The rich culture of the state of Rajasthan in India welcomes tourist for long. It pulls people through its aura. To add our experience in this wonderful land we had a road trip booked to Jodhpur by bus. The benefit of a road trip is that you can see a lot going on. Be it shops, crowded-deserted scenery or fellow commuters everything provides some insight about the journey and destination. Thanks to Rajguru Bus Service for having arranged our journey. If it wasn’t for them then our journey would not have a better ending.
It is not necessary to visit every part of Jodhpur; one can experience its colors flowing through cities and villages. Our memorable part was the stay which was an energizing one. It included sand dunes, fort, market, folk drama and dance and Rajasthani food. We were engulfed by the desert land where most of it was uninhabited. But herds of sheep were a cute sight that grazed this golden land in search of pasture. The dry barren land was giving a strange vibe, very different from our city. Not far away, some houses or small huts built on the desert showed us rural life. Adding thrill to our experience was the camel that did not care about us, just chewing its way to glory. We were so lost in the view that we forgot about our whole group waiting for lunch. Post lunch we hit the road. The diversions and traffic on road got us to see many more villages. As sunset was near we took snaps of some great view and shared it online. The town of Osian in Jodhpur known for Jain and Hindu temples is the Khajuraho of Rajasthan. Sachiya Mata Temple here is an ancient one that dates back to 8th century. Located on a hill, we reached its inside by step-stairs placed under carved forms. After this we reached our hotel for dinner. Tired and hungry we had our meals. Rajasthani thali included dal, sabzi, and chapatti along with Makhani Lassi. The feeling was special after a long stop. There after we rested.
In the Blue City of Jodhpur located atop the hill is The Mehrangarh Fort. It’s a large fort with 7 gates; each gate has architecture carvings showing ancient times. The fort was built by Rao Jodha that got a big renovation from Maharaja Man Singh. The fort is a museum displaying unique and attractive collection of items ranging from pottery, painting, and armory to guns. The collection makes you imagine historical lifestyle. Next we saw another royal residence, Umaid Bhavan, a palace with more than 300 rooms designed under architectural intelligence. The palace is half converted into museum and exhibits vintage vehicles. The palace is close to market. Market area in Jodhpur is bright and colourful. The crowd included lots of foreigners who were buying traditional attire, sweets, spices, snacks, standing on corners clicking pictures.
As all good things come to end one day, we bid adieu to Jodhpur. Back on road we passed the toll booth with a board mentioning thanks for visit. That was the end of our desert season. We give cheers to our transport provider who made it easy in every possible way for our safe travel and gave us an experience larger than life.