We're on the Road to Jodhpur--I'll Take That Ride

Sunset view from Jodhpur's Meherangarh fort


Ram Ram!

Thursday evening, 9:11 p.m. March 12, 2009
Jodhpur, Rajasthan

Woke early enough to catch the 8 a.m darshan at Govind Devji with Rajuji, then caught my ride across the sweltering Rajasthani desert country to Jodhpur, a roughly 6 hour drive that we undertook during the heat of the day. The “A/C car” was blowing something more like regular air than conditioned, but it was enough to make it survivable. I can barley contemplate what summer is like around these parts: it’s pretty much “spring” here now, bearing more than a passing resemblance to August in New England. This kind of weather puts me close to my crankiness threshold, for sure—but at least it’s not humid. In fact, it’s a wonder that they can grow as much green plant material in this dry environment as they do.

Jodhpur seems to have some pretty nice elements in place: the old city is full of amazing and decomposing architectural nuggets stacked along windy lanes tiny enough to permit no cars, and in my evening stroll after dropping off my stuff at the guest house, I encountered no end of smiling children wanting to have their pictures taken, tribal family life taking place among the various families living nose-to-nose on the steep hillside in the long sunset shadow of the Meherangarh fort—an impressive array of stone battlements built upon rock indeed. Not sure why, but the theme of blue-wash over the stone homes is hard to miss and easy to enjoy, especially in the dusky afterglow.

Any day’s a good day when being escorted by a driver named Ram, and I’ll be happy to have Ram’s help in the next couple days, as I mix the pleasure of exploring new territory with the business of hunting down folks who’ve been described to me as some of this town’s best antique furniture purveyors, in a town famous for old furniture and architectural elements. We’ll see what I find…




Dusk glows on the western face of the Meherangarh fort



The safety of the spare tire, or, life is cheap on the roads of India!