Udaipur

Kumbhalgarh Fort

We traveled from Ranakpur to Udaipur stopping to see the Kumhalgarh Fort, a stunning fortress built by Rana Kumbha in the 15th century.  This fort holds over 360 temples within its 22.4 mile long walls.  300 of the temples are ancient Jain temples and the rest are Hindu.  The views from the fort of the Aravalli mountain range were beautiful.

We arrived to Udaipur and because some of the streets are so narrow, we had to park the bus and take Tuk Tuks to our hotel.  We chose a Tuk Tuk that was pink!

Rebekkah, Tuk Tuk driver and Adi

Our hotel, Hotel Saravar, was located in a busy shopping district and it was really close to the main Udaipur bazaar.  I think in retrospect that Udaipur was my favorite city.

The hotel overlooked Lake Pichola in Udaipur

In the evening we went to the Bagore-ki-Haveli Cultural Show.  A haveli is a private mansion and this one has been converted into a folk museum, displaying costumes and modern art.

We stayed in Udaipur two nights so we could see everything in that area.  Early the next morning, we walked into the city center to see the Eklingii Palace which is a Hindu temple complex whose construction begain in 971.  It's dedicated to Eklingii, a form of Shiva, the Hindu god of destruction.

 

We entered the gates of the City Palace where we could see the old city of Udaipur

City Palace, Rajasthan's largest palace complex was built over a period of 400 years, with contributions from several rulers of the Mewar dynasty.  It was started in 1553 by Maharana Udai Singh II of the Sisodia Rajput family.  It is located on the east bank of Lake Pichola and was built in a flamboyant style in a fusion of Rajasthani and Mughal architectural styles providing a panoramic view of the city and its surroundings.  

This is the Lake Palace, or Summer Palace in the middle of Lake Pichola.  High up on the mountain behind the Lake Palace is the Monsoon Palace.  These landmarks are associated in popular culture with the filming of the 1983 James Bond movie Octopussy!

  

Lake Palace, Jag Niwas, is a luxury hotel, which has 83 rooms and suites featuring white marble walls.  The hotel operates a speed boat which transports guests to the hotel from a jetty at the City Palace.  It was voted the most romantic hotel in the world!

Becca, Rebekka and I took a boat ride around the Lake Palace and went to Jag Mandir which is a palace built on an island in Lake Pichola.  We saw some kids swimming on the way!

Jag Mandir

We had lunch in the courtyard of the Palace.

After the boat ride, the three of us went shopping in the narrow alleys of Udaipur where motorcycles jet through the alleys at top speed!  We found a shop where a tailor took our measurements and made us some haram pants!  They are so comfortable and cool in the hot Indian weather.  It was in the alley that I got hit by a motorcycle!  Thank heavens, I wasn't hurt, but it scared the life out of me and I was terrified to walk in the streets the rest of the trip. 😁
Right after the motorcycle mishap, we saw this on the street!  Scaffolding covered in monkeys!

So, after wandering around Udaipur for a couple of days, Becca, Rebekka and I went for a massage!  It was wonderful!  And cheap!

Jojawar

 Jojawar

Adi and Duncan

Jojawar is rural Rajasthan at its best.  It is a village located in the Aravalli Mountain Range at the junction of importants routes between the Mewar and Marwar regions. 

We stayed at the Rawla Jojawar Hotel.  We parked the bus in the town center and walked a short way to the hotel.  When the hotel was in sight, we heard kettle drums, which turned out to be our welcome from the hotel.  When we walked through the arch of the hotel to enter the courtyard, the staff dropped flower petals on us!  What a welcome!  I didn't have my camera out, so I missed the photo-op!

We took a walk around the village and had a great buffet at the hotel.  The next morning we hopped in an old truck and were driven to the Phulad railway station to ride a train through the Aravalli mountains.

On our way, we saw a hay truck that was overturned.

 We had visitors at one of our stops!

Local children

Ranakpur

We left Jodhpur early in the morning to head to Ranakpur.  Ranakpur is a village located near Sadri town in Rajasthan in western India.  

En route to Ranakpur, we visited the village of Salawas, the centre of weaving dhurries (rugs).  Roopraj Dhurry Ydyog, a co-op through which all the profits go to the artisans.  We met Nemi Chand and his family.  He is an artisan who demonstrated their weaving techniques.  

I bought the small dhurry that he is holding.  He told me his wife could get a new sari if I bought it 😊...I'm such a sucker!

We visited a magnificent white marble temple devoted to Adinath, a god in the Jain religion.  Jains believe in 'ahimsa', non-violence to all living beings.  Built in the 15th century, the temple has 1444 individually carved pillars.

 There was a monkey hanging around the temple seen by many in our group, but I didn't get to see it!

We arrived in Ranakpur and checked in our hotel, Hotel Aranyawas.  It was completely in the woods on the side of a mountain.  It was definitely one of my favorites.  

Before dinner, we had cocktails around a firepit.....(Wikipic)

Our group dinner!