After our awesome time with the Bishnois, we went back to the hotel to get ready for our next adventure, which started with a short walk through the village to the truck and jeeps waiting to take us for a ride into the desert..
jonathan framed in the fort gate [joel kraut]
bhadrajun boy [joel kraut]
beautiful doors [joel kraut]
so adorbs [michael lu]
again with the doors! they were so great! [michael lu]
strengthening their necks [amandy strzempek]
village family [amandy strzempek]
this kid was seriously playing with a hoop/tire [michael lu]
line of cows [joel kraut]
landin is always in the perfect photo-op places [chelsea harvey]
our truck; me, peggy, jonathan, landin, blair, lisa, kundan, zacji & tejaram [jennifer turner]
jeeps behind us [jennifer turner]
sandy, michael, johanne & terry were prepared for the desert dust [michael lu]
shepherd boy [blair stirek]
sorry for the windy audio...this is prob how my camera broke :( [chelsea harvey]
After much fun in the truck, riding through the breathtaking desert scenery, we reached the sand dunes. We hiked to the top of one, and were served masala tea and tea cookies by Kundan and Tejaram. Watching the sunset from that sand dune was one of my favorite moments from the trip. The desert was expansive and remote and we were all deliriously happy, staring at the golden sun setting in the desert mountains. That entire night was so surreal and definitely one of the top three nights of my entire life. It's impossible to explain the feeling in the air and the connectedness between all of us. And the night just continued to get better and better.
the desert mountains [chelsea harvey]
settling on our rugs [jennifer turner]
more of the group [jennifer turner]
love this picture of jonathan, landin & blair [chelsea harvey]
it was the golden hour [blair stirek]
this looks like a cheesy engagement photo [blair stirek]
johanne, michael & colleen [michael lu]
tejaram, our little helper [chelsea harvey]
the sunset [joel kraut]
close-up [chelsea harvey]
After sunset, we hopped back in the jeeps and continued on into the desert to the Subhadra Goddess Temple, an ancient temple where we were to see a Hindu aarthi ceremony. Aarthi is a religious ceremony where fire is used as an offering to a particular deity. There was a lot of noise being made by bells, gongs and drums and the main priest does a fire dance as worship. It was incredible to be a part of this ritual which seemed mysterious and almost haunting to me.
johanne & michael at the entrance gate before the steep flights of stairs [michael lu]
you have to ring the bell to announce yourself [blair stirek]
the head priest blowing the conch shell [joel kraut]
making noise for the gods [michael lu]
blair with a gong [blair stirek]
the doors to the main idol [michael lu]
head priest doing the fire worship [landin donner]
fire worship [michael lu]
the priest [jennifer turner]
kundan playing the sexy drum beat [michael lu]
lining up to ring the bells [jennifer turner]
the bells [jennifer turner]
and a video of part of the ceremony [landin donner]
Being a part of that sacred ritual was an amazing experience. But the night didn't end here. We then traveled to a random rooftop in the desert, where we were treated to folk music, dancing, a late, but delicious dinner, and many, many drinks. Kundan saw to it that our cups runneth over with booze. It was so great being in the middle of this remote desert, on a rooftop, with all of my great new friends, enjoying the night sky and the music. Even taking drunken bathroom breaks was fun; squatting in the desert sand was freeing for sure, and there was no chance that anyone might see you, except for jackals. Apparently it was too dark for photos, plus we were having so much fun we didn't even think to take them. But here are a couple that I could find, plus one dark video.
singhji getting down with the folk dancers [jennifer turner]
having a heart to heart with landin; surprised i didn't fall over the edge of the roof by this point...jk [jennifer turner]
blair and the main dancer [blair stirek]
isn't the music great? and the dancing when you can see it [chelsea harvey]
The incredible night had to end at some point. After making our way back to the jeeps in the dark, the drivers pumped up some Indian music and there was an impromptu dance party in the desert. Such fun. The ride back to Bhadrajun Fort was even more fun than the ride into the desert, as it was pitch black and the night wind was cool. If only I could re-live this night over and over. When we got back, a bunch of us stayed up late, talking and practicing drinking Indian style [NO LIPS WHAT?!...this is an acquired skill, ya'll] on a fort rooftop. Then I promptly passed out in my hard little Indian bed.
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