Taken on November 29, 2015 from Mehrangarh Fort
Jodhpur is called “the blue city” for reasons that should be apparent from the photos above. Historically, this blue was associated with the households of Brahmin. Brahmin were the priestly caste, the highest of the four castes. Of course, the caste system was outlawed decades ago (not that its long tail doesn’t remain), and so now many of these blue houses are occupied by households that aren’t Brahmin.
Taken on November 28, 2015 in Pushkar
Taken on November 27, 2015 at Jaipur
Just back from Rajasthan with tons of photos from Jaipur, Jodhpur, and Pushkar.
Taken in November of 2013 at Hampi
Taken in May of 2015 in Kandy
Taken in November of 2015 in Mumbai
This row of street food stalls is located across the street from Flora Fountain in Mumbai. They don’t all sell Vada Pav, but the most popular one does. (Alternative spellings: wada pav, vada paav, or vada pao)
FYI: Vada Pav is a delicious deep-fried, spiced potato ball served as a sandwich on a fluffy dinner roll style bun. It’s a Maharashtra specialty. There’s a video below if you’d like to see how they’re made or to make your own.
Taken in November of 2014 in Fardapur, India
In India:
Q: “How high can you load that truck?”
A: “How high is the sky?”
Taken in October of 2015 in Khajuraho
This is a parade procession that we passed as we were walking out to a couple of the Eastern Group of Temples at Khajuraho.
It was pretty typical, a tractor with a squawky loudspeaker playing music at about 100db beyond the speaker’s rating, pulling a trailer with a figure. There was color throwing and garlands. The works.
Taken in October of 2015 in Varanasi
Manikarnika is the main ghat for cremation on the Ganges in the city of Varanasi. It’s noted by its vast stacks of firewood and steady flame. In Hindu mythology, it’s said to be where Mata Sati’s ear ring fell when Shiva was carrying her to the Himalayas and it’s an important Hindu site for reasons beyond the burial rights conducted there.
[When the caste system was legal] one of India’s wealthiest untouchables ran operations at the ghat. Untouchables being the only caste considered suitable to do this work, but it being a lucrative operation.
Travelers beware, sadly, this area attracts con-artists as well as mourners.
Tiger Riding for Beginners 