Udaipur, India, January 29, 2023

I was asleep by nine and had a great sleep except for the weird interruption about two in the morning. The manager came in with a guest because somebody was in the wrong bed and they turned on the lights and talked really loud. Indians! Luckily I fell back to sleep and had a relaxing morning visiting with the two brothers from Indore.  One is taking his MBA and the other is a system’s analyst.  There are nine of them here – siblings and cousins and they were going outside of the city today. I asked what time they were leaving as it was already 10 o’clock and they said 9 o’clock!  I said well you’re late! Are your people sleeping in? They replied that no the others were waiting on them.  I looked at them kind of funny and they replied that it isn’t often they get to visit with a foreigner so they were enjoying the moment!

By 10 I still couldn’t get into my private room so I went exploring. My first stop was Jagdish Temple which was built in 1652 by some Singh.  It’s in Nagar style which is a style popular in Northern India.  One significant feature is the temple is built on a stone platform with a staircase leading up to it-

The outside is a carved masterpiece-

Inside there was music and chanting-

At the altar, people were praying to the idol Jagannath who is lord of the universe.  He’s made of a single black stone with four arms, flowers and finery-

My next stop was City Palace which as far as I can tell is an art museum.  I considered a guide but unless they speak clear English, with their Indian accent the words all run together and I can’t concentrate. I did get in for cheaper though playing the old card –

The palace was started in 1553 and took over 400 years and 22 different rulers to complete.  As rulers changed, so did the style of architecture creating a fusion of Rajasthani and Mughal styles.  It’s 800 feet long and 100 feet high with 11 different palaces inside.  It’s made completely of granite and marble and the balconies, towers and cupolas contain mirror work, murals, wall paintings, silver-work, coloured glass and inlay work-

The Tripolia Gate built in 1725-

There are many courtyards built in zigzag patterns to slow invaders from easily entering-

The views of Udaipur are also good-

The Zenana Mahal or Women’s residence-

Ivory carved doors-

Peacock Square-

has 3 peacocks depicting the seasons- summer, winter and monsoon- 

Mosaics-

Paintings-

Wall paintings-

Coloured glass and mirrors-

There’s a museum with many instruments including a sitar-

Weaponry-

Patralekha Surasundari was carved 1000-1100 A.D.  She holds a pen in her right hand and dips it into an ink well that is held by her assistant. She probably has a palm leaf in her left hand where she was writing –

Chain mail-

Lakshmi- Narayan 1100-1200 A.D. shows Vishnu with his lover Lakshmi.  His hand is on her breast.  We know this is Vishnu because of the gada (mace), the padma (lotus), the chakra (discus) and the shankha (conch shell)-

More screens carved from stone to allow the women to look out without being seen-

Maharana Bhupal Singhji (1930-1955) signed the Instrument of Assession to join the Union of India in 1948.  This ended British rule-

He also commissioned the sun-

Golden spires on the rooftops-

indicated the lands were independent of foreign rule.

Indian households have a temple space for prayer and worship with the family’s patron deity enshrined.  Krishna is in the cradle and he represents femininity.  Chauth Mata, Shiva and Parvati are worshipped by women for a good prospective partner, health, welfare and a long life.

Now I’m not only forted out but I’m castled out.  No more!  

Walking home- He was pounding the pots-

Something lost in translation I think-

I met a tailor who was supervising five or six men who were busy sewing. He took me across the street to his shop where he showed me the orders he had, enough work for at least a month. He has 45 seamsters  working for him in different locations. What an entrepreneur –

They are everywhere-

Making samosas-

I checked in and was very pleased.  Now I hope my neighbours respect the 10 pm curfew!

Tomorrow I am going to check out a market for some fabric. I saw a shirt I like but it is too short and it’s a tie up one in front but no one has any other styles or the same fabric. One shopkeeper suggested this particular market so I will go there tomorrow. Other than that, it’s going to be a lazy day!