The truth is, most of us discover where we are heading when we arrive.
This pretty much sums up my journey to ' The Golden City' - Jaisalmer.
As I type this, the melodious folk music of the city echoes in my ears, the aroma of the delectable dishes of Rajasthani food tickles my olfactory senses and taste buds simultaneously, my eyes are still getting accustomed to absence of sand dunes, my bare feet crave for the touch of cool sand again; Jaisalmer is truly a miniature India in itself.
Here is the glimpse of my trip captured in pictures and videos (Apologising beforehand for the low quality - blogspot permits only a 100MB video so I had to compress 250MB to 100MB which ruined the quality of the video!) :-
Sand, Surbhi & Solace
If I sound philosophical it is because the natural beauty that the place has been bestowed with, has broadened my horizon - I was left in awe with the sheer vastness of the desert, the grit of people who manage the tough life in a place that hardly has any vegetation and water, the brilliance of flora and fauna adjusting to the extreme temperatures of the place.
And you just CANNOT miss the sunset and sunrise here... when the sun rays kiss the horizon of earth enveloping everything in a golden-orange glow, your contented soul calls out to the heavens upon witnessing the picturesque sight - Oh My God, why were I missing this beauty for so long?
I feel the need... the need for speed.
If I am giving an impression of a forlorn traveller looking for spiritual stuff and peace, then I would like to clarify that Jaisalmer has a complete recipe for adrenaline rush. The desert safari. Round and round the Thar desert, the jeep ride is a must-to-do if you visit Jaisalmer. Trust me, the fierce rush of wind on your face during the bumpy, sandy ride will leave you invigorated. It will give you a high that no ecstasy can ever manage. It was an ineffable feeling, it can only be felt and can never be described in words! You got to do it to know what it is!
notice how the speed blurred the picture? The Rajasthani Thali
My father had specifically asked me not to miss the Rajasthani Thali at any cost. And he was right! With 32 items (31 items listed in the menu plus chhaachh) on a single plate, it is a dish you ought to try.
Camel Safari
Camel Ride is another attraction that you simply can't miss when in Jaisalmer. Moving at a slow pace that suits you or a camel race, you can choose your own way to experience and enjoy the tranquillity of desert.
It was my first time on a camel and I am not ashamed to admit that I was scared all the time that I was going to fall flat on my face especially when the camel was rising and sitting down! I was reminded of my niece's words "camel bahot jhoola jaisa hota hai!" as I held on tightly to the harness. Nevertheless, it was one helluva amazing experience and I am going to cherish it till I die!
Tannot Maata Mandir & the Laungewala Border
Again, my dear father had added this in the checklist of 'things to do and places to visit in Jaisalmer'.
Historically, this place is famous because the Pakistanis tried to bomb the temple during the Indo-Pak war of 1965 but none of the bombs exploded in the vicinity. The place was also shown in my all time favourite movie - Border. The un-exploded bombs are still kept in the museum. The temple is now managed by the BSF.
The place gave me a queer mixture of feelings - faith plus patriotism plus pride.
Laungewala Border is yet another place one just cannot miss. They show you a short movie of 20mins that enlightens you about how our valiant soldiers saved our country from the invasion of the enemies.
The destroyed Pakistani tanks are still at display. Here, have a look -
The Impromptu Visit to Ajmer Sharif
Talking about taking a leap of faith; more than the place, it was the way I visited Ajmer that needs to be mentioned here. We were on our way back to Delhi after spending 4 wonderful days in Jaisalmer. 30mins to the station of Ajmer and suddenly everybody decided to get down at Ajmer. We packed our stuff and jumped off at the station just like that! Yes, it was rash but we, undoubtedly, found unexpected joy with this unplanned addition to our trip.
Some special observations -
1. Rajasthan is a place full of talent. The people are so adept at dancing and the musical instruments that your eyes turn saucers and you can't help but dance to the melody of Rajasthani folk music.
If there is any place the Government should invest in to promote cultural talent, it is Rajasthan. The Fire dance, The Kalbeliya Gypsy Dance, The Bhavayi Dance and the list is endless!
2. You will meet the sarangi-players at every nook and cranny of the city. The magical sound leaves you mesmerised. But at the same time, I couldn't help but feel sorry at the sordid state of the talented people playing so joyfully their melodious music for us. These people deserve a better life and a platform to showcase the talent that they have been bestowed with.
3. The food in the city is delectable. The various dishes leave you satiated and tript (I could find no better substitute for the feeling than this word!) Also, don't forget to taste the mirch-pakodas at the station shop in Pokhran.
4. The night sky is indescribably clear and beautiful. I sat for hours looking at the clear starry sky, with my bare feet in the cool sand. It was like heavens had opened the gates for me from above; a sheer bliss for a person like me who has an incurable homesickness for the stars. Every worry was wiped off my mind and I found the sangfroid and solace that I was pining for since the past so many months.
P.S.
I would like to thank my Sir for this wonderful trip. And would also like to apologise in case we caused too much trouble.
Special thanks to the people accompanying me who not only made this trip a cherishing experience but also taught me new things - teen patti :D
Shubhangi Kapoor needs special mention here for being the awesome person that she is and for bearing my nuisance so patiently.
