Living on the rooftops Out here on the plains at the edge of the Great Thar Desert, it is hot. Warm during the night, hot at dawn and dusk and sweat inducingly hot around midday. In humid conditions, your body's water feels the urge to ooze out through your pores and joins its kin. While here, the heat just abducts the water without you knowing! Here dehydration is a subtly violent act! The most interesting part of "The Blue City" of Jodhpur lies with...

Catching the bus to Jodhpur Our Mr Singh had pointed out where we needed to wait for the bus when we arrived at the Ranakpur temple complex. The bus station was little more than a few trees, a small roadside café and a shop with a few tables and chairs. "Don't worry, you catch 1530 bus to Jodhpur there. Wait there" "Ok, we will go after we have seen the complex. Thanks." Come the appointed time, or shortly before it, a lot more people see...

The Maharajas of Rajasthan had many forts and palaces to protect their areas of domination. And taking a look at India's turbulent and violent past it is easy to understand why. Within Rajasthan culture there were many strict codes of behaviour that needed to be observed at all times. Any slight at any level of society, and it was war!North of Udaipur, in the mountains that separate this green wooded part of Rajasthan with the drier plains to the north, is a fort...

Cut-throat barber I had come from the plains and drifted into town on my horse; tied it to the railing outside and walked with my spurs jangling onto the sidewalk outside, positioned my cheroot so that I could rasp in my dust coated voice through the cheroot smoke, "a shave and a bottle of whisky, barber". He sent his boy to get the whisky as he obligingly point out the chair I needed to seat myself. Taking my hat reverently and hanging it up, I settl...

The Maharajas of Rajasthan were kings, mighty and magnificent. Who gloried in battle preferring victory before death and death before dishonour. Where men were men (and carried all manner of weapons to prove it) and women were grateful for the men. These rulers held absolute sway of their dominions and where fabulously wealthy. One of the Udaipur maharajas had seven arches constructed to commemorate his generosity. Seven times during his reign he weighed himself ...