Happy Valentine's Day from India! This will definitely be the most memorable Valentine's Day, for the sole reason that I was in India, surrounded by all my new loves. VegNews and Veg Voyages decorated our breakfast table with big paper heart cutouts, and gave us each a Pirates of the Caribbean valentine with a dark chocolate bar. So sweet! We had a yummy breakfast, then Blair and I went up to the part of the fort where they keep the chickens. Kundan got Sudarshna to bring out the beautiful cats that live with the royal family in the fort. They were super fluffy, frou-frou cats, too. We all gathered in the courtyard for pictures and goodbyes. This is when Kundan sidled up beside me with one of the paper heart cutouts with a yellow flower hidden behind it. He snuck it to me while all the little boy aides watched and giggled. Oh lord, his wife better keep an eye on him. It was sad to have to say our goodbyes, but we did and then continued on our journey.
On our way out of Bhadrajun, we stopped at a coed school for a tour, and to distribute prizes for last year's VegNews Games. The kids had to show off their English skills by coming up one group at a time and reciting nursery rhymes or singing songs to us. It was so adorable.
Next on our itinerary was a drive to the village of Ranakpur, nestled in the Aravalli mountains. On the way, we stopped at a hotel for a "technical break". I was hanging outside, when Ranjeet beckoned me across the street and bought me a masala chai, which I drank with the other drivers. I felt like a true local, drinking chai from a street vendor with some dudes. Haha! Then Landin came outside and bought some super yummy street popcorn. And we got some Thums Up cola from the hotel [India's version of Coca-Cola]. It was the perfect snack. Continuing on our way to our hotel in Ranakpur, we stopped at a beautiful outdoor restaurant for lunch.
Our last stop before our hotel was at the Jain Marble Temple in Ranakpur. This temple dates as far back as the fourteenth century and is dedicated to Adinatha, an important Jain figure. Jainism is a vegetarian religion that promotes pacifism and non-violence towards all living beings. They also believe you should detach yourself from your possessions, and that you should liberate your soul from the negative effects of unenlightened thoughts, speech and action. The temple was the most beautiful architecture I've ever seen, even more so than the Taj Mahal, if I'm allowed to say that. The intricacy and beauty of the all-white carved marble was entrancing. The temple had an ethereal, serene feeling throughout it and all I could do was silently soak up every inch of it. Even these incredible photos can't do it justice. My camera wasn't broken by this point [it broke shortly after we arrived to Ranakpur], so I'm not quite sure why I didn't take any of my own photos. I guess I was too mesmerized to bother.
To get to our hotel in Ranakpur, we had to drive into the Aravalli Mountains, the oldest mountain range in India. It was a slightly terrifying and car sickening ride, but I was in Singhji's van, and he let us stop and feed popcorn to the monkeys on the side of the road. So that made up for the horrible ride.
Our hotel was an eco-retreat called Arayanwas, nestled in a beautiful green valley. There were several sweet guard dogs tied up by the front gate [they let them loose at night], including Tiger, who chilled with our group for awhile. Me and Blair's room was very spacious and sparse, with a view of a running stream from our back patio. The whole place was very relaxing, natural and beautiful.
Once again, my shoe problem got in the way of my going on a hike around the area. Plus, my camera broke, and I was pissy, so I walked around and hung out with my trip twin, Kathryn, instead. But the people who did go on the hike took plenty of pictures that I'm sure they don't mind me sharing.
After everyone got back, we had a special bonfire with folk music and drinks, a perfect ending to any day. Jonathan and I spent a lot of time trying to perfect some hand clap game that made an awesome beat. Then we had my favorite meal of the trip, a Chinese-Indian fusion. Mmmmm! I wish I had some recipes to recreate that meal! As a surprise, Singhji gave us all Valentine's Day roses. What a sweet, sweet man!
be mine
an apparently annoying rooster [joel kraut]
chicken coops [michael lu]
teenage chickens [joel kraut]
the raja's aides with jonathan [jennifer turner]
me & kundan
happy valentine's day from bhadrajun [colleen holland]
one last glimpse of that smile [sandy adams]
On our way out of Bhadrajun, we stopped at a coed school for a tour, and to distribute prizes for last year's VegNews Games. The kids had to show off their English skills by coming up one group at a time and reciting nursery rhymes or singing songs to us. It was so adorable.
the first classroom [colleen holland]
older boys class [amandy strzempek]
love the tie [amandy strzempek]
this kid was in time out [amandy strzempek]
teacher [amandy strzempek]
more students [amandy strzempek]
it was the girl in the yellow's birthday [amandy strzempek]
little kid class
preparing to hand out awards [jennifer turner]
our sign [colleen holland]
getting a bindi and a string bracelet for evil eye protection
the blessing tray [jennifer turner]
the little boy in white was hilarious
the boys show off their english
and now it's the girls turn
we sing happy birthday to one of the girls
singing the indian national anthem
singing the indian national anthem [sandy adams]
after the school visit, with my valentine's flower from kundan
Next on our itinerary was a drive to the village of Ranakpur, nestled in the Aravalli mountains. On the way, we stopped at a hotel for a "technical break". I was hanging outside, when Ranjeet beckoned me across the street and bought me a masala chai, which I drank with the other drivers. I felt like a true local, drinking chai from a street vendor with some dudes. Haha! Then Landin came outside and bought some super yummy street popcorn. And we got some Thums Up cola from the hotel [India's version of Coca-Cola]. It was the perfect snack. Continuing on our way to our hotel in Ranakpur, we stopped at a beautiful outdoor restaurant for lunch.
the popcorn sellers [jennifer turner]
thums up cola [jonathan dipratna]
the "restaurent" [sandy adams]
outdoor lunch [sandy adams]
some of the group eating [sandy adams]
i know a lot of it looks like throw up...but it was SO good [jennifer turner]
Our last stop before our hotel was at the Jain Marble Temple in Ranakpur. This temple dates as far back as the fourteenth century and is dedicated to Adinatha, an important Jain figure. Jainism is a vegetarian religion that promotes pacifism and non-violence towards all living beings. They also believe you should detach yourself from your possessions, and that you should liberate your soul from the negative effects of unenlightened thoughts, speech and action. The temple was the most beautiful architecture I've ever seen, even more so than the Taj Mahal, if I'm allowed to say that. The intricacy and beauty of the all-white carved marble was entrancing. The temple had an ethereal, serene feeling throughout it and all I could do was silently soak up every inch of it. Even these incredible photos can't do it justice. My camera wasn't broken by this point [it broke shortly after we arrived to Ranakpur], so I'm not quite sure why I didn't take any of my own photos. I guess I was too mesmerized to bother.
the marble jain temple [landin donner]
as usual we had to be barefoot to enter the temple [sandy adams]
these look like drip sand castles [jennifer turner]
balcony [joel kraut]
i have no words [jennifer turner]
one column is tilted so the temple is not too perfect & will be protected from the evil eye [blair stirek]
sunlight [joel kraut]
so much detail [joel kraut]
ceiling [jennifer turner]
woman with newspaper [jennifer turner]
there were many elephant statues [michael lu]
you stand under this spot and make a wish [joel kraut]
To get to our hotel in Ranakpur, we had to drive into the Aravalli Mountains, the oldest mountain range in India. It was a slightly terrifying and car sickening ride, but I was in Singhji's van, and he let us stop and feed popcorn to the monkeys on the side of the road. So that made up for the horrible ride.
view from the road [jonathan dipratna]
my van, feeding popcorn to the monkeys [jonathan dipratna]
two mommas with babies
aggressive old man monkey [blair stirek]
Our hotel was an eco-retreat called Arayanwas, nestled in a beautiful green valley. There were several sweet guard dogs tied up by the front gate [they let them loose at night], including Tiger, who chilled with our group for awhile. Me and Blair's room was very spacious and sparse, with a view of a running stream from our back patio. The whole place was very relaxing, natural and beautiful.
welcome [blair stirek]
two of the sweet guard dogs [blair stirek]
amandy, josie, joel & tiger [jennifer turner]
me & blair's room [blair stirek]
our outdoor area [blair stirek]
some patios had this awesome chair [jonathan dipratna]
sweet dog [jonathan dipratna]
some of the group [jennifer turner]
Once again, my shoe problem got in the way of my going on a hike around the area. Plus, my camera broke, and I was pissy, so I walked around and hung out with my trip twin, Kathryn, instead. But the people who did go on the hike took plenty of pictures that I'm sure they don't mind me sharing.
peggy going up the trail; me & kathryn coming down [jonathan dipratna]
stepping stones [jonathan dipratna]
ranakpur women on the trail [joel kraut]
tiered crops [joel kraut]
water wheel irrigation system [jennifer turner]
detail of the water wheel [joel kraut]
the guide & landin powering the water wheel [jennifer turner]
ranakpur children [amandy strzempek]
After everyone got back, we had a special bonfire with folk music and drinks, a perfect ending to any day. Jonathan and I spent a lot of time trying to perfect some hand clap game that made an awesome beat. Then we had my favorite meal of the trip, a Chinese-Indian fusion. Mmmmm! I wish I had some recipes to recreate that meal! As a surprise, Singhji gave us all Valentine's Day roses. What a sweet, sweet man!
bonfire [jonathan dipratna]
group around bonfire [jonathan dipratna]
folk music [jennifer turner]
indo-chinese meal YUM [jennifer turner]
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