After several delayed flights and trains, I finally arrived in Jodhpur. Through narrow, impossible twisty lanes and cool blue walls, I travelled to the innards of the city. Squashed fairly precariously, our haveli rose up against the tiny houses that surrounded us in a sea of blue, speckled with bright sunshine and fresh laundry.
We walked through the lanes in their cool shade, admiring every colour and house as we walked up to Ranisar Talaab. We ended up at Padamsagar Talaab where the still water reflected the blue sky, the golden sun and the fort. People ziplined through the reflections, a few ducks swam around and locals sat and threw chunks of atta in the water.
A man lit his incense stick and offered us some atta to throw in the pond, and started telling us about his rituals and about the city of Jodhpur. We sat for quite a while, peering into the murky depths of the pool, enjoying the peace around us.
Mandore 9kms or so from Jodhpur, these gardens are ideal for a lazy afternoon. Their mildly dishevelled appearance and long, unkempt grasses full of downy feathers are almost charming. There seems to be little hype about these beautiful monuments that you can just waltz into, and enjoy the shade and cool stone. Beware of cuckoo talkative men with bizarre stories and also, troupes of langurs.
Golden Marble, Golden Sun. Jaswant Thada.