Rambling through Rajasthan – my @AlbertaatNoon podcast for January and photos to bring it all to life

Today on Alberta at Noon I talked about a few recipes from my recent trip to Rajasthan, India. You can listen to that broadcast here. I’m on between the 28:10 to 34:10 marks in the show.

In my column today I talked about the colours of Rajasthan. I tried to convey in words on the radio a few of the images that have stuck in mind. I did not end up feeling that my brief words did this justice so I’ve put together a slide show so you can really begin to see why colour is such a phenomenon in this arid North Indian desert state.

In the pictures below you’ll see women walking with their saris flowing, men’s heads adorned with metres of cloth all wrapped in a colourful turban top, jewels, flowers and glorious food on plates and in corner bazaars and roadside food markets. People loved to wave a friendly hello as we passed or as our bus paused in traffic. The architecture is hundreds of years old but it retains every ounce of glory in its time-worn softness. Throughout our journey, the common thread was the kindness in the eyes and in the hearts of the Indian people we met. “Atithi devo bhavaa”, they would say. Our Guests are Gods. We felt that love and warmth.

I owe a debt of gratitude to my business partners at Indus Travels (especially tour guide extraordinnaire Luv Jawad) for the loving care they take of me and my guests each year. My wonderful life here in Canada will only allow me to take a small group once each year, but they have a tremendous team of brilliant guides available year round and most of their excursions are very small and personalized like my custom tour. I hope you’ll check out all that they have to offer. They really manifest that “Atithi devo bhavaa” credo and when you are travelling half way around the world there could be nothing better to set you up and help you savour it all.

Hint: Click on a photo and then browse through the slide show from that vantage point. You’ll be able to enjoy the full pictures. Namaste, Karen

Elderly woman, Udaipur photo – Karen Anderson

Street sweeping in saris, Udaipur photo – Karen Anderson

Bursts of colour – women walking in saris, Udaipur photo – Karen Anderson

On guard in Udaipur photo – Karen Anderson

a quiet spot for lunch photo – Karen Anderson

shade is good photo – Karen Anderson

famous Udaipur miniature paintings use the state’s plentiful raw materials for all their colours photo – Karen Anderson

Teacher – Udaipur Art College photo – Karen Anderson

Uncut unpolished gems, Jaipur photo – Karen Anderson

Bus drivers on break – the unsung heroes of India’s tourism industry – thanks to Vikas and his assistant (far left) for getting us everywhere safely photo – Karen Anderson

there is so much to see from the bus window photo – Karen Anderson

musical talents are a way to earn a living photo – Karen Anderson

chef Jitendra Sahu of Rohet Garh photo – Karen Anderson

elaborate masala dhaba with garlic, chill and ginger pastes and oils in addition to the usual spices photo – Karen Anderson

close up on nutmeg and its outer coating mace photo – Karen Anderson

baigan or eggplant is indigenous to India and a most beloved vegetable photo – Karen Anderson

Suresh Jingar – proud to serve at Rohet Garh photo – Karen Anderson

after the most amazing marigold welcome at one hotel photo – Karen Anderson

earth and earthen pots photo – Karen Anderson

fashion imitates nature’s colours in Rajasthan photo – Karen Anderson

Rajput, Khimsar Fort photo – Karen Anderson

beauty lies everywhere waiting to be noticed photo – Karen Anderson

one small wall, Khimsar Palace photo – Karen Anderson

young cotton grower photo – Karen Anderson

making dinner photo – Karen Anderson

jeep driver photo – Karen Anderson

a grandfather photo – Karen Anderson

Camel boss photo – Karen Anderson

from the bus 2 photo – Karen Anderson

balance in life is everything photo – Karen Anderson

dancers in the desert night, near Khimsar photo – Karen Anderson

clay vessels photo – Karen Anderson

lunch at Chandeleo photo – Karen Anderson

Praduman Singh, owner, Chandeleo Garh photo – Karen Anderson

Chandeleo neighbours photo – Karen Anderson

elder, Chandeleo photo – Karen Anderson

seamstress with bangles, Norway Women’s Project, Chandeleo photo – Karen Anderson

seamstress, Chandeleo photo – Karen Anderson

making a living, seamstress, Chandeleo photo – Karen Anderson

quiet pride, seamstress, Chandeleo photo – Karen Anderson

beauty is often very simple photo – Karen Anderson

Goat herder’s Namaste photo – Karen Anderson

busy morning photo – Karen Anderson

herding photo – Karen Anderson

to the well photo – Karen Anderson

a little namaste photo – Karen Anderson

a joyful wave to our bus photo – Karen Anderson

tractor proud photo – Karen Anderson

soft light bright shawl photo – Karen Anderson

elder with fuchsia turban photo – Karen Anderson

multitasking photo – Karen Anderson

happy day photo – Karen Anderson

serious squatter photo – Karen Anderson

gorgeous rangoli (welcome) photo – Karen Anderson

Visiting a Shiva Temple

a new friend photo – Karen Anderson

longtime driver, DeoGarh photo – Karen Anderson

Indus Guide Luv Jawad with the raja-mother of DeoGarh at her lake fortress photo – Karen Anderson

care-filled photo – Karen Anderson

water chestnut farmer photo – Karen Anderson

rush hour market photo – Karen Anderson

vegetable seller, Deo Garh photo – Karen Anderson

strong Photo – Karen Anderson

weaver in Jaipur photo – Karen Anderson

rug factory worker, Jaipur photo – Karen Anderson

rug spreaders, Jaipur Handicrafts photo – Karen Anderson

Indus Guides – Kush and Luv Jawad at Amir Fort, Jaipur photo – Karen Anderson

one of these things is not like the others Amir Fort, Jaipur photo – Karen Anderson

lean times photo – Karen Anderson

Singer, City Palace, Jaipur photo – Karen Anderson

Time to visit, The Observatory, City Palace, Jaipur photo – Karen Anderson

crossing the street together photo – Karen Anderson

bustling city bursting with colour, Jaipur photo – Karen Anderson

Lassiwalla, Jaipur photo – Karen Anderson

Exquisite Turban-wrapper photo – Karen Anderson

Thali for lunch photo – Karen Anderson

at Akbar’s Palace photo – Karen Anderson

Akbar’s meeting hall, Fatehpur Sikri photo – Karen Anderson

500 year old wall, Fatehpur Sikri photo – Karen Anderson

Time tested Fatehpur Sikri photo – Karen Anderson

Archway Fatehpur Sikri photo – Karen Anderson

Another ceiling at Fatehpur Sikri photo – Karen Anderson

Sunset at Fatehpur Sikri photo – Karen Anderson

Beautiful welcome to Agra photo – Karen Anderson

family outing to the Taj photo – Karen Anderson

The Taj Mahal photo – Karen Anderson

Gossiping with the laundry walla photo – Karen Anderson

whizzing by another market photo – Karen Anderson

Back in Delhi’s traffic photo – Karen Anderson