WONDERS OF RAJISTHAN, random facts from a days travel in this region of India
We are heading to Blue city. Jodhpur. 3 million people live in this city. We will spend One night in Jodhpur before moving on to Jaisalmer.  
We will visit the Largest fortress in Asia. Built in 15 century. Whoa!  
Few stops along the way. From white city, Udaipur … to blue city, Jodhpur …. takes 6 hours. We will stop in Jain temple along the way. Hidden in valley. Took fifty years to construct … Made of white marble. 1444 pillars, all different! Jainism is the religion.  
Rajisthan is the land of wonders.  
On their travel, People worship bullet motorcycle … And we will see temple where this takes place!  
Water systems important in this region. 12-13 century developed.  
1.25 billion people here in India. Second largest country of world in population next to China. 
Today going to desert triangle of Rajisthan. Tomorrow to Jaisalmer (sand dunes) and camel ride …. and Bikaneer the days after … completes triangle with Jodhpur. 100 km west is Pakistan. India’s army is largest volunteer army in world.  
3600 kms from north to south tips India. Bangladesh and Pakistan used to be part of India, no longer. It is the 7th largest country in world for land coverage.  
Teas exported from India, like Darjeeling. 5 Major cities, Delhi, Mumbai 22 million, then Calcutta … Tomb of mother theresa in Calcutta,… Bangalore , Chennai, are the five metro cities in India.  
Goa is beach destination of India.  
They have a dry state in India, holy place from birthplace of mahatma Ghandi furthest west
Largest and first and long standing uninterrupted democracy in the world in India. Bharat started first democracy. Number system started here. 300,000 active mosques. Sanskrit is mother of all languages. Oldest place … Game of chess invented in India. Gained independence without violence. Largest number of post offices. Largest employer in world is Indian railway.  
The art of living. “Accept people and situation as they are. Don’t be the football of others”.
Yoga was started here and has been practiced for five thousand years. Veranassi has most cremations, one every ten minutes 24/7.
We saw a cremation along the highway as we drove today … Amazing. 
Along the river Ganges, 84 ghats for bathing and washing….2 for cremations. Veranassi is the Mecca for Hinduism.  
In our discussions of religions, we heard that for Buddhist, life is suffering. Suffering is from desires. To practice toward enlightenment … Achieve less, suffer less, desire less.  
Cricket is unofficial religion.. People love it. They also win awards in completion. We have seen many impromptu games of cricket in the fields outside the bus windows as we drive through India :). Played by you and old alike.  
Jainism and Buddhism were both founded in India, and are both off shoots of Hinduism..
They believe in Good and bad karma, reincarnation of life. And date back to 600 years before Christ.  
 Jainism. Everything has life in it. Plants and trees too. Non violence. More strict principles, less popular. Non violence and self control is Jain. Non violence, and non possessiveness. One of oldest regions in world. Rather than believing in a god, they believe in a series of propagators of that faith. 4.2 million follow this religion in India, most in Rajisthan. Most are intellectuals, Merchants and doctors. 6 million in world. Vegetarian. Vegan. Not harm even insects. Escort them only. No harsh words of speech. No root veggies as hurts insects. Vow of no harm to living beings. Only speak truth. Silence. Not take anything which is not offered. Wear white for peace. Not use dyes as unnecessary killing of plants to make said dyes.
Sikh beliefs. Service for people and meditation to connect with supreme power. They believe that if I smile at others, makes me more happy. Feed people at temple, community kitchen, thousands a day. Sit on floor to eat … Oneness and digestion is aided by sitting on the ground.
RURAL INDIA
We stopped for photos of water system still used only in rural Rajisthan. Wow!  
(We made a stop … Hundreds of bats hanging in the trees …. Singing and flapping wings … Huge and spectacular. Amazing!)
Monkeys in the trees. Langpoors. Along the very twisty road. Through forest, semi arid. 
Nestled in hills. Temple Ranakpur today. Non violence means to Conquer enemies within. Against Materialism. Liberate soul. Right knowledge. Right faith and right action. Permanent bliss. They are against Attachment, Anger, Greed. The temple covers 48,000 sqft and took more than fifty years to build. Carved from Marble, in beautiful symmetry. 
“Moksha”. Blissful state of enlightenment. A priest of the temple came to bless me, as I was walking around listening to the audio tour and taking pictures.  
The Goal of the practice is to destroy destructive behaviours. All beings have souls. First vow non violence. Second vow, speak truth and never wound. Not to steal. Detachment. No sexual misconduct. Five of them in total. The Monks walk in barefoot all over the world. 
We stopped for lunch.. Saw a camel … 3.5 hours to Jodhpur. 
We stopped for a break, washroom and back on the bus.  
Next stop was a bonus…. the Bullet motorcycle shrine for safe journey. We had to take our shoes off and got blessed, with color bindy mark on forehead … My second one today. The motorcycle is encased in glass with marigold flowers. We noticed a few rats around the motorcycle …. And then took a photo of the tree where the man had died. The legend goes that each day the motorcycle was taken to police station then next morning was back again at the site. It happened again the next day … And thereafter they left the motorcycle at the site and made a shrine of it For safe travel. Even the gas stations are now named after the late owner. People stop here, offer gifts to the shrine and keepers of it …. To guarantee safe travels.  
Onward!  
Somewhere in Delhi my boundary of comfort zone moved. Here I am walking barefoot in this shrine area where a motorcycle is being worshipped! Ha ha. My friend Janie pointed out that she could not believe I would do that. …lol. India has changed me, she is correct.  
We are now blessed for safe travels. 
Namaste!  
Pamela of India!!