Saturday Smile: Bride

On her wedding day
Beawar, Ajmer
India
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Other Saturday Smiles:

• Canine Love
  
• From Bhatta Village
  
• Sunglasses
• Adam & Eves
• Balloon Sellers
• Andy
• Smiles from Indore

A Rural Experience

My World is a place where you show visitors to your blog the area around you and become their virtual tourist guide.

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I was in Ajmer last month, and got an opportunity to spend some time in a few villages there. Gudi was one such village.

Greenery of Gudi

In Gudi, the villagers were seen working hard, whether it was with their agricultural jobs, or taking care of their simple homes and families. Others looked busy either milking a cow or tending to their fruits and vegetables garden.

Gourd Creeper

At the sight of freshly picked vegetables (perhaps botanically, fruits) I was tempted to taste the stuff.

Fresh vegetables and legumes

When told that it needed to be cooked, I grabbed the opportunity to cook it in an open air fire-place situated at the edge of a vegetable patch. The vegetable dish was bitter, but fresh, and I did end up eating quite a bit of it.

Fire made from lighting dry sticks

All along, there was a cute little fellow looking down at us from a nearby tree.

Curious parrot...

In addition to tasting a few more varieties of local delicacies, I also got a chance to enjoy some delicious home-made lassi (yoghurt) and dal baati (lentil soup with steamed balls of cereal) along with generous servings of ghee.

...and inquisitive neighbors

The residents of Gudi looked self-sufficient, and it made me feel their peaceful life in the village made them content, and healthy in mind and body. Look at the serenity on the face of this woman, who has quite a few grandchildren living with her!

Grandmom

It was good interacting with the village folks. Their simplicity and warm hospitality is a typical characteristic of rural values. It made me wonder if it is a good idea for us to switch to a simpler urban life. What do you think?

The Goat at the Fort

View images from around the world at SkyWatch Friday.
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One day on my way back from exploring the magnificent Amer Fort in Jaipur, I heard this little fellow asking me to shoot a picture of him...

I did, and then he asked if I could take a shot of him gazing at the Aravalli hills...

Then he gave a pose of his side...

Then one more with the background to the entrance to the Fort...

And then when I muttered something to the effect that I've had enough of similar shots, the little fellow nicely changed direction and posed for me...

I descended with a smile after thanking my cute little model.

Green Rajasthan

I’m back from my Rajasthan trip.

The first thing that impressed me most about this trip was the lush greenery throughout the regions I travelled. Of course, abundant rains this year is the main reason for it. After all, Rajasthan is not just about being a Registhan (desert)! Gazing at the lush Aravalli mountains range, especially on misty mornings, was delightful.

My tour included travelling mainly around Jaipur and Ajmer divisions of the State. My second visit to the capital Jaipur, exploring areas in and around Ajmer, spending an evening in Pushkar, a visit to the historical town of Neemrana in the Alwar District, and a day’s excursions to Nathdwara in the Rajsamand district sums it up.

The highlights of my trip are:-

1. A visit to Amer (Amber) Fort that I had missed for want of time during my last trip to Jaipur in 2007. I also got an opportunity to visit the Jaigarh and Nahargarh forts again. Forts do not fail to fascinate me, and Amber Fort is particularly impressive.

2. Staying with, and consequently getting an opportunity for close interaction with, a wonderful Rajput family for quite a few days. Together with some of their family members, I visited 3 different villages in and around Beawar in the Ajmer District: Borwa, Masud and Gudi. Gracious hosts, I could learn more on the true meaning of hospitality from them.

3. Zipping (Zip-lining) with the FlyingFox in Neemrana at its Palace-Fort. That was fun!

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Here are a few more of the many photographs of my travels:-

Chaos on a street in Jaipur with protesters intensifying their agitation (photograph shot from a moving vehicle on 14 September 2010)...


Lit up Hawa Mahal or the Palace of Winds and its so-called 953 jharokhas (small windows)...


The magic of lush green hills and still waters of the Maota Lake...


Passing through a village one late evening in Pushkar...


From posh city homes...


To humble village dwellings....


A view of Neemrana town from the Palace-Fort...

Of course, travels include other interesting activities like a taste of local cuisine and culture, arts and crafts, songs and dances, the Kesariya baalam and sarangi, the "special" badam milk and laughter to follow, and other obvious delights...


The next time I go to Rajasthan, I wish to have a pure Registhan experience.

Reminiscing on 2007 Travels - Part I

The Year 2007 has been a good year for me, particularly as far as my travels are concerned.

Since June 2007, I also started blogging about my travels within India.

So, in addition to my travels to Sri Lanka, Thailand and Cambodia, during the latter part of December 2006 that lasted till January 2007, that I did not blog about here (as I've restricted this space for my India travels only), I also travelled to the following places:

Mumbai (Feb, Sept)

Juhu Beach, Mumbai

Matheran (Feb)

Horses of Matheran

Jaipur (July)

City Palace, Jaipur

Manali (July)

A street scene, Manali

I must mention here what I call has been "the best road journey" that I've experienced, i.e., the journey from Manali to Leh, which deserved a full separate posting for its awesome scenic beauty of the majestic Himalayan mountains as I wrote in Incredible India Indeed. To think that I've lost my pictures of this impressive journey, including the sleepover in the tents of Sarchu, makes me all the more determined to undertake such a trip again as soon as possible, and I shall do that, preferably with two stop-overs next time, most likely in Keylong valley and Sarchu in the Himalayas.


Leh (July)

View of Leh from a mountain top

Ladakh (July) including:
- Chang La

On the way to Pangong Lake at the border of China

- Thiksey

Thiksey Monastery

- Nubra Valley including:
* Khardung Village
* Panamik
* Hundar
* Khardung Pass

The Karakoram range in the far distance as seen from Khardung-La,

supposedly the highest motorable road in the world

Delhi (July, Dec)

Partial view of the Parliament

Bangalore (Jan, Sept, Dec)

Jamia Masjid on Commercial Street

Kerala (Sept)

Aboard the houseboat (called Kettuvellam, in Malayalam), North Kerala

Goa (Dec)

Picturesque Goa

Mangalore and the places around it (Jan, July, Sept, Dec)

A shot from Mangalore shores

That's Part I of my travels of 2007. I shall post a few pictures covering my travels last month to part of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh in the post to follow as 2007 Travels - Part II.

The Pink City

My posts on Jaipur, the Pink City, turned out more than I anticipated. Here's a list for quick reference:

1. Nahargarh and Jaigarh Forts
2. City Palace
3. Choki Dani
4. Elephants on streets
5. Camel on roadside
6. Guns n' roses (Authorblog's Post of the day)



Related posts:

- Incredible India Indeed (also in same Post of the Day)
- TDM: One, Two, and Three.

Tranquil Tuesday

Abode of pigeons
Nahargarh Fort Entrance Gate
Imperial history

Memories of Jaipur

The last set of pictures randomly shot in Jaipur city.

A street scene

Gate to Jaipur City Palace

Shri Ramchandra Ji Temple

Gardens in the city with watercourses

Gate to City Palace

Handicrafts at the Rajasthani Emporium