Hi all,
Just back from a trip to Jaisalmer (stag this time). So, this is what would explain it...
Just back from a trip to Jaisalmer (stag this time). So, this is what would explain it...
Well, it was in 1992 that I had last visited Jaisalmer. That was a road trip and without any camera!! 20 years on, I am headed there yet again. This time, I have a camera but I am alone (Stag, as they say) and I am travelling from Ambala in a train. BTW, after Vellainkanni trip last month, this trip will also be more of a revisit to a place after a gap of two long decades. I am sure, much would have changed from those days of rustic innocence and stark lack of development. Anyways, lets begin and I begin with this comic (and equally irresponsible) work...
Thank God, actual seats were upright!!
(You may, however, notice that while the panel has been fixed upside down, the manufacturer's details are correctly placed.....This happens only in India!)
I have a special relationship with deserts, in the sense that every time I set my foot in Thar, it rains. In 1991, at a place west of Barmer, it had rained the very evening we had landed up in that most under developed and arguably the driest part of this state. And locals had told us that it had rained there after a gap of 10 odd years. So, while it will be incorrect to assume and claim that I bring rains to the deserts, I would rather humbly note that during some of the wet spells in Thar, I happen to be there. So, it was no different this time. This is how it looked on the first evening of my arrival...
and then...
(A closer look at the road will give you a clue that it is wet and it is raining there. Now, while I may have a camera, I am no lensman, you see!!)
....and soon...
.....wow!...
(Honestly, i could not, despite all my attempts, capture the bolts the way I would have loved to. These was all over and I could only catch a fragment.) And another reason or excuse for such a dismal performance with my camera was this indulgence...
CHEERS!! Not many things in life can beat such a setting...!!
Thank God, actual seats were upright!!
(You may, however, notice that while the panel has been fixed upside down, the manufacturer's details are correctly placed.....This happens only in India!)
I have a special relationship with deserts, in the sense that every time I set my foot in Thar, it rains. In 1991, at a place west of Barmer, it had rained the very evening we had landed up in that most under developed and arguably the driest part of this state. And locals had told us that it had rained there after a gap of 10 odd years. So, while it will be incorrect to assume and claim that I bring rains to the deserts, I would rather humbly note that during some of the wet spells in Thar, I happen to be there. So, it was no different this time. This is how it looked on the first evening of my arrival...
and then...
(A closer look at the road will give you a clue that it is wet and it is raining there. Now, while I may have a camera, I am no lensman, you see!!)
....and soon...
.....wow!...
(Honestly, i could not, despite all my attempts, capture the bolts the way I would have loved to. These was all over and I could only catch a fragment.) And another reason or excuse for such a dismal performance with my camera was this indulgence...
CHEERS!! Not many things in life can beat such a setting...!!
The morning after....
It did not rain till next evening but weather was pretty good the next morning itself
A solemn pic..... a sombre sky looks upon a pair of memorials!
New age penetrates the old tradition!
Jaisalmer, by the way, is an ENERGY surplus state; courtesy some of the following initiatives......
and....
and....
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of windmills that dot the countryside around the Golden City
A mirage!!
Feels nice to be back here after two decades....the old glow is alive even today
Welcome to the LIVE fort of Jaisalmer (Live fort means a fort in which populace lives even today. Such an arrangement is reminiscent of an era bygone. BTW, Chittorgarh is another such palace in Rajasthan.
A number of gates would greet you as you walk up the slope inside the fort.
(My belief that the best thing about this fort is the walk that it affords a visitor inside its own complex, stands re-affirmed. Being alive with local populace, a stroll through its many lanes and by-lanes, takes one to a different epoch altogether. I distinctly remember the joy of walking here, way back in 1992.... a similar joy greeted me this time around, ie, when I walked/limped through the maze and then just sat down on a ledge for a while.)
The drainage from upper floors and portions
( While these old age pipes have been in use for centuries, locals fear the fact that more than usual water has been seeping into the foundations of the fort (both because of a changing rainfall profile and because of the pressure from the populace that lives inside and keeps growing every year). So, my guide, Mr Partap (INR 100 is the govt rate; his cell No is 09414805783) firmly believes that a few decades down the line, this fort may simply collapse. His fears are not without grounds for a portion of the fort wall, towards the city itself, has already come down and is under re-construction.)
A view of the Golden City
(With pink part of the Pink City getting smaller and smaller (when compared to rest of Jaipur city) and with Blue wash giving a feel of some artwork that has been over-done, this Golden city actually stands apart and justifies its name!)
The Last Post
(This is the rail-head in this part of the country. The rail connectivity, however, is not very impressive! )
One of the THREE famous Havelis of Jaisalmer
(This view came as a shocker. I remember having seen sand dunes around this particular Haveli, some two decades ago. But for the hill beyond this locality, I would not have even noticed the difference!)
Gunner's Shooting Panorama!
(If he could pan it, i.e!)
Life n Cricket go on, as usual !
Some more such like works...
And some real Innovations here...
( The fort has no cement in its walls and fortifications. This is how they would anchor stones with one another and that is how the fort was built. The cement you may see here is courtesy some lousy restoration work!)
Moving on...
The Royal Residence
The Ammunition......
....that is before cannons came in!
The horrible ritual!!
Walking through the lanes inside the fort is like walking through an open but commercial museum.....
Thanks to the Administration for this....
Some More Views from the Fort..
Past with Present in the backdrop!
Back to the Lanes,,,
Some grace....
And some neglect....
And some more shame this....
....and this...
It did not rain till next evening but weather was pretty good the next morning itself
A solemn pic..... a sombre sky looks upon a pair of memorials!
New age penetrates the old tradition!
and....
and....
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of windmills that dot the countryside around the Golden City
A mirage!!
Feels nice to be back here after two decades....the old glow is alive even today
A number of gates would greet you as you walk up the slope inside the fort.
(My belief that the best thing about this fort is the walk that it affords a visitor inside its own complex, stands re-affirmed. Being alive with local populace, a stroll through its many lanes and by-lanes, takes one to a different epoch altogether. I distinctly remember the joy of walking here, way back in 1992.... a similar joy greeted me this time around, ie, when I walked/limped through the maze and then just sat down on a ledge for a while.)
The drainage from upper floors and portions
( While these old age pipes have been in use for centuries, locals fear the fact that more than usual water has been seeping into the foundations of the fort (both because of a changing rainfall profile and because of the pressure from the populace that lives inside and keeps growing every year). So, my guide, Mr Partap (INR 100 is the govt rate; his cell No is 09414805783) firmly believes that a few decades down the line, this fort may simply collapse. His fears are not without grounds for a portion of the fort wall, towards the city itself, has already come down and is under re-construction.)
The market inside the fort
(Being an off season time, thank God, there was no rush and it was pretty peaceful. The pure tourist oriented shops were more or less shut, more so because of Akshay Trithya festival that day. For me, it was a great combination since I could enjoy my walks without rubbing shoulders.)
The WIND Gate
( This is the last gate and it is at an elevation that is higher than any other gate of the fort. Quite naturally, a walker would be a bit strained, if not tired, by this time. So, there are old stone seats for people to sit and catch a breather. As you sit there, you would realise the background for such a name....a very pleasant breeze flows through it because of the funnel that it creates between two open spaces.)
Rasri awat jaat toh sil par parat nisaan.....not exactly, though!
(We all know that when a fragile rope is rubbed against a stone, time and again, it would leave a mark on the rock. This shine and glow on these stony benches, however, are because of rubbing of the stone by bottoms and backs of numerous walkers who have been here.... realised the power that our backyard holds!!)
Raja Mahal...the male quarters
(Once we cross through the wind gate, we come upon a small open space, called choupal as well as Dussherra Maidan here. On one side of it is this palace where Kings would live while on the next flank is Rani Mahal (the royal ladies' quarters...please see below...
Raani Mahal
This art in stone is far superior to today's art in motion!
(Could you make out 100 odd peacocks that have been sculpted here?)
The ruler would sit on this throne to witness festivals like Dusshera and so on and the tradition continues even today!
The Museum
( While the Raani Mahal now houses commercial establishments like Kashmiri art emporiums, Raja Mahal has a museum inside it. But acting on Pratap's advice, I gave it a skip!)
The WIND Gate
( This is the last gate and it is at an elevation that is higher than any other gate of the fort. Quite naturally, a walker would be a bit strained, if not tired, by this time. So, there are old stone seats for people to sit and catch a breather. As you sit there, you would realise the background for such a name....a very pleasant breeze flows through it because of the funnel that it creates between two open spaces.)
Rasri awat jaat toh sil par parat nisaan.....not exactly, though!
(We all know that when a fragile rope is rubbed against a stone, time and again, it would leave a mark on the rock. This shine and glow on these stony benches, however, are because of rubbing of the stone by bottoms and backs of numerous walkers who have been here.... realised the power that our backyard holds!!)
Raja Mahal...the male quarters
(Once we cross through the wind gate, we come upon a small open space, called choupal as well as Dussherra Maidan here. On one side of it is this palace where Kings would live while on the next flank is Rani Mahal (the royal ladies' quarters...please see below...
Raani Mahal
This art in stone is far superior to today's art in motion!
(Could you make out 100 odd peacocks that have been sculpted here?)
The ruler would sit on this throne to witness festivals like Dusshera and so on and the tradition continues even today!
The Museum
( While the Raani Mahal now houses commercial establishments like Kashmiri art emporiums, Raja Mahal has a museum inside it. But acting on Pratap's advice, I gave it a skip!)
A view of the Golden City
(With pink part of the Pink City getting smaller and smaller (when compared to rest of Jaipur city) and with Blue wash giving a feel of some artwork that has been over-done, this Golden city actually stands apart and justifies its name!)
The Last Post
(This is the rail-head in this part of the country. The rail connectivity, however, is not very impressive! )
One of the THREE famous Havelis of Jaisalmer
(This view came as a shocker. I remember having seen sand dunes around this particular Haveli, some two decades ago. But for the hill beyond this locality, I would not have even noticed the difference!)
Yours Truly!!
(Now, guys in my own profession would kill me for sitting, rather than saluting, the Cannon but it is a kind of a ritual there. So, when Partap asked me to pose there, I just DID it!)
That Gunner inside me
(Very soon, however, I was back to myself. This is how a gunner would see his targets!!)
......and....That Gunner inside me
(Very soon, however, I was back to myself. This is how a gunner would see his targets!!)
Gunner's Shooting Panorama!
(If he could pan it, i.e!)
Life n Cricket go on, as usual !
Marvellous.....isn't it!
( The houses inside this LIVE fort have all been built in golden sand stone and have some of the most intricate work on walls and facade. And you may like to note that all such craft has been done without joints and fixes. So, it is one single plate that would be prepared and then simply installed)
Some more such like works...
And some real Innovations here...
( The fort has no cement in its walls and fortifications. This is how they would anchor stones with one another and that is how the fort was built. The cement you may see here is courtesy some lousy restoration work!)
Anti Skid
(These are the anti skid designs drawn on the steps of a house inside the fort)
(While some idiots, like this CITY VIEW guys may not care, most of the commercial establishments have picked up signage made of golden sand stones)
(While some idiots, like this CITY VIEW guys may not care, most of the commercial establishments have picked up signage made of golden sand stones)
Moving on...
The Royal Residence
The Ammunition......
....that is before cannons came in!
The horrible ritual!!
Walking through the lanes inside the fort is like walking through an open but commercial museum.....
Thanks to the Administration for this....
Some More Views from the Fort..
Past with Present in the backdrop!
Back to the Lanes,,,
Some grace....
And some neglect....
And some more shame this....
....and this...
https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-w...7/DSC03091.JPG
( Pic intentionally kept as a link for the sake of both ethics and aesthetics. Caution is advised please!!)
( Pic intentionally kept as a link for the sake of both ethics and aesthetics. Caution is advised please!!)
The time now to visit the dunes at Sum. Two decades ago, when I had travelled through the area, it was like any other place but today, this is last of such domain open and accessible to one and all.....
The best time is about an hour or so before the sunset...
Me and myself!
You would need to haggle a bit and do not fall for the temptation of just riding a camel or a camel cart till sun set point. Make it a point to go for a longish ride, right till the fence beyond which protected Thar begins! And for two of u on one camel, you may pay around 250 or so though they will start with 700... Camels wait, as do the tourists, for the sunset ....
Such views are available in the area that are slightly offset from the main road and that is why you must go for a longer ride...
And also make sure that you travel off the beaten track (see, no footprints in front here....)
He is Hrithik Roshan...
Onsite entertainment...
A closer look...
And some prints, waiting to perish with first gust of the desert wind...
A vertical panorama...
Rough and Tough...
Some serious thinking here..
Some random shots as the Sun goes down...
And my base during the stay...
The best time is about an hour or so before the sunset...
Me and myself!
You would need to haggle a bit and do not fall for the temptation of just riding a camel or a camel cart till sun set point. Make it a point to go for a longish ride, right till the fence beyond which protected Thar begins! And for two of u on one camel, you may pay around 250 or so though they will start with 700... Camels wait, as do the tourists, for the sunset ....
Such views are available in the area that are slightly offset from the main road and that is why you must go for a longer ride...
And also make sure that you travel off the beaten track (see, no footprints in front here....)
He is Hrithik Roshan...
Onsite entertainment...
A closer look...
And some prints, waiting to perish with first gust of the desert wind...
A vertical panorama...
Rough and Tough...
Some serious thinking here..
Some random shots as the Sun goes down...
And my base during the stay...
CONCLUDED
