Chapter Three: India: From Mumbai to Jodhpur

   Day Two found us visiting the local Hare Krishna Temple, then the Prince of Wales Museum in Mumbai.  Both were fascinating.  We went to Pfizer India to visit Andrea’s offices there, and to have lunch in a local bistro.  From there we went to the Mumbai airport to fly to Udaipur.

   Our plans changed, and we spent two more nights in Mumbai.  Andrea arranged for us to stay next at the Hare Krishna Ashram, on the same property as the Temple we had visited earlier.  We had dinner at the Govinda Restaurant on the property.

 I saw several green parrots in the monastery gardens, and I had seen other green parrots flitting through the trees in downtown Mumbai.  They continued to be present throughout our stay in India.

     The next night we stayed at the Mumbai Hilton, an opulent hotel next to the airport, where we would fly out the next morning to Jodhpur.  This town is in the desert, and the Jodhpur Radisson Hotel reflected that environment, with red sandstone buildings and ornate interior that was as lavish as a sultan’s palace.  We had a lovely buffet dinner, slept well, and had time the next morning to do a little in-room laundry.  Then we were picked up by our driver and guide for a city tour.

   Jodhpur is a culturally-rich city, relatively untouched by outside influences in terms of local artisans and craftsmen.  Things are created much in the same way as they have been for centuries. We first visited a cenotaph (mausoleum without a body), the Jaswat Thada, a beautiful marble structure and gardens created by the wife of a dead maharaja.    

This monument is surrounded by desert, but has beautiful gardens and memorials to members of the family.  Our guide explained to us why Indians cremate their dead:  by burning the bodies rather than burying them, the bodies are not wasted.  They return to the five elements:  earth, air, wind, fire, water, and space.  We discussed concepts of Hindu belief and practice, such as Karma, Ahimsa, Meditation, Yoga, and Reincarnation.  

In the distance we could see the imposing walls of the Mehrangarh Fort, our next stop.

   The fort, built in 1542, is set on the highest hill in the desert area.  We explored the buildings and grounds of the huge site, including a rooftop gallery of art.  We then walked down a very ancient cobbled stone road that wound through the “blue city,” called so because of the lime and blue paint used on the building exteriors to repel insects. 

 We took a route not typically used by tourists, but only by locals.  There, we encountered street musicians and dodged motor scooters as we wound around the old market, admiring the many wares for sale. Our guide led us into a shop that sells wholesale fabrics.  After an elaborate show, we purchased several as gifts for our family.  The fabrics are beautifully woven.  Our day ended back at the hotel for dinner and an overnight.

    The following morning we met our driver and visited the lavish Umaid Bhawan Palace Museum, which is the residence of the current maharaja.  

From there we made a six-hour drive to the city of Jaipur.  The ride was fascinating as we drove through desert and hill country.  We saw fields full of camels, and thatched straw huts where local farmers lived.  At our lunch stop along the way, we met a couple from Holland who had just trekked the Annapurna Circuit, which we would be doing the following week.  They told us they encountered snow and slush on the trail…This was disturbing, especially as I would have enough difficulty managing the endless vertical stone steps, without snow and ice…