Photos © Ruud Leeuw
Photos © Ruud Leeuw
Our very first visit to India... At the airport of New Delhi we were met by a chauffeur and he drove us through Rajasthan. After visits to Jaipur, Pushkar and Udaipur we were on our way to Jodhpur. Click on the thumbnail images to view a larger image |
 We left Udaipur early as we were in for a long drive. Travel is slow due to other traffic and people & animals in the road, but this time we also had to cross a mountain range. People try to stay warm but one doesn't see many jackets. A simple draped cloth is still the basic attire for many Indians. Men generally wear a dhoti, which can be worn full length or as 'pants' depending on the region. |
 The women wear a sari, which is worn with a blouse underneath, with the material ranging from cotton to silk. Here one sees women at a waterpump; fetching water is a main feature of the household chores. It made me realise that getting water from the tap in the house is a luxury not enjoyed by billions of people on this planet |
 Women are often involved in roadworks, doing menial work. She is probably involved in moving rubble and stones from A to B, earning a few rupees. |
If one looks closely, the features of the woman on the right can be distinguised through the veil  There is significant discrimination toward girls and women. While young girls are expected to help with the women's work (which consists of fetching water, preparing meals, cleaning, and caring for animals) as well as care for their younger siblings; boys have it much easier. They may be required to herd goats and other animals to and from the fields, but in general have it much easier than their female counterparts and this discrimination doesn't end with adulthood. |
A roadside temple. It is often hard to distinguish the derelict and abandoned ones, and the ones that are still in use. |
 A women is seen carrying water to her house. In the distance one can see another woman doing the same thing. No doubt fetching water will be repeated a number of times during the day, over considerable distances. At home, tap water (running water) is a normal part of indoor plumbing, which became available in the late 19th century and became common in the mid-20th century. |
 These kids look good and well-taken care of in their schooluniforms. But notice all kids in this photo don't wear shoes. |
 To the foreign traveler, one of the powerful attractions in India is the colorful and diversified attire of its people. The silk saris, brightly mirrored cholis, colorful lehangas and the traditional salwar-kameez have fascinated many a traveler over the centuries. |
 When a woman marries, she leaves her birth family, often without seeing them ever again. She will live in her husband's village and becomes part of his family. |
 Suddenly the road climbed steeply and we drove zigzag-roads up the mountain We noticed bamboo growing in these parts |
What a splendid view! Alas, there were no facilities to stop and enjoy that view at leasure.  |
The driver had no job as a guide, he was not fluent enough. But he did take the trouble pointing one or two things out to us every now and then, such as telling us we were travelling through a National Park here. The park contained a large population of monkeys. |
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We made a stop at Ranakpur, a huge temple complex in the middle of nowhere. |
 Rules & Regulations |
 We did not bother going inside, the exterior was impressive enough |
The dating of this temple is controversial but it is largely considered to be anywhere between the late 14th to mid-15th centuries. |
 Ranakpur is widely known for its marble Jain temple, and for a much older Sun Temple which lies opposite the former. [Wikipedia] |
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This Jain temple is dedicated to Adinatha. Light colored marble has been used for the construction of this grand temple which occupies an area of approximately 60 x 62 meters. The temple displays distinctive domes, shikhara, turrets and cupolas and rises majestically from the slope of a hill. Over 1444 marble pillars, carved in exquisite detail, support the temple. The pillars are all differently carved and no two pillars are the same. |
I had not heard of the Jain religion, except in a book which I started reading during this trip, "American Pastoral" by Philip Roth. The daughter of the main character embraces this religion, which is not for the faint-hearted. |
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 We had a pleasant and endearing encounter with a schoolgroup, who were thrilled by meeting westerners. They filmed and photographed us, posing with the group. |
 Magnificent animal! . |
 It is a good thing for your karma if you buy leaves from this woman and feed it to the cow |
While our driver added pressure into a tire, using a long line from the shop, I had time to make this photo of a (tire) repairstation.
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 No drainage on the roads in Rajasthan, not even in the towns and villages |
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Helpful links: Indiaonline.nl (Dutch) www.india-tourism.com www.bharatonline.com Lonely Planet Wikipedia |
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