We arrived in Jodphur after travelling on the bus for six hours to the impression of a dusty, dirty, noisy city and that we may not stay long, but our impressions soon changed. Our hotel is in the new part of the city where buildings have sprung up like topsy with buildings half built, electricity wires everywhere (you should see many of the connections -quite electrifying I think), once again thousands of motor bikes, autorickshaws and the constant beeping of horns.
Next morning we wound our way through a maze of little alleyways in an effort to gain access to the base of the fort. People could tell we were lost and let us know by smiles, nods of the head, signals with hands etc so that with much help we arrived there. It is certainly impressive! As you can see from the photo it is at the top of a hill. The temperatures here are in the early forties so you can imagine the effort it must have taken people to build it almost six hundred years ago. In the photo gallery we added a photo of part of the wall and ceiling of one of the rooms. From the view at the top you look over the old part of the city where most of the houses have been painted blue. There are fortifications dotting most of the hills around here as well as a palace and a beautiful mauseleum for the maharajahs made from marble.
Today we went on a tour of some nearby villages. We visited a house; very simple but clean with great beds like stretchers, floor made from cow dung and water (this is good stuff, slightly shock absorbent yet smooth like cement)and all the clothes are hung over one big pole from the ceiling. Cooking is done over a small fuel stove, or in a clay oven.
We saw some gazelles and at a distance some blue bulls. Everywhere we go we see squrrls (as the Americans say). Bishnoi is the home of the original "tree hugger" where 363 people lost their lives in order to prevent the chopping down of the trees for decorating the fort.
Next stop was to a potter's place; his wheel is not propelled by foot but rather balances on a pointy rock and is spun by a stick inserted in a hole in the surface of the wheel and spun very fast. The wheel spun with enough momentum for the potter to create three vessels. Then nextdoor to a blockprinter of cottons to make bedspreads, sheets etc.
Our final stop was at a village house that contained three round houses, one for eating, one for the kitchen and one for ? as well as several rectangular buildings. Here we had lunch of chapattis made from millet, a bean pod dish and curd. We enjoy the food very much and our bodies seem to be coping well with it. Here they also weave strong cotton mats called dhuries - beautiful geometric patterns and colours.
Tomorrow we head off for Jaisalmer, the land of camels and yet another fort!
