JAIPUR ADVENTURES

JAIPUR

We got to Jaipur, the largest City in Rajastan, about lunch time and checked into the "Jai Mahal Palace Hotel". Now, we're talkn! Pretty nice and we stay for 3 nights of exploring. We were pretty tired, but rallied up after lunch for a bit of a city tour, ending up at Birla Hindu Temple at sunset, just in time for evening prayers. This is an all marble building with three types of architecture representing the three major religions in India. It was quite beautiful. It was crowded inside, but we stayed, as the faithful prayed and the priests tossed the holy water on all of us. Checking shoes at these places is kind of a "cluster f_ _ _, if you get my drift. The inevitable happened as one of our group put on some other mans shoes and was about to walk. We noticed a guy frantically looking for HIS shoes, and figured it all out. Eeeewwww. Stinky feet.

We got back to the hotel and the UW hosted a bit of a cocktail party for us poor wretched travelers.My bed was spinning that night!

We got up early am to get to the Amber Fort before the crowds. Thank goodness, as the day got,pretty warm and it got crowded. We also went to Jantar Mantar, a collection of astronomical instruments built aboutn1734 without slide rules or sophisticated instruments, and still accurate today. Since Horoscopes play such a huge part in Hindu match making, we were given a short lesson by an actual reader of horoscopes. It was very interesting.

Amber Fort

ON THE ROAD TO JAIPUR

We packed up and hit the road for about a four hour trip to Jaipur. It was finally a freeway and a smooth ride. Along the way, Naveen, our Hindu guide went into great and hilarious detail about Hindu culture and arranged marriages. He and his two brothers all had their marriages arranged by their parents. Two brothers never even saw their bride until after the wedding when they lifted the veil. Holy crap! Naveen was a bit luckier and a bit more defiant as he met his future bride a few times before, she was weeded out of 6,000 applicants and was actually chosen by the Hindu priest after he did the horoscope. VERY VERY important to be compatible horoscoptically. Also, same class, which was extremely number one in importance. Quite a "Bollywood Tale" in real life, and he could have a second career as a comedy writer.

Along the way, we saw trucks hauling huge hunks of white marble from an area about 60 miles away. We saw many camel caravans who had left the Camel Fair and were returning to their homes. And yes, they walk them on the shoulder of the freeway. But the MOST interesting thing we saw was a naked Jain monk walking with his ontorage, barefoot, in one lane of the freeway. The Jain's are one of the oldest sects of religion in India. They Are off the wall devote, non violence to everything. They are ultra   strict vegetarians, and will not eat any plant that grows down in the ground, as carrots, potatoes, etc. only plants that grow upwards. The monk believes he needs no clothes as the universe is his clothing. Well, we were a bit shocked and we pulled over to let them pass us, because we wanted to look closer...oh, I know. Anyway as they passed us they waved to us to join them! So we got out and went over and THEY wanted to take a picture of US! Standing with them! Then the priest threw holy Ganges water on us and they resumed their pilgrimage. I am NOT making this up. Every day, something strange happens to us in India. When a Jain monk feels his time on earth is over, he just stops  eating until he dies. The government is fighting this practice, but in fact with over a billion people in the country, there are many things to worry about.

I have included a newspaper page which is just one of 4 in yesterdays paper. The parents put ads in the paper for "hard to match kids" and hope something will happen. India really is a developing country in so many ways, but here the Indian traditional ways still prevail. Very strong culture with the old ways. Still very machismo and poor women struggle unbelievable.  China is developing much much faster in all ways. Very interesting. 

HOMAGE TO LIFE

After the Temple of Lord Brahma ( which has no relation to Brahma Bulls, or the Brahmin caste) we walked to Lake Pushkar to take part in a ceremony of blessing our ancestors, and asking for all things good in our lives to come. We could take pictures as we approached the lake on a red carpet, no less. But then had to stow cameras and shoes once more. Most Indians actually bathe in these holy waters, and they just dont get wet, they have to have the head in the water. Obviously, we weren't going to submerse. A holy man said ritualistic words and we repeated, even in Hindi. He spoke pretty fast, and some of the words that came out of our mouths, probabaly weren't correct..maybe even funny...well, hilarius. But it was a serious and solemn ritual, so no chuckling.  Most men stripped to white clothes for their bath. The women kept on whatever veils and gowns they were wearing. Also, most women used a seperate "ghat" as the holy bathing areas were called.  It really was beautiful.

Then we opened our palms and the holy man placed rose petals in them....no sniffing to the nose, just relax and hold the delicate flower petals while we repeated more words. Then saffron was sprinkled on the rose petals. More chanting. Then we asked for good Karma, good health, good business, more money, more happiness for all our relatives too. We also asked for good Karma for everyone in our family who had died and would be reborn. It was starting to get to me. So serious. 

The holy man made the red paste and placed the mark on our foreheads, then we walked to the water and gently tossed the petals into the Holy Lake. Coming back to our seats on the steps, the Holy man asked us if we were married or not, and tied the yellow and red string on the appropriate wrist. Hmmmmm. 😳 

Finally, we said more "prayers" following his lead, and finished the ceremony.  It was a real. I liked it, and now I feel sufficiently blessed by Lord Brahma. Interesting morning.

CAMELS AND HOLY SITES

Pushkar is one of Hinduism's holiest sites. It is the ONLY place in the whole world there is a temple dedicated to Lord Brahma, the Creator of the Universe. Hinduism has many gods and goddesses, millions, in fact. There are many temples all over the world for these gods and goddesses. But only ONE for Lord Braham. And it is in Pushkar. Timed to coincide with the full moon, the fair draws pilgrims to the many temples surrounding Lake Pushkar.

We left the hotel right after breakfast and boarded the ever present tuk-tuk brigade. This time we would walk to the Lord Brahma Temple, through the fair stalls. Along the way, our guide Naveen, would tell us about the wares, foods, interesting factoids particular to many Indians. There are so many different tribes and groups here, including many many gypsies and Muslims, attracted to a place to sell their wares and services. It was extremely interesting. We saw young boys offering tattoos, with needles that had been used many times! And a very primative tattoo apparatus. The foods were so varied. Pushkar itself is 100% vegetarian and alcohol free. The hotels build away from the town to attract the visitors who want to drink and or eat meat. Cows, bulls, pigs, and a few other animals wander freely thru the market. People feel they can increase their good Karma by feeding the cows, especially, since Lord Brahma, Creator of the Universe, made the cow sacred. We stopped by a woman and bought some of her grass and helped her feed some cows who had gathered.

The Temple area was very crowded with the devout climbing the steps to worship Lord Brahma. Pilgims come all year round, but this is the busiest time because of the fair. We left our shoes and packs AND cameras with a guard and proceded to climb the marble steps to the top. There were Indian Police in high numbers. People streamed by the temple port hole that had the god in it, and gave "sweets" and small bits of rice too. There were a lot of yellow jacketss attracted by the rotting food, but no bother. We got in the procession and just followed along. It actually was pretty amazing to just watch the families, people from all walks of life in India stream by and pray to their supreme diety. 

PUSHKAR CAMEL FAIR

We got to Pushkar in the afternoon and immediately went to "experience" this gigantic camel get together. It was everything I thought it would be. There were arts and crafts bazaars, dance performances,colorful people, pilgrims, and of course, hundreds of camels.  We got onto some camel carts to ride out into the desert. There we saw many tribes of bedouin Indians and their camels. A feast for the eyes as people compete to dress their camels and even shave their fur into designs. There is quite a bit of begging and a lot of hassling to buy or pay for  pictures.  It seemed everyone wanted money for something. It was very dusty, warm, smelly, noisy, but a lot of fun. There were also some very beautiful Arab horses there. There were turbaned men, gypsies, tribes people, bejeweled women, ethnic music and interesting food. It was toward the end of the five day celebration and some of the tribesmen were walking home with their herds. They are nomadic people who have to keep moving to find food for the camels, but some of them came pretty far, and all got here to Pushkar by walking the herds here.

TRANSPORTATION OVERLOAD

This is of those experiences where people say "you had to be there"! We started out early for the Delhi Train station, to take an early am train to Ajmer. It was a Sunday and we made it thru traffic easily and got to the train station. After  a half hour wait on the semi dark platform with rats crawling between the tracks, and many people sleeping on the platform, our train came. We didn't have assigned seats, but we were ball in the same car. First thing my seat was wet! Wet enough to get my jeans damp. No Likie!

After the train started to move, I saw a space empty by Jill and moved there. Wet seat! In fact most of the seats were wet and we never did find out why. It is an old train. More people are employed by the train system in India than anywhere else. There are a lot of people riding the trains. Ours was NOT delux in any sense of the word, but it was adequate. They Immediately served a box breakfast of some sort, which I waved off. A mistake, because I forgot to pack my snacks, and after a 6 1/2 hour ride, I was HUNGRY. Indian People are nice, they are kind, they don't get upset when some western person sits in their seat. They just find another. No big deal.

Arriving in Ajmer was chaotic. This was the India you see on travel shows. Now, we're talking! Someone, we made it OUT Side, where we were met my many Indian men with cars.so far , so good. Car was clean, and had A/C. Out here they don't speak as much English. We commenced on what I can only describe at a "death ride" thru this bustling town. I could not find seat belts, but it wouldn't have mattered. I have been thru city traffic in crowded countries. Guatemala, Cairo, Istanbul, Kampala, Paris, Beijing.....piece of cake, calm compared to what we went thru. And this is the part of India where cows, goats, and whatever animal decides to cross the road has the right away.  Humans...no.

Basically we played "chicken" all the way to our hotel with a young driver we didnt swerve, slow down, or show any signs he wanted to live another day. The worst and wildest ride I have ever been on. EVER!

We couldn't wait to see what the camel fair was all about, so after  lunch, our bus driver took us to a dusty field to meet up with some tuk tuks, because the roads are too small and congested for anything larger than a small auto. Soooooooo...... Repeat "chicken dance", except with a tuk-tuk! The way to really see a camel fair of this size, was in a "camel cart". Duh. Well, guess what, camel carts in India can play "chicken too! Plus, there is nothing to hold on to and it is very bumpy and very dusty. By then I was pretty exhausted by all the various modes of transportation and the chicken dance on all but the train.  And we still had to repeat it going back to the hotel.