Jodhpur

Day 1


Today we arrived in Jodhpur around 3:30 and caught a rickshaw to our hotel. After a short rest we went into town for a walk around the market and a meal in town. Here are some photos from the market area.

















Upon arriving at the market area we were instantly greeted by India's begging mafia... Children as young as five pulling on your clothes asking for food and money. Our guide had advised us that this is organized crime and that if you give these kids even one rupee they will swarm the whole group for more. He told us that this mafia makes more in a year than any other multiple-national company working in India... I was okay with ignoring the kids asking for money but the little girl saying " money money" while gesturing with her hands for food to eat was really hard to handle. After a walk through the market we went to dinner at a local restaurant. As it turned out I ordered the Malai kofta ( stuffed vegetable dumplings) and rice but wasn't nearly as hungry as I thought. Our tour guide suggested that we wrap up the left-overs to give to one of the beggars outside. He has advised us that giving food is okay since the children won't be forced to hand it over to someone else. Chances are, they will enjoy it or give it to someone they know who is actually hungry. When I was a kid, I don't know how many times my parents would scold me when I wasted food. They would tell me there were children starving in the world, that you should not be so wasteful. Typical snotty kid I always used to think... Package it up and send it then!... Today, faced with what I've seen there is just no way to flip it off...it's real. There are hungry kids begging for food and I hadn't finished my meal! ( Meal that only cost me $ 3.02!!) of course I always knew this was true, even as a kid, but until you have seen it, you can't really understand. So, on the way home I gave my left-overs to a little boy about 7. He ran off ripping the bag open like he had won the lottery. Now, I have been old that these kids are fed and clothed by the machine they work for... Who assume people like me will have exactly the reaction I did. So am I a fool? Are the snotty teenagers right? I'm sure this is just the beginning of the begin and I had better "toughen up" but it feels like my soul is forever changed over a little girl, and a small back of left-overs.

Day 2

Today we went to the Mehrangarh Fort. This is one of the largest forts in India and was built by Rao Jodha (1438–1488), the fifteenth Rathore ruler. The fort is way up on a hill about 400 feet (122 m) above the city and is surrounded by huge brick walls. The hill the fort is built on was known as Bhaurcheeria, the mountain of birds. According to legend, when building the fort the hill's only inhabitant ( a hermit) was forced out. He in turn, cursed the place, stating that it would forever suffer a shortage of water. Google can tell you more about the history if you are interested.
Once again, the ornate carvings and decorations here rival those found at the palace of Versailles or elsewhere.

















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