Kuchaman Fort

No visit to India would be complete without mention of the ever present emporiums, also known as "emboriums". Essentially the emporiums function as a show room for the local crafts, such as rugs, jewellery, marble work and often a selection of other work from all corners of India. At the upper end of the price range the quality of the work was absoloutely stunning. Usually the good stuff was handmade, individual pieces such as rugs or wall hangings may have taken months to complete. On the tour we visited many, many of these; so much so that some nights I still wake up screaming having heard the sound of yet another bloody Kashmiri rug being loudly rolled out for inspection in my nightmares. It would have been less fatiguing had the sales people not been all over you should have so much at blinked at an object in the shop.














We stayed in a variety of types of accomodation, from hotels to tents, forts and sleeper trains. I think for me it started to feel like something special when we jumped in some jeeps and rode up to the hilltop fort where would be staying for the night. I'm a little bit hazy around place names (last night I found a restruant with 650ml beers for 70R, which is about $2...) but I'm pretty sure the first fort we stayed in was Kuchaman Fort which overlooked the town below.


















Having a few beers in the evening after a swim in the underground pool, whilst watching the sunset over the town, was very memorable. The chappies in the pic are Sandy, Woody (a.k.a my name is NOT Branton, and sure as shit not Braaaaaahnton) and Mohamouad (yes, his real name). Later on a man-boob competition broke out, poor Mohamouad didn't stand a chance. In the interests of taste that particular photo won't be published.














The interior work in Kuchaman Fort as well as in many of the palaces and temples was often very ornate, detailed, beautiful.














Ganesh is the popular Hindu god of new beginnings, travellers and overcomer of obstacles. Hindu tradition involves an offering to the deity, such as Ganesh, in return for safe travel etc. Incense or food is the norm. Here however Woody had just finished offering a Dunhill Gold in preparation for our departure from Kuchaman.