The Bride's Grandmother

Out with |Kannu to the 8th century Eklingji Temple complex link here
north of Udaipur up and over a pass in the Aravalli hills that is having a tunnel driven through under it. The rickshaw made fairly light work of the climb but even so Kannu leant forward over his handlebars to help it on! A new road will by-pass the little town and the temples for the main road from Jaipur and Delhi to the south goes through it at present. It is about time too for the food and trinket vendors that breathe in the fumes and are assaulted by the noise of buses and lorries are the most surly I've ever met and the town does not feel happy or comfortable. There were no photography notices everywhere which was sad as the place is rather amazing even though most of it was closed off. The lovely little carvings mostly had their faces disfigured by early Mohammedan invaders

We stopped several times as usual to eat wonderful street food and drink chai and for Kannu to light his bidi. On the way back we visited another more peaceful temple by a lake where there were lots of birds and then, on the outskirts of Udaipur, where all the marble factories and outlets are, we stopped to look at some green marble and see how it was polished by two boys sitting on grinding machines and moving them around with their feet well shod in large rubber boots. Then we happened on a wedding party dancing in the street to the sound of two drummers. Such merriment, movement and colour – the bystanders were good to watch too - and the Grandmother was one of the happiest!

wedding dancing in the street