Udaipur Off The Beaten Path

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There are of course many lakes in the regions, most of them reservoirs of sorts that retain the water through the dry season. During our visit, we were often captivated by the ordinary duties of bathing and laundry on the lake. In this series of images, not the related cropping of an elderly woman whose grey hair is long. These Indians did not appear unhealthy or underfed. What's remarkable to me is the connectedness of the village Indians to the water. There are similar lakes in California, but the access to them is over gravelly or mud beaches, whereas the ghats provide a wonderful marble shelf from which to reach into the water. I've always loved to swim and bathe in the alpine lakes of California, but the water isn't near so warm as in the region around Udaipur. Probably, these villagers see no advantage nor romance in such natural methods of bathing and laundry, and certainly over time I would tire of it, but the open air and seemingly fresh water was very nice at Nagda and Eklingi.

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For those who like to hike distances, there are several temples worth exploring. These are often easily seen from the road, so it's possible to do as I ask my driver to do, pull over and take a short hike up an enbankment or over a stone wall. The view from the temple is often worth the climb in itself.

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Hindu Temples typically have ornate conical, or beehive, rooflines. The ones at Nagda don't disappoint the visitor. However, in the plundering by Mughal raiders, some roofs were leveled. The effort in this destruction must have been a challenge though as some ruins escaped the vandalism.

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Most interiors of Nagda were either closed off for safety reasons or completely ruined, but we did find one temple at Sas Bahu in credible shape. Compare the unique Hindu arches which are often found on the wonderful Hindu temples, with the column and dome style architecture of Ranakpur in other tips.

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There are second and third floor balconies where one can peer out across the lovely surrounding countryside. Ranakpur is an active temple with gardens to feed those that live there, and there are several minor temples that can also be seen in the distance. Here also are other memorable images from the exterior and artistic interior of the great Ranakpur Temple. This tip deserves a rating just for the effort of bringing them to you. Now, it's your turn to visit and photograph this highly photogenic monument:-)

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Ranakpurs Entrance is actually pretty unassuming considering the grandeur of the architecture as was seen in the distance. As with any Jain temple, there is no entrance fee. I should relate that along the road leading to Ranakpur, we passed Jain faithful dress in white cotton pajamas with what appear to be surgical masks on their faces. Our driver told us that these believers held life so sacred that they didn't want to accidentally swallow any insects, and so the masks to screen their mouths. Another thing to notice is the excellent foundation details and outstanding solid construction of this building. The placement must be on firm soil, but there are also gardens as shown in subsequent tips. There are also a number of outbuildings, some of which may be older than the main Ranakpur temple. The one shown in this series of tips appears to have a roof protecting a much more ancient sacred monument.

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In the central part of the main building, the three floors and upper dome can be seen. On the exterior, the window details are a constant wonder of detailed workmanship. In a side alcove, the tirthankers are symbolized in statue form for the appreciation of believers. There is also several other sacred artwork of considerable detail, and of course there's always another incredible column to appreciate as art. Outside, monkey agressively solicit food donations from tourists. Unaware of their speed, Belinda lost her sandwich to a monkey that surprised and snatched her lunch.

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During our drive into the Nagda Lake area, I asked the driver to stop so that I could take a short hike up a hill to visit some peasant houses that I saw. My first family wasn't so receptive and grudgingly agreed to take a photo. They didn't really understand what I was doing, I think. A second family though invited me into their home, which has a rustic slate roof, through which I could see daylight. The home was very simple and crude, but the husband was handsome and his wife rather beautiful. At that time, my portrait taking skills with such people with whom I could not communicate were rudimentary, but I managed to get a great shot of this handsome if underfed family. Just as I put a coin into the palm of the woman, the car horn honked and I waved goodbye. The woman and I had struck up a bond of sorts, as she tearfully ran after me pleading me to stay longer. I would like to visit this family again sometime, but chances are I will never have the opportunity.