Author: Frances

Ladies shopping in the crazy jumble of the central clocktower market of Jodphur. The bracelets above their elbows are distinctive to their region or village, as are all forms of traditional dress here (and most places I guess). #ladiesshopping #jodhpurmarket #jodhpur

Evening skylights inside the central dome of the Umaid Bhawan Palace. #umaidbhawanpalace #skylights #dome #jodhpur #tajhotels #carolinetravelstheworld

The Jodhpur wholesale market. #jodhpur

The serene paneled Trophy Bar in the Umaid Bhawan Palace, completed in 1943 essentially as a jobs program for the famine stricken Jodphur region, funded entirely by the Maharajah and his family. The vast shipment if Art Deco furniture never made it, alas, as it was sunk by German U-boats. As a result, some of the furniture does not quite fit, but the simple elegancejof the Trophy Bar works. No more hunting in India today, by the way. #umaidbhawanpalace #jodhpur #trophybar

One of the most beautiful rooms in all of India, the Palace of Flowers inside the Mehrangarth Fort in Jodphur is guilded, painted, and mirrored to the max. Note the lack of furnishings, however. Until arrival of Europeans and accommodations for their customs–chairs and what not–rooms in India were completely fluid in function. Requiring only the resrranging of a few cushions and low tables and stools, today’s dining room could be tonight’s bedroom or tomorrow’s living room. Efficient and versatile. #mehrangarthfort #palaceofflowers

Oh hello… leaving Jawai. #jawai #india #camels #motherdaughter (?) #desertlife

The famous 1144 columns of the Ranakpur Jain Temple – see info in previous posts. #ranakpurjaintemple #columns

The astonishing carving at the #ranakpurjaintemple. This ceiling piece made from a single slab of sandstone.

At the 16th C Jain Temple in Ranakpur, comprising 1144 indivudually carved columns. Sadly many were destroyed by the Mughals shortly thereafter, and the plainer ones in foreground here are restored.

Stopped to watch this fellow working the village water wheel as we drove to Jawai. Like the water painter a few posts ago, this man too is likely the last of his generation to work in this way. #waterwheel #amazingindia

Jackie Kennedy said “See Udaipur and live to see it again and again.” #udaipur #prettylight #iwanttopaintit

This fellow is a 15th generation painter on water and practices his art in a tiny temple to Khrishna in Udaipur. A single painting, accomplished by sifting powdered pigments through fabric on stencils and freehand, can take up to 5 hours to complete and sinks into the water by day’s end. His craft is purely devotional, demonstrating the impermanence of existence. He is supported solely by donations, and sadly his sons are not following in his footsteps, so he is the last of his line. Previous post is video of process. #waterpainting #udaipur