India - Day 11, Ranakpur's Jain Temple and bus ride to Udaipur

After visiting the elementary school in Narlai we board the bus to begin our long drive to Udaipur.  Driving on the bus has been a great experience.  The ladies take the time to connect and bond with each other and the sights along the way are always fascinating and entertaining.  We must drive along the road which only has one lane of pavement.  Needless to say the driver has to work his magic weaving through the obstacles of oncoming water buffalo, herds of goats, cars, truck, buses and people. Our first stop this morning is Ranakpur to visit the magnificent Jain temples.  This marble complex is noted for the 29 halls supported by 1,444 pillars, each adorned with hundreds of carved figures with no two alike.  It took 60 years and 3000 skilled labourers to build this amazing structure by hand in the 14th century.  The temple is set on many acres with gardens filled with flowering trees and shrubs. Inside the temple we walk quietly and meander through the maze of carvings and pillars.  It's difficult to imagine how they built such an amazing structure without the use of modern equipment. There a small rooms throughout which house the sacred idols.  There is a strong smell of incense in these small chambers and the idols within seem to stare at you with their mesmerizing gaze.

Our next stop is for a luch break at the 5 star Hotel Fateh Pagh.  Located in the quiet countryside near the Jain temple, this fabulous hotel is set on acres of green grass and gardens.  The delicious lunch is served outdoors at tables with large umbrellas set up on the lawn..  A very nice break on this warm sunny day.
We travel a couple of miles down the road to visit a local rug making centre. Here we are given a demonstration on how they make these fine Dhurriw rugs.   

Back on the bus to continue our long drive to Udaipur.  Still on a narrow roadway, our bus climbs up into the Aravali mountains through a wildlife sanctuary.  Along the way we see monkeys jumping from tree to tree and sitting on the road and stone walls.  A herd of goats moves off to the side to allow our bus to pass as we continue winding up to an elevation of 3500 feet above sea level.  The view of the mountains and the valley below is spectacular. We pass through farm land  where men work the land with oxen hooked to their plows and ancient water wheels.  The small towns are bustling with the activity of daily life and many interesting characters are seen along the way.

One quick break at a roadside pit stop where the washrooms a mere hole in the floor.Yech! We continue our drive along the highway leading into Udaipur.  Our hotel is situated in the old city.  The streets are too narrow for our bus so we must walk from the edge of town to our hotel.  It's an interesting walk through the busy streets, once again dodging cars, cows, motorcycles and people. There are many shops along the way and the ladies are already picking out the ones they want to go back to visit.  Hotel Amet Haveli is another heritage hotel situated on the banks of Lake Pichola.  This palace was once home to the royal off Udaipur. Today they reside in a portion of the large palace situated cross the lake from our hotel.  The temperature this evening is comfortably warm  and the view from the lakeside restaurant is magnificent.  This area is said to be the Venice of the East. Tomorrow we are touring the City Palace and taking a scenic cruise on the lake.