After breakfast at Manvar Camp, we pack up and board the jeeps for a shorter ride back to Manvar Resort - but not without a stop to see an artisan blacksmith work his fire and demonstrate use of a chillum to smoke some tobacco. At the Manvar Resort, we board Baba's van and are driven past Pokhran, site of India's 1974 underground nuclear test, on the way to Jaisalmer, the city of gold.
Our tour guide Mahindra bills Jaisalmer as the smallest Indian city, only 80,000 people. It's 60 km from Pakistan and is supported by tourism and the Indian military. The road is well maintained, to support the numerous troop movements.
We visit Gadisar Lake, a created holy oasis. The catfish abound and teem to the surface to feed on the bits of bread we throw to them. A cupola plaza in the lake is where the local emperor viewed entertainers on another platform back in the late 1700's.
On the way to the fort, we pass buildings sporting a hanging decoration of seven chilis and one lemon used to repel bad spirits.
The fort in Jaisalmer is the only "living" fort in India - four thousand Hindis, including our guide, still live inside the fort that King Jaisal built in 1176. The wall of the fort has 99 bastions (rounded defense towers). The view from on high shows much of the golden color of the local marble.
The town is known partly for its skills in jewelry, particularly silversmithing. We resist purchase of jewelry, but enjoy seeing how a lock that requires three keys is opened.
For a lunch break, we dine privately on the upper open floor of a hotel, ordering two dishes and still having more than we can eat. It is difficult for us to order just enough food to satisfy our appetites, but the view from our restaurant is delightful. We have the extra food packaged up to go and offer it to our guide, but he gives it to a passing holy man instead.
After touring the palace, with fine intricate carving, we do buy a tie-dyed scarf and a Ganesh plaque, which we are informed should be placed so that he faces east. May it bring us good fortune.
On the way back to the hotel, Baba pulls over by the Bada Bagh Cenotaphs, which we explore on our own. These are ancient burial grounds that have a beautiful color in the fading sunlight.
Our tour guide Mahindra bills Jaisalmer as the smallest Indian city, only 80,000 people. It's 60 km from Pakistan and is supported by tourism and the Indian military. The road is well maintained, to support the numerous troop movements.
On the way to the fort, we pass buildings sporting a hanging decoration of seven chilis and one lemon used to repel bad spirits.
The fort in Jaisalmer is the only "living" fort in India - four thousand Hindis, including our guide, still live inside the fort that King Jaisal built in 1176. The wall of the fort has 99 bastions (rounded defense towers). The view from on high shows much of the golden color of the local marble.
The town is known partly for its skills in jewelry, particularly silversmithing. We resist purchase of jewelry, but enjoy seeing how a lock that requires three keys is opened.
After touring the palace, with fine intricate carving, we do buy a tie-dyed scarf and a Ganesh plaque, which we are informed should be placed so that he faces east. May it bring us good fortune.
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