Unusual trip to Rajasthan November 2022 (page 2 of 6)

I’ve only been to Rajasthan twice, but it’s a paradise for foreign photographers. I was blown away by the beauty, though it was heartbreaking to see so much poverty. Your travel journal really captures the abundance of palaces and other stunning buildings, as well as the generally warm—sometimes even overwhelming—welcome from the locals. Thanks for taking me along on another adventure through these incredible lands!

Thanks Dom for your message, it really touched me. I’ve been traveling in India for nearly 30 years, always by bus and train—except that one time, and it wasn’t a success. The rest of the trip will still be full of new experiences 👫👬

Thanks Noëlle and welcome to the trip that holds plenty of surprises.

Hi Marie Jo,

I’m taking a break from the story to step out of the shadows and tell you how much I respect you.

I followed your journey in Cambodia and discovered places even though I was there a year ago.

Now I’m following you here—I’ve been to Rajasthan twice and read tons of travel journals about it, but I feel like you’re showing me a whole new country!!

Off the beaten path—it’s such an overused phrase, but with you, it really means something!!!

Hi Marie Jo, Once again, you’re showing us some amazing and little-visited spots! I love the baoris and the cenotaphs—those Krishna frescoes are stunning too. I’m happily following this new travel journal, looking forward to more surprises. See you soon, Gabriele

I should change my username to the snoop 🕵️‍♀️😄. As I mentioned before, I’ve been traveling in India for a long time and love discovering new things, so I spend a lot of time researching while planning my trips—and I still enjoy it just as much.

I hope my travel journals will be useful (I’ve done several in different Indian regions) because they all focus on offbeat experiences. Enjoy the journey—it’s not over yet, with plenty of surprises ahead!

I also love stepwells and cenotaphs, so there will be more of those. In Gujarat, there are some really beautiful ones (stepwells) too—check out my travel journal if you haven’t already! 🤓☺️

Yes, I read your lovely travel journal about Gujarat. You're right, there are some really beautiful stepwells in that region. I remember the stunning Rani-Ki-Vav, the first one we saw back in 2014.

"The magnificent Rani-Ki-Vav,"

I’d run into a group of French travelers on a package tour who’d only spent 20 to 30 minutes there. What a letdown!!

Saturday, November 12 I woke up very early and thought about what Ashok had advised me regarding my itinerary, which would allow me to save two days. From Jaipur, I could go to Tonk, then Todaraisingh and Bundi in a day—that’s a great idea. This morning, Gaju and I are heading to Bagru. I’d like to visit fabric printing workshops called block printing. Crossing Jaipur is a bit complicated with the traffic jams—I wouldn’t want to live in this city of 4 million people, what a difference from my village of 3,000 inhabitants. In Bagru, we had to ask several times to find a workshop, but we managed.

Two women are working in the workshop. Fabric (a future sari) is laid out on long tables. The women, accompanied by a cart with a tray of pigments, stamp the fabric along its entire length and surface. The piece requires six passes to reveal the final pattern. What tedious and tiring work—the block is quite heavy, and they have to tap it each time to imprint the design onto the fabric.





Upstairs, two men are also working in silence.



Outside, the dyed pieces are drying, and on the side, I find the dyeing workshop.



From here, we head to Sanganer to visit other workshops and see the famous blue pottery of Sanganer. Gaju can’t find any workshops and doesn’t like asking or searching, so we return to Jaipur. He takes me to Badi Bazaar, where I wander around for a while.



Here, they’re waiting for customers—dentists or tooth merchants.



A little hungry? What to choose?



We return to the hotel, and Gaju tells me that Rakesh doesn’t want us to go to Samode the next day. I don’t understand—he says it’s not his fault, but there’s a problem with the car. It’s not very clear. I’ll sleep on it. Samode is 45 km from Jaipur, and it takes 50 minutes to get there. I’ll take a bus—I’m not letting this get to me. Ashok will be there tomorrow morning, and he’ll quickly find a solution.

Here, they wait for customers—dentist or tooth merchant

A little hungry? What to choose?

I loved your sequence 😄

More seriously, the work these women do on fabrics is incredible. In Jaipur, I couldn’t resist buying one of these “stamps.” Maybe it’ll come in handy someday 😇

In Jaipur, I couldn’t resist the temptation to buy one of those "stamps." Maybe it’ll come in handy someday

I can’t wait to check out the Sari of Béziers on my next visit! [;]

I’m still following you with great interest, Marie Jo. Since I don’t know India at all—neither the south nor the north—everything is a discovery for me. I can imagine how frustrating it must be to have a driver who doesn’t respond to what you want, especially since you’re more used to being 100% independent. It’s awesome to visit the fabric workshops—I really love those photos 🙂

Gorgeous, it makes you want to go...

In Jaipur, I couldn’t resist the temptation to buy one of those “stamps.” Maybe it’ll come in handy someday

I can’t wait to check out the Sari of Béziers on my next visit! 😉

On my first trip to India, I bought some stamps, and they’ve been sitting in a closet ever since. If you need them, Kate, for more designs, don’t hesitate—I don’t live too far from Béziers, and I’d be happy to drop them off for you 😉

thanks, and if you like my photos too 😛 wait for the rest with my driver.......my trip will end really well😏

Thanks Hubert and welcome to India.

Sunday, Nov 13. At the hotel exit, Gaju is there and comes to tell me he’s sorry but Rakesh doesn’t want him to accompany me to Samode. The reason isn’t really clear, and I don’t want to ruin my day. I go meet Ashok, who also doesn’t understand and says, "No possible, no it’s India," and that it’s not right—this driver isn’t good. I ask if I can go to Samode by bus, but it’s very complicated—no direct bus, and it’s not easy. He’s free and offers to take me there. We agree, and off I go with Ashok.

The car is less comfortable, but he’s much more pleasant. He jokes, tells me about his family. Traffic is smooth, and we arrive in Samode after an hour’s drive. He drops me off in the village because the haveli houses are magnificent. I approach a beautiful façade, and the owner invites me into the courtyard. I realize it’s a guesthouse. He shows me the refined paintings, all different from one another. He’s very kind and welcoming. I had asked for a quote, but he exaggerated the price, which was for an Innova for 3 or 4 people, and I’m alone.





I continue along the road lined with a chhatri temple. A woman comes to do her puja, and I stay by her side, watching without disturbing her.



This village is surprising with all these havelis, and it’s peaceful. It feels good to walk around calmly without fearing getting run over at every step.





I continue my visit to the Palace. I don’t know if Gaju would’ve let me walk like this in the street. Since the start, I’ve been visiting beautiful places. The car is comfortable, and it’s easier, especially for getting to villages, but something’s missing—the little spark that makes a trip special. I notice that with Ashok, the approach is different. He immediately looks for little things to make me happy, and with his humor, I think I got unlucky with that driver. It’s really surprising that after being a driver in Rajasthan for over 15 years, he doesn’t know anything and doesn’t have that little magic that adds so much to the journey.



I meet Ashok in the palace parking lot. He’s waiting there, and I go to the entrance, where several guards ask what I’m doing there. They tell me the Palace is closed to visitors today—it’s reserved for a wedding. Seeing my disappointment, two of them call and discuss, but the answer is no. Well, when it doesn’t work, it doesn’t work…

We head back to Jaipur, and he takes me to lunch at a dhaba he knows well. The meal is really good. He had told me about a fabric wholesaler and takes me there. It’s a big shop, and I find some beautiful tablecloths that will make great gifts when I return. Back at the car, he takes me to another shop across the road. It’s a perfume, spice, and tea shop. I didn’t want anything, but with all the tea choices, I couldn’t resist long. I stocked up for this winter.

We leave again, and he takes me to Gaitore Ki Chhatriyas. I’ve been there before, but the place is beautiful—peaceful and serene. I’m happy to return. Since this year, entry is paid: 50 Rs for everyone.



These are royal tombs scattered throughout the complex, resembling small palaces. Each structure is topped with a dome shaped like an umbrella, the chhatri. Some are in marble, others in sandstone with sculptures. It’s a place to visit, and I’ve never seen many tourists there.



I really like these cenotaphs.





We return to the hotel. Ashok shows me the neighborhood on foot and points out where he stays at the Sunder Palace, which is under construction. He only has an old couch to sleep on and says it’s enough for him. Rents are too expensive to have anything better, but he insists it’s fine. We talked about my failed visit to Sanganer, and he tells me there are big factories there employing over 300 people. He’ll take me next time. I tell him about my plans for the next day. He’ll try to talk to Gaju to make sure he takes me where I need to go, but after today, I wonder how the rest of the trip will go. This man is really kind. He doesn’t have an easy life, but he’s always smiling and tries to help those around him as best he can. He’s a beautiful person.

Monday, November 14th This morning before heading out, I settle the bill. Ashok waters the flowers and tells me, "I haven’t seen your driver this morning," and the car isn’t there. What’s going on now? I try calling him, but strangely, he doesn’t answer. I call Rakesh Choudhary, his boss, who also doesn’t pick up—it’s getting weirder and weirder. I give Gaju’s number to Ashok, who has better luck, and he tells him that he went home because his boss told him to. Ashok isn’t happy; I don’t know what he says to him, but things get heated. He then calls Rakesh, the tone rises, he gets angry, and hands me the phone. He thinks we’re doing too many visits—they were planned from the start. He gets mixed up, I tell him he’s dishonest, that he’s not being fair, I call them scammers, and say I’ll give them bad press.

Two days later, I see photos of Gaju on Facebook with a French couple, and that really confirms the driver’s dishonesty. I send them a message, but strangely, I don’t get a response.

After this bad news, I’m a bit shaken and need to react quickly to reorganize the rest of the trip. I’ll take the local buses I was missing a bit—the visits to the small villages are done, so I shouldn’t have too many issues for the rest of the stay.

Ashok wants to take me to the visits that were planned for this morning; he insists a little. Tonk is only 2 hours away, so we might as well make the most of the morning. He takes me first to the flower market, where I’ve never been before, next to the City Palace.





The vegetable market, extending from the flower market, is quite lively.



We head to Amber. On the way, I photograph the fort I’m not visiting this year—I came here three years ago. The two forts above this one are also interesting, with beautiful viewpoints, and there’s a stunning baori too!!!!



I come here to visit the Anoki Museum, which was closed during my last visit.

It’s next to the Panna Meena Ka Kund. This museum isn’t for me—it’s permanently closed. I’ll revisit the stepwell; it’s very beautiful and there are people there. First, I stop by the temple.



And the stepwell, the Panna Meena Ka Kund.





The visit continues at the Jagat Shiromani Temple. It was built between 1599 and 1608.

We leave Amber for the Gata Ji Temple, or Monkey Temple. Every time I come to Jaipur, I stop by here. It’s located about ten kilometers from Jaipur. Before arriving, we pass by a beautiful façade.



The temple has beautiful architecture in a lovely setting. It’s built from pink sandstone with sanctuaries and pools where Hindus come to bathe. Entry has become paid for tourists—100 rs + 150 rs for photos.











We return to Jaipur around 1 p.m. and have lunch at a dhaba. Ashok takes me to the bus for Tonk, which is ready to leave. I thank him for being there these past two days—he’s a little sad to see me go and asks me to keep in touch. I hear from him regularly, and he thanks me for coming to see him in Jaipur… it’s like the world turned upside down. I’m happy on this bus; I feel like I’m reclaiming my freedom. I arrive in Tonk around 4:30 p.m. and check into the Sheela Hotel, which is preparing for a wedding of three thousand people. What madness!!! The gardens are huge, with tents, food stalls, the gift on display—a 4x4 jeep—giant screens. It’s a Muslim wedding. In the evening, guests arrive and stroll through the garden while waiting for the meal. The music is lively, but no one’s dancing. Several fireworks displays go off, and I’m the only one watching. By 11 p.m., it’s all over—people come to eat and leave just as quickly.