Serendipity....off the beaten track

My day began with a leisurely stroll through the Sam sand dunes. I had the place all for myself and before dawn it was eerie and chilly. As the sun rose, the dunes turned golden and for a short time it erased yesterday’s disappointment. But the joy was ephemeral and soon all I could see was plastic littered all over the sand.

The very thought of having to spend another day and night at Sam dunes made me despondent. I kicked myself for making such a mess of my itinerary. The manager at RTDC Sam Dhani also felt that a second day is a total waste. Even though he empathized with my plight, he appeared very reluctant to transfer my 2^nd night stay to RTDC Hotel Moomal in Jaisalmer town. After a hearty breakfast of poha and puri bhaji, I pleaded with him and it worked.

I set out in an Indica, along with Jamal, my driver and guide for the day. Jaisalmer is 40 kms from Sam dunes, but we took several detours off the beaten road to visit lesser seen sights. And the day unraveled into a series of unforgettable moments.

All night I had been wondering why I didn’t see a single white skinned tourist yesterday evening at the dunes. Jamal provided the answer. The foreigners are wise to go to the “non-touristy” dunes. We came across a group of 4 from Scotland on their way back from one such “non-touristy” dune. They sleep under the stars and do the toilet behind the bushes; water is supplied in limited pouches. How many of use are ready for such an experience? This little known camel safari comes at prices starting from Rs2K per night.

On the road to Khaba, we saw a film being shot and stopped to gaze. It was a Tamizh film called Thulli Vilayadu. The director’s assistant told me that they will be doing a chase sequence later on. Here is a video clip of a silly song and dance routine that I watched being shot. The girl in black is not the heroine, informed the director’s assistant.

Khaba is one of the 84 villages that were abandoned on a single night by the Paliwal Brahmins, so the legend goes. Khaba has a fortress that houses a small geological museum. Fossil exhibits here explain how the Thar Desert was under the ocean eons ago. There was nobody at the fort and museum and on my way out I left behind the entrance fee of Rs10 on the counter and tore out a ticket myself.

Next we came across this oasis in the desert. It was teeming with birds. Here I met Madho Singh filling up his tractor driven tanker with water. He is a Rajput from Jamda village and comes here every 3 days to fetch water..When I asked him if he is married, he blushed and explained that his to be bride is only 15. He looked 35, but said he is 25; an obvious lie. Madho Singh told me he has worked earlier as a mason and carpenter in factories near Ahmedabad and Pune. He used the choicest foul words to describe Rajasthan. What is the point of living in a place where there is no water, he asked.

Kuldhara is another of the 84 villages abandoned overnight by Paliwal Brahmins. The legend has it they left because the Rajput chieftain had lecherous eyes on one of their women. It is preserved as a heritage site by the Government. The house and the adjoining temple in the photo below are the only structures still intact. The house has been painted over for a film shoot. How terrible! Within the Kuldhara complex, there is also Jurassic Cactus Park, a rather horrendous name for a serene spot. I spotted almost a dozen different species of birds in the 10 minutes I spent there.

My camera battery was getting drained out and Jamal was resourceful enough to get it recharged at the Amarsagar temple complex. Thus I could do some justice to this 250 year old Jain temple.

Late lunch was at the house of Jamal’s distant cousin in the Chatrel village. Bajra roti, gud, ghee, subji and chaas. The womenfolk prepared it in a jiffy, while my camera was receiving more charge. Delicious nourishment for both body and soul.

Few kilometers from Chatrel is Lodurva, the ancient capital of Jaisalmer. There is this stunningly beautiful Jain temple.

Bada Bagh Cenotaphs at sunset was the perfect way to wind up an extraordinarily eventful day, thanks in a large measure to Jamal. I will be sharing more details and photos of all these places in the days to come.