Rajasthan

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Travel theme: Gaudy

I am not sure if gaudy is the right word, but I wanted to share some of brilliant colours of Rajasthan.

bright temple
camels looking flash
all dancers dress brightly
animals enjoy colours too
trying a flute, note the turban
women shopping
washing water to welcome us
street scene jaipur
toys for sale
shopping clothes, brighter than ours!
is this one ok?
dressed for the palace
haveli decoration

Thanks Ailsa (http://wheresmybackpack.com/2013/02/08/travel-theme-gaudy/) for giving me the opportunity to revisit Rajasthan and find some of my favourite images! I tend to wear bright colours too, I often wonder why Westerners are usually so dull, especially business people. Do you know???

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Sunday Post: Road

 

This dusty rural road in Rajasthan is shared by traffic and shepherds. The trees cast long shadows as a traditionally dressed woman brings her herd of sheep in for the evening, and we carefully drive past.

Join in the Sunday Post with your photo of a road!

 

 

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Sunday Post: Vehicle

Jake’s challenge of the week is Vehicle, so much fun to research I ended up with lots, so here is a gallery!

bicycle carrier nepal
dudley canal boats, walsall england, take you into underground coal mines
tuk tuk new delhi
motorbike rajasthan
our local flight in and out
like a ride?
jeep safari in rajasthan
waiting for their drivers

If you are interested in canal boats you might like the link to http://www.dudleycanaltrust.org.uk/ where we took a trip into a hillside riddled with canals, where men mined for coal many years ago.

Here are some other great entries:

http://adinparadise.wordpress.com/2012/05/07/jakes-sunday-post-vehicle/

http://ceeslifephotographyblog.wordpress.com/2012/05/07/jakesprinters-sunday-post-vehicle/

http://weirdandcoolstuff.wordpress.com/2012/05/07/sunday-post-vehicle/

http://jayjaysfavorites.wordpress.com/2012/05/06/water-dragon-weekly-sunday-post-vehicle/

http://jullianeford.wordpress.com/2012/05/05/sunday-post-vehicle/

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Sunday Post: Design

All over India women paint the threshold of their homes with traditional decorative patterns. We were fasciated by the beauty of the designs we saw in the Thar desert, halfway between Jaisalmer and Bikaner. The desert people lived simply in round huts made from natural materials, yet they were radiantly happy hospitable families. Here the art of the local women is displayed on the courtyard and around the walls of the grain store and dwelling.

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You can learn more about this kind of folk art from: http://www.tarabooks.com/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/and
http://www.rangolidesign.net/

This post is part of Jakesprinters Sunday Post photo challenge …you can join in too … check it out at http://jakesprinters.wordpress.com/2012/03/10/sunday-post-design/

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A-Z Archive: J is for Jaisalmer

My last post was about Jodphur, which is not far from Jaisalmer, so journey with me again for the “J” challenge! Join in yourself at Frizztext.

Jaisalmer Hill Fort

The narrow streets are colourful in the brilliant way of Rajasthani people, crowded with tourists, inhabitants, salespeople, cows and other animals, camels and their carts, and market stalls with vivid produce, mirror-encrusted clothing and textiles, and billboards offering internet, memory cards, meals and accommodation etc.

So there is the bustle of Jaisalmer, hope you enjoyed the busy streets!

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Sunday Post: Pleasure

I have chosen to share some of the pleasures of Jodhpur with you this week. Mehrangarh Fort contains several palaces known for their intricate carvings and expansive courtyards. The Mehrangarh Museum is the best stocked in Rajasthan, filled with opulence, decorated with gold, jewels, carvings and colour. Displays of costumes, artifacts, thrones, sculptures and art works include a gallery of palanquins. Enjoy these images of luxury and pleasure.

Looking up at the Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur, an unassailable bastion.

One of the finely sculpted palaces.

Musicians greeting visitors added to the atmosphere of pleasure and luxury. Some played for the rowdy throngs, while others played discretely in niches of the quiet palace museum.

Visitors can explore floors of exquisitely decorated rooms, once the scene of wonderful parties, banquets and gatherings.

Palanquin for women

Palanquin for the ruler

The pleasures of colour are celebrated and enjoyed by the artists who worked on this palace.

and finally looking down on the city of Jodhpur from above.

To join in the Sunday Post go to Jakesprinter’s site at http://jakesprinters.wordpress.com/2012/03/03/sunday-post-pleasure/ and be inspired!

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A-Z Archive: H is for Haveli

Haveli in Mandawa, Rajasthan

The wealthy merchants on the Silk Road passing through the north of Rajasthan competed with each other to build splendid mansions, decorated with fine carving and lavishly painted walls. Today some of these havelis remain in good order, but many have been abandoned. When we travelled through Mandawa we stayed in a haveli converted to a small hotel.

Haveli hotel in Mandawa

Join in the A-Z Challenge this week … find an image that makes you think of an ‘H’ word and link up with Frizztext  Happy Hunting!!

 

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A-Z Archive: E is for Elephant

This bold painting of a Maharaja’s elephant is on a wall at the City Palace in Jaipur. Elephants carried royalty in Rajasthan, and Jaipur in particular till honors elephants with a special festival every year. All these elephants photos were taken around Jaipur.

Elephant rides at the Amber Palace, Jaipur …. we did not ride elephants.

Three holy men sit under the elephant statue waiting for alms. Those leaving the temple may give them a little as they pass.

Stone carving of Ganesh, the Elephant-headed God, on a small temple near Jaipur.

To see more entries in this week’s challenge click here http://flickrcomments.wordpress.com/2012/01/31/a-z-archive-e-challenge/

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A-Z Archive: C is for Camels and Colour

camel pulling wagon, colourful women
farm camels are used for day treks
camels depart at dusk
camel drivers
colour in the markets
colourful people
camel trekking
colourful saris

My C challenge images are from the Rajasthan archive, all images of colour and camels! As we traveled through the north-western part of Rajasthan near Jaisalmer we had a chance to travel on camels, a way of injecting more money into the impoverished area where camels are commonly used by farmers to carry loads and tow carts etc. They took us across country to a fancy camp, where we stayed the night, enjoying a campfire and singing as well as the obligatory dancing. We taught our guides how to make “twisties” on the fire, and someone found a guitar for my husband to play for the campfire singalong. Next morning we had a yoga class at dawn, in an open roofed building, in freezing temperatures .. it was real challenge!

Here is a link to Frizztext’s “C” challenge so you can join in too if you wish. … and look below for some gorgeous inspiration!
http://ceeslifephotographyblog.wordpress.com/2012/01/18/a-z-archive-c-challenge-small-town-carnival/
http://abcnellibell49.wordpress.com/2012/01/17/c-is-for-completed/
http://withoutstringstied.wordpress.com/2012/01/17/a-z-archive-c-for-camel/ 
http://motherwifestudentworker.wordpress.com/2012/01/17/this-is-supposed-to-be-easy/
http://wp.me/23TG1
http://creativityaroused.wordpress.com/2012/01/17/c-challenge-cat-empress/
http://didised.wordpress.com/2012/01/18/a-z-photo-archive-c-is-for-castle/
http://wp.me/p25HJs-45