INDIA

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Jaisalmer

Jaisalmer is a small town in western India, near the border with Pakistan. Its monumental fort magnificently rises high on a cliff above the surrounding vast, flat and dry desert. The town used to be an important stop on the Silk Road.

The fort is well preserved and its streets are still alive.

Jain temples inside the fort display fine stone-carvings.

The bus station is usually bustling with activity. Vendors are trying to talk travelers into buying fruits before their departure, but the passengers are too busy trying to find a seat. Many of them choose to sit on the roof of the bus rather than get totally squeezed inside.

This group of royal cenothaps (tombs) can be found only a few kilometers from Jaisalmer.

One day, we ventured out into the desert near Jaisalmeru. The weather was bearable since it was winter during our visit. We would not survive here long in the summer, when temperatures often reach 45°C.

You might not believe it, but this 15-year old scooter managed to finish a 40km tour through the desert (carrying both of us) without breaking down.  Upon our return, its owner admitted that he would not have had the courage to venture so far out of the city.

Women wear colorful clothes and a lot of jewelry here, including many bracelets (notice the white bracelets worn by the women in the middle).

It is considered a good omen, when a woman carrying water crosses one's path.

Most houses in desert villages have stone walls covered with mud and roofs made of dried branches.

In the desert, the main mean of transportation is a camel. Camels can carry 300 to 400kg of weight.

Even though the Great Thar Desert is mostly rocky, sand dunes can also be found there.

Jodhpur

The Meheranghar Fort, the residence of Jodhpur's Maharajas, is a monumental and solid structure.

Houses in the old center of Jodhpur are painted blue. We were told that it is so because the indigo color is a good mosquito repellent. (We can confirm that there are many mosquitoes in Jodhpur.)

View of the fort

It used to be a Hindu tradition that a wife (or wives) would join her deceased husband on his funeral pyre and burn while alive.  This ritual is called "sati" and was last performed in Jodhpur in 1848. At the main fort gate, there are hand prints of the wives of former Maharajas, who performed "sati".

An example of palace interiors

An example of palace exterior - the perforated outer walls allowed for better air circulation and brighter rooms.

In Rajastan, men are proud of their turbans and often huge moustaches.

Delhi

The Qutb Minar tower was built in the 13th century. Nearby is also located the first mosque in India, also from the 13the century,  which was built by Muslim conquerors who defeated the last Hindu kingdom in Delhi. Inside the mosque stands the famous iron pillar from the 4th century, which has not rusted even after so many centuries.

Close-up view of the 73m high and richly decorated Qutb Minar tower

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