Day 1
Before I left for India I was thinking... very rural, talk of sleeping on the roof (Mark, Kishal, Steve and our host did) would need a torch, so that went in the suitcase. Would be completely surrounded by poisonous snakes and was wondering what I would do if I came face to face with a cobra, they spit in your eyes don't they so would my sunglasses save me and so on...so had a panic attack about that! Why was I going!! Because I wanted to do the photography course!
Anyway here I was... the road was a main road but very bumpy in places. We had been told about the motorcycle God so the plan was to stop at the temple as it is on the way.
 |
| This is the motorbike at the temple. As in all temples we had to take our shoes off before we could walk around. Kishal also paid for us to have a 'tikka' a red spot on our forehead. I was very proud of that! |
 There was music at the shrine  |
 |
| It was very hot standing here! |
This happens in Chotila village of Rajasthan where the people have also build a temple in memory of the bike’s owner, Om Singh Rathor also known as Om Banna or Bullet Baba. Om Banna, the owner of the bike died 20 years ago in an accident while driving his ‘bullet’.
(A Royal Enfield!)
According to the devotees who wait for long hours to pay tribute to their God, every time Om’s bike was taken to the local police station, after the accident, it disappeared from there each time and was later recovered from another site
This unusual incident made people of Jodhpur to worship the bike as their God and the news about the miracle spread like wildfire.
There are sayings from the local people that if you are travel to Pali-Jodhpur and returned without stopping and worshipping the Bullet Baba you might not reach to your destination safely.
The local people also say that the motorcycle miraculously starts some time on the date and time of Om’s death. (Taken from the internet but the same account as told us by Kishal.)
As I have to eat regularly by this time I was flagging and desperately needing to eat. We stopped at a small village. Kishal said he had ordered me something to eat from a road stand. My heart sank, I had been so careful not to eat meat, not to drink local water, sterilize my hands etc. I couldn't refuse! While we were waiting for them to cook (Mark wouldn't allow us to waste a minute! he was a real slavedriver! ) I'm only saying because I know he reads this! Off we went to a small alleyway where he had found these two characters!
 |
He was hand crafting a soft rope and plastic strips to repair the seat he was sitting on. |
 | ||||
| These were just enjoying the moment!
Kishal walked over to my car and handed me a bundle wrapped in newspaper. They were spinach bargees (I think) Cooked in the lightest of batter and were delicious!
So off we bumped again and drove until we saw a man in a jeep waiting for us. This was our host. He led us onto a narrow track by a canal. I could see our driver was getting a bit anxious that the trees were brushing against his car and I was getting anxious that he was getting closer to the canal than I was comfortable with as I was sitting that side! However, a mile or so further on surrounded by big bushes we came to the beautiful farmhouse. We were greeted with great hospitality and freshly made lemon water which was delicious.
|
A short rest and a cucumber sandwich high tea and then sunset was almost upon us and as the sun sets pretty quickly we had to really work fast to get our sunset photographs. The light was amazing.
 |
| Another smoke! |
 |
| Sunset arrived too quickly! I pretty much missed it! although we did get a slight one, it wasn't the greatest but that's the luck of the draw. Something I shall never forget!
Supper was served on the rooftop under a beautiful starlit sky with the brightest half crescent moon. We couldn't see the stars in Jodhpur.
|
No comments:
Post a Comment