To The Rabari Land

Ankith parihar
Sep 5, 2018 · 7 min read

(Rajasthan India’s largest state by area. It is located on the northern side of the country, where it comprises most of the wide and inhospitable Thar Desert Pakistan Sutlej-Indus river valley.)

So it all started by an invite to my cousins marriage which was to be held in Rajasthan (Marwad) as we call it. The bookings were done and a couple of days later we were all set to explore. It was in the winters, the date if I remember was by the end of January.

At around 6 in the morning the alarm bell rang and getting freshened up was the only thing to do as the bags were already packed. The tickets were booked in the Coimbatore-Rajkot Exp which we had to board in Krishnarajapuram.

As we reached the station we had this typical feel of the environment of how an Indian Railway Station is. Hawkers around, Chaiwalas, and ofcourse Idli Vada’s for breakfast.

Waiting for almost an hour we see our Coimbatore Exp halting at platform number one. Running through we occupied our seat numbers which were in Sleeper 7 (S7).

Sleeper 7

The journey was the same, Hawkers, Chaiwalas, Stations, Platforms, People and more People. The best part of traveling in a train is the view (You are lucky if you get a window seat). As for us we always liked to stand still by the door and enjoy the ride, though risky it is a lot of fun especially when there’s a river under when the train is on a bridge. (Toss a coin, a passerby yells out)

Welding the tracks

It had been an uneventful journey and we were at our destination which was Ahmadabad(A city in Gujrath,many people confuse it for the state capital which is Gandhinagar). This time it was different. There were Fafdas & Dhoklas for breakfast.

Kartaal Tapping Using Stones
Ahmedabad

Waiting for our connecting train which was Ahmedabad-Delhi Exp, we almost had to wait for around 6 hours. Having nothing to do we went out to explore the city. The city looked rustic having an old charm. I quite liked Ahmedabad. Getting back to the station we had our train waiting which we boarded around 8 pm.

The final stop was a tiny station named Jawai Bandh. As we crossed by the borders of Gujrath and got into Rajasthan, the temperature instantly decreased. By the time we reached our destination it was almost around 7:20am and the temperature had dropped down to 7°C. Getting down the train we noticed that the sun still hadn’t risen. WOW!!

The whole station was at halt due to the unbearable cold. The chaiwala was with his supply of chai, sipping over the chai gave us a bit of relief added the bonfire too. By 9 in the morning it was all normal and we hitched a ride to the town named Sheoganj, which is also my hometown.

Winter Mornings
Truely Love The Colors

It took two days for me to settle down to the environment and get adjusted to the cold and the place too. Marriage arrangements were to be done and being an escapist, my cousin and me set out to explore the town with a local village friend we made. The first stop being Jawai Dam.

The dam is situated near Sumerpur town in Pali District of Rajasthan state in India. The dam was built by Maharaja Umaid Singhof Jodhpur, the work started on 12 May 1946 and it got completed in 1957. Besides being a winter paradise for migratory birds, it is the main water supply source for Jodhpur city and parts of Pali district. Jawai Dam Crocodile Sanctuary with Indian & Migratory birds & Kambeshwar Ji leopard sanctuary situated nearby.

A must visit place if you are an offbeat traveler. It has much of history left behind. As we explored by we came across an old abandoned British school to which we later found out that the area was a British Cant known as Erinpura. As it is a crocodile sanctuary, crocodiles are just a few metres away from you.

Fishing In Jawai Dam
Catch Of The Day
Jawai Dam

The cold in the night was unbearable. So we did what the local boys do. Head straight to a dhabha by the highway and beat the cold with some local whiskey (Desi daaru). And the best part is that they serve complementary papad and channas. So every night was spent the same way.

Govt. Licensed Bhang Shops

Rajasthan and Uttar pradesh are the two states in India which have licensed Bhang shops found at nook and corner of every town and city. For those who didn’t know, Bhang is Culled from the leaves and buds of Cannabis, Using mortar and a pestle, the buds and leaves of Cannabis are squashed and ground into a green paste. To this mixture milk, ghee, and spices are added. The bhang base is now ready to be made into a nutritious, refreshing drink — Thandai, a healthy alternative to alcohol.

Tried some and went mental😯.

Next stop was the holy town of Pushkar.

Pushkar is a town in the Ajmer district in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is situated 14 km northwest of Ajmer and is one of the five sacred dhams (pilgrimage site) for devout Hindus. Pushkar is one of the oldest existing cities of India. It lies on the shores of Pushkar Lake. The date of its actual origin is not known, but legend associates Brahma with its creation. Pushkar has many temples. The most famous among all is the Brahma Temple built during the 14th century CE.

The Only Temple in the World where Bramha is Worshipped

The town of pushkar is a bagpackers paradise. You find more of Hippies in the town. It is a very calm place and visiting there has been a great experience. One of the Pundit’s we met there had the whole history of my ancestors as it’s a very sacred place for us, been visited by my grandfather and his forefathers and beyond.

Gau Ghat — Pushkar
Natural Holi Colors

The final destination, Udaipur.

The most visited and one of the best places to visit on planet Earth. The journey though had been a little bumpy, passing through the Kumbalgarh wildlife sanctuary, the ride was one of the best I’ve experienced.

View of Lake Palace from City Palace

Udaipur is a very popular tourist destination. Apart from its history, culture, and scenic locations, it is also known for its Rajput-era palaces. The Lake Palace, for instance, covers an entire island in the Pichola Lake. Many of the palaces have been converted into luxury hotels. It is often called the “Venice of the East”, and is also nicknamed the “Lake City” or “City of Lakes”. Lake Pichola, Fateh Sagar Lake, Udai Sagar and Swaroop Sagar in this city are considered some of the most beautiful lakes in the state.

Jharokas of City Palace
View of Udaipur City from City Palace
Mor Chowk City Palace
The Royal Insignia

Passing by the City palace road you will find tourists packed, few in the funky jumpers and few photography enthusiasts sporting high end camera’s, few eager to know the history and few are there just to chill out. Both the City Palace and The Lake Palace are different in their own way, marvelously designed, huge in structure.

A Royal Buggy at City Palace

My journey ended here. Two days later I had my bookings done and boarded my train from the very tiny station of Jawai Bandh to destination Bangalore.

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