Sunday 17 October Bundi

Got up early as we intend visiting the Taragarh Fort, the building of which started around 1354 and which towers over the town. We wanted to start the steep climb before it got too hot, so set off about 9.15am and on the way hired 'monkey sticks' stout poles which we intended using as walking sticks, at least I did.

The climb was very steep and the stones were slippery, so I found the going hard but we kept stopping for rest and water, there are no directions so we had to retrace our steps a few times as we missed the overgrown paths on the left. Anyway we eventually arrived and took a lot of photos of wonderful views of the old town below, the blue painted houses and the Aravali Hills around. We came across a few monkeys but they ignored us.

The buildings within the fort were very dilapidated but it was enjoyable wandering around, there was no information anywhere so we made our own minds up as to what the layout had been, we tried to climb to the tower at the highest point which was flying a flag - but learned from a guide who arrived with a couple of people that it was used by the military and we would not have been able to get very near. Wonder how they get up there, certainly not by the way we came. There are a couple of enormous and deep stone tanks full of green water which I suppose were the water supply. One was being used by numerous monkeys of all sizes who were very relaxed, grooming each other and playing, some very small ones were playing on the steep, narrow steps and one or two were swimming I wonder if they fell in.


We walked round the ramparts ar far as we could go to where we found an old cannon, there was a cool breeze and the views were even better, we could see for miles, on the opposite hills were what we thought were three chatris. Looking down we could see the lake, behind which were soldiers on a parade ground we could also hear the band playing. Walking around was hazardous as the place was very overgrown with lots of loose rocks and stones and we were wary of snakes, I wished I had taken my walking boots to India for this occasion. It would have been great too to have had a picnic and just sat taking in the views. Anyway we needed another late lunch so back down we slithered and slid and was I grateful for the stick, well worth the 10rs hire fee.

This time we went to Baba Roof Top Cafe a steep climb of about four floors, at the top we were greeted by a little dog, who with great pride showed us her four very new puppies, who were tucked in a corner. We consumed rather a lot of beer at 140rs a time, had a good lunch of pakoras but declined the 'fried aborigine'. When we felt recovered and refreshed we went to buy another memory card for the camera.


We ran into an all male procession winding down the road with music and a half dressed holy man with some sort of fire in a pot, couldn't find out what it was about. Changed some money then I went back to the Haveli and John explored some more, he came back and told me he had taken chai with an artist in his shop who had told him that there was to be a big procession tonight passing our Haveli, he also lent John a map of the town.

We hung around until about 8pm then came out to watch, there were loads of trucks attached to generators to get light and sound, people carrying fluorescent tubes, cables trailing all over the place. The trucks carried all sorts of tableaux, adults and chidren in colourful costumes all obviously delighted at John snapping away with the camera, there were also horses dressed in fine cloth and gold embroidery looking wonderful, bands played while off they went to one of the temples.

We then took ourselves off to dinner at Bundi Haveli Hotel, very nice food but no atmosphere, the young rather stiff staff in black and white, unusually not smiling or conversing with us, what a shame, lack of ceremony is something we enjoy here, and the beer was 200rs a glass!