Ranakpur to Jodhpur

Leaving Ranakpur, the landscape changed rather quickly, from the more lush hilly highlands, to flat scrubby land. Small boys tended large goat herds. The red of a turban contrasted with the beige of camels and land. Fences were formed out of rocks, a fitting material considering their abundance. Buses carried nearly as many people on top as they did inside. Occasionally we saw rather poor-looking settlements of tents, outside which young gypsy children ran. Abruptly there was a stoppage of traffic. Although people were curious, no one appeared to be overanxious or upset at the delay. The rock blast safely executed, people got back in their cars and proceeded onward. Yellow fields of mustard plants gave us brief welcomed patches of color. Small villages provided bursts of activity. Goats were herded across the street. Camels were hitched to wagons. Men squatted in the shade, drinking tea and sharing beedis (a type of local cigarette). Colorful fabric hung from the shops. Women pumped water, with bright odhani cloth draped over their head.

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Ranakpur - Worth the Stop

Although it would have been quite a bit cheaper to take the train (or bus) directly to Jodhpur, I recommended to my friends that we take a taxi so we could stop in Ranakpur for a few hours. Just slightly under 100 km (56 mi) NW of Udaipur, this small town in the valley of the Aravalli Hills is home to the Adinath Temple. This 15th century Jain temple complex (dedicated to the god Adinath) is one of the five of the great holy places for the Jain religion. While one could rightly marvel at its scale (29 halls and four separate entrances), its sheer beauty carved in white marble makes it so remarkable. In contrast to the smooth marble floor, the rest of the interior is a feast for the detail-lover’s eyes. A forest of columns (1,444 in all - no two of which are alike) pushed upward on the corbellled ceilings with their radial depth. Sunlight poured through openings and courtyards, radiating the interior with a peaceful glow. Soft chanting and the ringing of bells could be heard in the otherwise quiet complex. Such serenity and beauty - definitely worth the stop.

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Trip to North India - Dec 2010

In December of 2010 I met three of my friends in Delhi to start our trip through Northern India. Two came from Serbia and were former colleagues of mine, and the other flew from Wisconsin, a former art professor and elementary art teacher of mine. Our journey would take us from Delhi to Dharamasala, back to Delhi, on to Udaipur, then to Jodhpur via Ranakpur, Jaipur, Shekhawati region, back to Jaipur, then on to Fatehpur Sikri, Agra, and finally back to Delhi. In this series of blog entries, I will attempt to highlight some of our experiences.

You may find more of my photos on my Flickr site.

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