Hill Forts of Rajasthan

[UP4014]

There isn't a lot to see in Mandawa, except for some crumbling havelis - mansions of rich merchants from the 19th century. A local guide walked me past a number ... an interesting view on 'real life' in an Indian village, too.

A feature of the havelis is the paintings and frescoes, inside and out, depicting religious scenes, everyday life, anything, really (including things the Brits brought with them, such as planes and trains!)

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This is a private well of one of the wealthy (down 75 feet between the columns):

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And this was his private cremation place ... its now a hotel!!

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Note the train: maybe something for @BAM1748

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Well spotted, I think many of the rich and royalty here had their own trains and passengers cars.

 

[drron]

Even the British.One of my patients had been Lord Mountbatten's personal secretary and I enjoyed her stories of the train trips when he was Viceroy of india.
She was a lady-always started the day with a glass of champagne.

 

[RooFlyer]

Today we drove from Mandawa to Bikaner, about 4 hours with stops. Very slow going through some towns with the road just a track.

Some views of the drive:

Lots of dromedarys in Rajasthan.







These loads are just dry silage.

A roadside stop



With a lovely vege garden out the back

 

[RooFlyer]

It's going to be too difficult to keep up with the sLow wifi I'm experiencing at the hotels. I'll complete it when I get home and post occasional updates from 'the view from my office' thread.

 

[RooFlyer]

OK ... time to catch up!!

Bikaner was the second stop, founded by Rao Bika in 1488. All the big cities I will visit are named after their founder. He was the oldest son of the Maharajah of Jodhpur but wanted a kingdom of his own The city flourished as it was on the trade route from central Asia, and a bit of an oasis. It was a vassal state under the Muslim Mughal rulers of Delhi, so again was protected.

In about 1594 they built the Junagarh Fort (and Palace), one of the few forts I will visit that was built on a plain. But its no less impressive for that, although not having a viewpoint limits the appreciation of it's size in pictures. Like most of the forts and palaces i will visit, this one has been added to by generations of rulers and also like most of the others is still privately owned my the Maharajah (sometimes they gave themselves different titles). It contains many temples but is mostly now a museum.






All carvings are in the red sandstone typical of the area













A bit startling to find a DeHaviland ... In recognition of Maharaja Ganga Singh in WW1, the Brits gave two shot-down ones to him, and a successor had this one constructed from the parts and is on display in the museum.

 

[RooFlyer]

Afterwards, we went for a tuk-tuk ride through the old town, which was a hoot:

We stopped to admire the local havelis, or merchants' houses. Again, lots of gorgeous carvings:

 

[RooFlyer]

Some typical scenes when walking about:

I'd visited India twice before, but didn't remember so many dogs before. There were everywhere on my trip, usually lean-looking mongrels and while not aggressive, you might get caught up in a snapping match, so a course of rabies vaccinations is essential.













And, of course, the cattle. Cows are usually owned by some-one; the bulls are 'free range'.

 

[RooFlyer]

On to my accommodation for the night, the Gajner Palace. I may have mentioned it up-thread, but for most of the tour I took the hotel suggestion of my tour organiser Magan Singh of Heritage India Private Tours. I checked out their web sites, chose the room type and he booked them. Much later I paid him a 50% deposit and he paid the rest and I paid him back later in the tour when I met him. I also didn't pay anything in advance for the tour, but paid the driver about 30% a few days into the tour (covered his expenses like fuel) and the balance when I met Magan.

The Gajner Palace was a cracker - you'd probably not consider it without knowing about it. Its 30 minutes out of Bikaner and you approach it through a grotty-looking small village with lots of brick kilns about:





Entrance to reception. I always carry my own bags when i arrive at hotels, even fighting off bell-hops for them. But I soon learned that's not how it happens in India. Firstly because no-one carries their bags here but mainly because its usually a long way to your room, with lots of steps and few elevators.



After a cooling drink and a cold towel, I was led across the internal courtyard to my room. I had established that I had a rotten nights sleep the previous night, so Magan had impressed on the hotel my need for a quiet room (no wedding on here, fortunately), and I was up-graded.



Up a floor, down the hall:



.. to my digs:







The view from that window (and from the main room)

 

[RooFlyer]

The Gajner Palace was built as a hunting lodge in 6,000 acres in the late 18th century by the local Maharajah and was a favourite of the dignitaries of the British Raj. Its highlight is the lake, quite a vast area that attracts innumerable birds.

Some images around the hotel. It was as fine and serene as the pictures look. My room was to the left of the middle floor in this pic:

 

[RooFlyer]

The forest on the other side of the lake was always alive with bird calls but the experience came into its own as evening advanced.

I think these are demoiselle cranes, spending their winter here. There were hundreds of 'em







They migrate north to breed, which takes them right over the Himalayas - David Attenborough featured it once, on BCC 'Earth' but I'm not sure if this is his video or some-one else's:

There are few places where a G&T goes down as well:

 

[RooFlyer]

Dinner was in a pavilion by the lake. As i walked across, I came across the evening 'cultural show'.

The band:




The feature act:





She walked over broken glass, and a nail bed:

As with most of the trip, I went the vegetarian option and it was delicious. I ordered it 'non spicy'

 

[craven morehead]

The forest on the other side of the lake was always alive with bird calls but the experience came into its own as evening advanced.

I think these are demoiselle cranes, spending their winter here. There were hundreds of 'em

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They migrate north to breed, which takes them right over the Himalayas - David Attenborough featured it once, on BCC 'Earth' but I'm not sure if this is his video or some-one else's:

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There are few places where a G&T goes down as well:

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I can think of plenty of places a G&T would go down well but that does look relaxing.

 

[daft009]

Best to stick to veg in Rajasthan. Most of the locals are veg too

 

[JohnM]

Best to stick to veg in Rajasthan. Most of the locals are veg too

What's wrong with the beef?

 

[esseeeayeenn]

Really enjoying this fabulous trip report.
It is inspiring me to follow in your footsteps.

 

[RooFlyer]

Really enjoying this fabulous trip report.
It is inspiring me to follow in your footsteps.

Thanks; even better to come, I think; but you'll be leaving your dive gear behind ...

 

[RooFlyer]

In the morning, there was a beautiful calm lake out my window, together with bird calls and some chanting somewhere out there .

And more views around the hotel; it was probably the best hotel of the trip (being comfortable and quiet, my main 2 criteria)







This is the area lay-out:



Then on the road, heading for Jaisalmer, one of the places on the trip I was really looking forward to visiting:



The roads overall were very good - many 4 lane divided highways, with a good tarmac surface, but they were all tolled.





Lots of camels (dromedaries) in Rajesthan:



We passed through Pokaran, near where India conducted its underground nuclear tests in the 1990s:



... and there is a LOT of Indian military in this area (ie near Pakistan). Several times a day we'd encounter a convoy of some description, usually involving tanks being transported. There is a big army and air base near Jaisalmer. After I took this pic, my driver encouraged me not to take any more pics of the military, as their reaction, if I'm seen, would be decidedly unfriendly.

 

[RooFlyer]

There was no problem photographing these tanks though ... positioned outside a 'war museum' near Jaisalmer were Pakistani tanks!!



Everyday hazards on the roads and highways ...



Now I as booked into the Suryagarh Hotel in Jaisalmer, the biggest and best one in town (I was told). However, my ever-careful trip organiser Magan discovered that there was a massive wedding there that night, and knowing my preference for quiet, and loathing of being anywhere near an Indian wedding, gave me the option that day of swapping to the Marriott, with dinner included, which I accepted. It was a good choice; modern but with plenty of style:





A view of the Fort out the window:









By the time we arrived, after about 5 hours drive, by back was playing up, so my driver asked if I'd like to have a Kerala-style Ayurvedic massage, as he knew a good one locally. Now, this is the type of thing I'd usually run a million miles away from, but by this time I had gotten to know my driver pretty well, and as he was on a good tip for good performance, I though why the heck not, when in India ...so off we went. At first glance I was having second thoughts!!



... but it all turned out for the best, and much cheaper than any hotel service.

 

[RooFlyer]

The highlight of any visit to Jaisalmar is to view the sunset over the fort. More on the fort later, but it was built, or commenced around 1156 of the local honey-coloured sandstone and today holds a population of 3-4000 people.

Kids flying kites in strategic location ... I think wanting to be bought off!!

 

[RooFlyer]

Dawn out my bedroom window was pretty good, too:




Now, I didn't quite hear what these guys said about their view ... something like 'Coo' ? Everyone's a critic these days ...



I met my local guide and first stop was Gadisar Lake, with its temples and views. Really beautiful first thing in the morning; it was built by Jaisalmar's founder, Rawal (ruler) Jaisal in the 12th century and reconstructed in the 14th century. It was designed to supply the town with drinking water and today is replenished by the Indira Gandhi Canal. (BTW ... I'd never heard of this canal before I arrived here ... check it out: Indira Gandhi Canal - Wikipedia ).









View back to the Fort, our next destination: