Get it INDIA

[Jacques Vert]

Superb TR. We've been looking at an Indian trip. Looks like you picked a good time to go with minimal smog and the plenty of water in Taj lake. Would you say this time of year is the best time to visit?

Glad you are enjoying the TR.

Best time to visit? Certainly not now (April) as it can get hot in Nth India, and very hot and humid in Sth India (or so I'm told). I actually googled "best time to visit India" and got lots of sites including this one: When is the best time to visit India? | Insider Journeys You need to consider what part of India you are visiting (it's a big place).

This belated TR is about our trip in October/November last year (yes I have been slack...)

We chose Oct/Nov because the monsoon in Nth India ends in October (or that's when it is supposed to end) and it is before it gets too cold in places like Shimla (@ 2,250 metres in the foothills of the Himalayas). Hence we headed to Shimla at the start of our trip (end October).

Regarding smog: it's actually quite bad and about to get worse as the next day (our last day/night in Jaipur) was the main day of the Diwali celebrations (7 Nov in 2018) with fireworks continuously from before sunset to way, way after midnight. The smoke/smog was thick and hung around for days.

But I am getting ahead of myself......

 

[RooFlyer]

If Jacques doesn't mind me chipping in ...

Around The Taj, (I think Delhi too) winter ( Dec- Feb) is fog season, so should be avoided.

 

[Jacques Vert]

Last Day in Jaipur

First stop was the Royal Tombs...

 

[Jacques Vert]

Then a tour of the City...

Today is Diwali and you need to buy sweets:




and flowers:





and food:




and put up the decorations:




and some more flowers:




and some different colours would be nice:




perhaps we should get some of these as well?

 

[Jacques Vert]

Diwali, Deepavali or Dipavali is Hindu, Sikh and Jain festival of lights, which is celebrated every autumn in the northern hemisphere (spring in southern hemisphere). One of the most popular festivals of Hinduism, Diwali symbolises the spiritual "victory of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance." Light is a metaphor for knowledge and consciousness. During the celebration, temples, homes, shops and office buildings are brightly illuminated. The preparations, and rituals, for the festival typically last five days, with the climax occurring on the third day coinciding with the darkest night of the Hindu lunisolar month Kartika. In the Gregorian calendar, the festival generally falls between mid-October and mid-November.

In the lead-up to Diwali, celebrants will prepare by cleaning, renovating, and decorating their homes and workplaces. During the climax, revellers adorn themselves in their finest clothes, illuminate the interior and exterior of their homes with diyas (oil lamps or candles), offer puja (worship) to Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity and wealth, light fireworks, and partake in family feasts, where mithai (sweets) and gifts are shared. Diwali is also a major cultural event for the Hindu and Jain diaspora from the Indian subcontinent.

Thanks to Wikipedia for the above quote.

And thanks to our hosts at the Samode Haveli who invited all the hotel's guests to enjoy the celebrations from the rooftop terrace, together with complimentary canopes and drinks; and a great view of the fireworks:

 

[Jacques Vert]

Jodhpur

Have I mentioned that cities founded by Hindu rulers end in "...pur" (e.g., Jaipur) while those founded by Moghul rulers end in "...bad" (e.g., Hyderabad)? But I digress...




So after breakfast one of our hosts bids us farewell and we head south-west to Johdpur...














So after a long day in the car, we arrived at our digs for the night: the Ajit Bhawan (First Heritage Hotel in India | Luxury Resort in Jodhpur | Ajit Bhawan )...

First things first, the bar:







The pool...





One of the eating areas:

 

[Jacques Vert]

Our room:











The band...





what's a band without dancing girls?

 

[Jacques Vert]

Mehrangarh Fort




Overlooking Jodhpur, the blue city:

 

[Jacques Vert]

Come inside...




















The Nursery...

 

[Jacques Vert]

Overlooking Jodhpur:




Jaswant Thada:

The cremation grounds for the Royal family.





Translucent Marble:

 

[Jacques Vert]

Heading further west towards the Thar Desert; the scenes along the highway are as fascinating as ever...











and a couple of drron's as we approach Jaisalmer:

 

[Jacques Vert]

Jaisalmer

Our hotel for the next two nights was the Surya Garh: Suryagarh, Luxury hotel in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan

A beautiful hotel.

 

[Jacques Vert]

There was an invitation waiting for us in our room for a Rajasthani music and dance display; the band looked familiar. But I think that's because they were a traditional band in traditional clothes, etc., rather than the exact same group from Jodhpur.




and the dancing girls were different although the clothes seemed very familiar as well.





Although this is new:

 

[craven morehead]

@Jacques Vert there's been some absolute cracking hotels on this trip.

 

[Jacques Vert]

Surya Garh

Next morning, breakfast was accompanied by some music...





And something for the little kiddies....

 

[Jacques Vert]

@Jacques Vert there's been some absolute cracking hotels on this trip.

Indeed there are and the Surya Garh is right up there at the top.

 

[Jacques Vert]

So after a lovely breakfast, it is off to Gadsisar Lake...

 

[Jacques Vert]

Next Jaisalmer Fort...

Jaisalmer Fort is situated in the city of Jaisalmer, in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is believed to be one of the very few "living forts" in the world, as nearly one fourth of the old city's population still resides within the fort. For the better part of its 800-year history, the fort was the city of Jaisalmer (Wikipedia)

Jaisalmer Tourism, Places to Visit in Jaisalmer, Fort Rajwada, Brys Fort - Rajasthan Tourism













Given that this fort actually has thousands of residents living within the fort, it is perhaps not surprising that it gets a little crowded at times...

 

[Jacques Vert]

Nathmal ji ki haveli and surrounding area:

 

[Jacques Vert]

Thar Desert 1