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TRIP UPDATE - 5 (December 26-29)
Ahmedabad, Modhera, Udaipur, Ajmer, Pushkar and Jaipur
December 26, 2006, Ahmedabad to Udaipur
We changed our plans slightly and the result was a massive increase of over 200 km of travel. Our original plan was to travel from Ahmedabad to Udaipur via Himmatnagar about 260 km but we came to know about Modhera Sun Temple a fantastic heritage monument about 80 km from Ahmedabad an from where we could reach Udaipur via Abu Road and Pindwara. Considering the extended distance ahead of us we left Minal's place pretty early and were on the road at 7.00 am. There was a slight fog and a certain nip in the air as early morning cold winds hit us in the face.
Our first stop was just about 17 km from the city at Adalaj village where a famous monument is sited, the Adalaj Vav or the stepped well. Built in 1498 by Ruda wife of a Vaghela chief Virasimha, Adalaj Vav is an example of how creativity can transform even the most mundane well into a work of art and a splendour in stone.
The stepped well is a fantastic place to spend time amidst antiquated works of art. The Adalaj actually comprises of two wells around which a massive stone structure has been built comprising of balconies, windows, steps supported by artisticaly carved pillars. Water level in both the wells is at about 60 ft below the ground level and one has to descend a flight of well laid stone steps to reach the water. The artworks on the supporting pillars, windows and frescoes display a high degree of perfection and even to this date the water in the wells are potable, but since it is a protected monument people are not allowed to draw water from the wells.
After spending about an hour in the tranquil surroundings and marvelling at the exquisite artistry in sheer rock we proceeded to Gandhinagar the capital city of Gujarat where we planned to visit the Gandhi Ashram and the Akshardhan temple. But since both the places opened only at 9.30 am and it was still 8.30 we reluctantly decided to skip them and move to Modhera where the antiquated and fantastically beautiful Sun temple is sited. The route to Modhera took us through narrow village roads upto Mehsana and from there it was a smooth single lane road all the way to the monument. This 35 km stretch was the only occasion when we came across potholed and bad roads in Gujarat.
Enroute we stopped to take a peek at a beautiful temple named Vaishnavi Dham being built just adjacent the highway. The temple dedicated to Mata Vaishnodevi is on the verge of completion appears very beautiful from the road. As we started riding towards Modhera we were accosted by an advocate who wanted to know about our tour. When we explained he was impressed and said: "Our state government is only interested in building roads and security issues. Education is the last priority here. My children are still studying the same science and maths texts that I studied. There have been so many changes in the world but our education department doesn't seem to be aware of them. I hope your campaign falls into the right ears and they take up modernising the school system in the state." After a little more interaction we forged ahead towards our destination.
Modhera is a nondescript village tucked away amidst Gujarat's countryside about 18 km from the main national highway. All around Modhera there are vast tracts of land full of bright yellow mustard flowers. The most common means of transport is the camel cart. Though there are few daily buses upto Modhera further from there people have to depend on camel carts and tractors. Of course some hardy farmers do cycle up and down the road too.
As we entered Modhera, we chanced upon a vast lake on the banks which lies the Sun temple. Amidst the tank is a small mound of earth over which is sited a stone structure which according to a signboard is the Hawa Mahal, perhaps a view point to see the glory of the Sun temple. This 12-pillared structure is equally artistic and has two windows with attractive tracery work. As I passed through the gates of the sun temple complex (ticket Rs.5 per person) and walked towards the temple the excellent maintenance, lawns and well pruned trees came amidst which the stone temple is sited came into view. The Sun temple is one of the most beautiful ancient shrines I have visited in the country. Sited contiguous to a large rectangular stepped tank the temple comprises of two polygonal structures in which no rock surface has been left plain. Every inch of the walls, pillars, roof and even windows display attractive relief sculptures predominantly leaf and floral patterns. One thing that struck me was that the designs here are strikingly similar to the ones I saw in the mosques in Champaner ruins. Amazing indeed both the shrines must have been built/ designed by the same artisans. It is wonderful to see similarities between two conflictingly different religious places.
 
Modhera Sun temple vistas
The stepped tank in front of the temple is currently bereft of water but all round there are small shrines enshrining deities such as Ganesh, Lakshmi, Parvathi, Shiva etc. Each shrine has a proper cupola over the sanctum and pillars representing the navaranga. The artisans' eye for detail and perfection is simply impressive. I wish everyone of us could develop such an eye for detail and strive to achieve perfection. The day a majority of Indians achieve this, our country will become a developed nation, till then we need to work and work hard towards this goal.
 
Modhera Sun temple vistas
Our onward journey took us back to Mehsana and ahead towards Palampur we noticed a strange looking vehicle. It had the front of a motorcycle and the rear of a pick-up truck. Wondering what it was we stopped the vehicle and examined it. Enterprising Gujarathi businessmen had converted the trusty and powerful Enfield Bullet motorcycle into a three wheeled beast of burden. Powered by a 650-900 cc diesel engine these vehicles are exactly like a Bullet motorcycle in the front, the rear part of the chassis is cut off and a trailor is attached making it a large three wheeler. According to the driver the vehicle could lug over 1.5 tons of cargo or upto 20-25 people and a brand new vehicle cost only Rs.100,000-140,000 depending upon the engine power. Good second hand vehicles are available for less than Rs.65,000. The best part is this vehicle returns an average mileage of 50 km per litre of diesel, fantastic. I am sure hard core Bullet fans will be thrilled to know this. We took couple of pictures on the vehicle and also started it to hear its noise, yes the same throaty thump of the Bullet..."dab dab dab...".
Soon we crossed Gujarat borders and entered the desert state and started towards the town of Abu Road, there was a perceptible change in the scenery, road quality and traffic on the road. While the road width reduced to two lanes, the scenery was stark and rocky, marble laden trucks abound on the road and the drivers are unruly and don't care how they drive, they just want to move ahead and can't tolerate when any other vehicle overtakes them. It was a traumatic experience riding on these roads, we had to get off the road to save our lives on several occasions. It was about 5.30 pm when we entered the Aravali mountain range, it is winter and the bone-chilling cold started to gnaw at us. Despite our super heavy jackets, insulated gloves and helmets we were feeling the bite of chilly winds even as we entered Pindwara a village where we had to detour onto a small road to reach Udaipur.
As we made enquiries, the locals advised "Pindwara se age Adivasi Ilakha hain, use jaldi par karo, rath zyada ho gaya tho udhar dhakuon ka khatra hain". We decided to reach Udaipur and vroomed ahead in a bid to cover the remaining 98 km asap. But we hadn't bargained for such bad roads and deep potholes. The road between Pindwara and Udaipur passes through a thick forest and ghat region where deep and narrow ravines abound. It was dangerous to ride in the night but we were determined. We decided to ride close to each other and negotiate the distance quickly. The cold was hitting us on the face, the few trucks and buses on the road were moving as if they were out to get us. With bated breath, rattled bones and chattering teeth we somehow kept our wits around us and negotiated the 98 km via Gogunda and reached Udaipur at about 8.30 pm. We were glad that our host organisation Seva Bharathi, an education and social service NGO had deputed some volunteers to ensure our comfortable stay at their premises Keshav Nikunj in the town. We had steaming hot tea, dinner and feeling cold we just hit the sack.
December 27, 2006, Udaipur - the city of lakes and touts
Since we were already running late on our schedule we decided to spend only half a day in the city of lakes and palaces, Udaipur and take in the most important sights and proceed to Ajmer the same afternoon. So we started off at 8.30 am when most of the city was still sleeping in the cold. The morning was cold and slightly foggy. We headed towards Lake Pichola, reputedly the most beautiful in the city. But as we rode in the city roads I must say that this is one of the most commercialised cities I have ever visited. Even Goa pales in comparison with the commercialisation that Udaipur has undergone. Every building is either a hotel, guest house, restaurant, handicraft shop, travel agency, STD PCO, or any business establishment. It seemed as if nobody lived in the city and those who lived, stayed in the sprawling palaces that dot the citys skyline.
 
Udaipur - cty of lakes
Lake Pichola was about 5 km from the place where we stayed and before reaching there we were accosted by over 50 young men asking whether we needed a room, guide services or anything else. Some even offered to show us the entire city, narrate its history in detail and take our pictures in the most important spots for a mere Rs.20. After dodging all the touts we finally reached Lake Pichola and had a glimpse of Lake Palace the former home of the royal family, currently converted into India's most expensive hotel. Sited on an island in the middle of the lake's azure waters, the palace appears as if it is floating in water. The milky white building, clear azure waters and the soft early morning sun rays completed the picture.
Feeling like visiting something out of the main tourist circuit we rode along the lake towards a tall hill crowned by a majestic, palace like building. It was about 17 km from the lake palace we reached the entrance of the Sajjangarh wildlife sanctuary. Yes the majestic building atop the hill is the Sajjangarh fort/ monsoon palace built by Raja Sajjan Singh of the house of Mewar. Entry into the wildlife sanctuary costs Rs.10 per person and a further Rs.10 for bikes and Rs.20 for cars. Still and video camera fees are extra and cost Rs.20 and Rs.200 respectively. A 3-km smooth and curvaceous road over the steep gradient is the only motorable way the top of the hill.
  
Sajjangarh - conflicting lifestyles
As I rode towards the top I saw several women carrying huge bundles of wild grass on their heads and walking towards the exit. Unable to contain my curiousity I stopped the next group of women and enquired about how and why they are carrying the grass. I was shocked to know that these women received a paltry Rs.30 from the cattle owners. They carry the grass bundles (min 35-40 kg) all the way from the forests to the village below and in a day only two trips are possible, an income of Rs.60 a day and that too only during winter months (October-March). During summer the climate is too hostile for such hard labour. An amount which most middle-class citizens of the country don't even care to spend for a meal or sometimes even coffee in one of the ubiquitous cafes. "Yeh kaam nahi karenge tho ghar mein chula kaise jalega?" asked one of the women adding that she had never been to school and didn't know how to read of write. "Main mehenath karke mere bachchon ko school bhej raha hoon. Unhe pad-likh kar office mein kam karna padega," she said when asked about her children's education. All the women in the group were of one opinion that the government school which teaches in Hindi medium was not good enough, their children had to learn English to succeed in life. I wish this need is noticed by the numerous politicians and policy makers who visit Sajjangarh wildlife sanctuary to enjoy their holiday.
Surrounded by wooded hills on all sides Sajjangarh is an oasis of calm not too far from the teeming city of Udaipur. The view of the lake city is simply splendid. Sajjangarh palace per se is a tall three-storey structure built at the very peak of the hill. It features a massive wooden door and several attractively designed stone windows and balconies. Each providing a differentlty attractive vista of the surrounding scenery. The ground floor of the palace has been converted into a Nature Interpretation Centre which features different exhibits giving detailed explanation about the Aravali mountain range, forest, animal, bird, insect, tree and plant varieties, species, diversity, water sources, rainwater harvesting plan etc. Very very educative and informative, I feel instead of teaching environment science as a subject in classrooms, schools should bring children to places such as Sajjangarh. A single visit will be equal and perhaps more interesting and educating than several classroom sessions.
Apart from this the signage also provides a detailed history about Sajjangarh. Construction of the fort was begun by Maharana Sajjan Singh during mid 19th century and completed by his son Maharana Fateh Singh. Later in 1956 Maharana Dhiraj and Sri Bhagwath Singh of the house of Mewar handed over the palace to the government to preserve the forests around the palace. A narrow staircase leads to the very top of the palace from where the view of the surrounding forest ranges is panoramic. A small cafetaria is also present in the rear courtyard of the palace where one can feel like a king sitting atop the mountain and watching the scenic vistas of the aravali ranges.
We headed back to the city and visited the Government Museum (entry fee: Rs.3) sited in the premises of the City Palace. The museum houses a decent collection of sculptures, costumes, musical instruments, jewellery and weaponry of the yester years. The private collection of the House of Mewar is housed in a separate museum in the same premises but the entry fees (Rs.75-570) is quite prohibitive. Outside the City Palace are thousands of shops of all sizes selling everything from handicrafts to traditional Rajasthani folk musical instruments. The array of products on sale is mind-boggling and one can virtually shop till you drop. We returned to Seva Bharathi and after a quick lunch of roti and dhal we started off towards Ajmer.
After travelling about 25 km from Udaipur we came across a sprawling stone building: the Eklingaji temple, house deity of the Royal family of Mewar. From here the landscape suddenly changed, the road now passed through a series of rocky cliffs which towered on either sides. It seemed as if we were transported into a different world, a narrow black road flanked by tall rocky cliffs, fantastic scenery and the smooth winding road provided an exhilirating riding experience. But the cacophony of truck and car horns brought us back to terra firma and we were reminded that we need to be ultra careful if we wanted to reach Ajmer in one piece.
After a brief secion the terrain became flat again and this time we were flanked by rocks but they were large slabs of marble mined and placed on the road for sale. There were overloaded trucks ferrying these massive blocks and the drivers were under the impression that they owned the road and would never give way for faster vehicles, especially if it was a two-wheeler asking for way. After some distance the terrain again became mountainous and population sparse, we were in a protected forest area. This area is the habitat of Nilgai or the deer. There are so many of them in this area that it is easily to sight them. Night was setting in and it was getting colder, we are not used to this cold and were feeling the hit quite a bit. Wanting to reach Ajmer asap we just throttled our bikes and just rode in the dark overtaking trucks, cars, buses and other two-wheelers. After having some really close shaves with oncoming trucks we finally reached Ajmer at 10.30 pm. Luckily our hosts, Anil Thawani of Seva Bharati and his colleagues were waiting for us with hot food. We had our meal and had a glass of milk mixed with a spoon of turmeric and pepper powder and hit the sack for restful sleep.
December 28, 2006, Ajmer & Pushkar
Ajmer is a holy city, next only to Mecca for Indian Muslims and several Hindus visit the shrine too. Close to the city is Pushkar which hosts the country's, perhaps the world's sole Brahma temple deidcated to the lord of all creations on this earth. Pushkar is also the venue of the annual camel fair. But before visiting these places we wanted to get our bikes serviced and cleaned properly and hence we headed to Ajmer Auto Agencies, where we met up with Mr. S.S. Sehgal and courteous staff who were very happy to know about our expedition and immediately told us to wait and called up reporters of local newspapers and television channel. Within the next one hour even as our bikes were being serviced reporters and photographers from print and television turned up and started asking about our tour philosophy and experiences. Mr. Sehgal also announced that he would sponsor two full tanks of petrol for our tour.
Afte finishing the press conference we headed out into the city accompanied by Pushpendra Sharma, an employee of Ajmer Auto Agencies. Our first stop was at the Dargah Sharief, where we were met by one Imran Chisthi who helped us enter the sacred shrine. It was thanks to him that we could pass through the chaos and disorder that prevailed inside the sanctum of the shrine. I wonder why there is no organised queue system so that every devotee can offer prayers without tension and at ease. I have been to several religious places such as Tirumala Balaji shrine in Andhra Pradesh, Mata Vaishnodevi temple in Jammu and Kashmir where much more people visit but there is no chaos and disorder because every devotee gets a chance to see and pray to the lord. I think someone should take initiative and change the scene at Ajmer.
 
Ajmer and Pushkar shrines - conflicting lifestyles
Our further journey was to Pushkar (15 km) via a beautifully constructed road which snakes up and down rocky hillocks of the Aravali range. Pushkar hosts the only Brahma temple in the world and is highly revered by Hindus. Another famous landmark of Pushkar is the large man made lake behind the Brahma temple. Despite all the natural beauty and spirituality associated with Pushkar, I feel this is nothing but a druggie heaven. Foreigners throng to this place because of easy availability of drugs such as opium, heroin and marijuana. The entire city is full of shops selling handicrafts, jewellery, marble figurines, clothes etc. The Brahma temple is a modern structure built at an elevated place on the banks of the Pushkar lake. One has to be careful of the priests here though, they ask visitors to fork out money for everything and promise the world in return to a small contribution. We returned to the TVS showroom and were informed that our interview would be telecast in the evening news at 7 pm. We waited at the showroom in anticipation but our interview was not telecast. Disappointed we moved to the city to have our dinner and return to our lodging. As we exited from the restaurant at about 9.30 pm a small boy saw us and said "Main aap ko abhi abhi TV mein dekha,". "Shucks" I thought "if only we had bothered to watch the 9.00 pm news we could have seen the programme." Now nothing could be done.
December 29, 2006, Ajmer to Jaipur
The distance from Ajmer to Jaipur is only 165 km and the road is also excellent we were informed by our hosts. Hence we started leisurely at about 9.00 am after the sun was high in the sky, as early mornings were too cold to ride. The chilly winds would make our gloved fingers numb and lifeless and made it difficult even to apply brakes. So from here on we decided that our riding time would be less and hence we had to be swift and careful at the same time if were to reach our day's destination safe. Before heading out of the city we bought the local editions of the Dainik Bhaskar and the Rajasthan Pathrika which featured articles about our tour and soon moved out of Ajmer's narrow and traffic choked streets onto the fantastically smooth and wide toll highway. Riding on this road was a piece of cake except for the occasional truck driver who decided to stop suddenly and attend to a natures call right there on the road. The scenery around was dull and drab, vast empty fields of arid soil where farming was probably done only once a year. The few villages we saw on the highway were pictures of abject poverty that can be seen only in India. One of the villages appeared so drab that it didn't have even a single pucca house, all the dwellings were thatched huts and nothign more.
We reached Jaipur at about 2.30 pmand as directed in Ajmer we reached the Bharathi Bhavan, office of Seva Bharathi where our accommodation was pre-arranged. We freshened up and headed out into the busy city hoping to visit some of the famous landmarks atleast. I was taken aback by the chaos and disorder that reigned on all roads in Jaipur. There were all kinds of vehicles pushcarts, cycles, cycle-rickshaws, three-wheelers, motorcycles, cars, mini buses, lorries, people and of course cattle grappling for space and trying to move. Even in the 100' main roads the scenario was same. I felt really thankful that I didn't live in this city, Bangalore's traffic is thick but not chaotic and disorderly like here.
Jaipur is also known as Pink City of India and it is obvious as one enters the old city through any of the vast gates of the walled city. Every building in the main thoroughfares of the city is pink in colour, the palace, market, shoping malls, police statin, even the hospital is pink in colour. Searching for a building of a different colour was like searching for a needle in a haystack. Like Udaipur, the pink city is also highly commercialised and everywhere one can see shops selling handicrafts, stone jewellery, silver ware, shoes, traditional clothes, antiques etc. Touts and guides throng foreigners offering their services.
Our first stop was at the Hawa Mahal, the five-storey gallery from which ladies of the royal household would watch the happenings in the city. One thing I must mention here is that if one has to see Hawa Mahal in all its glory one should go there really early in the morning before the shops open, otherwise you will agree that the picture of the monument looks than the building. The Hawa Mahal looks impressive on the inside too. The arches, tracery work in the windows, frescoes and lintel designs are just too impressive. Entry fee is Rs.5 to enter inside the monument. If you want to visit the small museum then be prepared to pay another Rs.5. Beware of beggers around Hawa Mahal area, young innocent looking children seek alms using several languages, Hindi, English, French, German and even Spanish. Extremely bright but never been to school and don't know anything else to do other than begging. I tried to make conversation but they ran away pursuing a foreigner trying to get some money out of him. This is what makes India appear bad infront of the white man. I wonder when this awareness will sink in and we will teach children to live a honourable life with self respect.
Further we visited the Jantar Mantar an observatory built by Astronomer-King Raja Jaisingh who also founded the city of Jaipur. From here we decided to visit the hill fort of Nahargarh aka Amber fort and watch the sunset from there. Enroute we stopped to take a look at Jal Mahal or the water palace but now there is only a mahal and no Jal or water. Amber fort is located atop a tall 1,200 ft rocky hill accessible via a snaking narrow road. It is a virtual race between vehicles on this road, unruly cab drivers threaten to mow two wheelers off the road into the valley.
Most of the Nahargarh durga has been converted into a luxury hotel offering facilities such as cafe, rooms and a beer bar. A small portion of it is open to public for viewing. The halls and rooms of the palace are bereft of furniture and one can only marvel at the artistic doors and window and take in the views of the Jaipur city from the top of the fort. Entry into the fort costs a steep Rs.50 person and Rs.10-100 for vehicles. Apart from the Nahargarh durga the hill also houses a museum of mirrors which we couldn't visit as it was closed.
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