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.

India - Day 11, Narlai elementary school visit

This morning we are up early. Some ladies have gone for a hike up the hill to take in the view from the top and to see the large marble elephant statue. This statue is so large it can be seen from many miles off in the distance.  Others enjoy a refreshing dip in the pool and some have an early morning yoga session on the lawn.   One of the handsome young hotel staff bring us coffee, tea and juice to be enjoyed poolside. What a great way to start the day!
Bags packed, checked out of our rooms we head off for a walk through the village of Narlai to visit the local elementary school.  The walk through town is quite entertaining.  Village life is very simple and time seems to stand still here.  Children and women greet us with warm friendly smiles, animals stare at us as we walk by and we make way for a farmer leading his oxen and cart out to the fields.  We dodge mud, water puddles and excrement on the narrow road way.  Their sewer system is very primitive and I suppose it works well when there is a good rainfall.  Today it's dry and hot so the smell is in the air is quite pungent.

The children at the school are delighted to see us.  The teacher arrives and instructs a young boy to ring the bell to call everyone to class. The last straggles rush in and the children form a line from oldest to youngest then take their place seated on the floor in front of the teacher. Time for morning prayer and they add in a few songs for our benefit.  Pencils are passed out to those in attendance and bags of goodies and school supplies are presented to the teacher on behalf of the ladies from Canada.. He is grateful for the gifts and we know they are goning to be put to good use. The students at this school come from the village and surrounding rural areas. They are quite poor and are fortunate to have this school to attend.  The government supplies them with uniforms and 1 hot meal is cooked for them daily. It is mandatory for all children to attend school up to grade 7.  The lucky ones can afford private schools and have the opportunity to continue their education in higher grades and college. These children will be lucky to complete 7th grade.  Their English is minimal but they are happy that we have come to visit them and they greet us with warm smiles. Life in the countryside is very different and we all have a strong appreciation for the benefits of living in our country.

India - Day 10, Narlai - Turban tying contest!

This evening our guide Ashish has treated us to a taste of Indian Whiskey and afterward a turban tying competition.  The whiskey is surprisingly smooth.  We all raised our glass to cheer our wonderful guide Ashish and sang "He's the Jolly Good Fellow"  He's been an excellent guide and has worked very hard at keeping 22 ladies happy. 

Turban tying was a blast! The ladies cheered each other on and had a great time trying to master the art of tying a perfect turban. I'm sure the other patrons at the hotel heard us hooting and cheering and they must have wondered what was going on up on the top floor of the palace.
Dinner this evening was on the roof top under the starlit sky. The temperature is perfect, there are no bugs, the air is clean and clear and the food fabulous.  The perfect way to end another great day in India.  Tomorrow we are off to visit the local school then back on the bus for a 7 hour drive to Udaipur.  

India - Day 10, Jodhpur to Narlai

This morning we finally get to sleep in. After our busy day camel riding we need some time to relax, repack our suitcases,enjoy the surroundings of the Gateway Hotel and last minute shopping. The shoe man is quite happy with the ladies, they've kept him busy making custom orders.
We our bus ride continues through the tranquil, rural countryside into the the Aravli Hills to the 17th century village of Narlai.  Here we'll stay at another Heritage hotel, the Rawla Narlai.  This was once the favourite hunting lodge of the royal family of Jodhpur.  
Along the way we stop at a Women's Cooperative where the locals make embroidered blankets, quilts, table runners, jackets and much more. Each piece is magnificently hand crafted by these talented women and men. 
Our drive through the countryside is amusing and entertaining. The highway, or so they call it, is one narrow strip of pavement meant for traffic in both directions. Needless to say our skilled driver must pull off onto the dirt side often to make way for oncoming traffic, shepherds crossing with their flock and cows and buffalo meandering down the road.  The women are busy cutting hay and wheat in the fields, sickles in hand and dressed in their brightly coloured saris.  It's quite a sight.  Men are steering their oxen and plows through the fields and the roadway is busy with people carrying bundles of wheat, hay and sticks on their heads. It's amazing how much they can carry and how expertly they balance their heavy load.

The drive through the village of Narlai is quite an ordeal.  The narrow streets now have rocks and debris piled where only 6 months prior there was a clear.  The bus is not able to make it through this clearly so the hotel must send a troop of men to clear the way. The excitement has brought out all of the towns people, even the cows move in for a closer look at the action. Wires are held up for the bus to pass through, wood, bricks and rocks are moved and finally we arrive at the Rawla Narlai. The ladies give a loud applause of appreciation to our driver and his attendant.  The hotel staff are waiting in the courtyard with cool drinks and garlands made of bright orange chrysanthemums.   This 17th century fortress is now a peaceful hotel centred around a beautiful filled with bright bougainvillea and fragrant Frangipani trees. The bedrooms in the main lodge are spacious, some have frescoed walls and all are furnished in Rajasthani style.  The pool area has a line of tented rooms which are elegant and airy. This afternoon we have free time to settle into our lovely  rooms, enjoy a dip in the pool and later meet in the courtyard for cocktails and henna tattoos.  Since we already have henna on our hands many have decided to put them on their legs. The henna ladies are quite skilled and create pieces of art on us . This evening we are going to drink Indian Whiskey and have a turban tying contest. What a combination. This should be fun!