9 storeys of bamboo scaffolding

held together by handmade coir cord, see extra.

Today I went to find the Central Park – within it are well kept gardens, rolling lawns and as it was lunch time there were lots of men lying about having a snooze, attending a political rally or just taking time to meet up with friends.  There were a couple of courting couples sitting decorously apart.  In the centre, by a huge flagstaff flying the biggest flag I have ever seen was a 15 foot high group of 13 roughly carved blocks of different stones – apparently ‘beings’ looking over us. They are of different colours and represent the constellation of Capricorn and the Winter Solstice. To the north of the city near the Jal Mahal are two more large figures representing the Sun and the Moon – both looking in the same direction and which are part of the same installation.  You can find the full story among the many pictures I took today but they reminded me very much of ancient standing stones although they are only 10 years old.
 
Early on in my walk I stumbled across Naresh (my Marigold tuktuk driver) sitting in a barber’s chair having his weekly shave!  I only stayed to see him soaped up and having his first cut throat strokes for I didn’t want the barber to get nervous and make a mistake.
 
But the excitement of the day was seeing a drug dealer being hauled out of the police station closely followed by two reporters with huge cameras who got in my way of taking a shot.  The felon was driven away in a jeep attended by 3 guards and the driver.
 
Earlier I had taken a picture of a building advertising it was an arms and ammunition dealership with no licence required for air pistols and air guns.  So I thought it a good idea to go looking for men with guns for nearly every bank, especially ones with ATMs always have a guard.  Then I stumbled on the CBI HQ when I photographed a smart young man in uniform with an SLR (self loading rifle) and got invited into the courtyard to have chai with him! Chai was poured by the chai lady who looks after everyone’s needs in the building.
 
I told you that this Jaipur area was once desert and building foundations had to be dug deep – well, I watched as three stories, or perhaps more, below me were being transformed into a basement.  Every single bit of concrete, sand, gravel and reinforcing rods are either manhandled or carried in on the head.  Every building it seems in Jaipur is built on the strength of women, and some men. The men digging the cement into the bowls for the women to carry had heavy rubber boots and each woman had one rubber glove to hold the empty container back to get more.

There were two beautifully dressed women tending the gardens of a roundabout who posed for me too – how lovely people are.

more pics here