After Pushkar, we went to Jodhpur by train. Jodhpur is also known as the Blue City, because of the blue color of some of its houses which makes a perfect backdrop for photography. Around a corner, we met a guy with a big print of famous Steve McCurry’s photo claiming that the boy running in the photo is his son, and he showed me the corner, which had a different look now. I don’t have any reason to doubt his claim. I tried my luck at taking photos in that part of the town, but none of the photos turned out as nice as Steve’s. Oh well.

A word of caution though: the narrow winding streets of the Blue City are occasionally extremely dirty. I mean definitely dirtier than your average Indian street. Be careful where you go, otherwise you might feel nauseous. There are also many kids in the alleys that would self-assign themselves as your guides, and then ask for money. Apart from the city, we also visited the magnificent Mehrangarh Fort towering the city with its rich history and amazing architecture. Highly recommend visiting it.

The next day, we left for Jaisalmer by train, and upon arrival, we got a local bus to Khuri, which took just over an hour. Over there in the village, Mr. Badal Singh came to guide us to his house. I had come to Badal’s house 7 years ago, and I enjoyed my stay a lot back then, hence the returned visit. Badal’s hair has grown all white, but he has the same calm and endearing demeanor that makes him such a great host. He didn’t recognize me, of course, but I told him anyways that I had stayed with him before. Interestingly, 7 years have passed, and Badal hasn’t changed his prices at all. When I asked him why despite the inflation, he simply said because it’s enough. 

We chose to go to Khuri mostly to escape from the madnesses that are the Indian cities. After a week of constantly hearing the honkings, walking in congested streets, dodging many pedestrians, bikes and tuk-tuks at the same time, while trying not to step into mud and cow dung, and inhaling polluted air, and the inevitable smell of a mix of all that, we had to find a refuge. But in Badal’s house we found one more thing: Simplicity. Everything from Badal’s character and his family to the rooms, the washrooms, and the food are basic, and simple. Badal’s life mostly goes around taking care of his animals; a few goats and cows he cares about dearly, to taking care of his guests. He has a simple diet that he shares with the guests: Either rice or chapati, with dal and some vegetable curry. A variation of these are served three times a day.

The lodging is also very basic: Just two beds in a hut or in a room. No wifi, or any other amenities. You are basically living  in a village house, and not a hotel. Everything is clean, but worn-out and basic. Think your grandparents place, if they were living in a village. We spent the hot days mostly relaxing (I was a bit sick too), and reading, with abundant of flies, and the nights being chilly, stargazing and reading. Throughout the day, we would strike up conversation with Badal on many different topics, as it was always a pleasure to talk to him. That was three days of living with the basics, and it felt good!

We spent the rest of the time playing with the newborn baby goats (watched one being born too), washing our clothes by hand and hanging them dry (fast), and learning how to make Chai, and the delicious curries that Badal’s wife was making. I can’t say that I can or want to live that life everyday, but once in a while going back to bare minimums and relaxing is good. 

We also ventured out a few times to the water wells where the village women go to few times a day to fetch water, carrying it back in pots on top of their heads. We mingled with them, laughed and made friends with them, and even helped them pull up water from the well - just for fun, of course. They ended up inviting us over to show us their place, and offered us chai. They would initially ask for rupees or chocolate, but we then asked them back for rupees which would crack them up. Not that they would speak English, all they knew was a few words: Rupees, chocolate, married, photo; the rest of our conversations where happening using universal sign language. I, of course, took their photos, and printed it and gave it to them, and they loved it.

I saw some other tourists getting off their cars, snapping a few photos from a distance, and getting back in. I don’t like that. It’s not a safari. They are people living their normal life, and we should show respect. I only took their photo if they allowed, and then I gave something back. Photographers should do more to earn their shots. Photography is not only having a big camera, pointing it at things, and pushing the shutter button: it’s a process that more often that not, involves appreciating your subject, especially if they are people. 

The struggle for water is very real in Khuri, and in Rajasthan, in general. Women have to walk hundreds of meters per day, multiple times, to get murky salty water to bring home for their needs. Most consume it as it is, and some boil and filter beforehand. Badal’s house had a big tank that would be filled once every couple of weeks or so, so it was easier for them, but still, then didn’t have hot shower. We had to use the old bucket and bowl technique to mix heated and cold water to wash up. Another point for going back to basics. 

After a few days of “shanti” in Khuri, we left for Jaisalmer, where we are staying for a night, and then flying to Jaipur. We finished the trip by visiting Agra and Taj Mahal, and then back to Delhi, and flew back home.

Notes

  • Sleeping at night is no easy feat: There are constant honkings late into the night, and then there are the dogs who start squabbling with their loud barks and howls, and if you are unlucky, and it’s during one of the many holidays, there are the the fireworks and firecrackers, of course! Earplugs are your best friends.
    • Let’s be frank: India has a dog problem. There are probably hundreds of millions of stray dogs living in the streets of cities and in the villages. Dogs were bred to live with humans, and have lost the sense of pack that they had when they were wolves. Now without humans, they just fight, and “live the nights in terror”. Every night you hear dogs barking, howling and fighting into the morning. It’s like without humans they can’t function, and they suffer. Yeah, there are other stray animals in the streets like cows and goats and pigs, but they don’t normally live “with” humans anyways. Dogs do. It’s cruel to them to leave them in the streets in these numbers.
  • We yet to encounter an American tourist in our trip! We’ve met and seen many European tourists from Italy, France, UK, Germany, Netherlands, and Spain, but not a one from The US! Americans don’t travel as much as they should, and it’s so sad.