Sifting through the sands of time we blew into Jodhpur, Rajasthan.  Medieval gates, fortresses and bazaars linger, charged with the added excitement of preparations for Diwali.  The air was electric. We dove into the fray, shopping in the bazaars, eating curry and naan, elbow to elbow with Rajasthani workers, and getting lost in the ancient side streets and alleys.  Rajasthan is India in all it’s glory.  A crown is added to the already colorful kaleidoscope as Diwali approaches.  Diwali the main holiday of India is a kind of Christmas/New Years/4th of July all rolled into one.  This ‘festival of lights’ ranges from quiet family homes decorated with single butter lamps to raucous fireworks displays, bands blaring and flashing colorful electric light displays. 

Diwali is the five-day festival of lights, celebrated by millions of Hindus, Jains and Sikhs across the world.  The word Diwali comes from the Sanskrit word deepavali, meaning “rows of lighted lamps”.  Houses, shops and public places are decorated with tiny oil lamps called diyas.

Diwali symbolizes the spiritual “victory of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance.”  This is so needed now in these turbulent times.  Light is a metaphor for knowledge and consciousness. During the celebration, temples, homes, shops and office buildings are brightly illuminated for blocks on end.

Reaching a saturation point and wanting to escape to the villages of the Rajasthani Desert, we heard about Gemar Singh.  A quick call found us bumping along in a small jeep in the barren, isolated deserts of the Mawari.  Absolutely nothing has changed out here in the last thousand years or 10,000 nights.  Camels roam wild, dust devils whirl and villagers fight for survival against great odds.  We basically just spent a day in the life of Gemar, first stopping at the Ranakpur Jaon Temple dated 1440 a.d. then gathered supplies from the village to take back to his home.  A ride across the sprawling dunes and the rough terrains of Dechu is absolutely enthralling.

Our open jeep followed the routes of camel “kafilas” through a picturesque landscape of undulating mounds of sand dotted with the colorfully garbed village folk and the local flora and fauna.  Stopping all along the way to visit with neighbors, we were once again held in high esteem, as it isn’t everyday someone from Hawaii blows in across the dunes.  At his home, a small compound with a couple new authentic round huts as guestrooms, we were fed dinner to the chorus of bright desert birds in the flowering trees.  Ram, ram (local greeting)!  Heading back we were invited to take a camel ride at the ‘rikas’ hut (camel breakers) in a neighboring village; that is once the kids got done taking their turns.  A rowdy, fun loving event.  Even the camel was laughing as we bounced along on the sand.

Village life remains steeped in tradition but, just like the rest of India, and the world for that matter, the pace of change is accelerating. Turbaned men still barter for decorated camels – they just relay the successful deal home via a smart phone.

Back to Jodhpur we continued to get caught up in the Diwali preparations, kind of like the week before Christmas or the lead up to Ramadan.  The bazaars were vibrant; a whirlwind of color and energy. 

Actually mayhem is the only way to describe Indian markets before Diwali.  Thousands are shopping elbow to elbow; women, grandmas, touts and screaming babies.  Sink or swim.  It’s fun and I dive right in, getting lost in the tangle of back alleys.  All of a sudden I can’t stand it.  And a knight in shining rickshaw carries me back to my quiet, clean Haveli!  An important survival skill to remember in chaotic India.

We were told that Jodhpur is nothing – “You must experience Diwali in Jaipur”.  Carrying on to Jaipur – the 3rd point of India’s Golden triangle (the other two: Delhi and the Taj Mahal in Agra) our expectations were exceeded by the display of lights in Jaipur.  Seems the whole city was alight for Diwali.

Big week long build up, 5 nights of unbelievable noise, fireworks and light displays with music then Black.  Done.  The Buddhists say “when it’s over, it’s over” and it was over.  But what a show!

This is the India of Gandhi.  The India Gandhi felt the passion to fight for, non-violently that is, in his wisdom.  An India worth preserving.

A true story about Gandhi:  A Mother dragged her 10 year old son in to see Gandhi.  “My son is addicted to sugar and eats it every time he can! Tell him to stop eating sugar for his health!” Gandhi sent her away.  Bring your son back in 3 weeks.  When she finally returned with him, Gandhi emphatically told the son, “Don’t eat sugar.  It is bad for your health and will eventually kill you!”  The Mother smiled then turned to Gandhi and asked him, “Why didn’t you just tell him that 3 weeks ago?”  He twinkled as he replied, “Because I was still eating sugar!

Never missing an opportunity to ride one of our friends, the dear elephants, we caught a ride in a tuk tuk the 10 miles out to Amber Fort.  We passed by Hawa Mahal Palace.  The ‘Wind Palace’ is essentially a high intricately carved screen wall built so that the women of the royal family could observe street festivals while unseen from the outside.  Birds in a gilded cage.   It was a splendid sight to see Amber Fort perched atop the hill, with the impressive 12 km. ‘India Wall’ in the distance. When we reached the fort, we realized we were about to revisit the grandeur of Rajput kings!  In grand style the mahouts or elephant drivers took us up the long walkway into the fort, high upon the hill above.

Raj Joseph and Queen Nancy surveyed their kingdom from the turrets of the Amber Fort.  Ah yes, Rajasthan, the exotic desert kingdom, forgotten by time.

And so it goes…………………………………..Next in search of more elephants in Northern Thailand.   Until then Keep Laughing, Keep Living Life to the Fullest, and remember to keep Learning.   We are glad you stopped by. Thanks for sharing your travel experiences.  It helps us to continue learning about the world we are traveling.  Take care!

Love, Light & Laughter, 

xo  Nancy & Joseph