Rural Kutch

Rural Kutch, a set on Flickr.

Here are some photos of the people and places of the rural Kutch region in Gujarat, India

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Dasada Region

Dasada Region, a set on Flickr.

From salt flats and wild asses on the Little Rann of Kutch to cotton fields and Rabari cattle herders. Gujarat, India

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Agra Fort

Built by the Emperor Akbar between 1565 and 1573, this UNESCO World Heritage site is another of Agra’s jewels amidst the grime. In true fortress fashion, it has high walls (70 feet - 21 m), double ramparts, battlements, massive gates, circular bastions and a moat. Entering through the imposing Amar Singh Gate, today’s visitors see only a small mount of Akbar’s original structures; some were destroyed by Akbar’s grandson Shah Jahan and others by the British who used the fort for barracks. Parts of the fort are still used by the Indian military, visitors focus on the area closest to the Yuma River.

Despite portions of the fort being closed off to visitors, there are quite a number of beautiful buildings to see. The Diwan-i-Aam was an arcaded hall that reminded me of a similar royal public audience hall in the Delhi’s Red Fort. Nearby was the Anguri Bagh, a series of geometrically arranged gardens in alternating plant colors of green and deep burgundy. The Khas Mahal, built in a style so typical of Shah Jahan, is an elegant white-marble hall with brightly painted ceilings and twin golden pavilions. The Diwan-i-Khas is perhaps the most beautiful structure there, with its exquisite pietra dura work of flowers, vines, and designs covering columns and archways. In this open hall, the emperor would meet his court. From the double-storeyed profusely-decorated octagonal tower named the Musamman Burj, Shah Jahan had a direct view of his beloved Taj Mahal. Ironically it was this tower where Jahan spent the last eight years of his life, imprisoned there by his son. Walking back to the gate, we passed by the Bengali Mahal, constructed out of red sandstone. Its decorative architectural style reminded me of that at Fatehpur Sikri (Akbar’s planned capital city and palace), with its intermixing of Hindu and Islamic elements in the same red sandstone.

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Itimad-du-Daulah

Described as a “jewel box in marble,” this tomb of the “Lord Treasure of the Mughal empire under Shah Jahan is also nicknamed the “Baby Taj.” Predating the more famous structure, the Itimad-du-Daulah signals a change in Mughal architecture, away from the massive red sandstone structures to the more elegant structures such as the Taj Mahal. Highly symmetrical, the squat building had a minaret at each corner. Colored mosaic patterns of geometric and floral designs covered the outer surface and the interior floor. Window jail screens of complex geometric patterns were carved out of single pieces of marble. Inside, floral paintings were in various states of preservation were framed in arched niches on the upper half of the walls. The painted ceiling must have also looked rather beautiful with its incised patterns, relief textures, and golden accents. Not nearly as visited as the more famous structure in Agra, it was much quieter here, giving us ample opportunity to wander around the various rooms with tombs and admire the decorative architecture.

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The Black Taj

Our next destination was directly across the river from the Taj, but rather long to get there due to the traffic congestion, long divided roads with no/few U-turns, and the required bridge a distance away. Paying a small fee, we walked through orchards of fruit and flowering trees until we neared the Yuma River. From here, we had an alternate, less crowded view of the Taj Mahal, still looking rather placid against the foggy, grey sky. We stood amongst remnants of the foundation of a structure situated directly opposite the Taj. Legend has it that Shah Jahan wanted to build a replica of the Taj he had built for his beloved wife - except with black marble. With the emperor’s finances severely strained due to the hugely expensive white structure, Jahan’s son halted its construction.

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Agra and the Taj Mahal

After a brief visit to Fatehpur Sikri we arrived in Agra as dusk took hold. Darkness did make it a bit more difficult to realize the true dinginess of the city. Whereas many of India’s other cities also have issues with being crowded, dirty, congested, and polluted, the main city of Agra lacks color and vibrance.

Taj Mahal
The following morning, we got an early start to arrive at the Taj when it opened. Battery-powered vans quietly rolled past, reminders of attempts at limiting pollution around the World Heritage site. Bicycle rickshaws creakily paddled up to us and asked us if we’d like a ride, unsuccessfully convincing us that the Taj was “very far.” The dense fog ruled out any chance of getting those “picture-perfect” photos of the Taj Mahal against blue skies; now just seeing it from any distance would be a goal. Along with the already-growing cluster of tourists gathering at the front gate, some four-legged critters were wandering about. Some of the animals donned “coats” made from burlap sacks. One goat completed the fashion with a knitted cap. Our bags were checked prior to entering. My friend’s 4” wooden figurine of a big-nosed Serbian wearing a traditional shajkaca cap was detected and denied entrance. When asking why, the female guard said, “bad karma.”

After the figurine was checked in at the baggage center, we proceeded inward. A few typical photos later, we walked in the mausoleum through the large door and admired the incredibly intricate marble screen around the two fake tombs briefly illuminated by camera flashes going on in the “no photo zone.” Even though I had seen the structure before, I couldn’t help but be awed by its artistic workmanship, including the flowers created by tiny pieces of inlaid semi-precious stones, and raised flowers carved from the same white marble as the rest of the structure. Letting the Japanese tourists posing in their new saris get their photos and move on, I took a few photos of the Taj, other buildings, and grounds in more creative views.

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From Jaipur to Agra

What should have been a rather simple drive on major roads to Agra turned into a more interesting, albeit slower journey through rural areas, thanks in part (again) to the Gujars blocking the roads in an effort to have their demands met. First we stopped at the Chand Baori stepwell, dating back to the 8th-9th century and the deepest in Rajasthan - 19.5m (64 feet) deep.

On the bumpy, narrow roads, our slower trek took us through tiny villages scattered in between fields. Kids engaged themselves on a favorite pastime of the region - kite flying. Women pumped water at the wells. Older men squatted near the road, smoking bedis as they chatted. Along both sides of the roads in these villages, children and some puzzled adults lined up as if observing a parade, waving at the unusual procession of trucks, tourist vehicles, and other unfortunates who were diverted. Children ran ahead and climbed on top of mud brick walls and further ahead in order to get a better (or second) viewing. It reminded me a bit of traveling by a traditional dugout boat up the Niger River to Timbuktu.

The flat land in the area yielded brilliant yellow fields of mustard plants. This crop, also seen in abundance in the Shekhawati region and even a bit in Himachal Pradesh, is used for cooking oil and creating dyes. Indian-style scarecrows stood above the crops, sporting a black pot for a head. Early in the morning steam from recent rains rose above the field, replaced later by deep, blue skies. Brick factories were situated in the middle of the mustard fields, with their blue and white striped chimneys rising high. Men and children piled bricks neatly in a cleared field next to the factory, creating patterns with their expert stacking techniques. In other ploughed fields, camels were hitched up to farm equipment. Others could be seen in the villages and towns hauling goods with special trailers. Tractors received special attention here as well, sporting decorations of colored tinsel tassels, artificial flowers, and colorful garlands. In the courtyard of farms, the women patted small mounds of cow dung into thicker disks to be used for fuel. Cowpies dried on the roof and dried ones were stacked 7-high on a low wall near the road, probably for purchase.

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New Year's Eve in Mandawa

For New Year’s Eve, we decided to stay at a beautifully restored haveli in the town of Mandawa. The main courtyard was particularly ornate – a feast for the eyes. After dropping off our luggage, we walked into the main part of town. Soon a small group of local kids followed us, with more offering their service as guides. The golden late afternoon light glowed on the outer walls of the town’s many havelis. Here we saw frescoes of the Wright Brothers, chauffeur-driven cars, trains, and the usual Hindu scenes. Far more of Mandawa’s havelis were in rather poor shape or had their murals painted over. On a remnant of one wall, a peacock stood proudly in the afternoon light. Donkey pulled carts competed for road space along with camel-pulled carts and buses. Revealing its more frequently visited tourist destination, the main street contained souvenir shops and touts requesting tourists to “come look into my shop.”

Although tired from the long day, we went to the New Year’s celebration taking place at the hotel. Guests donned layers of clothing as they watched the dancers and musicians, with some later joining in the dance. Finally, a meal was served, including both veg and nonveg Indian specialties. Absent was alcohol, but some guests did get some from the upstairs restaurant. At midnight, firecrackers were lit on the street outside the hotel.

On our way back to Jaipur, we passed through the town of Fatehpur and visited a few havelis there. The market area was quite active. Cows, busses, and donkey carts all contributed to traffic congestion. My friends were getting “haveli-ed out,” so we moved onward. Along the road we passed by a group of Jains on a cart, wearing white masks over their face to avoid accidentally ingesting any insects. Camels hauled gnarled wood on crude carts and straw on others. Alongside the road in a few spots we saw dead cows, apparently victims of traffic. Colorfully decorated tractors puttered along, with bran names including Mahindra, New Holland, and Massey Ferguson. As we neared Jaipur (143 km – 3hrs away), yellow mustard fields became more common, replacing the more arid fields of the Shekhawati region.

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Dundlod Fort

Although there was more we could have seen in Parsurampura, we headed to Mandawa, our destination for New Year’s Eve. Along the way we stopped at Dundlod to visit the fort. After waiting for a rather disorganized staff to take us inside, we toured the well-preserved interior. The main room was extremely spacious, framed with warm-yellow columns and filled with ornate European furniture and a collection of rare books. An old photo of the young handsome maharaja was on display on an antique table, accentuating the feeling of his presence. Also of note was an ornately carved wooden writing table and a whole room full of equestrian trophies.

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