India - Jaipur and Homeward Bound (8)

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I guess with time you can get used to anything. I got used to roughing it pretty fast! I would have insisted that we spend at least one day in Indore, in order to rest, refresh ourselves and recharge our batteries. But the thought of all the hassle of looking for a hotel and just for the one night made me agree with my sons, in that we should simply try and connect to the next train out of Indore heading towards Jaipur. By some miracle, we got to the railway station, booked our tickets to Jaipur on the next train out. (paying the extra fee to side step the queue of course), and with about half hour to spare ran to the next platform and got on our train just before it left. Phew! It was early morning when we boarded that train and the man doing the specials had not even arrived. Eventually he strolled in half asleep, dusted down his desk and printed out our tickets. All this time I was biting my nails wondering if we would miss the deadline and the train would come and go without us. But somehow we made it.

We had not done this kind of 'double' journey before, and it was long and tiring and by the end of it I was ready for a long deserved night of sleep.


I had not a clue what Jaipur was all about. Didn't know what to expect and didn't really bother looking up places to see. I thought it was going to be just another City, not much different from all the others that I had seen so far. The longer I was in India, the more relaxed I became about where to go and what to do, I just didn't feel the need to plan much anymore and didn't have the inclination to do so. I was in for a few surprises. And that's what so great about India. It's unpredictable, you just don't know what could be around the corner at any time. This is one city that I am very glad we did make a stop at. It will always be a place that would stand out for me. Not for the great buildings or architecture or 'places of interest', but simply because is was in in the raw. Intriguing, astonishing, wonderful and at times ugly. But always real. And I got to ride an elephant and feed monkeys up close as they sat next to me. I wasn't expecting that, it was so much fun. It almost made up for the fact that I didn't have the time to see the ancient city of Varanasi (a place that is at the top of my list of cities to see in India - which will happen during my next trip over there).


It felt good to be near the Capital again, safe even. I knew we would make it in time to take our flight back to Canada. Funnily enough back when we were in Hyderabad my sister had phoned me, (this is my sister who lives in the UK), she was in India on holiday, visiting family and friends and she wanted to meet up. Of course we couldn't as I was still way South, it was just not possible. I wish I had been able to though, as it would have been fun doing some exploring with my adventurous sister. By this time my mother had already gone back home to England. As you can tell my family travel to India on a regular basis, just about every year in fact. Two of my sisters have holiday homes there and of course my other sister live there permanently.


As always before I carry on with this last thread about my trip around India. I will post the map that tells us of the route we took. As you can see Jaipur was to be our last city and stop before New Delhi.

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I love the way so many maps say "the boundaries of this map are not verified or authenticated" -- it makes it sound like they just made it all up or perhaps got it from a 3rd grade class.

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ha. I never noticed that until you mentioned it, K.

But like the wiggly little line I drew on it, it is just a guide, at least it gives us an idea of the route.

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I've had a really busy few days, hopefully this weekend I can continue with this report...

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There's poverty and then there's poverty. The kind of poverty I saw in jaipur could not be matched at any other place I had so far been. Agra had been a very rough town and it had the undercurrents of something sinister. Hyderabad had been a chaotic mess, edgy and uncomfortable to be in. But Jaipur was different.

Stepping out of the train station, I felt we had stepped back in time. The crowds, the beggars, the poor, the rats and mice under foot, as well as the usual assortment of stray dogs, cows, carts and thousands of people. Not to mention the dust and the dirt and the noise. Were we really in the 21st Century? 'Well, brace yourself girl', I told myself. There were better areas, but not around the train station.

What do we know about Jaipur? It is also known as the Pink City. Just like Jodhpur in Rajasthan, (which is known as the blue city due to many of the building being painted blue), Jaipur has many buildings painted Pink. Except in realty they are not really pink, more a reddish light brown. I wondered why, maybe it was due to all the dust that made the pink look that color? who knows. It has a population of 3.1 million, and together with Delhi and Agra is part of what is known as the 'Golden Triangle'.


The young cycle-rickshaw driver came up to us and offered to take us to a 'nice' hotel. ''Um... no thanks, we can find our our way''. There was no getting rid of him, besides there was no way we were all going to fit into his cycle-rickshaw. He pointed to his friend, who had an auto-rickshaw. "I promise you, if you don't like the hotel, you don't have to take it". I was too tired to argue with these people. We got on and the man took us just a couple of blocks away to an area that had many hotels all around. Here we got off, only to find that the young guy who was the cycle-rickshaw driver decided to follow us around from then on. Why was he following us? To make sure that whatever hotel we took, they knew or thought that he was the one who personally directed us to them. This way he would be paid commission by them. I didn't want or need this pressure right now, I told him to please go. He just stood there, spat our his chewing tobacco and laughed. I noticed his teeth were almost all black.

This was not going to be an easy town to be in. The people here were hardened in a way that only long-term severe poverty and all the hard knocks that come along with it can make you. I felt like we were just sitting prey. Anyway, time for a few photos? After walking around in this area for a while, we eventually decided on this hotel:

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Once in Cambodia (Sihanoukville) we were followed around by two 'motorbike guides' everywhere we went the entire time. They had taken us from the bus station to the hotel on the first day, and thereafter they waited outside the hotel and every restaurant from dawn to dusk (and probably longer). When it was finally time to leave, we used them to take us to the boat dock to go to Thailand because we felt their their patience deserved a 'reward' even though their presence surveillance had annoyed us. In certain places, a Western tourist is the only money they are going to make for the entire week, so you can't really blame them.

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I guess it must happen in many impoverished places then? Not having done this kind of travel before, it was all new to me. The young man with the tobacco stained teeth did eventually go his way. I guess he must have just got tried of waiting around for us. I really don't know what he wanted, I mean it was not as if we were going to get into his cycle-rickshaw or anything.

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We thought we'd go and see the Hawa Mahal also known as the 'Palace of the Winds', and Jaipur Fort, as well as the 'Monkey Temple'. They were done on different days but each one meant a rickshaw ride to the another area.

A few random photos of Jaipur, some of them taken while in transit to one place or another:

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The day before we had gone back to the railway station, as we were told that we could find a taxi or rickshaw that we could hire for the day there. Well, one of them offered us half a day. So we asked him to pick up us up the next morning, he had to be early so that we could have a chance to take an elephant ride up to the top of the Fort. As it happened he did not turn up. So we hired another one on the spot. He told us that the line-ups were long and in order to secure an elephant we should have been there much earlier. He was right, when we got there the line was really long and we were told that they had enough people for the day. I was very disappointed, not so much for not seeing the Fort, that didn't bother me in the least, I had seen enough Forts in India by that time. I just wanted to ride on an elephant!

The rickshaw driver was very helpful, he told us that he'd take us to someone who had an elephant and we could ride on that one instead! Oh yes please, and that is how we ended up in a back street, in a little village waiting to ride on our very own elephant, without having to share with anyone or having to line up! Sometimes it was really good fun being in India. This was one of those times.


This is the Jaipur Fort. We didn't have an elephant to go up to the top The other option was to take a jeep ride up, but that didn't appeal to me. That was not what I was looking for.
























We were told he was 100 years old and as you can see he was very well trained. When told to do so, he knelt down so that the saddle could be placed on him:


































This man took the elephant out, all saddled up, and my son and I got on and off we went for a ride around town:

[htmb]

Incredible. Where was your other son? Do we get to see a picture of you on the elephant?

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I think it would be mean to ride a 100 year old elephant. Luckily, they only live to be about 70 years old at best.

[bjd]

I must admit I feel rather sorry for that elephant -- living alone in a dark place. They are animals that live in herds in greener areas.

Was it the dry season when you were there, Deyana? Everything looks very dry and dusty. Is the fort the main tourist attraction in Jaipur?

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Nov 11, 2013 2:31:46 GMT htmb said:

Incredible. Where was your other son? Do we get to see a picture of you on the elephant?

htmb, my other son decided to have a lay-in. He didn't want to be up at the crack of dawn searching for an elephant to ride!

Um... no I best not put the pics of me on the elephant. Reason being I have my share of stalkers (from another place) and I've had to take quite drastic measures in order to block them, just to preserve my privacy, so I best leave it at that.

(p.s within these reports there are one or two candid shots of me).

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Nov 11, 2013 6:35:28 GMT kerouac2 said:

I think it would be mean to ride a 100 year old elephant. Luckily, they only live to be about 70 years old at best.

I knew that guy must be fibbing!

I must admit I did feel sorry for the elephant too, it's not the ideal way to live a life.

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Nov 11, 2013 7:25:25 GMT bjd said:

I must admit I feel rather sorry for that elephant -- living alone in a dark place. They are animals that live in herds in greener areas.

Was it the dry season when you were there, Deyana? Everything looks very dry and dusty. Is the fort the main tourist attraction in Jaipur?

It was very dry, yes, bjd. Regarding the elephant, well, I'm not sure what to say, he was old that's for sure, but he seemed to be well taken care of. Did he get enough exercise? I have no idea. I guess if I was to stay in India longer, I'd have more answers. I do know that animals in general in India are at the bottom of everyone's concerns, I saw some pretty sad sights while there. Many are used for work purposes, only a very few are actual pets.

The fort was one of the attractions, there are others. I will post photos of them soon..

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If it was hot, the elephant was probably happy to stay in the shade most of the time.

I have a photo of you from way back when, Deyana. Should I post it?

Just kidding... ;D

But maybe I'll look through the full report one of these days to see if I can spot you. It's a shame you look Indian, though. That's going to make it harder.

[htmb]

I figured that was you in your avatar.

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Kerouac, you dare! Just kidding. I've displayed myself in my avatar here quite a few times in the past.

Do you think I look Indian then Kerouac? More Middle Eastern I'd say. (My dad's ancestors were from the Middle East somewhere).

htmb... maybe I'll just keep you guessing...haha..

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I think we know who Rudyard Kipling was. Born in Mumbai (Bombay), he spent many years in India and his love of the Country echos so well in the books that he wrote. In 'The Jungle Book', Mowgli is kidnapped by Monkeys and taken to the abandoned Monkey Temple. I was told that the idea for that book came from the very same Monkey Temple, also known as the Galwar Bagh, that I visited that day. Rudyard Kipling had been there many years ago.

'Both locals and tourists come here to feed the surprisingly tame monkeys, use the temples, and enjoy the views. You can climb to the top of the hill and then down into the valley to see the Monkey Temple, all the while enjoying the company of countless monkeys, goats, and other animals. At the top of the hill, you turn right to reach the Sun Temple for one of the best views of the city, especially at sunset. Monkey food is available for purchase at the bottom of the hill. The Temples are free, but local religious people may ask for donations (optional) and there is a Rs 50 charge for using a camera.'


We went there via rickshaw. A rather moody rickshaw driver drove us there and then impatiently waited for us to look around. We took our time and my son remarked that the driver must be thinking 'Can't wait to get rid of these assholes'... Well, sorry driver but that is what we hired you for and you said it was all fine at the beginning, so now we are here, we want to have a good look around. So we did.

There is quite a walk to actually get to the Temple, but it's an interesting and fun one, and of course you have the company of many monkeys, goats and other animals along the way. There are a couple of shops at the bottom of the hill, here you can purchase peanuts in bags to feed the monkeys with, as well as snacks and drinks. We did this and off we went.


The bottom of the hill and here is our rickshaw driver walking up:

















Not ever having direct contact with monkeys before I didn't know they could be so sneaky and quick! I had a bag of peanuts in my hand and all of a sudden a big monkey shot up and snatched it right out of my hand and ran off! What the? From then on I started to hide the peanuts in my pockets. However they watch you with those intense eyes and if they see you do that, beware! They will try and get into your pockets. One time a monkey tried to snatch the whole of my son's bag, (he had just put peanuts in there,) he had to fight to get it back!















Looking up at the hill:










A view of the entrance as we climb the hill:















Another picture of our moody driver as continue:










Goats. These animals are so used to living amongst humans:
















A few of part of the town below:









"Hey lady, what about me huh?" Pulling at my dress:















I thought they were really cute. But they won't allow anyone to handle them or pick them up. I guess we have to keep in mind that they are still wild animals and being so, they can be unpredictable. However they will take food from your hand and sometimes climb on your shoulders if you encourage them to.
















Many pigs wondering around as well:


































































After the climb, the decent towards the Monkey Temple. It can be slippery underfoot and is quite a steep decline downwards. Have to be careful not to trip over the many rocks and crannies.




















And there was still a way to go before we got there.

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Uhm, deyana, I believe what you labelled as goats are in fact donkeys (one of my favourite animals!).

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You are right of course, lizzyfaire. I can be such a dumbass lol.

(they were very small donkeys haha)

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I have learned to be extremely wary of monkeys in both Africa and Asia. They will not try to take just food, but they also grab cameras, hats and the eyeglasses off your face if you are not careful. The monkeys you show look tamer than one sometimes sees, because they obviously have lots of contact with people and are not really hungry even if they are greedy.

Last time I was in Bali, just after the infamous bombings that killed so many people, my friend and I visited a botanical garden in the north which also had a monkey colony. Since foreign tourism had dropped 95%, the monkeys were extremely aggressive (probably both bored and hungry) and you could see them starting to get into an attack formation like a pack of wild dogs. We got the hell out of the monkey zone as quickly as possible.

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That's really something, Kerouac. You have certainly seen much of what there is to see in this world (literally). It's admirable, your love for travel and your inquisitive mind. I know you don't like having compliments much, but I guess I can get away with saying that at least.

I was very wary of those monkeys in Jaipur. I have heard stories of even pet monkeys (who we imagine must be very tame) attacking their owners faces and such. And actually a couple of the bigger ones showed us their teeth in a snarl when we tried to get too close. I'm just dreading that someone will get attacked badly one of these days and then they'll finally have to put a stop to this intermingling with them. Hopefully that will never happen. Horrible thought. But it's the kind of thing that lurks at the back of a person's mind.

I noticed that these monkeys were looked after though by the locals (I saw a man come up with a plate of food to feed them) and then at the temple there was a woman who seemed to be there working at looking over them. She was nursing a sick monkey at the time. Food and water was supplied for them.

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And so we continued:
























As you can see it was not easy coming down the hill, especially if you were only wearing slippers (like I was):





















The monkeys were everywhere you looked:







There was a charge for using a camera and/or a video camera, but no one asked us, nor was there any indication as where or whom to pay:
















And there it was way down below in the valley. The Temple:












We were told that the monkeys like to bath in that water. On the other side was another pool and we found some men were swimming about and dipping in that to try and keep cool.





Living History right before us:



























































And finally we make it to the end:



























We back-track the way we had come and when we get back to the beginning, we see that someone has parked their car right there. Not a good idea! The monkeys were having a field day chewing away at it. I saw them doing that to a motorbike as well, further up the hill:





















This would not be the last time I would come to this area. The street below looked just too interesting to me, but our moody rickshaw driver was in no mood to wait around anymore for us. I would have liked to have spent more time exploring this part of the city. We did however manage to spend a few minutes at the drink bar that was across the road. It sold the best lassi, milkshakes and pure fresh juices I have ever tasted, it was also very crowded:







Can you make head or tail of this board? Nor could I. I just pointed at what we wanted and it worked.

[fumobici]

Fantastic looking place. I love the bougainvilleas and the green with the monkeys on it, all properly exotic and beautiful.

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The green grass was a surprise for me. I didn't expect to see that in such a dry area during some of the hottest days in India. The scenery was really something.

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On another day one of my sons and I decided to do another little trip back to the Monkey Temple. We would not make it through to the valley this time, reason being we became distracted and once up part of the hill took another direction.

If you look up to the left, way up to the top of the mountains you can see old buildings. What could they be? No one seemed to be going that way, and I imagined it was forbidden for people to do so, maybe for safety reasons? Or just that no one would ever consider it interesting enough to explore? Either way is was off the beaten path. Just the kind of place that lures me to explore it even more.

This whole 'Monkey Temple' area was not that well advertised or governed, maybe the locals have no idea just how fascinating it is and can be to a foreigner? I found this to be a bit of a shame, because I could see how much people who did make their way here enjoyed the time spent here.

I was in two minds about going up that mountain. I mean anything could be up there, bigger monkeys even. Yikes. Wild dogs, wolfs or other wild animals, a lion? who knows? My imagination was running wild. What did we really know about this whole city and this area? Just that it was mostly left to it's own devices and it seemed just about anything went. Hardly encouraging safety wise. But my son was determined he was going up there, and I knew he had the training needed, and he carried various knives, something he had decided to do throughout this trip. So if we did encounter any wild animals, we wouldn't have to fight them off with our bare hands at least!



We could see a structure way up high, just about visible:







We climb and climb and get closer:





















The view from the mountain. We could see the city laid out below us. More blue than pink. So much for the nik-name:



















The amazing thing was from up there we could see a Fort on another mountain top. Jaipur has a few Forts in all. I'm not sure which one this would be:















Getting closer to one of the structures we had seen from down there:









What was this? Yet another Fort? If so it was an unknown and deserted one. There was not a soul around:










And a closer photo of it:








I could hear rustles in the bushes and what sounded like a dog ( a wild dog?). Great, but anyway, we carried on. It was creepy up there no doubt about it. We tried our best to get into the Fort, but it looked like rocks had been placed on what could have been the entrance at one time. The only way in and out was via one door. We went over the rocks to the back of the building to find this door. It had bars on it and a big lock



There was another structure a little further on, so we thought we'd go and check it out too. As we go under this arch, I could see engravings of names of people who over the years had passed this way too, they had carved their names in the stone. So we did the same.

































And then right at the end, at the top of the hill we see this blue building:








We walk closer and I could have sworn we heard more dogs. Thinking this building would be interesting to go inside and explore, I start looking around for a way in. and then I spot an old man with a long white beard looking at me though one of the windows! And suddenly he lets out his big dogs! Oh no, we high-tailed it out of there, without being bitten thank God. The dogs backed up and went back to their owner in the blue building and we made our way down the path back to civilization! I still have no idea who the old man was or what he does way up there. And I didn't want to stick around to ask!

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Why is this part of the story reminding me of that news report about finding the skeletal remains of a family in California the other day?

[bjd]

Strange that there was nobody else up there since the path seems to be in good condition -- at least the first paving-stone section.

I would have been more worried about snakes than lions.

Did you become more adventurous over the course of the trip, Deyana? Would this have been something you would have done at the beginning too?

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K, it could be the similar landscape? It was very creepy up there.


bjd, well someone was going up there, I saw tires tracks that were quite fresh, or were at least still visible. I'm sure the locals are very aware of the what is up there. And then of course there was the old man who lives in that blue house. It made me wonder how many other places there are in India similar to this one that are not known or heard of. I know the country has many ruins scattered around. It's finding them that is the challenge. Unless you happen to just go there by accident somehow... The path was made of rock or stones and led right up to that old Fort, so I imagine it could have been there many many years.

You know I think I did become more adventurous as the trip progressed. In my mind I started to veer away from the every day touristy things to try and find something new. I guess there are only so many every day, (those that everyone is told to see), places, without it becoming mundane after a while. But truth is I've always had an adventurous spirit, and it's fun to go where we are not supposed to or do something that we are not supposed to do, and in India there was a lot of opportunity for both.