happiness and food

Before visiting Rajasthan when I thought of the state, the cities that came to my mind were Jaipur and Udaipur. Jaipur for being the capital of the state and Udaipur for that royal name and feel to it. As an IIT aspirant, I had also heard of Kota. Strange as it may sound, Rajasthan was never on my travel plans. I wonder what could be the reason but frankly, I don’t want to think of one. Not important, right?

Then last year when we were planning to explore a part of India during the holiday season, we picked up Rajasthan. The road conditions were worth the effort to drive so on a fine December morning we picked up the trusted Alto and left for Rajasthan.

On the third day of our road trip, we drove to Jaisalmer. It was a long journey from Jaipur. Some 560 kilometers and with breaks it took us 10 hours to reach.

We had decided to spend three nights in Jaisalmer so there was no rush. The first impression of the city was different from what I had expected. It was a quiet and planned city. Decent infrastructure, public transport and easy to cover on foot.

As much as I like road trips, I also want to spend time in the cities we visit. This is not as easy as it sounds. Both VT and I don’t like to travel to relax. We like to travel to explore and to see things that we haven’t seen before.  Spending time then throws the plan out of the park and we all know there is never enough time. A job to go back to and the never-ending chores don’t make it possible to spend time at leisure.

With Jaisalmer, it was different. We were going to spend three nights there and it did seem more than how we usually plan. VT still can’t believe we were there for three nights.

Gadisar Lake: When we reached Jaisalmer, the Sun had begun to set. I prefer drives when the Sun is up. The night driving makes me uncomfortable so in spite of the long drive that day, we had reached Jaisalmer by evening. It was a good time to check in and have a cup to tea to relax. Then during the little time we had remaining in the day, we thought of exploring the Gadisar Lake.

This lake was excavated in the 14th century and was used as the main source of water for the city. Small temples and shrines of Amar Sagar surround the lake making it a beautiful spot. We watched the Sun go down and peddled a boat in the lake.  It was a beautiful way to end our day and begin the stay in the city that loved over the coming days.

A day around Jaisalmer: Our first full day was planned around the city. We stayed at the Rajasthan Tourism Hotel and its location was ideal to go around the city. The places we wanted to visit were at equal distances in various directions from our hotel. So after a good breakfast and a car full of snacks, we set out to explore. Can you believe that sometimes time doesn’t run out even when you are having a good time? That day we did not know we will see so many unique things and come back with more memories than we had expected to make?

Tanot Mata Mandir: Imagine 3000 bombs being dropped by the enemy and none explodes. That’s the power of this temple. Maintained by the Border Security Force since 1971, this temple is 10 kms from the India-Pakistan border. Locals say that Tanot Mata protects every soldier on the border. The temple has a small area where the unexploded shells are put on display. These were dropped during the war of 1971 but not a single one blew up.

Laungewala War Memorial: The war with Pakistan in 1971 was a big one.  India was able to contain Pakistan’s effort to win over the west post and push the army back. This war memorial took us back to the history we did not know. The battle at Laungewala was a defining moment in India’s win. It was also the Air Force and Army partnership in that battle where forces complemented each other’s strengths.  Every time I visit a war memorial or get to know about the heroic efforts of our soldiers, my respect for them goes up many notches.  Sitting in our cozy offices, we really don’t know a thing about what it takes to protect a nation.

BOP 609: This is the international border out post between India and Pakistan. Let me start by saying that this isn’t a tourist spot. Civilians are not allowed to go until the border. The permission to visit the border is a factor of luck. One has to submit copies of credentials with the border security force and that is no ticket. We hadn’t imagined that we would get to go to BOP 609 but it happened.

Standing meters away from the barbed wire and talking to officers who were guarding the border was a humbling experience. Shoot at sight orders are common at the border. I am writing for you readers but I followed the rules and did not click any picture that could jeopardize India’s safety.

Kuldhara: If you are a reader of this blog, you know of  this deserted village. Haunted post the Sun sets, this village had a look that made me wonder about the lives of people who lived there. No one knows how those villagers left their homes and never came back. Till date, the place remains deserted and inhabited.

Sam Sand Dunes: We wrapped our day watching the Sun set in the Thar Desert. For as far as we could see, there was sand. And then at the horizon was the Sun. Calm yet red. Going down and painting the sky in hues of orange and yellow. You can ride a camel, go for a desert safari or sit and enjoy the surroundings.

Day two at the living fort of Jaisalmer: The Jaisalmer fort is one the very few living forts of the world. It means that people live inside the fort unlike other forts which are now heritage structures for tourism and travel.  We started day 2 at a relaxed pace with an intent to explore the fort on foot. As we walked around the fort, my mind was puzzled. Imagine knowing that you are in a fort with high walls and seeing women coming out of their house to run an errand and go back. Or chatting at their door and exchanging sweets. It felt like a colony but only that it was within the fort. We visited a beautiful Jain temple, walked around the market lane, asked our guide a ton of questions and made the most of our time.

We ended our day at the Jaisalmer War Museum and like always came back to the hotel humbled.

The sunsets at Jaisalmer were the most beautiful I had ever seen. The city in itself was full of history and natural beauty. The Thar desert and its sand dunes can make you forget what it means to lose time. Sunsets can make you fall in love all over again with Nature. The best of all is the big heart that the city and its residents have to welcome people from all around the world.

If given a chance, I would love to go back to the city that stole my heart.

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In December 2017, I was on a road trip to Rajasthan. You can check out other travel tales from Rajasthan here. We travelled with HVK and you can check HV Kumar’s Facebook Community here.