accompanied by whistles from the local train station and the barking of dogs. The city of Jodhpur itself is dusty and a hive of activity. The usual abundance of tuk tuks, motor bikes, and people, either on the move or just waiting around passing the time of day. But this seems like a common theme throughout the parts of the country we have seen so far.

Jodhpur, the city nicknamed the Blue City because of the many blue buildings is the backdrop to the magnificent Meherengarh Fort which sits high atop the nearby hill. This massive edifice dates back to 1459 and has a very colourful history, playing host to many Maharajas over the centuries. It houses a museum of magnificent artifacts as well as elephant howdah (riding chair) and palanquins (sedan chair) and the views of the city are magnificent.

A tour of the fort was preceded by a visit to the Jaswant Temple, carved completely from sheets of marble. It was a ceremonial crematorium and it too has a commanding view of both the fort and the city below. A little music accompaniment was also in order. Click on video

The afternoon was spent visiting local artisans. It is a credit to the locals for taking the initiative to establish communal potteries and rug weaving cooperatives. Click on video (This one is for you Ann :)

We also visited a local farm where it appeared the principle activity was the dispensing of “medicinal opium”. Illegal in some provinces but not here, and under the watchful eye of local authorities, it appears to be tolerated, though no photographs are permitted. The poppies themselves are grown to the north of here and just the oil is sold locally.

We are up at 4 a.m. this morning to catch the train to Jaipur. Our 5 ½ hour journey was in “First Class” but closer to our “get in the back of the pickup” standards. I did however find the seats most comfortable. The washrooms were your standard two feet placement with a hole in the floor, though there was a “Western Toilet” available. Our car was blocked off from the rest of the train, to keep us separated, from the hundreds I saw clamoring onto the train into the 2^nd class at one of the whistle-stops. It’s been a long day. This afternoon we’ll take a little time for a chill out and a chilling Tubourg or Kingfisher. Namaste