12/24/14

Jodhpur and Jaisalmer




 Jodhpur

                                                                                                       
400 feet above the skyline of Jodhpur looms the  Meherangarh Fort...the showpiece of Jodhpur. Burnished red sandstone,imposing, and yet with a strange haunting beauty. For over five centuries,the Rajput clan of Rathores have been the custodians of this Citadel while the city of Jodhpur sprang up at its base


People in India are very hospitable by nature.Perhaps a tad more than that desired at times but always happy to share information and guide you. 
Rajasthanis are no exception.

It is like a tradition in Jodhpur to first have something sweet and then proceed on to the main course. The sweet hospitality of Jodhpur is known as Mithi Manuhar or is it a Marwari manoever?  Maybe this is the reason for the sweet tone of the people of Jodhpur and/or the money making ways of the marwaris.

Sajjan Singh of Surya Kunj,son of a retired Air Vice Marshall
was very happy to have us as his guests at his home at Surya Kunj and he talked about Jodhpur and the ways of the Royalty.He went out of the way to make us comfortable and to guide us about the places to visit and food to eat.

We commissioned an over sized auto...autos come in quite a variety of shapes in this city...and Anil was happy to take us around 


First Stop was Umaid Bhawan palace.
It is one  amongst the great palaces of India and one of the largest private residences in the world- all 26 acres of it most of it lush gardens.It was completed in 1943  and serves as a principal residence of the royal family who have let out a portion of it to be run as a heritage hotel by the Taj group.
Umaid B is a fascinating blend of eastern and western architecture                                                           



We got into the museum which is open to tourists and feasted on a display of lavish interiors,gilt furniture and elegant works of art  complimented by the exotic murals of the Polish artist Stefan Norbin 


  
Then we went to the Naye Sadak at the end of which stands the local Big Ben  Ghanta ghar.
Around this was the typical ramshackle bazaar selling handicrafts,colourful fabrics,food stalls,and such.Anil dropped us  at this market.....left to fend for ourselves we quickly located a juice shop and settled for saffron lassi...a speciality which we enjoyed all the more since we hadn't lunched and it was past 5PM. Munching peanuts we aimlessly wandered until .....
we saw this elegant  facade with a signboard claiming "18th century Noble Home in the shadows of Rathore citadel" It was the home of the Pal family,Pal having been a hamlet in the proximity of Jodhpur, and today it is another heritage hotel.Locals and tourists alike flock to its roof top restaurant "Indique" for some  decent dining overlooking the lighted fort and other city landmarks. We spent the evening here sipping beer enjoying the spectacle of the brilliant fort  as darkness crept in.

 The next morning saw us tucking in a good breakfast at the homestay and under the guidance of our host we set out to explore.A good 30 min ride took us to Mandore gardens

Mandore was the former capital of the Maharajas of Marwar.Legend has it that this was Ravana's 'Sasural"....Mandodari having been brought up here.So,there is a clan of Ravana worshipers in this region even today.Cenotaphs of Jodhpur's former rulers  built along the lines of a Hindu temple adorn the gardens. They are four stories high, with fine columns and an elegant spire, all in red sandstone. Very impressive these cenotaphs are... set in these  landscaped gardens which today look decrepit owing to poor maintenance.





Next stop Jaswant Thada.  This white marble memorial to Maharaja Jaswant Singh II, sitting above a small  clean lake, is a welcome, peaceful spot after the hubbub of the city, and the views across to the fort and the city are superb. Built in 1899, the cenotaph has some beautiful carved marble lattice screens (jalis) and is hung with portraits of Rathore rulers going back to the 13th century.The marble carving shows the genius of the sculptors. The stones are extremely thin and polished. As  result, the outside surface of the monument emits a warm glow when the sun rays fall on its surface. 

This tomb is maintained by the Meherangarh museum trust and so is the magnificent Fort.No wonder they are spotlessly clean and very inviting to the discerning tourist


As I said in the beginning,no one can miss the all imposing Meherangarh Fort which is where Anil took us next along with our guide.The guide was a soft spoken man who would formally welcome you by saying a few words about what we are going to see, and give a bit of its history....very nice to know they are trained....and at the end of the tour he will accept his fee with a slight bow and say "Thank you,I hope you enjoyed the visit and wish you a pleasant day and stay in our city"...Wow!                                  
Entrance gate
A section of windows
     

A Palanquin
A Period room with all its glitter    
                     




Peeping room of the Maharani
Diwan-E-Khas
A guarded baby cot
                                                 

Above is a teaser for the kind of grandeur that can be seen inside the fort.Galleries displaying elephant howdah of emperor Shahjehan,rich collection of Palanquins,some very good specimen of fine arts such as textiles,decorative arts,paintings,manuscripts,turbans ...rare collection of Armoury with sword hilts made of Jade,Silver,Ivory and shields studded with precious stones are all here along with fabulously decorated period rooms,courtyards,windows et al... testament to the days many centuries ago,when the Kings ruled and fought and lived in splendour.



You're looking at the Blue City of Jodhpur. Why are there so many blue houses?:
It is thought that Brahmins – first took to coloring their houses blue  to signify their domicile and to set them apart from the rest of the populace. Soon, however, the rest  followed suit.
Ask a local why all the houses are painted thus and the usual reply is that the color keeps the interiors cool and fends of mosquitoes. Yet if this truly worked then it would be quite likely that the whole subcontinent would be awash in various hues of blue. It is likely that the ubiquitous blueness of Jodhpur is an exuberant display of human resilience against the stark Thar desert which surrounds the town. Against the bleak backdrop of parched brown earth the blue city exerts itself magnificently.
At the end of our fort visit,after refreshment, we climbed down the 100Ft by the side of the fort,amidst the blue houses to reach the clock tower from where Anil picked us up for the return.

The Rajasthani dinner that Sajjan Singh  hosted with Bakhri Roti in the main with Dal and Subzi cooked in Rajasthani style was fabulous.We were happy to meet this American lady from Berkley who was also his long-term guest and doing research on Medieval  Marwar rulers. 


After a short tryst with a Local bangle dealer,we were on our way to the airport to meet other members of our team who would join us on our tour of Jaisalmer.
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Jodhpur to Jaisalmer (~300 Kms) was a great ride on the NH.We stopped at a way side resort for lunch and sped along passing Pokhran the site of the Nuclear test  and reached J'mer at 7:30.Soon we were at Jasmin home,a Boutique hotel in the proximity of the J'mer fort
Weather was cool tending to cold as we snuggled into our warm wears and the hotel owner gave us a very welcome "welcome drink" of tea at the rooftop overlooking the lighted fort.

Next morning first stop was Jaisalmer Fort


       
 
Made of sand stones and locally known as Sonar Quila, the Jaisalmer Fort is a dominating structure. 250 feet tall and reinforced by imposing  crenelated sandstone wall 30 feet high; it has 99 bastions.Wells within the fort still provide a regular source of water.  If you are a student of cross-cultural merging, the subtle fusion of Rajput and Islamic architectural styles, visible in this fort, will catch your fancy. This is a live-in fort with  5000 families inside the walls,even today, many engaged in satisfying the tourists with souvenirs, textiles,handicrafts,travel related
businesses,hotels and restaurants.We had to watch our step as we wandered keeping out of the way of Autos,Bikes and Scooters,cows and goats all moving in the narrow alleyways.

A Haveli inside the Fort

 The Jain temples in the Jaisalmer Fort are dedicated to  the famous Jain hermits known as 'Tirthankaras'. Like all other structures in Jaisalmer, these temples are carved of yellow sandstone. The beautifully carved decorations on the wall are a treat.



We walked up to the city viewing point and saw the Cannons there.We could even see the vast expanse of the dessert on one side.We spent sometime at a restaurant enjoying the view and made our way back to the hotel for lunch.

After lunch we went to Gadisar lake

Originally a rain water conservation lake, the Gadisar Lake  is today a popular tourist attraction of Jaisalmer.  Considering its importance for sustenance, small temples and shrines were constructed around the lake, transforming it into a pilgrimage centre.But many of these shrines are  in a state of disrepair....crumbling sandstone! 
It was a good spot to walk around...sit down,relax and enjoy Nature.The ducks and fish are interesting to watch while moving in formation. The locals  sell bread to feed the hungry catfish in the lake. You can also enjoy a boat ride on this green lake.

We left the lake and walked towards the fort as advised by the Hotel...After a poor experience on the road,barely a lane to cater to human and vehicular traffic, we reached the fort.

Now the fort was silent as dusk had settled and many shops had shut for the day.We explored the alleys and were looking to have a spot of coffee somewhere.We found our way to KUKU's for a roof top experience while sipping coffee and talking to the owner about J'mer and its ways.

Still later, for dinner we selected another roof-top on top of a hotel nearby.It was windy and chilly...and were provided
with shawls to cover ourselves against the elements.As we were sipping our drink and the evening cooled further they brought coal burning sigris to provide warmth.The fort was also glowing just across the road.Great experience!

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 Next  morning we set out to see the Patwa Haveli





Traditionally, Patwas were weavers and engaged in jewellery-making working with silver and golden threads.
View from a window of the Haveli
Patwa Havelis are a cluster of five havelis aligned in a narrow lane in the heart of the city. Of the five havelis, the first haveli in the lane  is not only extraordinarily preserved and restored but is also open to visitors to experience the lifestyle of the erstwhile patwas.

Haveli is full of artistic work , be it gracefully carved pillars, façade or the balconies (Jharokhas). Expensive decorated items were imported from various countries. The murals and interiors have derived inspiration from the Rajputi, Mughal as well as Victorian architecture.

 
We finished a hurried lunch at a restaurant near the J'mer king's palace and returned to the hotel to pick up our stuff and leave for the Camel safari.

For the camel safari experience we had to travel 45 kms to the dessert to find sand dunes.
On the way we were given a short tour of  certain  Cenotaphs. These cenotaphs also known as chattris were constructed by the various Bhatti rulers. One cenotaph has been erected for each ruler. The oldest among them is the cenotaphs of Maharawal Jait Singh who reigned from 1470-1506. This tradition was discontinued when in 1947, one of the prince died of a mysterious disease. This was taken as a bad omen and the tradition came to an end.

Then we visited the Abandoned village
Kuldhara,a large village  established in 1291 by the Paliwal Brahmins was a prosperous community with their ability to grow bumper crops in the  arid desert. They were known for their business acumen and agricultural knowledge. But one night in 1825 all the people in Kuldhara  vanished in the night. Why did the villagers abandon the village?
The evil Dewan of the ruling kingdom saw the beautiful daughter of the village chief and was smitten. He wanted to marry her and pushed the village chief to accede. He gave them a deadline  after which he would forcefully enter the village and take their daughter.  The elders met one night and for pride and honor decided to leave the village.......just like that..WoW!!
When we were there a TV crew was using the locale as a backdrop for a village scene.......a ready made set! 
                                                                               


 We were now at the Sand dunes and was greeted by a great solitude,the afternoon Sun dipping in the sky beyond the cascading Dunes yonder.A few camels and their keepers had gathered to take care of guests.We were shown to our clean tent accommodation with  Bed and bathroom facilities for the overnight stay.

We got on the camels,our first, and  traveled over the brush and on the dunes for a good hour stopping to take pictures and it was fun....the pulsating and gentle movement of the animal over the sand was such a pleasurable experience.We got down to watch the sunset and take more pics and returned.
                                                            
                                             
                                                        
   


                         
                         

              
In the evening we were treated to a cultural show with songs and dances around a Bonfire..Very enjoyable to listen to this group as we dined.... in the open!

Thus ended a great sojourn to Jodhpur and Jaisalmer.....
                                                              













12/16/14

AN wedding in Sonoma,California


The Couple 
After dating for eight long years, most of it long-distance, this bride and groom......

Aditya



Neeharika















decided to tie the knot at Sonoma’s Garden Pavilion to give their friends and family a little taste of California. Everyone pitched in to create the couple’s dream wedding and the end result was beautiful



 
The Venue


Oo la la, the wedding venue was absolutely stunning!! It was very private, intimate and you can't beat that you get the venue for three days with the option to rent the big beautiful Victorian house that comfortably sleeps  12 adults. It's perfect for a wedding that's at 100+ capacity.

  Not only was it  gorgeous  with trees, lawns and flowers, it had the backdrop of the vineyard. The wedding felt homey and comfortable. The venue helped set the tone and provided the ambiance for the relaxed, casual celebration






The Poonal and  Mehendi



As a precursor to wedding ceremonies the Poonal or Janeu came first, the makeshift Pandit taking his own time arranging things but taking very little time in converting Aditya into a Brahmin fit for higher responsibility in life.

I wouldn't put the blame on the Pandit.Aditya felt he was losing precious time before the Mehendi function when all his friends and more importantly the caterers would arrive to start the festivities going.


The  Mehendi was a riot of colors,the colorful bangles adding some charm, and the girls queued up to the artist for Henna-ing their hands while the guys were guffawing out of their ear shot,and busy quenching their thirst.It was a warm September day





 

The Dosas were quite a hit,the guy  barely coping with the orders and was        recalled at least once after he had packed up.
 

 Many guests took an evening stroll at the vineyards and it was clicketyclick all around.The evening was very pleasant and the Whites and Reds helped  to achieve the heady pleasure.




The Wedding
























Next afternoon we  started with  Baraat. A simple affair without the horse and without those guys dancing their heart out throwing money etc. Aditya was given a traditional welcome to the dais followed by Neeharika who was escorted by her sister.




The ceremony followed,the Pandit blowing the conch shell, and they were married quite quickly with the bride taking the mangala sutra around her neck...3 knots to the sound of Getti Melam followed by maang- me - sindoor and saath pheras.



 
The heaven showered its choicest blessing on the couple and so did the folks...smothering them with Akshadai (Rice mixed with Haldi) and they were ready to ride away into the sunset.

 



The Reception

The thirsty crowd was gathering for Cocktails/Reception and making a bee-line for drinks and snacks.Lots of Beer and Wine flowed from the Bars that were set up on the lawn and for the teetotalers, Mango lassi was the unanimous choice.

The talk centered around the traffic jam outside on Rt 37 and who will drive back home? Nevertheless they all enjoyed the evening as the new couple made their grand entrance from the bridal suite and over the small bridge on to the lawns.


The Dinner

The couple mingled with the guests for a while and before long the dinner gong was sounded and we had to troop in and take our appointed stations inside.The dining area was well arranged and decorated and was packed to capacity. 

We had such a blast celebrating with our extended family,in-laws and friends.Hilarious and heartwarming toasts followed and to conclude Aditya sang a great thankyou song.

After a Dinner relished by all,we crowded the dance floor and the DJ went berserk and got all to shake and dance to glory


 















The Finale











We had a canopy of people standing with fire crackers to wish and cheer the couple as they passed under.....to much hooting and whistling. Then the Boy hugged and kissed the girl to a great cheer from the crowd