Thar - spectacular desert vistas

Some come for the spectacular desert vistas, others for the unique cuisine, still others for a wealth of textiles and artefacts. It’s a (rare) connoisseur who comes just to appreciate the splendidly individual architecture of the region — Jaipur with its pink glaze, Jaisalmer with its golden stone and Jodhpur with its blue-washed homes. The desertscape, with its gateway at Jodhpur, is a blend of browns, creams and reds; sand and sandstone.
The small towns of Osiyan, Phalodi and Khichan are about 135 km from Jodhpur. Osiyan comes first at 65 km, literally in the middle of nowhere, at the edge of the Thar. It is said that 2,500 years ago, Osiyan had a population in lakhs. The town was called Upkeshpur then and had four lakh Rajputs, who became Jains. It was later called Osiyan. Both Hindu and Jain temples, of red and cream sandstone, reputed to be around 2,500 years old, are superb works of art, easily rivalling those of Orissa and Karnataka. The Jain temple, 2,500 years old, is a masterpiece in creamy sandstone, very well maintained. Graceful thorans (arches), freestanding pillars and fantastic sculptures make this unique temple something of a fantasy. The dome temple has exquisite figures of apsaras in cream and pink stone, quarried locally long, long ago. This temple has been restored with care, using no cement or iron, but the materials used originally.


But it is Phalodi and Khichan that remain in the mind. In typical regional style, the havelis loom up from the road, secluded by jharokhas and jaalis, and thick wooden doors frequently embellished with ivory and brass.

Many of the havelis paint their grand front doors a fantastic shade — so vibrant in the desert scene. Temples prefer bright yellow for the doors, a fabulous combination against pristine whitewashed walls, the sand and the colourful attire of the womenfolk. The wooden doors, small windows (khidkis) and ceilings are usually made of the hardy local Rohida wood, mellowed over the years. The wooden pieces have become collector’s items today.


Many of the large havelis have a basement, as is evident from the raised front. This serves as a cool area in the summer heat, as also suitable for the storage of perishables. Large chutes from the raised frontage send out the rain water into the streets.

A heightened sense of beauty somehow seems to have pervaded the desert region, perhaps to balance or counter the extreme aridity. Correspondingly, workmanship and artistry of a high order also appears to be an inborn gift of the people here. Given the popular hyped attractions of the bigger cities in the State, it is no surprise that this area is not so well known. However, the richness of its architectural heritage brooks no denial, especially as a visit here can be combined with trips to nearby Bikaner and Jaisalmer.

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A Trip to Ladakh Village

When we were planning our trip to Ladakh, what drew us to the idea of doing a homestay was the simple yet powerful concept behind it. The Snow Leopard Conservancy encourages and trains local families to welcome tourists into their houses for a very nominal fee. The money thus collected serves as an additional income for the local people. This additional income not only increases the communities’ stake in protecting wildlife, but also offsets the losses that these villagers incur due to livestock depredation by snow leopards.
Completely sold on a homestay, we managed to combine it with our two-day trek in the Rumbak Valley. Although a relatively easy trek, the altitude and the intense heat made it an arduous task. One normally does not associate heat with the mountains, but Ladakh being a cold desert, experiences extreme weather conditions.


The trek itself was a gradual climb and our path was along a river, which apart from providing a picturesque backdrop was a welcome relief from the heat. The first signs of the village were fields that gradually grew in size as we climbed further up. Our first and much needed pit stop was at this little shop that had a white canvas stretched across a pole to cover a small wall that was the enclosure. It was a struggle to get ourselves up as we did have to walk a little more to reach the village we were staying in.

The village was nothing but a collection of a few brick houses, spread out, overlooking the fields. It had a deserted look, as most people were out in the fields. Once inside a narrow corridor opens into a big room that housed the kitchen and the common area where the family have their meals and watch TV. Ladakhi kitchens are very interesting and maybe the one distinct characteristic that distinguishes their homes from any other. They have a variety of brass and steel vessels that are all displayed. The prosperity of the family is judged by their kitchen and the number of vessels on display. The lady of the house made us some gur chai or the traditional Ladakhi butter tea. It’s made of butter and is salty, almost like a soup, but it keeps the body warm and is a great source of energy.



Completely sold on a homestay, we managed to combine it with our two-day trek in the Rumbak Valley. Although a relatively easy trek, the altitude and the intense heat made it an arduous task. One normally does not associate heat with the mountains, but Ladakh being a cold desert, experiences extreme weather conditions.

The trek itself was a gradual climb and our path was along a river, which apart from providing a picturesque backdrop was a welcome relief from the heat. The first signs of the village were fields that gradually grew in size as we climbed further up. Our first and much needed pit stop was at this little shop that had a white canvas stretched across a pole to cover a small wall that was the enclosure. It was a struggle to get ourselves up as we did have to walk a little more to reach the village we were staying in.

The village was nothing but a collection of a few brick houses, spread out, overlooking the fields. It had a deserted look, as most people were out in the fields. Once inside a narrow corridor opens into a big room that housed the kitchen and the common area where the family have their meals and watch TV. Ladakhi kitchens are very interesting and maybe the one distinct characteristic that distinguishes their homes from any other. They have a variety of brass and steel vessels that are all displayed. The prosperity of the family is judged by their kitchen and the number of vessels on display. The lady of the house made us some gur chai or the traditional Ladakhi butter tea. It’s made of butter and is salty, almost like a soup, but it keeps the body warm and is a great source of energy.

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Kashmir Beauty, Srinagar travel

When I landed at Srinagar airport, I expected to find the place crawling with security personnel considering it is known to be a sensitive zone and have a tense environment. But much to my delight I was totally wrong. It was bustling with tourists and extremely helpful ground staff. The crisp air and golden sunshine outside was exhilarating. Wide roads, open grounds with towering trees meet my eye as I drive along the Dal Lake en route to the hotel. Rows of houseboats anchored on the lake beckon visitors as also the beautifully decorated shikaras (boats) with their brilliant coloured seats. The distant mountains surrounding the valley are perfectly mirrored in the ever so still waters of the lake. Now I see the huge fort which is said to have been built by Mughal emperor Akbar atop the hill, Hari Parbat. I detour onto the winding driveway of the only heritage hotel in the city, the Lalit Grand Palace. This was earlier the palace of the Kashmir Maharaja Hari Singh and called Gulab Bhawan. However, the palace, sprawling across nearly 50 acres strategically placed in one of the city’s best sites on the slope of a hill, was turned into a hotel with its 112 rooms and 59 luxurious palace suites. Leaving my bags in one of its spacious heritage rooms, I step out into the front garden overlooking the lake. The view is spectacular. The lush green lawn hemmed in by rows of red dahlias bobbing their heads in the breeze, the magnificent chinar trees with the hills partly covered in green deodars and chinars.

Autumn leaves drift by my window, the autumn leaves of red and gold… The lines of the once popular Nat King Cole number come to my mind as I eat the delicious Kashmiri dishes like dum aloo, hacque saag, raajma and saffron-flavoured rice followed by almond saffron phirni and finally the aromatic steaming kahwa. Srinagar is a very large city I discovered. I am lucky to have a Kashmiri friend Hashmat Ullah Khan to drive me to the famous Mughal Gardens, the Nishat Bagh with its terraced lawns and fountains and the Shalimar Bagh that was built by Mughal emperor Jehangir for his wife Noor Jehan, also set in sprawling grounds with terraced lawns and a central water channel. Hashmat takes me through the meandering lanes of the old city to a shawl weaver’s house near Safa Kadal. Inside, the weaving loom is set up in an immaculately clean room, where the weavers are busy with their wooden spindles called kani briskly making a kani shawl. I look down at an exquisite, colourfully designed part of the shawl that has been completed. It can take a year or more to make one of the famous kani shawls, Hashmat says. The next day I drive up the hill skirting the botanical gardens to the Chasme Shahi, a natural water spring set amidst a terraced garden. I scoop up the water in my palms and drink. The crystal clear water tastes divine, especially after the hot climb. A side road from here and a drive higher up the hill takes one to Pari Mahal built by Shah Jahan’s son in the 17th century. The place that once housed a library has a fabulous view of the Dal Lake and the city below. After a day long outing it’s great to be back in the Lalit Grand Palace. The Darbar Hall, used as a dining area, is part of the old palace complex that is built on springs and is therefore earthquake proof. The palace has its old secrets and is said to have secret tunnels to the grounds outside. They have neither been explored and no one knows the exact route… As I leave the place, I promise myself that I will return soon.

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