Budget hotels in Rajasthan

Population: 50 million
Capital: Jaipur
Area: 342,000 sq km
Literacy Rate: 39%
Best time to visit: mid-October to March
Main Languages: Rajasthani and Hindi

Rajasthan is one of the most interesting and most visited states in India. Rajasthan means “Land of the Kings.” It is the home of the Rajputs, the warrior class who were famous for fighting to the death against all odds.

The southeast area of Rajasthan is hilly and rough. Western Rajasthan is for the most part a big desert with no shortage of camels and interesting people. In the northwest there is the Thar desert, which until you get past Jaisalmer, is mainly dry land that is full of shrub. Beyond Jaisalmer going into Pakistan, there are some sand dunes.

There are some excellent places to visit in Rajasthan, including great forts and palaces. Jaisalmer, in the extreme west of Rajasthan, has a romantic, medieval fort built on top of a hill. Jodhpur has a dramatic fort on top of high hill overlooking the city, with a beautiful palace inside.

Udaipur has a fantastic palace and some beautiful, peaceful lakes. Jaipur, the capital, has the deserted Amber Fort outside the city and a newer palace inside the city. There are also good wildlife reserves in Rajasthan: Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, Sariska National Park, and Ranthambhore National Park. In southeast Rajasthan there are several outstanding forts at Bundi, Chittorgarh, and Kota. Pushkar is a peaceful little holy town in the middle of Rajasthan. There are many towns in the Shekhawati area, north of Jaipur, where there are many old beautiful havelis (houses). Rajasthan is packed with interesting and exotic sites.

One of the main highlights of Rajasthan is the local people. Visitors are enchanted by their colorful dress. The people are hard working, friendly and religious. As a class, they are helpful to tourists and will often not tolerate non-Rajasthanis coming to Rajasthan to take advantage of the tourists. So Rajasthan is relatively hassle-free after you get out of the big cities.

There are several major festivals in Rajasthan, the most famous being the Camel Fair in Pushkar. Other important festivals are the Dussehra Festival in Jaipur, the Jaisalmer Desert Festival in Jaisalmer, the Camel Festival, and the Nagaur Fair.

A great way to see Rajasthan is on the Palace On Wheels, which is a tour using a train with cars used by former Maharajs: The Web Site is http://www.palaceonwheelsindia.com.

The best time to visit Rajasthan is between late October and the middle of March, when daytime temperatures are milder and the nights are cool (often very cold). From April to the end of September the temperature is very hot during the day. In May and June it can go over 45ºC (115ºF). Even at night it is uncomfortably hot.

Rajasthan operates the “Paying Guest Scheme,” a facility where guests can stay in a room in a local family’s house. This is arranged through the tourist offices across the state. Princes range from Rs 200 to Rs 1000 per night.

NOTE If a friend or relative of mine was to come from America for a three-week vacation, I would consider it unlikely +to not bring them for a week to Rajasthan. Rajasthan is a recommended place to visit.

History
The Rajputs controlled Rajasthan in various capacities for at least a thousand years before Independence in 1947. The Rajputs were fanatical warriors, who would never surrender, but would fight to the death. If there was no hope for victory, jauhar would be declared. During jauhar the warriors dress themselves in saffron colored robes and the women would dress themselves in their wedding dresses. The men would then charge out of the fort to meet certain death, fighting to the last man. The women would then enter a huge funeral fire. In some battles ten of thousands of Rajputs died this way.

When different Muslims powers invaded India, they always had great problems defeating the Rajputs, and in many cases they would just avoid them. The Rajputs would build impressive, sturdy forts, which were very hard to conquer. What eventually caused their defeat was that as soon as they defeated an outside force, they would often start fighting amongst themselves and therefore they could not present a united front. Therefore, they were conquered one after another. Usually they would not stay down very long, and they would reconquer what they lost.

Akbar was able to conquer most of Rajasthan by forming alliances with different Rajput powers. He also had Rajputs lead his armies. As the Mughals lost power, the Rajputs established independent kingdoms across Rajasthan. At the same time the Marathas were becoming a powerful force in central India, and they started doing devastating raids into Rajasthan. At the same time the British were gaining control of the rest of India. Because it would have been so difficult to control the Rajputs, the British signed treaties with them, in which the Rajput kings would keep their independent rule, but had certain political restrictions and they had to give taxes to the British.

At Independent, in order to get the independent Rajput kingdoms to join the rest of India, they were given certain concessions. They were allowed to keep their titles and properties, and they were given stipends relative to their status. Twenty-two Rajput states merged together and became the state of Rajasthan. In the early 1970s Indira Gandhi got rid of the stipends and restricted the maharaja’s rights to much of their properties. Many of the maharajas were forced to convert their palaces into luxury hotels or museums in order to keep up the standards they were used to. Even today, many of the maharajas are still loved and respected by the people.

Samode
Samode, 45km northwest of Jaipur, has a nice 18th century palace in which guests can rent rooms. It was owned by the Rawal of Samode, one of the noblemen under the Maharaja of Jaipur. It has an exquisite Diwan-i-khas (Audience Hall) which is full of mirror work and original paintings. Non-guests can visit the palace for Rs 100.

Samode Bagh is a beautiful garden, 3km from the palace. Above the palace is a Fort. To reach it, visitors must climb 300 steps. There is a good view from the top.

Samode Palace (01423 224 0023; book at Samode Haveli in Jaipur (0141 263-2370), has rooms for Rs 2600/2950. There are many paintings on the walls, especially in the dining room. Have a swimming pool and tennis court.

To get here by bus you first take a bus to Chomu (1 hr) and then another bus to Samode (30 min).

Kishangarh
This town is known for the miniature paintings produced here.

Roopangarh Fort Palace (01463 3678; Delhi 011 665-021), about 26km from Ajmer, is a 17th century fort now used as a hotel. It has comfortable rooms with bath for Rs 1550/1900. They can arrange camel and jeep safaris, and village tours. It has a good restaurant.

Near Udaipur

Eklingji Temple
This impressive, white marble temple dates to around the 15th century. Eklingji, Lord Siva, is the patron deity of the royal family of Udaipur. Eklingji is known as “Kailashpuri,” the abode of Lord Siva. Inside the temple are silver doors, silver lamps, and a silver bull. There is a black marble, four-faced deity of Lord Siva in the temple. There are some other temples in the village.

This temple is in the small village of Eklingji, 24km north of Udaipur. The temple is open 4.30 to 6.30 am, 10.30 am to 1 pm, and 5.30 to 7 pm. Photography is prohibited. Many city tours stop here. Buses come here every hour from Udaipur (30 min).

Nagda
Located about 2km from Eklingji Temple inxe "Nagda" Nagda are three ancient temples. The Sas Bahu Temple (Mother and Daughter temple) is interesting architecturally and has intricate carvings.

The Adbudji Temple is also architecturally interesting, but is in ruins. You can come here by car or bike. A bike can be rented in Eklingji.
Heritage Resorts (0294 440-382; fax 527-549) has rooms for Rs 1650/3000.

Kankroli and Rajsamand Lake
Kankroli is the important Dwarkadhish Temple dedicated to Lord Krishna. It is north of Nathdwar.

Rajsamand Lake is a few km northeast of Kankroli. This lake was created by a dam built by Maharaja Raja Singh in 1660. Located here are some chhatris.

Buses come here every hour from Udaipur.

Fort Kumbhalgarh
Fort Kumbhalgarh is 84km north of Udaipur, one km up on top of a large hill. This huge fort was built in the 15th century by Maharaja Kumbha and was considered impregnable. The combined armies of the Mughal Emperor Akbar, Marwar and Amber besieged it. They eventually poisoned the water supply and took the fort. Admission foreigners/Indian Rs 100/5 (Hours: Daily 8 am to 6 pm)

The fort has seven gates and huge walls that extend for about 35km, some over 6m (20 ft) wide. Inside are palaces, temples, gardens, and tombs.

The Cloud Palace at the highest point of the fort is the most interesting. It is a fairly difficult, half-hour climb to reach the fort. The watchman will give tours for a tip.

Open daily from dawn to sunset. There are stalls that sell snacks and drinks.

Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary
Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary nearby, is home to a large number of wolves. It also has leopards, antelopes, bears, and flying squirrels. The best time to visit is March to June, when most of the waterholes dry up. Admissions foreigner/Indian Rs 75/10. Camera Rs 200; Jeep Rs 75; Guide Rs 200.

Practicalities
Hotel Ratandeep (02954 242217) has good rooms for Rs 500-700 and dorm beds for Rs 125.
Aodhi Hotel (0294 252-8016 424-2341; fax 252-8006; W http://www.hrhindia.com) has a peaceful location with rooms for Rs 2200/3400. It has a pool, a restaurant, and can arrange horse and jeep rides. It is a good peaceful place. Has a pool. It can be booked at the Shiv Niwas Palace Hotel (0294 528-016; fax 528-006) in Udaipur.

Buses depart to Kumbhalgarh from Udaipur at 8 and 11 am, and 2 and 2.30 pm (3 hr, Rs 30). It is a 2½ km walk to the fort, from where the bus drops you off.

Ranakpur
Ranakpur, 96km north of Udaipur, is one of the largest and most important Jain pilgrimage centers. Most of the intricately carved, beautiful temples here date from between the 12th and 15th centuries.

The main temple is the white marble Chaumukha Temple (1439), dedicated to the first tirthankara, Adinath. It has twenty-nine intricately carved halls with 1444 pillars, of which no two are alike. There are also impressive temples dedicated to

Parsvanath and Neminath. The temples are open daily to non-Jains noon to 5 pm; Camera Rs 50; video camera Rs 150.

There is a Hindu temple dedicated to Surya, the sun-god. The Amba Mata Temple is one km away.

Practicalities
If you want to stay overnight, there is a very basic dharamshala. It has vegetarian lunches and dinners. They ask for a small donation. Smoking is prohibited and lights must be out by 10 pm.

RTDC Shilpi Tourist Bungalow (02934 285074) has rooms with attached bath for Rs 250/275 and Rs 400/450 with air-cooling. Dorm bed for Rs 75. It has a restaurant.
The Castle (02934 285133) has good rooms for Rs 900/1000. Has a large garden and pool.
Maharani Bagh Orchard Retreat (02934 285151, 285105: fax 285151; Email: balsaamand@sify.com), 4km from Ranakpur, has comfortable cottages for Rs 2100/2800. Lunch and dinner are Rs 400. In a beautiful setting. You can book this place in Jodhpur at the Umaid Bhawan Palace (0291 433-316; fax 635-373).

The nearest railway station is 35km away at Falna. Private bus companies arrange tours to Ranakpur from Udaipur and Mt Abu. There are several buses a day to Udaipur (4½ hr), Jaipur, Mt Abu and Jodhpur.

There is a STD/ISD telephone and a post office in the Shilpi Tourist Bungalow.

Ghanerao
Ghanerao Royal Castle (02934 84035) has good rooms with bath (bucket hot water) for Rs 12000/1400. It should be booked in advance. They arrange trekking and village tours.

Narlai
Visitors may want to stay here while visiting Kumbhalgarh and Ranakpur. There are some old temples and step-wells in town.

Narlai has good rooms with bath and hot water for Rs 1500/2000. It has a good restaurant. It is a nice place. It can be booked at Ajit Bhawan Hotel (0291 437-410; fax 637-774) in Jodhpur.

Jaisamand Lake
This attractive lake (10km by 15km), 50km southeast of Udaipur, has some beautiful marble chhatris on its banks. There is a Wildlife Sanctuary in the area.

The Tourist Bungalow, on the shore of the lake, has rooms for Rs 300/400.

Jaisamand Island Resort (0294 243-1402: fax: 243-1406: Web Site: http://www.lakeend.com) has modern comfortable rooms for Rs 1800/3000. It is in a secluded area and rooms have a view of the lake. It can be booked at Hotel Lake End in Udaipur at the upbove number.

There are regular buses from Udaipur to here..

Dungarpur
Dungarpur, 110km south of Udaipur, has two interesting palaces and is a good place to take a break. The Udai Bilas Palace (19th century) is one of the best palaces in Rajasthan. Above the village is the old Juna Mahal Palace (13th century), which has nice paintings and glasswork. There is a museum here.

The Una Mahal is an old deserted place. Cost Rs 100 (get tickeet at Udai Bilas Palace). Open 10 am to 4 pm.

The Baneswaar Festival takes place at the Baneswaar Temple, about 72km from Dungarpur in Jan/Feb. Thousands of members of the Bhil tribe come to this festival.

Udai Bilas Palace (02964 230808; fax 231008: Web Site: http://www.udaibilaspalace.com) has comfortable rooms for Rs 2300/3000 and suites for Rs 3500. This place should be booked in advance. It is located next to a nice lake. It is an 18th century palace. Some of the rooms have a balcony overlooking the lake.

There are regular buses from Udaipur to Dungarpur.

Deeg (Dig)
During the 18th century,xe "Deeg" Deeg was the capital of the Jat Kingdom. It was the second capital of the Bharatpur kingdom. It is 35km north of Bharatpur, 90km from Agra, and 50km east of Alwar. The interesting places to see here are the Deeg Palace and the Fort. Deeg is worth visiting, but few foreigners come. It is a convenient day trip to Deeg from Bharatpur, Mathura or Agra.

Deeg Palace (Monsoon Pleasure Palace)
The main palace, Gopal Bhavan (18th century), is impressive. It is one of the most beautiful buildings in India, and is a combination of Rajasthani and Mughal architecture. The palace was used by the Jat Maharajas until the early 1970s and is in excellent condition. Many of the rooms contain their original furniture.

In front of the Gopal Bhavan palace is the Gopal Sagar Tank. On either side of the tank are two beautiful pavilions. The palace and tank are surrounded by well-maintained gardens. The 500 fountains are turned on once a year during the Monsoon Festival in August. The Keshav Bhavan (Summer Pavilion), Sheesh Mahal, and Kishan Bhavan are other interesting structures.

Admission Rs 200. Open from 9 am to 12 pm and 1 to 6pm.

Deeg Fort
There is a large, ancient Fort built by Suraj Mal in the mid-18th century, on top of the hill overlooking the town. This fort has twelve bastions and a wide shallow moat. There is an old palace inside the fort. The walls of the fort rise to about 25m (80 ft) above the moat. There are old cannons on the bastions of the fort.

There was a major battle here in which the Jats held off an attack of a combined force of the Mughal and Maratha armies, a force of 80,000 men. Suraj Mal attacked the Red Fort in Delhi eight years later.

Practicalities
This is a fairly small town with almost no facilities. It is best to come here on a day trip.

RTDC Motel Deeg (05641 232-1203) has clean rooms with bath for Rs 350/500 and A/C rooms for Rs 750. Can camp here for Rs 125 per person..

To Alwar there are buses every 15 minutes (2½ hr) and a daily train (2 hr). There are buses to Bharatpur (1 hr) and Mathura.

Jodhpur Area

Jhalamand
Jhalamand is 12km south of Jodhpur. There is a small castle here converted into a hotel. The family-run Hotel Jhalamand Lake Palace (0291 545-991; fax 542-240) has an excellent view of Jodhpur Fort and the desert, and has a pleasant courtyard. Room are $70/85. They can arrange village safaris.

Sardar Samand
Sardar Samand Lake, 56km from Jodhpur, is beautiful. In the area of the lake are several villages inhabited by the Bishnois, which can be visited. The Bishnoi women dress in colorful dresses. Blackbuck roam freely in the area, because the Bishnoi protect them. They also protect the Khejri (prosopis sinreria) tree because the blackbuck eat only the leaves of this tree. In 1787, 300 Bishnois sacrificed themselves to protect these trees when the men of the maharaja came to chop them down. In Bishnoi villages you can see thatched houses, kitchen designs, and how the villagers apply cow dung to their walls and floors to disinfect their houses.

Many migratory birds come to the lake, including flamingos, pelicans, and cranes.

Sardasamand Lake Resort (0291 33316; fax 35373) is a former summer palace with luxury rooms. It has a swimming pool next to the lake and a tennis court.

Mandore
Mandore, 10km north of Jodhpur, is the old capital of Marwar, founded by the Rathor Maharaja Rao Chunda in 1395. Not much of the old city still exists. There are nice gardens here, and Mandore is a popular tourist site, especially on weekends.

Near the old gate of Mandore, called Ajit Pole, is the Tetis Crore Dewtas Sal (Shrine of Thirty-three Million Gods and Goddesses) with paintings of the various gods. The Hall of Heroes has sixteen life-sized, beautifully painted statues of different Hindu gods and goddesses: Krishna, Rama, Surya, Siva, Brahma, Chamunda, etc., and important historical figures of the area.

The Royal Crematorium at Mandore, reserved for the rulers of Jodhpur, has many finely carved cenotaphs (memorials). The best and largest of these is the one dedicated to Ajit Singh. It is said that the forty-four queens of Ajit Singh performed sati, dying in his funeral fire, in 1924. Located here is the cenotaph of Maharaja Jaswant Singh.

On a hill above the garden is a rocky plateau, the site of the old city. At this place there are a good number of ruined temples. There is a small Museum, which contains sculptures from the 5th to 9th centuries. There is a ruined 8th century temple on a nearby hilltop.

Osian
At Osian, 67km northwest of Jodhpur, there are sixteen impressive Jain and Hindu temples, some dating back to the 8th century. These are among the most intricately carved temples in India, so it is worth a visit. Osian was a major trading center between the 8th and 12th centuries.

Near the bus stand are temples dating from the 8th and 9th centuries, which are the oldest temples in town. There are carvings on these temples and pictures of Krishna and other deities. One of the important temples here is the ancient Mataji ka Mandir (also called Sachini Devi ka Mandir). This temple maintains active worship and is dedicated to Durga. This 12th century temple is at the top of some stairs, from where you have a view of the entire town.

The Surya Temple, dedicated to the sun-god, is interesting.

Nearby, the largest temple in Osian is dedicated to Mahavir (the last and 24th of the Jain tirthankaras). It has an intricately carved Toran (gateway). Even though there are so many Jain temples in Osian, there are no Jain families living here. Admission Rs 5; Camera/video Rs 35/100. Open; 7 am to 8 pm

Camel Camp (Jodhpur 0291-243-7023) is in a great location on an isolated sand dune. Tents with common bath are Rs 550 per person and a tent with bath is Rs 2200. Deluxe tents, which include meals and a half-day camel safari are Rs 3600. Advance bookings are essential. You book at the Safari Club (0291 243-7023), High Court Colony, in Jodhpur.

The is a Guesthouse (02922-273296, 274232), near the Mahvira temple with rooms with bath for Rs 350.

It takes about two hours to get to here by bus from Jodhpur.The RTDC Tourist Office in Jodhur arranges jeep tours to here for Rs 850 and Rs 1200 with a guide.

Nagaur
Located here is an old fort and palace. There is a week-long Camel Festival in late January or early February. During the fair there are camel races and cultural entertainment. The next fair is 4 to 7 February 2006

There is not much accommodation here. Nagaur is 135km northeast of Jodhpur.

RTDC Khurjan (01582 2681) has rooms for Rs 350/450.

Royal Tents are spacious luxury tents for Rs 2500 to 6000. You book them at the Umaid Bhawan Palace (0291 257-1991) in Udaipur. For the Camel Festival it should be booked well in advance .

A RTDC Tourist Village is set up during the Nagaur Fair. Tents are $40/53 during the festival. It can be booked in advance at the Rajasthan tourist offices in Jaipur (0141 220-2761; fax 220-1045), Hotel Swagatam, or in Delhi (011 338-3837; fax 338-2823) at Bikaner House, Pandara Rd.

Khimsar
Welcomgroup Royal Castle (01585 62345; fax 62228), 3 hours from Jodhpur, is a 16th century palace with rooms for $90/140. The best rooms are in the original palace and have antique furniture. They arrange jeep safaris to see blackbuck.

Luni
Hotel Fort Chanwa (Jodhpur number 0291 84216), a 200-year-old fort, is a pleasant place to stay. It has well-designed rooms for Rs 1650/1900. It has a good restaurant. Village safaris can be arranged. It is 60km south of Jodhpur.

Rohet
Rohet Garh (02936 268231), 40km south of Jodhpur, has comfortable rooms for Rs 1500/1900. It is a peaceful 17th century fortress with a traditional design. The rooms are all different. The main room has old paintings, weapons, traditional furniture and family memorabilia. A jeep or camel safari can be arranged.

Pokaran
There is an impressive, red sandstone 14th century fort and excellent havelis here. The fort has an interesting small museum (daily except Sun; admission Rs 50; camera or video Rs 40). Pokaran is 110km south of Jaisalmer. The recent nuclear test were done near here.

On May 11, 1998 India tested an nuclear bomb 20km northwest of Pokaran. So you may want to take this into consideration when you consider visiting here.

RTDC Motel Godavan (02994 222275) has rooms with bath for Rs 350/550 and cottages for Rs 750/850 with A/C.
Monika (02994 22269) has rooms for Rs 350/400.
Fort Pokaran (02994 222274, 222878; fax 222279), in the fort, has rooms with bath for Rs 1200/1400. It has a restaurant. It should be reserved in advance.
Desert Heritage has comfortable well-maintained cottages.

There are regular buses to Jaisalmer (2½ hr).

Barmer
Population: 84,000
Phone Code: 02982
Located 155km south of Jaisalmer, Barmer is known for good handicraft products. There are two festivals here: the Barmer Thar Festival (early March) and the Barmer Cattle Fair (March/April) in nearby Tilwara.

RTDC Hotel Khartal (222956) has room with bath for Rs 400/500.
Hotel Kailas Sarowar (02982 220730), Station Rd, has rooms for Rs 300/250 with common bath and Rs 350/450 with bath
Krishna Hotel (02982 220785), Station Rd, has clean rooms with air-cooling for Rs 300/400 and Rs 600/650 with A/C.

There is a daily train to Jodhpur. There are regular buses to Jodhpur (5 hr) and Jaisalmer (3½ hr).

Baroli
In Baroli, 50km southwest of Kota, are 9th and 10th century temples. The main temple is the well-preserved Ghateswara Temple, which has interesting carvings. Some of the sculptures in the Kota Museum came from these temples. There are regular buses from Kota to Baroli.

Darrah Wildlife Sanctuary
Located 60km from Kota, this 250 sq km park is home to leopards, Indian wolf, sloth bears, and chinkaras. You must contact the Wildlife Office at the zoo at Kota to visit the park. There is a basic Forest Rest House here.

Jhalarpatan
Jhalarpatan, 90km southeast of Kota, is a nice town containing several 11th century temples. The Surya temple on the main road is the most interesting. There is also the Dwarkadish Temple, dedicated to Krishna.

The Shantinath Jain Temple has intricate carvings and paintings. In October/November there is the well-attended Chandrabhaga Fair held on the bank of the Chandrabhaga River.

Jhalawar
Area Code: 07432
In Jhalawar is a Fort that now contains government offices. You need permission to visit the Janma Khas, which is a room covered with mirrors, paintings, and colored glass (daily except Fri 10 am to 4.30 pm). There is a museum that has a weapon collection and ancient sculptures (daily except Fri 10 am to 4 pm). Jhalawar is 85km south of Kota and 6 km north of Jhalawar.

The tourist office is at the RTDC Hotel Chandrawati. There is no place to change money here. There is a place to hire a bike near the Purvaj Hotel.

Practicalities
Hotel Dwarika (22626), on Hospital Rd, has rooms with bath for Rs 180/225.
RTDC Hotel Chandrawati (30015), on Jhalraptan Rd, has rooms for Rs 190/230.
Purvaj Hotel (30951), on Mangalpura, is an old Haveli with rooms for Rs 150/200.

Buses go to Kota (3 hr), Ajmer (7hr), etc.

Ajmer

Pop: 490,000
Phone Code: 0145

Ajmer, 138km southwest of Jaipur, is where the Sufi saint Khawaja Muin-ud-din Chishti lived. He founded the Chistiya Order, the main Sufi order in India. His tomb, the Dargah, is one of the most visited Muslim shrines in India.

Most travelers come to Ajmer on their way to or from Pushkar. There is little of interest here, so most people move on quickly.

Information
The helpful Tourist Office (262-7426) is in the Khadim Tourist Bungalow near the bus stand (Mon to Sat 10am-2pm and 3 to 6 pm). They can arrange tourist taxis and approved guides. There is a tourist information counter in the railway station.

You can change money at the State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur, on Station Rd, and the State Bank of India, near the bus stand. The State Bank of Baroda, Pushkar Rd, opposite the GPO, changes cash, travelers cheques (must have the receipt) and accepts some credit cards. The State Bank of India (262-7048) changes travelers cheques and currency.

Pratap Memorial Hospital (20402), Kutchery Rd, and JLN Hospital (21420) are possible hospitals.

Satguru's Internet (242-45350, 60-91 Kutchery Rd is a good place for Internet (Rs 25 per hr)

Dargah (Muin-ud-din Chishti Tomb)
Thousands of devoted Muslims come to Ajmer during the Urs Mela to visit the tomb of Khwajaxe Muin-ud-din Chishti. When he died in 1236, he was buried in a small brick tomb in the northern part of town. A marble complex called the Dargah now surrounds it. Visitors enter the complex from Dargah Bazaar through an ornate gate that leads to a courtyard. There are two gigantic containers, called degs (3m wide), full of rice that is distributed to devotees as tabarukh, sanctified food. The mosque built by Akbar is to the right. The tomb of Muin-ud-din Chishti is a central marble building surrounded by a silver railing. Nearby is a superb mosque built by Shah Jahan. A small donation is expected.

Adhai-din-ka-Jhonpra & Taragarh Fort
Adhai-din-ka-Jhonpra means the “2½ day Mosque,” which is how long it is said it took Muhammad of Ghur to build it in 1195. It has giant pillars and Persian lettering on its seven arches. It is located half a km past Dargah.

Three km west of Dargah (built 1100) is the Taragarh Fort or Star Fort. It is now in ruins and is not so interesting, but the view is good.

Daulat Khana Palace
It was once the palace of the Mughal emperor Akbar. It is now a government museum containing sculptures and other exhibits. Open daily except Fri 10 am to 4.30 pm; admission Rs 3, photography prohibited. It is located near the GPO.

Other Places
The lavishly decorated Nashiyan (Red) Jain Temple has models depicting the Jain conception of the universe and theology. It is dedicated to Adinath. It is very well done and is worth seeing. About 25% of the population of Ajmer are Jains. Open daily 8.30 am to 5 pm. Admission Rs 3

Ana Sagar, in the northeast side of town, is an often-dry artificial lake. When there is water in the winter months it is a nice place to walk around. Next to it is the Dault Bagh gardens.

Near the railway station are Edward Memorial Hall and the Jubilee Clock Tower.

A few km from Ajmer on the road to Pushkar are wet lands, which is a good place for bird watching. When I went there with a friend, we spotted 28 types of birds.

Where to Stay—Lower
Be careful of the rickshaw drivers who will bring you to any hotel for Rs 5. In truth they will only bring you to the hotel of their choice, where they receive a commission.

You can stay in a room in a family’s house using the Paying Guest Scheme. This is arranged at the tourist office in the RTDC Khadim Tourist Bungalow.
Anand Hotel (23099), Prithviraj Marg, has clean rooms with bath and hot water for Rs 125/150. It is a good place.
Hill Top Cottage (623-984), 164 Shastri Nagar, is a nice place with clean rooms for Rs 350/450 to Rs 600. It serves veg meals.
King Edward Memorial Rest House (KEM) (429-936), across the street from the railway station, has basic rooms for Rs 90/130 and Rs 150/200. You should ask to see some rooms, as many of them are different and some are really run-down.
Hotel Ashoka (24729), near the railway station, has basic rooms with common bath for Rs 125/150.
Sirtaj Hotel (20096), near the railway station, has good rooms for Rs 150/200. The restaurant serves Punjabi food.
RTDC Khadim Tourist Bungalow (262-7490; fax: 243-1330) is by the bus station, an 8-min auto-rickshaw ride from the railway station. Rooms are Rs 450/550 and Rs 700/800 with A/C. Dorm beds are Rs 60. It has a nice location, but is not so well maintained. It is popular with travelers.
Aravali Holiday Resort (52089), nearby, has rooms with bath (bucket hot water) for Rs 150/175 and a room with bath with constant hot water is Rs 250/300.
Hotel Samrat (621-257), Kutchery Rd, near the railway station, has rooms with TV for Rs 300/375 up to Rs 700. It is close to the private bus companies and is convenient for an early morning bus departure. It is overpriced. 24-hour checkout.
Bhola Hotel (243-2844), opposite the church at Agra Gate and near the train station on Prithviraj Marg, has rooms with bath for Rs 200/250. Hot water from a tap in the hall. It has a good veg restaurant. 24-hour checkout. Friendly place. Free bucket hot water.
Nagpal Tourist Hotel (242-9503), across the street from the railway station, has modern, comfortable double rooms with TV starting at Rs 500. It is a good place. 24-hour checkout. Free hot water in buckets

Where to Stay—Middle and High
Hotel Regency (620-296; fax 420-747), Delhi Gate, has good modern rooms for Rs 600/700 and Rs 970/1000 with A/C.
Hotel Embassy (262-3859; Email: hotelembassy@satyam.net.in), Jaipur Rd, has moderncomfortable rooms for Rs 600/900. Have Indian toilets.
Mansingh Palace Hotel (242-5956; fax 242-5858), Ana Sagar Circular Rd, a few km northeast of town, is the only high-end hotel with comfortable rooms. Rooms are Rs2400/3400. It is a nice place and is well-located overlooking Ana Sagar. Pleasant garden.

Where to Eat
Bhola Hotel is a recommended, cheap vegetarian place. A thali is Rs 40.
Jai Hind Restaurant, behind the clock tower, across from the railway station, is a good vegetarian place. $.
Mango Masala (242-0724) has vegetarian, Indian, Chinese and International food. Also has good baked goods and ice creams. $-$$.
Honeydew Restaurant, near the KEM Rest House, has Indian food, pizzas and ice cream.
Sabras, Prithviraj Marg, is a good, reasonably cheap veg place, popular with the locals. $.
Tandoor Restaurant, south of the bus stand, has a tandoori cuisine. $-$$.
Sheesh Mahal, at the Mansingh Palace, is a very good place with main dishes ranging from Rs 75 to Rs 200 (12.30 to 3 pm and 7.30 to 11 pm). $$$.

Local Travel
An auto-rickshaw to most places in town should be no more than Rs 20.

Travel
Train Ajmer is on the Delhi–Jaipur–Ahmedabad line, and most trains on this line stop here. You can not get tourist quota for many of the train departing from here so it is a good idea to book as soon as you can. You can also book through the travel agents in Pushkar or in Ajmer from Midway Tours & Travels (262-8744; E anilgujra@yahoo.com) who charges Rs 25 to Rs 40 to book a ticket.

Agra: Agra Fort Fast Passenger Exp #9706 (8 pm, 10½ hr); Ahmedabad: Ahmedabad Exp #9903 (9.50 pm, 12½ hr), Ahmedabad Mail #9901 (8.30 am, 12 hr); Delhi: Shatabdi Exp #2016 (3 pm, 7 hr), Aravalli Exp #9932 (7 pm, 10½ hr); Jaipur: Shatabdi Exp #2016 (3 pm, 2¼ hr), Pink City Exp #2916 (1.50 pm 2½ hr); Jodhpur: Jodhpur Mail #4893 (5.45 am, 6 hr); Udaipur: Chetak Exp #9815 (3.35 pm, 8 hr).



Bus The bus station (20398) is about 2km southwest of the railway station. It has a baggage storage place. There are deluxe buses to Delhi (7½ hr), Mumbai, Jaipur (2½ hr, every half-hour), Udaipur (7 hr, every hr), Chittorgarh (4 hr, every hr), Kota (5 hr, every hr), Bundi (165km), Mt Abu (10 hr), Bharatpur (7½ hr), Bikaner (7 hr), Jodhpur (4½ hr, regularly), Jaisalmer (12 hr, 7.30 am) and Ahmedabad (12 hr).

On Kutchery Rd, near the railway station there are private companies that operate buses to many places. If you book a bus ticket in Pushkar with a travel agency, the agency will usually provide a free jeep ride to Ajmer. Ekta Travels and Shrinath Travels are two possible companies.

Buses to Pushkar (Rs 5, return Rs 4) depart from outside Gandhi Bhawan, which is across the street from the railway station, a few hundred metres to the right after exiting the station. There are shared jeeps (Rs 10) to Pushkar.

Alwar

Pop: 235,000
Phone Code: 0144

Alwar, about 130km northeast of Jaipur, was once the capital of the Rajput state established in the 18th century by Pratap Singh. It was one of the first Rajput states to ally with the British. The main reason most people will come here is traveling through to go to Sariska National Park.

The Tourist Office (223-7378) is on Raghu Marg, near Purjan Vihar Garden.

Bala Quila
This giant fort, 300m above the city, was constructed before the Mughal period. The walls of the fort are about 5km long. Because the fort contains a radio transmitter station it can only be visited with special permission.

City Palace
The City Palace complex has large gates and a tank surrounded by pavilions. Most of the complex is used as government offices and cannot be visited. There is a museum in the City Palace containing miniature paintings, miniature writings, manuscripts, weapons, ancient statues, and sandalwood, jade, and ivory art objects (open daily except Fri). There is a two-storey Carriage to the right of the main entrance to the palace, capable of carrying fifty people. Four elephants pulled it.

Where to Stay and Eat
There are Retiring Rooms at the railway station.
Ashoka Hotel (234-6780), near the bus stand, has rooms with common bath for Rs 250/300 and with bath (hot water) for Rs 450
Alanka Hotel (222-0027), nearby, has rooms for Rs 400/450.
RTDC Hotel Meenal (234-7352) has conservative rooms with air-cooling for Rs 600/650 and with A/C for Rs 800/900. It has a restaurant.
Aravali Hotel (233-2883; 233-2011; Web Site: http://www.hotelaravali.com), near the railway station, has rooms for Rs 400/600 and rooms with A/C for Rs 900/1050. It has dorm beds for Rs 125. Has a good South Indian restaurant. Nice garden. Helpful. It is about 100m to the left after leaving the railway station. Has a pool.Some rooms can be noisy.
RTDC Hotel Lake Palace (234-2991), at Siliserh, 20km from Alwar, is a former palace built by Vinay Singh, the third ruler of Alwar. It is a very nice place with rooms for Rs 1900 and rooms with A/C for Rs 2900. A dorm bed is Rs 100. It overlooks a nice lake and has a restaurant.
Neemrana Fort Palace (01494-6005; fax (011) 462-1112), 70km north of Alwar and 120 west of Delhi, is an impressive palace, which dates from the 15th century. Opulent rooms are Rs 2000/2600. The surrounding area is a good place to walk around and there are some good views from the fort. It has a good restaurant.
Nirula's, Road No 2, near the Ganesh Talkies, is a good place serving International and Chinese diehs.Has good vegetarian options.

Travel
There are trains to Delhi, Jaipur, Ajmer, Ahmedabad and Jodhpur. Delhi Shatabdi Exp #2016 (7.50 pm, 2¾), Ashram Exp #2915 (7 am, 3 hr); Jaipur Shatabdi Exp #2015 (8.30 am, 2 hr), Delhi-Jaipur Exp #2413 (8 am, 3 hr).
There are regular buses to Sariska, Jaipur (3hr), Delhi (3 hr), Bharatpur and Deeg.

Amber Fort and Area

Amber, or Amer, was formerly the capital of the Rajput Kachhwaha dynasty before it was moved to the city of Jaipur. The Kachhwaha dynasty ruled this area from the 12th to the 18th centuries. It is situated 11km northeast of the city on Amber Rd, the road that goes to Delhi. A highlight of coming to the fort is the elephant ride, to the top of the hill, where the fort is located. At the bottom of the hill is the Yajnastambha, a stone column commemorating an Asvamedha-yajna (sacrifice) performed by Sawai Jai Singh.

Maharaja Man Singh (1589–1614), who was a general in Emperor Akbar’s army, began construction of this fort in 1592. Mirza Raja Jai Singh (1621–67) and Sawai Jai Singh (1666–1743) added to the palace.

The fort is built in the Rajput style with influences from the Mughal architectural style. It is interesting to walk around the fort, up and down the stairs, down the corridors, and through the courtyards.
You enter the fort through Suraj Pol (Sun Gate) from the east, and then you enter the main courtyard, Jaleb Chowk. To your left in the southwest corner of the courtyard is the beautiful marble Sri Sila Devi Kali Temple. Next to the temple are steps leading to the entrance to the Maharaja’s residence. When you go up the stairs, you pass through Singh Pol (Lion Gate) into another courtyard. In front of you is the Diwan-i-am (Hall of Public Audience), which is open on three sides. To your right, on the south side, is the impressive mosaic-tiled Ganesh Pol Gate, which serves as the entrance to the maharaja’s quarters.

After entering the Ganesh Pol Gate, to your left toward the main road, is the Jai Mandir (Sheesh Mahal). Built by Mirza Raja Jai Singh, it has mosaic panels inlaid with glass, mirrors, and marble carvings.

The Jas Mandir, Hall of Glory, is above the Jai Mandir. Across from the Jai Mandir, on the side away from the road, is the Sukh Niwas, or Hall of Pleasure. It has a narrow channel in which water flowed from a tank on the roof to cool the room in the summer’s burning desert heat. It has a sandalwood door inlaid with ivory.

South of this is the Palace of Man Singh I, the oldest part of the palace. There are stairs and passageways winding through the palace. It is an interesting place to explore.

Practicalities
The fort is open from 9 am to 4.30 pm; Admission foreigner?indians Rs 50/10; camera Rs 25, video camera Rs 100. It costs Rs 450 for up to four people to ride the elephant up the hill. You can get a jeep up for Rs 125 return. To take your own vehicle up cost Rs 25. Walking up takes about 10 minutes. You can ride an elephant around the courtyard for Rs 100. Guides can be hired for Rs125 for 1.5 hours.

It could be a good idea to hire a guide to show you around the fort, as there are many interesting places here that are easily missed. They will give you a quick tour, and you most likely will want to walk around for a while longer by yourself.

From Jaipur you can get a shared three-wheeler tempo (a big auto-rickshaw like a minibus) or the green bus #113 from Hawa Mahal or the railway station (20 min) up to the Amber Fort. The bus to Amber originates at Ajmeri Gate and MI Rd, and by the time it reaches the Hawa Mahal, often all the seats are taken.

Bottom of Amber Hill
There is an interesting 500-year-old temple called Jagat Shiromani Temple dedicated to Sri Krishna, at the bottom of the hill. It has an intricately carved Garuda Shrine and a marble gate with elephant statues on either side.

There are several other temples at the bottom of the hill. The ancient Sanwalaji Ka Jain Temple is across the street from the Jagat Shiromani Temple. Nearby are the Ambika Swara Mahadeva Temple, Kalyauji ka Mandir, Sunghi Jhunta Ram Temple, and the Lakshmi Narayanji ka Temple.

Jaigarh Fort
Above the Amber Palace, high on the hill, is the Jaigarh Fort, which dates back to the 11th century. It contains two ancient temples, the temples of Ram Harihar (10th century) and Kal Bhairava (12th century). There are great views from the ramparts.

The fort has a weapons museum with a large collection of swords and small arms and a good photograph exhibit. The huge, fifty-ton Jai Ban cannon is said to be the largest cannon on wheels in the world. It has a range of 20km. It is said that the cannon required 100 kilos of gunpowder to fire one shot. It was never used in battle.

The easiest way to get to Jaigarh Fort is by jeep from the Amber Fort, but this is expensive; the walk there is a steady, difficult, half-hour climb. Open 9 am to 45 pm. Admission foreigner/Indian Rs 20/15 (admission free with City Palace ticket), students Rs 5; camera Rs 25, video Rs 100. Car Rs 50

Bharatpur

Pop: 160,000 Area Code: 05644

Most people come here to go to Keoladeo (Bharatpur) National Park (7km south of town), which is a famous bird sanctuary. There is also a large fort that is not particularly interesting but is worth a quick visit. Originally an 11km-long wall surrounded the entire city, but little remains of the wall now.

Suraj Mal, the Jat Maharaja, founded Bharatpur. During the 17th and 18th centuries Bharatpur was a powerful Jat fort. While Badan Singh ruled Bharatpur the Jats ruled a large area between Delhi and Agra. Suraj Mal took Agra and attacked Delhi in 1763.

This town is 150km east of Jaipur and just 18km west of Fatehpur Sikri. It is often visited when traveling between Jaipur and Fatehpur Sikri or Agra.

Information
The Tourist Office (222542; http://www.bharatpur.nic.in) opposite the RDTC Hotel Saras is open Mon-Sat 10 am to 5 pm. Closed 2nd Saturday of month. If you are facing the park entrance it si about 750m to the left

There is a Birds of Bharatpur and a map of Bharatpur that you can get.

You can change cash and travelers checks at the State Bank of Bikaner & Jaipur, near Binarayan Gate, or at the Ashok Forest Lodge.

Internet is available at several places for Rs 50-Rs75, but for now is fairly slow.

Lohagarh Fort and City
The Jat Maharaja Suraj Mal built this almost impregnable fort in 1732. The British under Lord Lake tried for four months in 1805 to take the fort, but were unable to do so. The fort also withstood a long British siege in 1825.

The original moat, 15m deep and 45m wide, still surrounds the old city. Near Assaldati Gate there are three palaces built by the Jats between 1730 and 1850. All the palaces are in poor repair. The Kamra Palace, in the west section of the fort, is now the government museum. It has Jain sculptures, a 1st century BC carving of a yaksha, a weapons collection, and manuscripts in Arabic and Sanskrit. There is a good view of the area from the palace roof. Open daily except Fri 10.30 am to 5 pm; admission Rs 3.

The Maharaja’s Palace has painted walls, stone lattice windows, and hammams (sunken baths).
Jama Masjid is south of the fort in the main market area. It has an outstanding arched portal. Near it is the large sandstone Ganga Mandir temple.

Keoladeo National Park (Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary)
The Sanctuary was once used as a hunting ground by the royal family. Maharaja Brajendra Singh turned it into a sanctuary in 1956, and it became a national park in 1982. The park consists of 29 sq km of woodlands, marshes, and meadows. The wetlands attract many species of birds. The park is named after the Keoladeo Siva temple in its center.

Over 400 species of birds come here including the rare Siberian crane, flamingos, pelicans, widgeons, painted storks, and purple, gray, and night herons. There are also ducks, storks, spotted eagles, falcons, Pallas eagles, kingfishers, and others birds. Over 100 species migrate here from as far away as Siberia and China. There are also animals such as spotted deer, jackals, hyenas, sambars, wild boar, pythons, and reptiles, including giant lizards that may suddenly scramble across the path at any time. Python Point is where the pythons live and you may be able to see them there.

The park was originally established as hunting grounds. Hunting was stopped in the park in 1972.

The best time to visit is between October and February, when along with the native birds, other species have migrated to this area. September to October is breeding season. Over 120 species of birds are known to breed here and over 10,000 nests are made. The weather can be very hot in the summer, and rainy during the monsoon season. Usually the early morning or evening is the best time to come to the park to view the birds, but any time is worthwhile.

Visitors entering the park are given a good map for free, which includes other park information. Inside the visitors’ center you can get a colored map of the park. Nests and eggs are also exhibited. A book containing English and scientific names of the various species to be found in the park (Rs 10) is available.

Admission for non-Indians is Rs 200 and for Indians is Rs 25, to bring in a bicycle Rs 3, camera Rs 25, video camera Rs 200. Admission is charged upon each entry into the park, so if you leave and return, you have to pay again, even on the same day.

The park is open daily from dawn to sunset during the season. There are strict rules against smoking and making noise in the park. In the winter the park can be foggy and very cold 2°C (35°F), and in the summer, temperatures can rise to 48°C (118°F). The park is 6km from the railway station and 4km from the bus station. There is a snack and drink counter in the middle of the park near the Keoladeo Temple.

This was the first bird sanctuary I ever visited, and I very much enjoyed the place. Even if you have no particular interest in birds, this is a good place to relax and just wander around. I recommend it to anyone who wants a nice, peaceful day.

Bird Viewing
When you enter the park, for the first two kilometers there are hardly any birds. About 100m past the gate where your ticket is checked you will start seeing a lot of birds. Along Ram Bund Trail (2.5km long) is the best place to see the birds breeding. You can walk on paths off the main road and see wild animals such as black buck, blue bulls, wild boars and spotted deer.

There are many birds in the southwest section of the park near the end of the road. This area is where the Siberian Cranes stay while in the park. Renting a boat is a good way to view the birds. Boats can be hired for Rs 60 to Rs 120 per hour, available Oct 15 to March. Boatmen know where to find the birds and can be helpful.

Motor vehicles are not permitted into the park. You can rent a bicycle or rickshaw to get around the park. Bicycles can be rented (Rs 10, Rs 1000 or a passport as deposit) at the main office next to the gate or at one of the hotels for Rs 20 to Rs 30. Riding a bicycle through the park is a pleasant way to get around.

Tongas are Rs 50 and rickshaws Rs 25 per hour, and can be hired at the park’s gate. Only rickshaws with a yellow plate can enter the park. If the driver is good, a tip is advisable. It is a good idea to hire a rickshaw driver with binoculars, or to rent binoculars from somewhere (most likely your hotel). Some of the rickshaw drivers can act as guides and many are expert at sighting the birds. It might be better to hire a certified naturalist at the main office (where you buy your ticket) as they are expert at spotting birds and identifying bird calls (Rs 50 per hour, more for a group). I looked out into the fields and could not see any birds, but a guide immediately pointed out two different birds..

You can follow one of the walking tours mentioned in the guidebook that is available at the office.

Books
You may want to purchase Collins’ handguide to the Birds of the Indian Subcontinent, available at the Bird Sanctuary and other places. Pictorial Guide to the Birds of the Indian Sub-Continent by Salim Ali and S Dillion, and Bharatpur: Bird Paradise by Martin Ewans are both good.

Where to Stay
The entrance to the park is a few km south of the town of Bharatpur. Most people stay near the park as it is a nice, quiet area to stay at. There are also two places inside the park. The accommodation is fairly good in Bharatpur, but can be very busy between Christmas and New Years.

Lower and Middle
Hotel Welcome (23077), Golbagh Palace Rd, off Agra road, is a good place in the city of Bharatpur. It is convenient if you want to get an early morning bus.
Park Palace Hotel (223222), near Khumer Gate, is a well-managed, good place with clean rooms. It has a restaurant.
Tourist Lodge (223742), near Mathura Gate, is a friendly place with small rooms with common bath for Rs 125/175 and rooms with bath for Rs 175/225. They rent bikes (Rs 35 per day) and binoculars (Rs 35 per day).
Hotel Spoon Bill (2223571; fax: 229359; Email: hotelspoonbill@rediffmail.com), near the park, has some good rooms for Rs 300/350 and Rs 600/700 for a room with hot water. The restaurant here is good and is popular. It has a general shop and they rent bikes and binoculars. The manager is an old army officer who is a nice guy. Recommended. Good value
Nearby is the family-run Falcon Guest House (223815. 225306) that has rooms for Rs 150/200 for a fairly basic room with bath and better rooms for Rs 250/300 and good sized rooms Rs 400/500. It is clean, quiet and the owners are very helpful and know their stuff. They rent bikes and binoculars. It is a good place. Have meals.
Jungle Lodge (225622), next door, is also good. Clean room range from Rs 175/350 and comfortable rooms with hot water Rs 300/450. Has a nice garden and book that you can borrow. Friendly, helpful place. Have bikes to rent for Rs 35 per day. Recommended.
Hotel Pelican (224221), close to the park entrance, has basic rooms with common bath for Rs 126/165 and rooms with bath and hot water for Rs 350. They rent bikes for Rs 35 per day.
Hotel Sunbird (225701; fax 225147; Email: sunbird@sancharnet.in), nearby, has clean rooms with hot water for Rs 400/600 and Rs 650/900 qurg TV. It has just four rooms.
RTDC Hotel Saras (223700), Fatehpur Sikri Rd, has normal government tourist bungalow rooms for Rs 450/550 and A/C rooms for Rs 550/750. Dorm beds for Rs 100. It is not a very good choice.
Hotel Eagle’s Nest (225144; fax 223170), across the street, has rooms (bucket hot water0 for 350/450 and comfortable rooms with hot water & TV for Rs 850/1000.
Wilderness Tent Camp has tents for Rs 400/500. It is open from Oct to Feb. The mosquitoes are vicious.
Shanti Kutir inside the park (222265), near the boat jetty, has fairly basic rooms for Rs 1000. The location is good, but the place is not so nice, especially considering the price, but is adequate.
Hotel Pratap Palace (225093; fax 224412), Bird Sanctuary Rd, has basic rooms for 200/250,snice, airy rooms for Rs 450 to Rs 800 and Rs 1100/1250 for an A/C rooms. It has a garden.

Where to Stay—High
Laxmi Vilas Palace, (223523; fax 225259; Web Site: http://www.laxmivilas.com) 2½ km outside Bharatpur, has good rooms for 1400/1600 and is well managed. It is a 19th century palace with arched ceiling. It is a good place with a courtyard and swimming pool. It is on the old Agra road. Has atmosphere. Buffet lunch are Rs 350.
ITDC Bharatpur Forest Lodge (222760; fax 222864), inside the park, has a great location and the rooms are fairly good. Clean rooms, some with A/C, are Rs 2200/3400 (in low season Rs 1200/2400). Lunch and dinner buffets are Rs 300. It has exchange facilities. It is a nice place to stay. During the season (Nov to Feb), especially around Christmas, this place should be booked in advance.

Where to Eat
Most of the places to eat are inside the hotels. The Fairest Lodge inside the park does buffets. There is a snack stand near the Keoladeo Temple inside the park. The restaurant in the Spoonbill and the Falcon hotels are good.

Local Travel
An autorickshaw ride from the train station to where the hotels are is around Rs 30-40 and from the bus stand Rs 25-35. Bikes can be rented at many of the hotels.

Travel
Train Bharatpur is on the main lines between Delhi and Mumbai and Agra–Jaipur–Ahmedabad. Some trains on these lines do not stop at Bharatpur, so check for this. There are trains to Delhi, Mumbai, Sawai Madhopur, Agra (2 hr, 2 daily) and Amritsar (15 hr).

Delhi Paschin Exp #2925 (6.37 am, 3 hr); Frontier Mail #2903 (3.30 pm, 4 hr); Sawai Madhopur Paschim Exp #2926 (7.20 pm, 3 hr), Golden Temple Mail #2904 (10.50 am, 4 hr).

Bus There are several daily buses to Agra (2 hr, 52km), Fatehpur Sikri (1 hr), Jaipur (5 hr, 175km, Rs 70), and Mathura (1 hr, Rs 18). The buses coming from Fatehpur Sikri pass the Hotel Saras near the entrance to the park, and it is best to get off there and get a hotel in the area.

Bikaner

Pop: 530,000
Phone Code: 0151

Bikaner has a fascinating fort, some excellent Jain temples, old havelis, many camels, and a more untouristed feel than its neighbors. It has excellent sites to visits, but because of its remote location and the heavy competition from its neighbors, Jaisalmer in the west and Jodhpur in the south, it does not draw a large amount of tourist. Bikaner is the fourth largest city in Rajasthan.

Rao Bika, a son of the founder of Jodhpur, established Bikaner in 1488. Bikaner was originally an important trade center, and over the years it has become increasingly industrialized.

A good time to visit is during the annual Camel Festival, which has music, food, and some camel events, races, parades, and safaris. Prices for rooms are greatly increased at that time. The camel festival in 2006 will be held Jan 13-14.

Information
The Rajasthan Tourist Office (254-4125), at the Hotel Dhola Maru, near Pooran Singh Circle, is helpful (daily except Sun 10 am to 5 pm) and can arranges car rentals and camel safaris. They have a list of recommended local doctors. They can arrange a tour of Deshnok to go to the Karni Mata Temple or to the Gajner Wildlife Sanctuary for Rs 400 per person. There is a Tourist Office at Suraj Pol, the main entrance of Junagarh Fort (9 am to 6 pm).

A good website is http://www.realbikaner.com
This site includes hotel information.

PBM Hospital, PBM Rd, is one of the best hospitals in town.

Internet at Cyber City (220-9229), Himtasar House, 52 Sadul Ganj in the east side of the city, New Horizons (220-78706) Biscuit Gali)
Net Yuppies (220-9048), on Kern Rd behind Natraj. New Horizon on Station Raod behind the Amber Restaurant has good facilities. Most places charge Rs 20 or Rs 25 per hour.

Money
You can change money at the State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur (254-4361), opposite the fort’s entrance. Bank of Baroda (254-54530, changes cash and curency (Mon-Fri 10 am-3pm, Sat 10 am-12noon).

There are facilities to change money in the Hotel Lalgarth Palace (540-201) and Hotel Joshi (527-700), Station Rd.

Junagarh Fort
The fort is the main attraction in Bikaner. Built by Rai Singh in 1589, this fort is one of the few in the country that was never conquered. It is surrounded by a solid, 986m long wall, which has thirty-seven bastions and a 9m wide moat. You can enter from the eastern gate through a series of gates. Near the second gate, Daulat Pol, are twenty-four handprints of women who performed sati (self-sacrifice) when their husbands died while defending the fort. The main entrance to the fort is Suraj Pol (Sun Gate), which has large iron spikes on the door and two painted elephants on either side.

The fort contains palaces, temples, and impressive courtyards. Different rulers expanded it over the years. Each new structure was built to be uniform to the structure to which it was connected, so the harmony of the architecture is maintained.
The Karan Mahal was built after a victory over the Mughal army of Aurangzeb. In it is the silver throne of Maharaja Karen Singh. This place was a court wherein the king met his intimate associates. It has gold-leaf paintings.

Sheesh Mahal (Mirror Palace) is a room covered with mirrors. If you shine a flashlight or light a match, the light will glitter all over. The Chandra Mahal (Moon Palace) is a beautiful puja (worship) room covered with Hindu gods and goddesses.

The Anup Mahal is an exquisite and elaborately decorated hall where the king would meet important visitors. It has mosaic ceiling tiles, superb mirrors, beautiful latticework, and a large, grand carpet made by prisoners in the Bikaner jail. Coronation ceremonies were held here.

The Phool Mahal (Flower Palace) has impressive Muslim paintings known as ustas, and attractive floral mirrorwork. The Bijai Mahal, Durga Niwas, and Rang Mahal have excellent paintings and tilework. The latticework in the Ganga Niwas is excellent.

The beautiful Har Mandir in the fort is dedicated to Siva.

Ganga Singh Hall, which is the last place to be visited, contains a museum. It has a weapons exhibit and items that belonged to past maharajas.
Inside the main gate is Abhivyakti, a handicraft shop selling goods made in the local villages around Bikaner. They sell bags, good rugs, bed covers, and cloth.

The fort is open daily except Fri 9am to 5 pm; admission Rs 50, camera Rs 25, video Rs 100. Government authorized guides are Rs 100.

Lalgarh Palace
Maharaja Ganga Singh began construction on this multi-storied, red sandstone palace in 1902. It is a combination of Rajasthani, European, and Oriental designs. It has excellent exterior sculptures. The Sri Sadul Museum takes up the entire ground floor, the royal family of Bikaner lives in part of the palace, and the rest is a luxury hotel.

The museum has an excellent collection of miniature sandalwood items, the maharaja’s personal items, coins, statues, and photographs. Also in the palace is the Anup Sanskrit Library, which contains original manuscripts and engravings.

The palace is located 3km north of the center of the city, across from the Main bus stand. Open daily except Wed 10 am to 5 pm; admission Rs 25.

Ganga Golden Jubilee Museum
This interesting museum contains weapons, carpets made by Bikaner jail prisoners, instruments, terracotta items, and costumes. It is located about five minutes from the Tourist Bungalow on National Highway 8. Open daily except Fri 10 am to 4.30 pm; admission Rs 4; photography prohibited.

Jain Temples
Located in the old city are two exceptional Jain temples built by two merchant brothers in the 16th century. The Sandeshwar Temple is covered with marble sculptures of Jain saints and has excellent, intricate gold-leaf paintings. The Bhandeshwar Temple is decorated with gold-leaf work, beautiful sculpted pillars, and floral designs.

Next door is the Laximinath Temple, which is a beautiful, carved stone temple. From it there is a great view of the city and desert.

Camel Safaris and Travel Agencies
It is possible to take a camel safari in Bikaner. Some agents that can arrange camel safaris are Rajasthan Safaris (254-3738), Purani Ginani; and Vino Desert Safari (220-4445; Web Site: http://www.vinodesertsafari.com), opposite Gopeswar Temple. Offers safaris for Rs 500-600 per day.

Desert Tours (252-1967), behind the GPO, organizes good camels safaris and tours of the city.

Where to Stay—Lower
There are several budget places near the railway station. Station Road can be extremely loud, so the front rooms are best avoided.

You can arrange a Paying Guest Room in a person’s house for Rs 150 to Rs 1000 at the tourist office.

There are Retiring Rooms at the railway station for Rs 150/200 with bath and A/C rooms are Rs 300. Dorm beds are Rs 50.
Hotel Shanti Niwas (2542320; fax 2524231), GS RD, near the railway station, has rooms with common bath for Rs 200/250 and Rs 300/400 with bath.
Hotel Akash Deep (254-3745) is a really cheap, basic place with rooms with common bath for Rs 200 and with bath for Rs 300. Hot water in a bucket.
Hotel Amit (254-4451).near the station, has basic clean rooms for Rs 250/250. 24-hour checkout. Popular iwth backpackers.
Evergreen Hotel (254-2061) is a pretty good place with rooms with common bath for Rs 200/275 and with bath for Rs 200/250. Hot water in a bucket.
Inder Lodge (252-4813) has rooms with bath for Rs 155/250. See a few rooms, because some are rather dismal.
Hotel Sri Ram (252-2651; fax 252-9181), near the Tourist Bungalow, is a nice family-run place with comfortable rooms. This place get very good reviews. The owner is an ocean of knowledge.

Where to Stay—Middle
RTDC Hotel Dhola Maru (252-9621), Pooran Singh Circle, 1km southeast of the center of town, has rooms for Rs 350/450; dorm beds are Rs 90.
The well-managed Hotel Joshi (252-7700; fax 252-1213; Email: hoteljoshi@rediffmail.com.), Station Rd, near the railway station, has comfortable rooms with air-cooling for Rs 450/500 and Rs 650/850 with A/C. It has a veg restaurant. It is a good place.
Thar Hotel (254-3050; fax 252-5150), Hospital Rd, has clean rooms with bath and TV for Rs 800/950 and Rs 950/1100 with A/C. It has a good restaurant.
Hotel Meghsar Castle (252-7315; fax 252-2041; Web Site: http://www.hotelmeghsarcastle.com), 9 Gajner Rd, al little north of the center of the city, has good clean rooms for Rs 400 to Rs 800. It is a good place with a nice garden. Popular place for travelers. Has Internet access for Rs 50 per hour. The front rooms can be noisy.

Where to Stay—High
Karni Bhawan Palace (252-4701; fax 252-2408), near the Lalgarh Palace, has very good, comfortable rooms for Rs 1400/2600 and a suite is Rs 3100. The rooms are built around a courtyard and the place has a good atmosphere and a pool. It has a good restaurant. $$$.
Hotel Bhairon Vilas (254-4751, 220-9931; fax 220-9931), behind the fort, is a nice Heritage hotel in a quiet location, with old paintings and weapons on the walls. Rooms are Rs 700 to Rs 1700. It has a good restaurant. It used to be the residence of the prime minister of Bikaner. Free pickup from the bus and train stations.Walls are hand painted by Usta artists
Hotel Bhanwar Niwas (252-9323; fax 220-0880; Web Site: http://www.bhanwarniwas.com), in the old city near the police station, has comfortable spacious rooms for Rs 2100/3000. It has a good veg restaurant. It is a haveli built in the 1820s with much of the original furniture. Has a good vegetarian restaurant that is open to the public.
Lalgarh Palace Hotel (254-0201; fax 252-2253), 3km north of the center of town, is part of the Maharaja’s present palace. The luxurious rooms are $80/130. Rooms are built around a courtyard. It has a good restaurant, a pool and a tennis court. Usually in the evening there is live sitar and tabla music.Laxmi Niwas Palace (220-2777; Web Site: http://www.laxminiwaspalace.com) is one fo the two hotels in the Lallgarh Palace.

Where to Eat
Many of the restaurants in Bikaner are vegetarian.
Amber Restaurant, Station Rd, has good Indian and Western veg food. Main dishes are around Rs 40. It is a good place.
Chhotu Motu Joshi Sweet Shop, next to the railway station on Station Rd, is the most popular sweet shop in Bikaner. Has good Indian sweets and snacks.
Joshi, Station Rd, has good thalis and snacks. It serves thalis during lunch (noon to 3 pm) and dinner (7 to 10 pm).
Annapurna, MG Rd, has veg South India and Continental food.
Garden Café, off MG Rd, serves Indian snacks and ice cream.
Lalgarh Palace Hotel is the best place in town. It should be booked in advance. $$$.

Local Travel
A rickshaw between the railway and bus stations should be around Rs 25. You can hire a bike on Station Road for Rs 5 per hour or Rs 30 per day..

Travel
Train The booking office, the building to the right of the station entrance, is open 8 am to 8 pm and Sun until 2 pm. There are trains to Delhi (3 daily), Jaipur and Jodhpur.

Ajmer Bikaner-Ajmer Exp #4738 (10,30 pm, 13½ hr); Delhi Sarai Rohila Mail #4792 (7.45 pm, 11 hr); Jaipur Intercity Exp #2467 (5 am, 7 hr), Bikaner-Ajmer Exp #4738 (10,30 pm, 10½ hr); Jodhpur Ranakpur Exp #4707 (9.35 am, 6 hr).

Bus The Bus Stand is 3km north of the center of town. There are buses to Jaipur (7 hr, 7 daily), Jaisalmer (7½ hr, 7 daily), Fatehpur (4½ hr), Delhi (11 hr), Ajmer (8 hr), Jodhpur, Jhunjhunu, Ahmedabad, and Udaipur.

Nearby Bikaner

Camel Breeding Farm
This breeding farm is 10km south of Bikaner and is the largest in Asia. It breeds 50% of India’s camels. In the evening, hundreds of camel are found here. The British Imperial Army’s Camel Corps in World War II got their camels from this place.

The Bikaner city tour stops here. You can also come here by auto-rickshaw (Rs 75 round trip; taxi Rs 130). Open Mon to Fri and every other Sat from 3 to 5 pm; photography permitted outside only. Camel rides Rs 40 for thirty minutes.

Devi Kund Sagar
On the bank of the man-made lake, Devi Kund Sagar, are marble and red sandstone chhatris (cenotaphs) of previous Bikaner maharajas. The marble memorial of Maharaja Surat Singh is especially interesting. It is 8km west of Bikaner. City tours usually visit here. Buses come here from the Main bus stand in Bikaner (every hr, Rs 5). An auto-rickshaw return is Rs 75.

Gajner Wildlife Sanctuary
Located 32km west of Bikaner, this was once a royal hunting grounds. It is now a sanctuary for gazelles, antelopes, blackbuck, and various birds. Siberian sand grouse migrate here each year.
The elegant palace on the bank of the lake is now the luxury Gajner Palace Hotel (01534 55063 ; fax 55065; booked in Bikaner at Karni Bhawan Palace (0151) 524-701; fax 522-408), which has rooms for Rs 1400/2500. It has a pool, billiard table and a restaurant. They can arrange transportation to the park.

You can get a bus to here from Bikaner from the Main bus stand, behind the Fort (every 30 min, Rs 8).

Deshnok
Deshnok is located 30km south of Bikaner. The reason to come here is to see the Karni Mata Temple. During the Navratri festival in March, this place is very busy.

Karni Mata Temple
Karni Mata, who was born in 1387 near Phalodi, is said to have been an incarnation of Goddess Durga. This temple is famous because of the rats running over the temple room floor and altar.
The temple has a beautiful silver door and a wire mesh over the courtyard to protect the rats from birds.

The temple has an image of Karni Mata holding a trishul (trident), surrounded by rats. The rats are called kabas. If you injure a rat in the temple, you are expected to present a gold or silver replica to the temple or suffer misfortune. The rats eat from huge metal bowls filled with milk, sweets, and grains donated by devotees. It is considered auspicious to see a white kaba near the image of Karni Mata.

Admission: free; Camera/video Rs 20/25. The temple is open daily 4 am to 9.30 pm. Web Site: http://www.karnimata.com

The story of the temple is that a woman brought the body of her recently dead son to Karni Mata and asked her to restore the boy to life. Karni fell into a deep trance and encountered Yamaraja, the lord of death. He told her that the boy had already accepted another body and could not be recalled. Karni refused to accept this and said that Yamaraja would no longer govern her tribe of Charans. At death they would enter the bodies of kabas, or sacred rats, and when the rats died they would be reborn as Charans.

Practicalities
The RTDC Yatri Niwas (0151 65332) has rooms for Rs 250/300 and dorm beds for Rs 60.

There are hourly buses to and from Bikaner. A taxi will be at least Rs 350-400 to go to the temple, wait for an hour, and return to Bikaner. An auto-rickshaw is around Rs 200. It is a stop on the city tour.

Bundi

Pop: 90,000
Phone Code: 0747

Bundi, 40km northwest of Kota, was the capital of an important Rajput State. It is home to the impressive Taragarh Fort and a grand palace. The palace has great murals in it. It is an interesting town. It is usually visited on a day-trip from Kota.
The town is next to a steep hill and a lake.

Information
The Tourist Office (244-2697), at the Circuit House is open Mon to Sat 10 am to 5 pm. They have a brochure about Bundi that has a map. They can arrange a guide.

An interesting website is http://www.kiplingsbundi.com

It can be difficult to change money here, so you should bring enough. Pandey Forex, Garh Palace Rd, near the palace, changes money.

Bikes can be rented for Rs 5 per hour or Rs 30 per day.

Bundi Café Crafts Shop at the Haveli Braj Bhushanjee has a good selection of handicrafts, jewelry and miniature paintings.

Cyber Dream (244-6662), next to Braj Bhushanjee, for Internet (Rs 60 per hr)

Taragarh Fort
This interesting fort, built in 1354, is approached by climbing a steep hill, to reach the gigantic gate. On the Bhim Burj, the biggest battlements, there is a famous cannon. There are great views of the area from the walls.

Palace
This outstanding palace, built during the 16th and 17th centuries, is on the side of the hill below the fort. It is classic Rajasthani architecture. Only part of the palace is open to the public.

The palace is entered through the Hathi Pole (Elephant Gate) into a small courtyard. You then come to the Ratan Daulat, the Diwan-i-am (Hall of Public Audience), where there is a marble throne.

Some of the famous and excellent Bundi murals are located on the upper floor. Photography is not permitted. Most of the excellent Bundi murals are located in the parts of the palace that are closed to the public. The closed parts of the palace can be visited only with special permission.

Admission: free. Open daily 8 am to 5 pm.

Other Places
There are several interesting baoris (step-wells) in Bundi. The Nagar Sagar Kund step-well is located outside the Chogan Gate of the old city. The large Raniji-ki-Baori (1699) has good carvings. It is 46m deep.

Nawal Sagar is an artificial lake with a temple of Varuna (water-god) in the middle.

At the Sar Bagh Park there are royal cenotaphs with good carvings.

The 84-Pillared Cenotaph and garden is south of town.

The Sukh Niwas summer palace is on the north shore of Jait Sagar lake. It is not open to the public, but you can walk around the garden and along the lake shore.

The Phool Sagar Palace, 5km out of town, has a beautiful garden and an artificial lake. It is not open to the public.

Where to Stay and Eat
You can arrange a Paying Guest Room in a person’s home at the tourist office.
Bundi Tourist Palace (244-2650), opposite Azad Park, has basic rooms with common bath for Rs 125/175. Bucket hot water.
RTDC Hotel Vrindawati, near Jait Sagar, has rooms with bath for Rs 400/500 and Rs 550/750.
Royal Retreat (244-4426: fax 244-3278), in the palace complex, is a nice place with rooms with common bath for Rs 300 and with bath for Rs 600/800. It is built around a quiet courtyard and a great view of the palace from the roof. It has a veg restaurant.
Haveli Braj Bhushanjee (244-2322; fax 244-2142; Email: res@kiplingsbundi.com; http://www.kiplingbundi.com), near the palace, is an interesting 250-year-old haveli, with good selection of well-decorated rooms with bath (hot water in a bucket) for Rs 350/450 up to Rs 1800 for the top room. It is a popular, well-managed, friendly place with a good atmosphere. It has a good veg restaurant. Free pick-up from the bus or railway stations.Accepts credit cards.
Hotel Diamond has basic rooms with bath for Rs 225/250 and Rs 500 for a deluxe room. It has a cheap vegetarian restaurant.
Kothi Ishwari Niwas (244-2414; fax 244-3541; Email: in_heritage@timesofindia.com; Web Site: http://www.angelfire.com/amiga/inheritage/), near the tourist office and bus station in the south area of town, has an assortment of rooms in an old colonial buidling for Rs 300 to Rs 800. The new rooms are better. It is a friendly, recommended place. Well-maintained place with arched cielings.

Travel
There are buses to Kota (1 hr, every half-hour, 38km), Chittorgarh (6 hr), Jaipur (8 hr), Ajmer (6 hr), Sawai Madhopur and Udaipur. There is a train to Chittorgarh in the morning and a train to Agra at night.

Chittorgarh

Pop: 98,000
Phone Code: 01472
Chittorgarh, located 115km northeast of Udaipur, has a gigantic, impressive Rajput fort. It is basically a hassle-free town, to which few travelers come to, but the outstanding fort is definitely worth a visit.

History
Chittorgarh has a long and glorious history of victories and defeats. It was originally the capital of the Rajput Mewar dynasty, which later moved to Udaipur. Invaders sacked the city three times.
In 1303, the Delhi Sultan Ala-ud-din Khilji had the city besieged in order to get the beautiful Padmini, the wife of Maharaja Ratan Singh. At this time 13,000 women performed jauhar by throwing themselves into a funeral pyre. Then 7,000 warriors put on orange robes and went into battle to certain death.

In 1535, Sultan Bahadur Shah of Gujarat made a surprise attack on the city and killed everyone. In 1567, Emperor Akbar besieged the city and over 30,000 people were killed. The women of the city performed jauhar. At this time, Maharaja Udai Singh moved the capital from Chittorgarh to Udaipur, where the royal family still lives. The fort was returned to the Rajputs in 1616, but the royal family stayed in Udaipur.

Information
The Tourist Office (241089), Station Rd near the railway station, has maps (Mon to Sat 10 am to 5 pm).

You can change money at the State Bank of India, near the Roadway bus stand, and the State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur, Station Rd.

The GPO is on Shri Gurukul Rd, near the Hotel Pratap Palace.

General Hospital (%102), Station Rd; and Aditya Hospital (41544), Station Rd, are supposed to be good hospitals.

Internet at Sanwariya Computers (248-552) for Rs 50 per hour (open 9 am to 9 pm)

Chittorgarh Fort
The places to see are all inside the fort, which is basically deserted ruins. The views from the walls, on all four sides of the fort are outstanding. It takes about half a day to see everything. Guides (about Rs 200) can usually be found near the Rana Kumbha Palace, close to the fort’s gate.

Fort Admission foreigners/Indians Rs 100/5. Guides charge around Rs 150-200. and it is best to get a guide driving an auto-ricksaw. A good way to fully explore the fort is by renting a biccycle. It is a fairly tough climb up to the fort, but once at the top it is mainly flat.

There are seven pols (gates) beginning on the east side of town going for one km up to the fort’s entrance. The first is Padan Pol. Located at the second gate are the chhatris (monuments) of the heroic Jaimal and Kalla, who both died in battle when Chittorgarh was attacked in 1567. Rama Pol is the final gate that leads into the fort.
To the right of the Rama Pol gate is Shingara Chauri Mandir, a 15th century Jain temple dedicated to the 16th tirthankara, Shantinath. It has intricate carvings. If you go straight from the gate you come to the Rana Kumbha Palace, where it is said the third jauhar of Chittorgarh happened in an underground cellar. Now only a Siva temple and the stables remain.

In the Fateh Prakash Palace (built in the 1920s) is the Government Museum, which has a collection of statues and weapons. Open daily except Fri 10 am to 4.30 pm; admission Rs 2, photography prohibited.

Near the palace is the artistic Meera Mandir, dedicated to the saintly woman devotee of Lord Krishna, Mira Bai. Also nearby is the lofty Kumbha Shyam Mandir with its deity of Varaha (the boar incarnation of Lord Vishnu) in the inner sanctum.

Taking Fort Road south brings you to the sandstone Jaya Stambha (Tower of Victory), which is considered to be the highlight of the fort. This outstanding 37m (122 ft), nine-storey sandstone tower is covered with intricate sculptures. It was begun in 1458 to commemorate a significant victory in 1440 and was finished ten years later. You can climb to the top of this tower and from the top, the view is outstanding.

Nearby is the Mahasati, the place where women performed sati by throwing themselves on their husbands’ cremation fire. The Sammadheshwar Mandir is also nearby.

Further south on the main road is a large tank called Gaumukh Kund (Cow’s Mouth Tank). It is called this because of the carved cow’s mouth from which the water of the tank comes.

Further down the main road is the weathered Padmini’s Palace, which is next to a shallow pool with a pavilion in the center. It is said that Ala-ud-din-Khalji saw the reflection of beautiful Padmini in a palace mirror. After seeing her, he laid siege to Chittorgarh, which led to the city’s residents performing jauhar. The Kalika Mata Mandir, with its sculptures of gods, is across from here. It is now dedicated to goddess Kali, but was originally dedicated to Surya, the sun-god.

You then follow the road south, past Deer Park and Bhimlat Tank. You then come to a crack in the wall said to have been where political prisoners and traitors were throw to their death 200m below.

The road then goes north and you come to Suraj Pol, the fort’s eastern gate. Near the gate is the 22m high Kirti Stambha (Tower of Fame). The tower is dedicated to Adinath, the first Jain tirthankara and is covered with Jain sculptures.

Local Travel (Tour of the Fort)
The fort is 3km from the bus stand and 6km from the railway station. It is over a 5km trip around the fort, so it is tough to do this walking. To get to the fort from the railway or bus station and to have a tour by auto-rickshaw costs around Rs 125-150, which includes waiting time. You should work out the waiting time in advance. Auto-rickshaws for a tour of the fort can be arranged at the tourist office.

Bicycles can be rented near the railway station (Rs 5 per hour, Rs 30-40 per day). Taking a bike means you can take your time, without being hurried by a rickshaw driver. It is a steep climb to the fort, but on top most of the roads are flat. It takes about three hours to see everything.

Where to Stay and Eat
There are Retiring Rooms at the railway station.
Birla Dharamshala, in the fort, has basic, very cheap, clean rooms.
Natraj Tourist Hotel (241009), near the Roadway bus stand, has really basic (and dirty) rooms with common bath for Rs 100/125, Rs 150/175 with bath and with air-cooling for Rs 250/300.
Bhagwati Hotel (246226), near the bus stand, has rooms for Rs 150/225. Bucket hot water for Rs 5..
Shalimar Hotel (240842), near the railway station, has rooms with common bath for Rs 125/175 and Rs 175/250 with bath. 24-hour checkout.
Hotel Gaurav Palace (243107), off Fort Rd, is a new modern place with rooms with bath for Rs 450/600.
Hotel Chetak (241679, 241588), near the railway station, has rooms with hot water in the morning for Rs 550/650 and A/C rooms with TV for 700/800.. It has a good veg restaurant Chinese and Indian restaurant. It is the best of the cheaper places near the station.
RTDC Hotel Panna (241238; fax 244-024), Station Rd, is a good place with rooms with bath for Rs 300/400 and Rs 700/800 for a comfortable A/C deluxe room. Dorm beds are Rs 60. It is well-managed.
Hotel Padmini (241718; fax 247115; Email: hotel_padmini@rediffmail.com), Chanderiya Rd, out of town near the river, has rooms for Rs 600/700 and with A/C for Rs 1200/1400. Some of the rooms have balconies overlooking the fort in the distance. It has a good veg restaurant. The best place in town.
Hotel Pratap Palace (240099; fax 241042; Email: hpratap@hotmail.com; Web Site: http://www.castlebijaipur.com), Shri Gurukul Rd, has clean, modern, air-cooled rooms with bath and hot water for Rs 550/650 and Rs 700/800 with A/C.Deluxe rooms are 1500/1600. It is a popular, friendly place. It has a good garden restaurant. They can arrange a village safari. You can arrange a discount in the off-season.

Travel
Train From Chittorgarh station (41009) there are trains to Kota (Niraj Kota Exp 2 pm, 5 hr), Bundi (3 pm, 160km), Udaipur (110km), Delhi, Jaipur (Pink City Exp, 9.20 am, 8 hr). Ajmer (180km), Indore (4 daily) and Ahmedabad. There are two express trains to Udaipur, the Ahmedabad-Delhi Sarai Rohila Exp #9943 (2 pm, 6½ hr), and the Chetak Exp #9615 (6.50 am, 4 hr). The passenger trains to Udaipur take much longer. The same two trains go to Jaipur (7 hr) and Delhi (14 hr).

Ajmer Purna-Jaipur #9770 (6 am, 4½ hr), Ahmedabad-Delhi Sarai Rohila Exp #9944 (2 pm, 5½ hr); Indore Jaipur-Purna Exp #9769 (10.30 pm, 8 hr).

Bus There are regular buses to Udaipur (3 hr, every hr), Kota (6 hr) via Bundi, Ajmer (5 hr), Jaipur (8 hr, 8 daily expresses) and Jodhpur (9 hr). Chittorgarh can be visited on a long day-trip from Udaipur. Bus station phone is 41177.

Around Chittorgarh

In Menal, 90km east of Chittorgarh, are a group of well-preserved 12th century temples.

Castle Bijaipur (240099; Web Site: http://www.castlebijaipur.com) is 40km south of Chittorgarh in the peaceful village of Bijaipur. It is now a pleasant hotel with rooms for Rs 1550/1700. It is a former 16th century palace. You can book a room for here at the Hotel Pratap Palace in Chittorgarh. They arrange jeep and horse Village Safaris to places in the area. There are buses to here from Chittorgarh (40 km). A taxi to here from Chittorgarh is around Rs 350

Bijolia, 50km east of Chittorgarh, has three ancient Central Indian-style temples. The Undeswara Temple has a yoni and linga in the inner sanctums, and some excellent carvings.

There are also the Mahalaleswara and Hajaswar temples. The Kushal Raj (01489 6743), opposite the bus stand, and the Mewara, next to the bus stand, are cheap basic places to stay.

In Jagat, 20km from Chittorgarh going towards Udaipur, is a well-carved 10th century Durga temple.


Jaipur, Rajasthan

Pop: 1.5 million
Phone Code: 0141

Jaipur is the fast-moving capital of Rajasthan and one of the most visited places in India. Many of the buildings within the walled city are painted pink. Hence the city is known as the “Pink City.” When one enters this city, one is charmed by the old-world, picturesque atmosphere.

It takes a few days to see all the sites in the area. Most people do not stay more than a day or two because of the city’s fast pace and the constant assault by the local businessmen.

If you are in a hurry, you can see the important places in one day. Thexe "Govindaji Temple" Govindaji Temple is especially interesting during the mangala-arati ceremony at five in the morning.

History
Jaipur was built by and named after Maharaja Jai Singh II (1699-1744). In 1727, Jai Singh decided to move down from the fortified stronghold of Amber to build a city on the plains below. Before the city of Jaipur was built, the kingdom was known as the Amber kingdom. The city was built according to the Shilpa Sastra, an ancient Hindu composition on architecture. The city was laid out with six blocks surrounded by a city wall. The city streets are wide. Jai Singh built the Jantar Mantar (a large observatory) in 1728.

Orientation
The City Palace, Jantar Mantar, Hawa Mahal, Radha-Govinda Temple, and the other main tourist sites are located within the walled section of the northeast part of the city. Johari Bazaar, the jewelry market, is also in the old part of the city. The main gates of the old city are Ajmeri, Chandpol, and Sanganeri.

The new parts of the city are to the south and west. MI Rd, where many of the restaurants are located, runs east–west, just south of the walled part of the city. The railway station and the main bus station are located about 1km southwest of the old city. Most of the hotels and restaurants are in this area. The Amber Fort is 11km northeast of the city going towards Delhi. Overlooking the city in the north is the Nahargarh Fort.

Information
The helpful Government of India Tourist Office (237-2200, 236-0238), in the Khasa Kothi Hotel has some brochures. Open Mon to Fri 9 am to 6 pm and Sat 9 am to 1 pm.

The helpful RTDC Tourist Office (220-2152, 220-0595 fas: 220-1145; Email: rtdc@jp1.dot.net), behind RTDC Hotel Swagatam, in the RTDC Tourist Hotel is open daily except Sun 10 am to 5pm.

The Tourist Office,(237-5466, 220-0778) on platform No 1 in the railway station, has some good literature and gives good information (open 24-hour. Open daily 6 am to 8 pm. There is a tourist counter on platform 3 at the bus station and one outsde the RTDC Tourist Hoet (237-5466).

Guides can be hired from the tourist offices. It could be a good idea to get a government-approved tourist guide. Other guides will just want to bring you shopping all day, as they get a commission.

A good Jaipur site is (http://www.jaipur-rajasthan)

Tours
The RTDC has half-day and full-day tours of Jaipur and Amber. The tour goes to the City Palace and Museum (except Fri), Amber Fort, Hawa Mahal, and Jantar Mantar. The full-day tour also goes to Nahargarh Fort, Birla Mandir and the Doll Museum. The half-day tour is rushed, so it is better to take the full-day tour.

The tour departs from the railway station, but you can be picked up at any RTDC hotel. The full-day tour goes from 9 am to 6 pm and costs Rs 150-200. The hours for the half-day tour are: 8 am to 1 pm, 11.30 am to 4.30 pm, and 1.30 to 6.30 pm; Rs 70.

On Saturday and Sunday the RTDC organizes a tour from 6 to 10 pm to Nahargarh Fort and Chowkhi Dhani.

The Hotel Bissau Palace organizes a Camel Cart tour to some Rajasthani villages. It is Rs 600 per person if there are six or more people and Rs 850, if there are less. This includes lunch. This tour should be reserved in advance at the Hotel Bissau Palace

Rajasthan Travel Service (236-5408; fax 237-6935; Email.com dilip@datainfosys.net), Ganapati Plaza, arrange a car to bring you to the torust site with a guide included.

Money
A good place to change money is Thomas Cook (236-0940), 1st floor, Jaipur Towers, MI Rd. (daily except Sun 9.30 am to 6 pm).

Tata Finance Amex (236-4026 also fax), Sarat House, MG Rs (open Mon-Fri 10 am to 6 pm, Sat 10 am to 2:30 pm)) represents American Express.

LKP Merchant Financing, first floor Sunil Sadan, 2 MI Rd (Mon-Sat 10am-6pm) is a good place to change money.

Most of the banks are open only on weekdays 11 am to 2 pm. Some of the main banks are the State Bank of India, Sanganeri Gate, MI Rd; the State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur, across from the GPO (daily except Sun 2 to 4 pm); the Punjab National Bank, near Hawa Mahal; and the Bank of Baroda, Johari Bazaar. Bank of Rajasthan in the Rambagh Palace (8 am to 8 pm).

Bank of Rajasthan (238-1416) at the Rambagh Palace Hotel changes money (daily 8 amt to 8 am)

Central Bank of India (231-7419), Anand Building, Sansar Chandra Marg, gives cash advances on MasterCard and Visa. The Andhra Bank (236-9606), MI Rd, gives cash advances on Visa and MasterCard.

ICIC, Ganapati Plaxa, MI Rd and HDFC, Ashoka Marg, has 24-hour ATM

Most of the higher-class hotels exchange money, although the rates they give are usually below that of the local banks.

Post, Email and Medical
The GPO is on MI Rd. Outside the GPO is a man who sews up parcels at reasonable rates. (open Mon-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat 10 am-5pm. There is a person by the door that sews up packages..

A good courier service is DHL Worldwide Express (236-2826), C-scheme, Geeta Enclave, Vinoba Marg. It is on a small street off MI Rd. They send freight all over the world. You can pay the custom charges in advance if you want.

Internet at Mewar Cyber Cafe (220-6172, email mewar@jp1.dot.net.in), near the bus station on Station Rd (open 25-hr) charges Rs 40 per hour.0 Communication (240-3204; Email: communicatotipl@yahoo.com) Jaipur Tower, MI Rd (Mon-Sat 9am-9pm, .Sun 11 am-3pm) charges Rs 30 per hr.

Medical & Hospitals
Santokba Durlabhji Hospital (256-6251), Bhawan Singh Marg: Sawai Mansingh Hospital (256-0291), Sawai Ram Singh Rd, and Zanana Hospital, Chanpol Gate, are some of the better hospitals in town.

A recommended doctor is Dr Chandra Sen (982-906-1040) and Galundia Clinic (236-1040. He can even come to you room and offer 24 hour service.

Ambulance nubmer (102)

Bookshops
There is a good selection of English books at Books Corner by Niro’s Restaurant on MI Rd. There is a good book shop at the Rambagh Palace Hotel, and there is a small, decent selection of books at the Arya Niwas Hotel by Sansar Chandra Rd.

Meeting the Maharaja
It is possible to meet the present Maharaja of Jaipur, Sawai Bhawani Singh (usually on a weekday). He is the High Commissioner to Brunei. To arrange an appointment you speak to the Maharaja’s private secretary at the Aide de Camp (ADC) Office. It is best to give a few days notice. It is advised to dress conservatively and to be respectful.

Jaipur Deities and Temples
It is said that Vajranabha, Krishna’s great-grandson, had three Deities of Krishna carved. He never saw Krishna, so the Deities were carved according to the description given by Uttara, the mother of Maharaja Parikshit. He had three different images carved, but none of them were perfect. Govindaji resembled Krishna’s face (Mukhara­vinda),

Madana-Mohan resembled Krishna from the navel down to the lotus feet, and Gopinatha resembled Krishna from the navel to the neck. In one book about the temples of Vrindavan, the Padma Purana is quoted saying that to get the full vision of Sri Krishna, pilgrims have to visit and offer obeisances to all three Deities during a single day, while the sun is still up. Srixe "Govinda" Govinda and Srixe "Gopinatha" Gopinatha are now in Jaipur, and Madana-Mohan is in Karoli, a small town in Rajasthan. The Deities in the Govindaji, Gopinatha, and Radha Damodar temples are important Krishna Deities, and were originally installed in Vrindavan.

Govindaji Temple
Sri Govinda was originally installed nearly 5,000 years ago by Lord Krishna’s great-grandson. Govinda is one of the four presiding Deities of Braja-mandala (greater Vrindavan). This temple is located right next to the City Palace within the innermost walls of the old city.

Govinda was originally worshiped by Srila Rupa Goswami and installed at the Radha Govinda Temple in Vrindavan. Govindaji was later brought to the city of Amber, near Jaipur, by Maharaja Jai Singh II to protect the Deity from destruction at the hands of the Muslim emperor Aurangzeb. Jai Singh’s grandfather had originally constructed the Govindaji Temple in Vrindavan. Govindaji was moved to the present temple in Jaipur about 1728 (some say 1735). Maharaja Jai Singh created his “City of Victory,” the city of Jaipur, as a dedication to Lord Govindaji. The temple is in a garden of the palace complex, and when the temple doors were opened, Maharaja Jai Singh in the past could see his beloved Deity from the royal quarters.

On the altar are full-sized Deities of Govinda, a beautiful black marble Deity, and Radha. There is also a small Deity of Krishna named Gaura-Govinda, which was once worshiped by Kasiswara Pandit. There is beautiful tile work on the altar. The maha-prasada booth is located to the left of the Deities. It is customary for devotees to purchase maha-prasada, then distribute it to other devotees, who eagerly rush to get it. Behind the temple is a large garden.

Mangala-arati draws about 5,000 people a day. It is an absolute must to attend. The devotees enthusiastically chant prayers in praise of Lord Govinda.

The translation to the mantra that is chanted in front of Govindaji is: “We hunger for the sight of your face, and we wish to fix you constantly in our thoughts while meditating on your lotus face. This life is full of responsibilities and now we are in the middle of the ocean; please give us your blessing so that we can relieve ourselves of life’s burdens and understand the meaning of life.”

During Kartika (Oct-Nov) the Arati times are 5, 8, 10, and 11.30 am and 5.15, 6.15, and 8.15 pm. Every month the times for the aratis change.

Radha-Gopinatha Temple
These are the Deities worshiped by Madhu Pandit Goswami and discovered at Vamsivata in Vrindavan by Paramananda Bhattacarya, the disciple of Gadadhar Pandit. Vajranabha originally installed Gopinatha in Vrindavan. This Deity was brought to Jaipur from Vrindavan when the Muslims raided Vrindavan. Gopinatha is said to exactly resemble Lord Krishna from the shoulders down to the waist.

This temple has beautiful carved silver doors and gorgeous paintings on the walls. On the ceiling are paintings of the rasa-lila. A unique embroidered tulasi-bead jacket and tulasi japa beads, both of which belonged to Madhu Pandit, are displayed in the courtyard.

How to get there The temple is located in the Topkhanadesh area of Jaipur by Chandpol Bazaar. If you are on Tripoliya Bazaar Road, you go west until you get to Gangori Bazaar Road. Tripoliya Bazaar Rd is the main road, right next to the inner wall. Youxe "Radha Damodara Temple:Jaipur" make a right and go down a few streets and then you make a left and go about a half-km down the road. The temple is on the left.

Radha Damodar Temple
There are two sets of Deities on the main altar. The smaller set of Deities is Jiva Goswami’s original Radha Damodar Deities from Vrindavan. To the left of the Deities is a Govardhan-shila said to have been worshiped by Sanatana Goswami. On an altar, left of the main one, are Deities of Lakshmi Narasimha and Prahlada Maharaja. You have to look closely to see Prahlada Maharaja. There are beautiful paintings of Krishna’s pastimes in this temple.

How to get there Coming from Tripoliya Bazaar Rd, the temple is located about 60m (200 ft) down Chaura Rasta Rd on the right side. It is about a ten-minute walk to here from the Radha-Govinda temple. There is another temple next to the Radha-Damodar Temple. Radha-Damodar is on the left while facing the temples.

Vinodilal Temple
This is a small temple up some stairs on Tripoliya Bazaar Road. Vinodilal was installed by Lokanath Goswami. He was the first devotee sent to Vrindavan by Sri Chaitanya. He has one famous disciple, Narottama dasa Thakur, who was a great poet and who composed many beautiful Vaishnava songs in praise of the Lord. Vinodilal is a beautiful Deity about 30cm (12 inches) tall.

Arati times are 5.30, 7, 11 am and 6, 8.30 pm. At night the Deity darshan is from 4.30 to 8.30 pm.

How to get there It is a very difficult temple to find, as few people come here. From the Radha Damodar Temple you walk to Tripoliya Bazaar Road and make a left. Walk 50 big steps and you will find a flight of stairs to your left. To the right of the stairs is a hose shop, which is shop number 295. If you look at the building, it will not look like a temple. The temple is situated one flight up.

Jaipur City Palace and Museum
Jai Singh built this palace located in the middle of the old Pink City between 1729-32. It is huge, but much of the palace cannot be visited because it is used as the home of the current Maharaja, Sawai Bhawani Singh. The palace was opened to tourists in the 1950s. Over 400 films have been shot here. The palace has seen many important visitors, including Queen Elizabeth II, Jawaharlal Nehru, the King of Nepal, Jacqueline Kennedy, and the Shah of Iran. It is an interesting place that takes an hour or two to see. The Radha-Govinda Temple is next to the palace.

When you enter the palace by the main entrance, you find yourself in a large courtyard. In the center of the courtyard is the Mubarak Mahal with its arched balconies and marble pillars. The building was once a secretariat and contained offices used by the Maharaja for state business. On the ground floor is a library, which can only be visited by scholars. It contains nearly 90,000 items, including hundreds of years old manuscripts and photo albums. On the top floor is the Textile Museum, which has a collection of old clothes and costumes. There is an outfit worn by Sawai Madno Singh I, who was 2.15m (7 ft) tall and is said to have weighed over 250 kg (550 lb). There are also musical instruments and glasswork. There are 19th century prints made in the nearby village of Sanganer made by the wood-block process.

In the northwest corner of the courtyard is the Arms and Weapons Museum. There is a large collection of old weapons here dating from 1580 onwards. The sword of Maharaja Man Singh, the 17th century king of Jaipur, weighs about 5 kg (11 lb). There are daggers whose handles contain secret chambers, and gunpowder holders made from seashells.

You then enter another courtyard by passing through the gate with huge brass doors and two marble elephants standing on either side. In the center of the courtyard is the Hall of Private Audience (Diwan-i-Khas), which is open-sided, with a roof over it. There are two large, 1.5m high Gangajalis, silver containers that were made to hold a large amount of Ganges waters so that the Maharaja of Jaipur could take it on a trip to England. Each container weights 345kg and holds 9,000 liters of water. A sign says that the Guinness Book of Records claims they are the biggest pieces of silver in the world.

In a corner of the courtyard is the Hall of Public Audience (Diwan-i-am), which houses the Art Museum. There is a magnificent painted ceiling and the second largest chandelier in India. The walls are covered with carpets, most of them woven in the Persian style. There are a large number of ancient manuscripts and remarkable miniature paintings. There are 16th century translated editions of Aristotle’s writings. There is also a collection of black and white 19th century photos taken by the then Maharaja.

If you leave the courtyard and go into a smaller one, you come to the seven-storey Chandra Mahal, the Maharaja’s residence. There is also a Carriage Exhibit near the back entrance.

The palace (260-8055; fax: 260-8169; Web Site: http://www.royalfamilyjaipur.com )is open from 9:30 am to 4.30 pm. Admission foreigner/Indian Rs 150/40, childer 5-12 Rs 100/30; camera Rs 50; video Rs 150/100. Photography is not allowed in the galleries. You can hire a guide for Rs 100.

Jantar Mantar
Across from the City Palace is a large observatory built by Maharaja Jai Singh in 1728. It is the largest stone observatory in the world. Jai Singh also built observatories in Delhi, Varanasi, and Ujjain. There are eighteen gigantic instruments in the observatory. Each instrument is used to make intricate astronomical calculations. Without a guide (Rs 100-200) you will have no idea what most of them are.

One of the most interesting instruments is the sundial (Samrat Yantra), which has a gnomon (slanted centerpiece) 27m (90 ft) high. The time is accurate within two minutes. Before building this observatory, Jai Singh sent scholars around the world to study the observatories in other countries.

Open daily 9.30 am to 4.30 pm; admission Rs 10 (Monday free); camera foreigner Rs 50/20, video Rs 100/50, guide Rs 100-200

Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Wind)
This five-storey pink, sandstone building, built about 1799, is a major tourist site. It has hundreds of screened windows and small balconies. It was built by Raja Sawai Pratap Singh to allow the royal ladies to overlook the city, as they were usually confined to the zenana quarters. This mahal enabled them to climb to the top and get a good view of the city. It is also said that the Maharaja had the Hawa Mahal built so he could have a nice place to write devotional songs about Govindaji (Krishna). There is an interesting view from the top floor, and the place is interesting to walk around. 7:30 am to 9 am in the morning is the best time to take a photo.

The entrance of the building is in the rear. To get in, go to the intersection on your left, as you face the Hawa Mahal and make a right. At the first archway, make a second right and you will see the entrance sign. Open daily 9 am to 4.30 pm; Admission Rs 5 (Mon free), foreigner/Indian camera Rs 50/10, video Rs 100/20

Iswari Minar Swarga Sal (Heaven Piercing Minaret)
Located near Tripolia Gate was errected by Jai Singh. There are good views from the top. You reached it by walking about 50m west on Chandpol Bazaar..Admission Rs 2. Camera Rs 10

Central Museum (Albert Hall)
This museum is located in the middle of Ram Niwas Garden, south of the Old City. The museum has pillars, arches, and the building itself is as interesting as the exhibits (which are not particularly interesting). The ground floor has miniature paintings, stone sculptures, painted shields, portraits of former Jaipur maharajas, musical instruments, and ivory carvings. The central hall features blue pottery, which has been made in Jaipur for a long time. Open daily except Fri 10 am to 4.30 pm; admission Rs 5 (Mon free); photography prohibited.

Jaipur Zoo
The zoo is 50m south of the Central Museum in Ram Niwas Garden. Open daily 9.30 am to 4.30 pm; admission Rs 2. You may be asked to show your ticket stub along the way.

Museum of Indology
There are very interesting exhibits in this museum, which include the marriage contract of the last Mughal emperor, a strand of hair which has the entire Bhagavad-gita written on it, and a grain of rice with a map of India painted on it. There are textiles, drawings, a manuscript written by Aurangzeb, coins, jewelry, and many more items. This is a privately-funded museum. Open daily 9 am to 6 pm. Admission with a mandatory guide Foreigner/ Indian Rs 40/20. This place is 2km south of Ram Niwas Garden, by itself, just off Nehru Marg.

Doll Museum
It has a collection of dolls made both in India and around the world. It is 2km south of Ram Niwas Garden on Nehru Marg. Open daily 10 am to 4 pm; admission Rs 1.

Lakshmi Narayan Mandir
This beautiful, white marble temple is dedicated to Narayan (another name of Vishnu) and his consort Lakshmi (the Goddess of Fortune). It is also called the Birla Mandir because the Birla family constructed it. There are lotus flowers on the ceiling carved from a single piece of marble, and impressive stained glass windows. Open daily 8 am to 7.30 pm. There is a free guide 8 to 11.30 am and 4.30 to 7.30 pm. Usually the door of the altars are closed from 1 to 4 pm.

Motidungri Fort
The Motidungri Fort is located on the hill overlooking the Lakshmi Narayan temple. The Maharaja owns it, but it is not well-maintained. There is a Siva temple in the fort, which is open only to the public once a year on Siva-ratri.

Nahargarh Fort
Nahargarh Fort(267-1848) is also known as the Tiger Fort (built 1734). The fort overlooks the city of Jaipur and is floodlit at night. You can wander around the fort and get lost in time. There is an outstanding view of the valleys below. You get to the fort by taking a winding 8km road from Jaipur. It is a difficult 2km walk up from the northwest part of the city.

Open daily 10 to 5 pm. Foreigners/Indians Admission Rs 20/15; camera Rs 25; video Rs 70. There is a cafeteria next to the fort where you can get cold drinks and food.

Sisodia Rani-ka-Bagh
Located here are palaces and beautiful gardens, built in 1710 by Maharaja Jai Singh for his wife. The palaces have been recently repainted. On the outer walls are paintings of Krishna and scenes depicting hunting pastimes. This place is located 5km east of the main part of the city on Agra Rd. Open daily 8 am to 6 pm; admission Rs 3.

Vidyadharji-ka-Bagh
Vidyadharji-ka-Bagh is a well-maintained garden named after the Bengali Brahmin, Vidyadhar Bhattacarya, who helped design Jaipur. It is about half a km east of Sisodia Rani-ka-Bagh, on Agra Rd. Open daily 9 am to 6 pm; admission Rs 2.

Galta
Galta, on the east outskirts of Jaipur, there is a temple dedicated to Surya, the sun-god, and natural springs said to possess curative properties. There is a tank here, which is constantly filled with spring water coming from a stone-carved cow. There are about 30 shalagram-shilas here. You can get a good view of the city in the valley below from the temple. There are red-faced monkeys here. You can take a taxi (15km) to here; it is a 2km walk from Surajpol Gate.

Located here is the Dhammathali Vipassana Medition Centre which offers 10-day Vipassana courses.

Meditation & Yoga
Dhammathali Vipassana Meditation Centre (268-0220), at Galta offers 10-day Vipassana meditation courses, which should be arranged in advance.as they are popular.

Madhaveanand Ashram (220-0317), Behari Marg, Bani Park offers free yoga courses.

Places to Shop
Jaipur is a great place to shop. You should always bargain hard, because there are many tourists in Jaipur who will pay more than five times the correct price. Shops around the city palace and other tourist areas will be more expensive than other shops, but they often have better selections.

Bapu Bazaar and Nehru Bazaar are the main places to buy cloth. Johari Bazaar is famous for jewelry and gems. Also on two alleys off Johari Bazaar, Gopalji Ka Rasta and Haldiyon Ka Rasta (near Hawa Mahal), there are semiprecious stone shops and assorted silversmiths.

Rajasthan Government Handicrafts Emporium, on MI Rd, has fixed prices and gives you a good idea of what everything should cost. Normally this place is more expensive than other shops. They have a good selection of Rajasthan handicrafts.

Rajasthan Handloom House, next door, has a good selection of textiles. Anokhi, 2 Tilak Marg, near the Secretariat, is a good place to buy textiles, including bed sheets, bags, and printed clothing. You can get a good selection of homespun cotton khadi items at Khadi Gramodyog. Everything in the shop is handmade.

Jaipur is the main market for gems in India. Gem prices in Jaipur are about 50% of what the prices are in London. Gem Palace, MI Road; Lall Gems, MI Road; Beg Gems, Mehdi-ka-Chowk near Hawa Mahal; and Yogi Durvabhji’s Emerald House, Subhash Marg, C-Scheme are reputable jewelry shops. Silver and Art Palace is a good place. Surana, Ratnasangam, and DY Durlabhji are well-known places in Johari Bazaar. Even though these shops are mentioned here, still be careful when buying gems.

Silver bangles are rarely over 50% silver, even if the shop owner swears they are 100% silver. A good silver shop is Balaji Silvercraft, 102 Siredeori Bazaar, just off Johari Bazaar.

One of the best places to shop for low-end ready-made jewelry is Chameliwala Market, down the side street that leads to the Evergreen Guest House. There are about 20 jewelry stores on this street, which often have a much better selection than the shops in Johari Bazaar.

Manglam Arts has a good selection of jewelry, antiques, and Rajasthani paintings. It is like a museum. Their prices are a little high, but they are friendly and can be bargained to a reasonable discount. Some of the more precious items in their collections are so highly valued that they have an armed guard to protect them.

The marble carvers are in the Kheje Walon ka Rasta area, which is southwest of the old city, just south of Chandpol Bazaar. A good deity makers is Pandey Murti Kala Kendra (231-8834; 231-3112), Narain Bhawan, IV Cross, Kheje ka Rasta.

You can get carpets cheaper in Pushkar than in Jaipur, but you will not get as good a selection of expensive items in Pushkar. You can get miniature Krishna paintings cheaper in Udaipur or Nathdwar.

BUYERS’ WARNING! Jaipur is a great place to shop, but the place is full of rip-offs and con-men who use extremely bad tactics to rip people off. Most of the rickshaw drivers receive a commission on what you buy when they bring you to a shop. Be careful of people trying to convince you to buy gems in Jaipur to sell overseas. I tried this myself and the jewelry shops in London wanted to pay me a price lower than what I paid for them in Jaipur. Unless you know the business, you are throwing away your money.

One time, I was standing on the street waiting for my Indian friend to buy fruit. A gentleman approached me and asked if I would like to come with him to see the rugs in his handicraft shop. As I did not want any rugs and considering the fact that most people who approach you on the street like this in Jaipur are con-men, I was not interested in going to his shop.

Still, to see what would happen, I told him I would come if I could bring my friend, to which he of course agreed. I then pointed out my Indian friend and told him I had to wait until he had purchased his fruit. This man then told me that he no longer had any interest in bringing me to his shop. Obviously he knew he could not cheat me if I had an Indian with me.

Gem Testing Laboratory
At this place off MI Rd, near New Gate, you can have gems tested for quality and value for a small fee. You can ask for a money-back guarantee when you purchase gems and then get them tested. Any of the more reputable dealers will allow you to return items within a few days, but this should be firmly established in advance.

Arrival and Touts
When you arrive by train or bus, there will be no shortage of rickshaw and taxi drivers waiting to take you to a hotel for practically nothing. This is because the hotels they take you to will give them a high commission. If you ask to go to another hotel, you will often be told that it is full, it has burned to the ground, or been the victim of some other disaster. I was told the hotel to which I wanted to go was full, but when I arrived, it was almost empty.

The rickshaw drivers receive a commission, which is at least 20% of the cost of the room. This means you pay a higher price. If you insist on going to the hotel of your choice, the rickshaw driver will then want to charge you at least double the normal fare. This will usually be much cheaper than paying the inflated hotel price.

Amber Fort and On the Way

Gaitor
Gaitor, between Jaipur and Amber, is a complex of stone and marble chhatris (memorials) dedicated to former maharajas. The memorials are covered with sculptures, perforated screens, and ornamental stonework. The marble cenotaph of Maharaja Jai Singh II is splendid. The nearby Maharani-ka-Chhatri are memorials for the departed female members of the royal family.

Admission foreigner/Indian Rs 10/5; video 20/10.

Jal Mahal (Water Palace) is a small palace in the middle of the lake, that is passed on the way to the Amber Fort from Jaipur.

Radha Madhava Temple, Kanak Vrindavan, Birla Mandir
There are two temples here. In the Radha Madhava Temple, to your right as you drive in, are Jayadeva Goswami’s original Deities. They were brought to Jaipur in 1560, almost 450 years ago. There is a 1.3 m (4 ft) tall, black marble Krishna and brass Radharani, as will as a small set of Radha Krishna Deities here.

In the 18th century Natwarji Temple are the Deities of Amarkuar, Jaya Singh’s sister. There is beautiful silver work (known as meena work, done with mirrors and colored glass based in silver or white metal) around the altar.

The temples are closed 1 and 4 pm. This place is on the way to the Amber Fort on Amber Rd, about 5km from downtown. To get here, you pass a large building in the middle of the lake and about 1km later you will see a sign for “Kanak Vrindavan and Govinda Deoji” on your right.

Jaisalmer

Pop: 47,000 Area
Phone Code: 02992

Jaisalmer, the western-most town in Rajasthan, has one of the most impressive and enchanting forts in India. It is known as the “Golden City” because of its many yellow sandstone buildings. The atmosphere here is tranquil, and the people are friendly. When you walk around the fort’s narrow streets, you feel like you have been transported back in time 500 years. When I approached Jaisalmer and saw the beautiful yellow fort on top of the hill I thought, “I did not know that a place like this existed.” I did not know what a good view was until I looked out at the area surrounding the fort. Over 3,000 people live within the fort and it is well-maintained.

Despite its extreme out-of-the-way location, Jaisalmer is a popular place to visit, and most people really enjoy it and often stay longer than they planned. It is a highly recommended place. If it was not such a hard place to get to (unless you fly), it would be a place that practically no one would miss.

Many of the people that come here go on a camel safari. Besides the fort, there are old havelis throughout the city built by rich merchants. These havelis are richly carved and make walking through the streets of Jaisalmer interesting.

You could look out for the Indian Bustard, which is found in Jaisalmer. It is about 40 cm (16 in) and weighs 14 kg (30 lb). They are mostly gray with black spots on their necks. There are about 1,000 of these birds in the desert.

History
The city was founded by Rawal Jaisal of the Bhatti Rajputs in 1156. Maharaja Jaisal is said to have descended from the Lunar (Moon) race in the line of Sri Krishna. The Bhatti Rajputs were constantly at war with the neighboring Rajput states of Bikaner and Jodhpur. In 1315, Muslims under Allauddin Khilji attacked the city and forced a large-scale jauhar, where the men attack against all odds and fight to the death and the women enter into a large fire. In 1325 Tughluq attacked Jaisalmer and jauhar was again declared. The Bhatti Rajputs regained the city during the 14th century.

When Maharawal Loon Karan ruled the city in the 16th century, a half jauhar was performed. Amir Ali, a Pathan from Afghanistan who lived seven km away and who was a supposed friend of Maharawal Karan decided to secretly capture the fort. He had his soldiers enter the fort in disguise and soon a fight broke out. Because the defeat was so sudden, there was no time to light a fire, so the Maharaja cut off the heads of the women with his own hands. Soon afterwards, other Rajput princes entered the fort through a secret entrance, killed Amir Ali, and retook the fort.

In 1635, the state of Jaisalmer became subservient to the Mughal Empire. No battles were fought in Jaisalmer between the end of the 16th century and the 18th century. As this was a peaceful area, merchants from around the area brought their wealth to Jaisalmer for safekeeping. In 1818 Jaisalmer became a separate state within the British Empire.

Jaisalmer was wealthy because it was located on the camel caravan route between India and Central Asia. Taxes were levied on the caravans passing through. The caravans carried indigo, silk, opium, ivory, coconuts, dry fruits, spices, and other items. When Bombay and Calcutta became popular ports during the British rule and a railway line was built, much of the trade from India started to be done by sea. Jaisalmer then began to decline. Many of the merchants moved to Calcutta and other places. At the time of Independence, when Pakistan was partitioned from India, Jaisalmer as it was had no reason to exist. The population fell from about 100,000 in the beginning of the 19th century to less than 5,000 by 1965.

After the wars with Pakistan in 1965 and 1971, India realized that Jaisalmer was a militarily strategic place. Since then, an army and air force base have been built and good roads constructed. With the building of a good road and the extension of the railway line to Jaisalmer in 1968, tourism has rapidly increased and now it is a very popular place.

Weather
In the months of May and June it is very hot, with temperatures rising to 47°C (115°F). The monsoon lasts from June to mid-September. From mid-October to the beginning of December the weather is perfect. It is not to hot during the day and not too cold at night. From mid-December to February it is pleasant during the day, but temperatures can drop to 0°C (32°F) at night. During March the weather is perfect. April starts to get very hot and is not a good time for a camel safari.

Orientation
A 5km-long wall surrounds the city, which is 3m to 5m high and 2m to 3m thick. Much of the wall has been torn down for building material. Within the city walls is the huge fort on top of an 80m high hill. There are two main gates into the city, Garsisar Gate in the east and Amar Sagar Gate in the west. Near Amar Sagar Gate are several hotels, banks, restaurants, and the local and private bus stands. About half a km west of this gate, outside the walled city, is the tourist bungalow, where the tourist office is located.

Information and Tours
The RTDC Tourist Office (252406), Moomal Hotel, near Amar Sagar Gate, offers daily tours (if there are at least four people) of the city (9am to noon, Rs 75) and to the Sam Sand Dunes (4 to 7 pm, Rs 100). It also gives information on camel safaris, travel, has a map, and makes reservations for RTDC hotels. Open daily except Sun 10am-5pm.

Jaisalmer, The Gold City is a good small book about Jaisalmer. It is in English, Italian, Spanish and German.

Thar Safari (52722), Gandhi Chowk, just within Amar Sagar Gate; Sahara Travels (52609), right of the gate to the fort, are good travel agents and are recommended for camel safaris. Royal Safaris (52538), Gandhi Chowk, arranges high-end safaris. Hotels that arrange good camel safaris are Paradise, Narayan Niwas, Meru Palace, and Fort View.

The GPO (Mon-Sat 10 am to 5 pm) is 5 minutes from Amar Sagar Pol on Hanuman Circle Rd. There is a branch office, on the right near the gate of the fort.

There are a brunch of places for Internet and the place outside the fort are usually half the prince of those in the fort. Cyber Cafe (German Bakery), Gopa Chowk, for Rs 20 per hours

Bhatia News Agency, near the State Bank of India near Amar Sagar Pol, has new and used English, German, Italian and French books.

Byas & Co (251884), Court Rd, sells film and video cassette and also develops film (take about 3 hours0.

Money
You can change cash and travelers checks at the Bank of Baroda (252402), on the right just inside Amar Sagar Pol gate. The Bank of Baroda takes Visa and MasterCard.

State Bank of Bikaner & Jaipur (252430), south of the fort near the bus stand, changes currency and travlers cheques.

The State Bank of India, just west of the tourist office, changes travelers cheques, but not cash.

There are many travel agencies that change money such as LKP Forex at Gandhi Chowd..

Jaisalmer Fort
Maharaja Jaisal, king of the Bhatti Rajputs, originally established this fort in 1156. It is the second oldest fort in Rajasthan, next to the one in Chittorgarh. The fort overlooks the city from the south and is on the 80m (265 ft) high Trikuta (Gorhara) Hill. It is a truly fascinating place to wander around. The fort has a series of narrow paths and is packed with old houses, temples, and palaces. It has ninety-nine bastions around its walls. It is said that the fort does not have any cemented stones in its foundation. No vehicle traffic is allowed inside the fort.

Sunrise and sunset are especially enchanting times to be on the walls of the fort. The view is spectacular. The fort is the highlight of Jaisalmer, and is one of the most interesting and romantic places in India. Almost everyone who comes here is impressed.

Visitors enter the fort from Gopa Chauk, a square outside the fort’s main gate. To enter the fort you go up a steep ramp passing a series of imposing gate. The first gate is called Akhai Pol. Next is Surya (Suraj) Pol. Next to this gate is a tower from which criminals were thrown to their deaths. Then there is Ganesh (Bhuta) Pol. The last gate is called Hawa (Wind) Pol.

The seven-storey Raj Mahals (City Palace) is just inside the gate and consists of five smaller palaces. There is not much to see in this palace, and you can walk through the place in fifteen minutes. To the right of the entrance is a throne, upon which the maharaja is said to have sat. One of the assembly halls has blue Chinese tiles. Some rooms are closed with their original ancient locks. One of the best views of the surrounding area is from the top of the City Palace. Open daily 9 am to 1 pm and 2to 5 pm. Admission foreigners/Indians Rs 50/20, Camera/video Rs 50/100, guided tours Rs 25.

The ancient Lakshmi Nath Temple (1494) still has active worship. Lakshmi Nath means Vishnu, the Lord of Lakshmi, the Goddess of Fortune. The pillar in this temple was brought from Lodarva and dates to the 9th century. There are also Siva and Ganesh temples. The Ganesh temple has an old deity of Surya, the sun-god.

Jaisaloo Well is an old well near the Lakshmi Nath Temple, which was named after King Jaisal. It is said that this well was dug by Shri Krishna with his Sudarsana Chakra when he and Arjuna passed through here and Arjuna was thirsty.

Jain Temples within the Fort
Not far from the palace, within the fort, are seven intricately carved Jain temples, constructed between the 12th and 15th centuries. They are built on a platform and are covered with remarkable sculptures. The temples are open daily from 7 am to noon; 11 am to 12:30 pm to Visitors. camera Rs 50, video Rs 100.Admsision Rs 10. Leather items and menstruating women are not allowed into the temples.

The Chintamani Parsvanath Temple is the oldest and main temple. In this temple are intricate carvings of Vishnu, Lakshmi, Siva, Parvati, Brahma, lions, and many others. On the altar is a 2,000 year old (55 BC) clay statue of Chintamini Parsvanath coated with pearls. From the balcony you can get a good view of the temple dome. In the Sambhava Nath Temple there is a statue in the temple the size of a grain of rice.

Within the temple compound is the Gyan Bhandar Library, which has ancient manuscripts written on palm leaves, wood, and paper. It has some of the oldest manuscripts in India, some dating to the 11th century. The manuscripts are written on a variety of topics, including astrology, history, religion, Ayurveda, and general literature. There are also old Jain and Rajput paintings. There is a statue of Sambhava Nath made of emerald. The clothes that Jin Dutt Suri wore at his death are here. It is said that his clothes were not affected after his body was burned. Open daily 10 to 11 am on request. A small donation of Rs 5 is expected.

Havelis
A haveli is a beautifully carved mansion, usually built by wealthy merchants or ministers. The havelis in Jaisalmer were usually constructed from sandstone, and several are still in good condition. There are three main havelis in Jaisalmer. Most of the stone carvers were Muslim, and most later migrated to Pakistan. The havelis are usually open from 10.30 am to 5 pm.

Patwon ki Haveli
The most impressive haveli is Patwon ki Haveli, which consists of six golden-colored havelis built together in the early 1900s by a family of wealthy merchants. The havelis are four-storey high, and each has a stone balcony with a stone arch covering. The buildings’ exteriors are carved from top to bottom, and there are excellent latticework windows. Inside are beautifully carved rooms, fountains in the corners of some of the rooms, carved wooden doors, and murals. Visitors can go up to the roof to get a view of the fort and the surrounding area.

Two of the havelis are privately owned and are now handicraft shops. Two of the havelis (3 and 5) are owned by the Archaeological Survey of India. Two are still used as private residences and are closed to the public. Some of the inside walls have murals on them. Open 10 am to 6 pm. Admission 10. Camera/videos 10/10

Diwan Nathamalj ki Haveli
Diwan Nathamalji ki Haveli was the house of a former Prime Minister, Mohata Nathamal. Two brothers (Hati and Laloo) carved it, each carving one side of the haveli. Hati carved the left side and Laloo the right. You can notice that the little window on the right side of the door is not the same as the window on the left. The haveli was built in the late 19th century. There are intricate carvings and elephants on either side of the main door. This is one of the best-carved buildings in India. Inside there are beautiful miniature and wall paintings. The haveli can be viewed only from the outside.

Salim Singh ki Haveli (Moti Mahal)
The beautiful Salim Singh ki Haveli was built during the 18th century by Prime Minister (Diwan) Salim Singh Mohta. The highlight of this haveli is the intricately carved top floor, which can be viewed from the roof. It has peacock props decorating its exterior walls. It has thirty-eight carved balconies and beautiful wall fountains.

Salim Singh was considered a tyrant because he inflicted crippling taxes on the people. He maintained his power through bribery and intelligent legislation. It is said that he had eighty-four villages evacuated in one night. Because of his heavy taxation, the Paliwal Brahmins left their villages near Jaisalmer. He tried to construct two additional floors so that his home would be taller than the maharaja’s palace, but Maharaja Gaj Singh had the additional floors torn down. Eventually, because of his brazenness, he was secretly assassinated.

Part of this haveli is still lived in. Admission Rs 15. Video Rs 15. Open 8 am to 6 pm

Gadi Sagar (Lake Garsisar)
Gadi Sagar is an artificial reservoir, which was once the only source of water for Jaisalmer. It was built in 1156 by Maharaja Jaisal and reconstructed in 1367 by Maharaja Garsi Singh. Garsi is taken from the king’s name and sar means “lake.” The women would come here to fill their jugs and would then carry them home on their heads. There are a few beautiful stone royal chhatris (carved buildings) located here.

At the lake’s entrance is Tilon-ki-Pol, a yellow sandstone gateway with superb arched windows. It is said that this gate was built by one of the king’s dancing girls (some say prostitute) named Tilon while the king was away. A Krishna temple was built on top of the gate so that it would not be torn down. It is said that the town’s citizens did not want their women walking under it, so a smaller doorway was built to the right. This lake is about a ten-minute walk from the town.

Next to the lake is the small Folklore Museum, which contains stone carvings, folk art, old coins, and paintings (daily except Sun 9 am to noon and 3 to 6 pm; admission Rs 5, Camera/video Rs 20/50). It has a good, small bookshop.

Desert Festival
This festival takes place in late January or early February. It has camel races, folk music, dance, and puppet shows. On 12 February in 2006

The RTDC constructs a “Tourist Village” to provide accommodation similar to the one in Pushkar. For more information contact the Rajasthan tourist offices in Delhi, Jaipur or Jaisalmer.

Shopping
Jaisalmer is well known for embroidery, puppets, rugs, blankets, Rajasthani mirrorwork, tie-dye fabrics and antiques.

Light of the East, on a lane that leads from the Jain temples, has crystals, semiprecious gems, and minerals. It is an interesting shop that is fairly unique for India.

Rajasthali, just outside Amar Sagar Gate, is a government handicraft emporium with some high quality items.

Camel Safaris
One of the highlights of coming to Jaisalmer is to go on a camel safari. It is a great way to explore the desert, sitting out under the stars around a campfire at night and just relaxing. How much you enjoy the safari can depend on who you go with. It a good idea to inquire from other travelers as to whom they recommend.

Camel safaris usually last for one to four days. Safari prices vary depending on the company and facilities offered. Usually the more you spend, the more you get. The camels are better and they have properly padded seats (your rear-end can really hurt at the end of a four-day camel safari); the food is better (you can have rice, dhal and chapatis or a 10-course feast); bedding (you can sleep under the star with not enough blankets or in a luxury tent with a bed). It also helps if the camel drivers are helpful and friendly, and you should tip them if they are helpful.

Before starting out, be sure there is proper bedding (it can get quite cold at night) and inquire whether there will be a campfire at night. You should bring a hat and sun protection lotion.

If you arrange a safari through a mid-range hotel, expect to pay more for the exact same safari sold by a low-end hotel. You can take a jeep to begin and end a safari, and therefore make it out further into the desert. Many people take a jeep to the Sam Sand Dunes, ride around on a camel for a few hours, then return by jeep.

Most camel safaris go to the sensational Sam Sand Dunes, stopping at villages and sites along the way. It takes 4½ days round trip. You can also take a shorter jeep/camel safari. Longer safaris go to Jodhpur or Bikaner.

Most hotels are honest. The most reliable camel safaris are often booked through private agencies.

Some place you may want to try are:

Sahara Travels, Gopa Chowk, next to the fort gate, does good Safaris for around Rs 400
Thar Safari (252722; fax 53214), Gandhi Chowk, near the Amar Sagar Gate. Paradise Hotel arranges good safaris. The man running the place is honest and tries to please.
Meru Palace offers economical safaris that go out to Sam Dune by jeep and then goes out further into the desert than most other safaris.
Satyam Tours (250773), Chandi Chowk:
(Email ummedsatyam@yahoo.com) does good treks.
Ganesh Travels (250138), located inside the fort,
(E ganeshtravel45Whotmail.com) is owned by the camel drivers. Gets good recommendations. Rates around Rs 400 per day. Can arrange route outside the ones most people take.


Deepak Rest House Hotel does good safaris.

The best time to go is from the middle of October to February.

Typical Camel Safaris

Half Day—Starts in Jaisalmer and then goes to Bara (Bada) Bagh, Amar Sagar and then back to Jaisalmer.

Full Day—Bara Bagh, Ramkunda, Roopsi, Lodarva, Amar Sagar, Sunset and then back to Jaisalmer.

Two Day—Bara Bagh, Ramkunda, Lodarva, Damodara, Chundhi, Moolsagar and back.

Three Day—Bara Bagh, Ramkunda, Lodarva, Damodara, Jaseri, Jajiya, Kuldhara, Chundhi, Mool Sagar and then back.

Four Day—Same route, going further out to Sam Dunes.

Camel Safari Warnings
The camel safari business is highly competitive. Therefore, you may be offered a special deal for a low price, but later find that you do not receive what you paid for. Every hotel and several private operators offer camel safaris. Most hotels operate through independent agencies and do not have their own camels. Hotels have to pay about Rs 100 for the camels; food and equipment are extra. The hotels have to charge at least Rs 200 a day to make a profit. If you pay Rs 200 a day, expect the food to be basic. The RTDC has set a minimum rate of Rs 250 for a camel safari. A deluxe safari can cost more than Rs 1500 a day, and includes tents, good food, music, entertainment, and of course, quality camels. I have been told that a decent camel safari costs at least Rs 350 (includes three free bottles of mineral water) and if you pay less than this you will get less than the bear minimum.

As you arrive by bus or train into Jaisalmer, expect to be befriended and then harassed by hotel touts. When you arrive, you will be mobbed by people offering you great hotel deals, including transportation to the hotel and prices as low as Rs 10. If you do not like their choice and would like to go elsewhere, the touts will often pull out a card for that hotel and claim to be its agent. Most touts have cards for all the hotels in Jaisalmer. They will then tell you the hotel you have chosen has burned down or is full and then try to bring you to the hotel of their choice. Some hotels actually do provide transportation to their hotel. Look for hotel banners, not cards.

At some hotels, if you do not accept their offered camel safari, you will be kicked out immediately. Also, after returning from the hotel’s camel safari you may be kicked out the next day.

You should be careful about selecting a camel safari, since you may be charged Rs 50 for a bottle of mineral water or no one may speak English. Some safaris may not have basic necessities, such as enough blankets. In the winter, the desert can be very cold at night. Also attempts may be made to steal your luggage. It is not a good idea to leave your luggage alone while exploring the sights, especially on the return trip.

Getting Around
From the local and private bus stand it is a few minutes walk to the hotels near Amar Sagar Gate. An auto-rickshaw to the entrance of the fort costs Rs 15-20, and from the railway station or the main bus stand it should cost about Rs 25-30 to hotels in town. Often the hotel where you are staying can arrange a jeep to bring you to the sites outside town and to the sand dunes in Sam.

A bicycle is a good way to get around as there is not much vehicle traffic in Jaisalmer. Bicycles can be hired near the entrance of the fort and just inside Amar Sagar Gatem Chandhi Chowk for Rs 30-35 per day.

Arrival and Touts
Many of the hotels send a jeep to meet the buses or train. They display a sign with the hotel on it and are free. During the Jaisalmer Desert Festival, room rates are extremely high, and it is often difficult to find a room.

Do not believe stories that the hotel that you have chosen is full, burned down, or blown up. When you arrive at a hotel, make sure it is the hotel for which you asked. You may be taken to a hotel, pay the rickshaw driver, and then discover that he brought you to the wrong place.

When I arrived by private bus, the bus conductor warned everyone of the touts and they have a special bus-managed jeep that will bring you to the hotel of your choice for Rs 5. I decided to take the jeep, and the policeman stationed near the bus to protect tourists directed me to it. I told the taxi driver I wanted to go to a hotel in the fort. He told me that staying in the fort was extremely dangerous and took me to place near the fort where some rocks were lying all over the ground. He told me that this part of the fort had collapsed and that six people were killed and if I wanted to be safe, I should go with him to a very nice hotel. I told him I would look at his hotel, and if I did not like it, he should bring me to the hotel of my choice in the fort. I went to his hotel and it was all right for the price, but was secluded. I then told him to bring me to the fort, which he did. He then asked me where I wanted to go tomorrow, and that he would drive me there. He also said he could arrange a camel safari.

The moral of the story is that you should not believe anyone when you arrive in Jaisalmer and that you should just insist on going to the hotel of your choice or no where.

Jodhpur

Pop: 850,000 Area
Phone Code: 0291

Jodhpur, the second largest city in Rajasthan, was once the capital of the state of Marwar. Jodhpur has a history of battles and royalty, as can be seen by the impressive Meherangarh Fort overlooking the city. There are not many sites to see in Jodhpur, but the few that are here are impressive. It is worth visiting.

A large, 10km-long wall with seven gates surrounds the city, each bearing the name of the town to which it leads: Jalori gate, Sojati Gate, or Nagori gate. The city itself is not so nice, but there are some interesting bazaars and the people are friendly. Most people spend a day or two in Jodhpur before heading to Jaisalmer or other places in Rajasthan.

History
After being defeated by Muhammad Ghori at Kanauj, the Rathore Rajputs moved to Marwar (“the land of the dead”) in 1211. In 1459 Maharaja Rao Jodha moved the Rathore capital from Mandore (8km north) to Jodhpur. Jodhpur was on the important Delhi to Gujarat trade route and in the past benefited greatly from the trade of silk, opium, sandalwood, copper, and other items. Maharaja Raja Sur Singh allied himself with the Mughal Emperor Akbar. His son Sawai Raja Sur Singh conquered parts of Gujarat and South India on the emperor’s behalf.

Sawai Raja Sur Singh’s son, Maharaja Jaswant Singh, supported Shah Jahan when Aurangzeb was successful in overthrowing his father in 1678. His posthumous son, Ajit Singh, was exiled as a child when the Mughals took control of the city. Thirty years later, after Aurangzeb’s death in 1707, Ajit Singh returned to rule the city. He eventually drove the Mughals out of Ajmer, their base of operations in Rajasthan. In 1818 the state of Marwar signed a treaty with the British.

Orientation
Jodhpur is a fairly large city with a lot of vehicle traffic. High above the city in the northeast is the Meherangarh Fort. Southeast of the city is Umaid Bhawan Palace. The main railway station is in the southwest part of town, and there are several hotels close by.

In the eastern part of the city are the long distance bus stand and the Rai-ka Bagh railway station. There are several hotels in this area. The main street in town is the extremely busy High Court Rd (runs east–west). Its has many restaurants, hotels, and shops along it.

The old city is within the old city walls, close to the hill that the fort is on. Here the streets are narrow and there are many old buildings.

Information and Tours
The RTDC Tourist Office (254-5083) located at the Ghoomar Tourist Bungalow, High Court Rd, is helpful. They have maps, brochures, bus and trains schedules, and help with hotel reservations. Open Mon to Sat 9am to 76pm, Sun 9am to noon, closed Sun during the off-season.

There is a Tourist Bureau (243-9052) and a waiting room for international tourists in the railway station. There is a Tourist Information counter at the clock tower (9 am to 6 pm)

RTDC operates a local tour for Rs 100 plus entry fees, daily in the season and daily except Sunday during the off-season. Tours are 9 am to 1 pm and 2 to 6 pm. It goes to the fort and palaces, Mandore Gardens and Jaswant Thada. They also arrange village safaris. They also do a full day lcal Village Tour for around Rs1000 a day per person

Four Season Tours (98290 02444, Web Site: http://www.fourseasonsindiatours.com) Ghoomar Tourist Bungalow, High Court Road, offer a city tour that goes to the Fort, Umaid Bhawan Palace and Jaswant Thanda.

Marwar Festival (16 and 17 October 2005) is a Rajasthani festival with music and dance. Festivitives are one day in Osiyan and one day in Jodhpur.

The Ajit Bhawan Palace Hotel (437-410) organizes “Village Safaris” which are a good way to see actual village life. You go to villages of the Bishnoi people. They believe that the environment, animals and plants should be protected. The half-day tour costs Rs 500 and includes lunch. There has to be at least four people for the tour to go. Madho Niwas Guest House (243-4486) (Rs 500 for a half-day safari) and Durag Niwas Guest House (251-0692) also arrange good village safaris. You have to book the safaris in advance. Govinda Hotel (262-2758) for 450 per perosn.

Mr NL Tak (430-637) gives good tours of the Bishnoi villages. The charge is Rs 800 per person for an all-day tour with up to five people. Other operators also do village safaris, but some of them may be unscrupulous and only interested in getting you shopping.

Money
You can change money at the State Bank of India (254-3649), High Court Rd (Mon-Fri 10 am to 4 pm, Sat 10 am to 1 pm) ; Bank of Baroda, Arun Hotel, Sojati Gate (changes travelers cheques and gives cash advances on Visa and MasterCard); and the State Bank of Rajasthan, High Court Rd just before Sojati Gate.

LKP (251-2066), Shop 1, Mahaveer Palace, opposite Circuit House near Hotel Ajit Bhawan changes currency and travelers cheques.

On Airport Rd to are UTI BankATM machine near Circuit House and others offered by other banks.

Phone and Post
The Hello Hut, near the main railway station, has fax facilities.

The GPO is on Station Road near the railway station.

Internet: There are plenty of Internet places on High Court Road, the main street in town (Rs 20 per hours). Raj Cyberpoint, oppoite Haveli Guest House (Rs 30 per hr) Cyber Hut, Ganpati Tower, Kandor Bazaar. just west of the clock tower.


Shopping
Jodhpur is known for turbans, tie-dye fabrics, toys, and Jodhpuri coats. The main shopping areas are Station Road for jewelry, Tripolia Bazaar for handicrafts, around Sojati Gate for emporiums and Khanda Falsa for tie-dyes.

There are some very good antique shops along the road that goes between Umaid Bhawan and the Ajit Bhawan. The prices are not cheap. There are restrictions on taking out of India antiques that are over 100 years old. Abani Handicrafts is next to the Tourist Bungalow.

Khadi Sangh, Station Rd; Rajasthan Khadi Sangathan, BK da Bagh; and Marasthaly, High Court Rd, have good quality products at reasonable prices.

Travel Agents
Poly Travels, Paota Bus Stand, is a good place. Rajasthan Tours (545-083), at the Tourist Bungalow, rents cars at a fixed rate. Peacock Travels (527-176), 2 Rai-ka Bagh. Hotel Ardash Niwas (627-338), Station Rd, rents cars.

Travel Corporation of India (530-281) is an established travel agency that can arrange local travel.

Meherangarh Fort
This impressive fort is located about 125m above the city. From the walls of the fort there are some great views of the city below. The walls of the fort range from 6m (20 ft) to 38m (120 ft) high, and 6m (20 ft) to 22m (70 ft) thick. On the south end of the fort there is a sheer drop of 37m.

Construction on the fort was begun by Maharaja Rao Jodha in 1459. Construction was completed by Maharaja Jaswant Singh (1638-78), a contemporary of Shah Jahan. When Jaswant Singh died in 1678, Aurangzeb took control of the fort. After Aurangzeb’s death, the fort came back under the control of the Rajput Ajit Singh. The royal family lived here for 500 years, until the Umaid Bhavan Palace was built.

The fort originally had seven gates (pols). The first gate has spikes on it intended to deter elephants, and there are cannon ball marks on it, remnants of an attack on the fort. After passing the first gate, you walk up a ramp through the remaining gates. You first pass Gopal Gate and Bhairon Gate. Toati Gate, the fourth gate, no longer exists. At the fifth gate, Dodhkangra Gate, you make a sharp turn. Amarti Gate has a long passageway under it.

The impressive Jayapol is the main gate. It commemorates Maharaja Man Singh’s war victories over the Jaipur and Bikaner armies. Maharaja Ajit Singh built Fatehpol (Victory Gate) in memorial to his victory over the Mughals.

When you reach the last gate, the impressive Lohapol (Iron Gate), there are fifteen handprints on the left about 2m up on the wall marking the sati sacrifice of the widows of Maharaja Man Singh. They burned themselves in the funeral fire of their husband in 1843. The walk up to the fort is a fairly difficult climb, but there is also an elevator (lift) to the top.

You then come to the Fort Museum, which is the red sandstone palace directly to the right. The museum features a weapons collection, musical instruments, a beautiful handmade 250-year-old tent cover, paintings, a turban collection, elephant howdahs (saddles), and excellent ivory and wood antiques. The Jewel House has a good collection of jewelry. Guides take visitors around the palace for about Rs 100 (they also expect a tip).

You first come to Shringar Chowk courtyard, the only place in the fort constructed of white marble. The coronation of the crown prince was performed here eleven days after the death of his predecessor. The upper floor of the courtyard is part of the zenana (women’s area), from where the women could look down at what was happening in the courtyard. It has intricate jali screens.

On the left of Shringar Chowk is a good collection of palanquins and elephant saddles made of pure silver. The Mahadole palanquin was taken from Bahadur Shah, Begda of Malwa, and is made of wood decorated with gold leaf.

You then go around the palace, starting on the far right and moving toward the left, sometimes going up and down stairs. You first come to the Sileh Khana (armory), which has an excellent collection of intricately decorated weapons. Above the weapons room is the Phool Mahal (Flower Palace), an ornate mirrored dining room. It was built by Abhai Singh (1724-49). On the ceiling is fabulous gold work and paintings of different incarnations of Vishnu, Krishna, and Siva. It has stone jali screens and portraits of former Jodhpur rulers. The Jodhpur coat of arms is above the couch. This is one of the most impressive rooms in the palace.

You then come to Umaid Vilas, upstairs, with its excellent collection of Rajasthani miniatures. Directly next to it is the Sheesh Mahal (Mirror Palace), which has excellent mirror work. Ajit Singh (1702-24) built it. The next room is the Takhat Vilas, which has wall paintings of Krishna’s pastimes and dancing girls. Maharaja Takhat Singh (1843-73) built this room. On its ceiling are strong wooden beams and Belgian Christmas tree balls.

In the Ajit Vilas is a good collection of musical instruments and costumes. Below Takhat Vilas is Sardar Vilas. Next to it are Khabka and Chandan Mahals (sleeping quarters).

Next you come to Moti Mahal Chowk, a small courtyard. The Moti Mahal (Pearl Palace) is a beautiful meeting room with a gold and glass ceiling. It is believed that this was the Diwan-i-am, or Hall of Public Audience. The outside of the room has 19th century woodwork. There are niches around the walls for lamps and a mirror ceiling.

In the Tent Room is the red silk and velvet gold thread embroidered tent of Shah Jahan (later Aurangzeb’s).

At the southern end of the fort there are many old cannons on the fort ramparts. There is a great view of the city from here. The blue-painted buildings below mark the Brahmins’ houses. Nearby, at the end of the fort, is the Chamunda Temple, dedicated to a form of Durga.

The fort is open daily 9 am to 1pm & 2 pm to 5 pm (closed for lunch 1pm to 2 pm). Admission foreigners/Indians Rs 250/20 camera Rs 50, video camera Rs 200; government tour Rs 100. There is an elevator (lift) for Rs 10 (waived for disabled persons). A steep winding road (a very difficult ride on a bicycle) leads up to the entrance of the fort, passing the white marble chhatri of Jaswant Singh II.

Jaswant Thada
Jaswant Thada is a marble pillared memorial (cenotaph) built in 1899, dedicated to Maharaja Jaswant Singh II. It was built by his wife after his death. It is located about half a km from the entrance of Meherangarh Fort, just off the road leading to the fort, on the right. It is compared to a miniature Taj Mahal because both are similar and were built for the same reason. Pregnant women who wish to be blessed with a son come here and tie a cotton thread on the string hanging inside the memorial. There are photographs of various Jodhpur rulers here and smaller marble memorials nearby. You can get a good view of the city from here.

Open daily 8.30 am to 5.30 pm; Admission foreigners/ Indians Rs 20/10. Camera/video Rs 25/50. It is a ten-minute walk from the fort.

Umaid Bhawan Palace
This huge, marble and pink-yellow sandstone palace (347 rooms) is located in the eastern part of the city. The palace’s foundation stone was laid in November 1928 and construction was completed in March of 1948. The palace was built during the reign of Maharaja Ummed Singh. It was designed by HC Lanchester, the president of the Royal Institute of British Architects in London. It took 3,000 people fourteen years to construct this palace. The family of the last Maharaja still lives in part of it.

It has eight dining rooms. Julisu Stephan Norblin, a refugee from Poland, painted the frescoes in the Throne Room (East Wing). There is an underground swimming pool decorated with the signs of the zodiac. Norblin painted the murals. It has well-kept gardens.

From the road leading to the palace there is a good view of surrounding Jodhpur.

Half the palace is now a hotel and restaurants and can be visited only with a Rs 350 entrance fee, refundable against food and drink purchases at the hotel.

There is a good Museum with weapons, trophies, traditional art, and other artifacts belonging to the Maharaja. The museum is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm. Admission Foreingers/Indians Rs 50/15; cameras prohibited.

Umaid Gardens and Museum
Umaid Gardens, near the Tourist Bungalow, is a pleasant garden with a simple zoo, Sumer Library, and a fairly uninteresting museum displaying miniatures, weapons, textiles, sculptures, and portraits of Jodhpur rulers. Open daily 10 am to 4.30 pm; admission Rs 3.

Clock Tower and Markets
The clock tower is located in the middle of the old town. Near it is Sardar Market, which is made up of narrow streets and a bazaar selling handicrafts, silver, and clothing.

Other Sites
Juni Dhan Mandi and Talaiti Mahal are interesting buildings made of carved red sandstone. On High Court Rd are Sojati Gate and Jalori Gate.

Sardar Museum, in Willington Garden near the High Court building, has exhibits of local arts and handicrafts which includes some sculptures from the surrounding area and some coins.

Balsamand Lake is an artificial lake with a beautiful garden next to it. The lake is about ¾ km long and 50m wide. There is a beautiful palace built in 1936 on the bank of the tank, which was used by the royal family as a summer home. On the south side of the lake is a monument in memory of the Mewar ruler, Ahada Hingola, who defeated Rao Jodha in 1443 and captured Mandore. He was later defeated and killed by Rao Jodha in 1453.

Maha Mandir, in the northeast of the old town, is a temple dedicated to Nathji and is managed by a sect of Shaivites. There are beautiful bas-reliefs in the temple and 100 pillars support the roof.

Pratap Sagar and Kailana Sagar, west of Jodhpur, are lakes, which have gardens near them.

Getting Around
The auto rickshaw drivers can be hard to deal with. Most journeys should not cost more than Rs 25 within the city. To get to the fort from the city should cost about Rs 40, but you may be asked for Rs 100 or more.

Solanki Travels (39572), near Shanti Bhawan Lodge, is an established travel agency.

There is a bicycle rental place next to the Charili Bikaner Lodge and near the GPO (Rs 20 per day). It is a hard ride up to the fort.

Where to Stay—Low
There are many hotels near the railway station, but the area is very noisy.
The Retiring Rooms at the railway station are Rs 200 for a double and a dorm bed is Rs 75. The facilities here are air-cooled. A/C rooms are Rs 350.
City Youth Hostel (20150), near the Indian Airlines office, has dorm beds for Rs 25 for members and Rs 50 for nonmembers. There are some double rooms with bath for Rs 200. There is a sunny courtyard and large lockers are provided.
Govind Hotel (262-2758; Email: govindhotel2000@yahoo.com), Station Rd, opposite the GPO (there is a tree in front of the door), is a well-managed, good place with clean rooms with hot water and a small TV for Rs 300 to Rs 450 (with hot water). It is a recommended place, but most of the rooms don’t have outside windows. The people that work here are all very polite and helpful. There is a great view of the fort from the rooftop restaurant.
Shanti Bhawan Lodge (637-001; fax 639-211), across from the main railway station, has rooms with common bath for Rs 150/225 and Rs 250/300 to 400/600 with bath, an air-cooler, and hot water. It is in an old large building with no atmosphere and is really run-down. I didn’t like it, but it could do if it is convenient. 24-hour checkout.
Durag Niwas Guest House (251-0692), near KN Hall Girls College, down a side street near the Rai-ka Bagh railway station and bus station, is a good, quiet, small place with rooms for Rs 250 to Rs 700 (with A/C. Friendly, helpful place. If the rickshaw drivers refuse to bring you because they do not give commissions, you can call them and they will pick you up. They run day trips to the Bishnoi villages. Meals are available.
Directly next door is the Durag Villas (251-2298), House No 1, Old Public Park, which is about the same and has about the same prices. Rs 250 to Rs 600. As the rooms are different at both places you could look at both. There is a view of the fort from its roof.
Hotel Akshey (612-481), just behind the Rai-ka Bag railway station, is a well-maintained, quiet place with modern rooms with hot water and Star TV starting at Rs 200/300 and going up to Rs 500/600 for an A/C room. Dorm beds Rs 60. Recommended.

There are two decent places located in the heart of the city near the Clock Tower.

Hotel Mayur (474-110), 140 Nai Sarak, has single rooms with common bath for Rs 150 and with bath for Rs 150/250.
Shree Laxmi Hotel (622-933), 132-133 Nai Sarak, has A/C rooms for Rs 200/250. 24-hour checkout.
Madho Niwas Guest House (434-486), Airport Rd, is a peaceful, family-run place with lawns. Is has clean rooms starting at Rs 300/350. They arrange good Village Safaris.
http://www.hinduonline.com(548-010), High Court Rd, has ordinary rooms for Rs 300/400, air-cooled rooms for Rs 450/500 and A/C rooms for Rs 650/750. Dorm beds are Rs 50. High Court Rd can be very noisy.
The friendly Godawan Guest House (25001), Paota, 3km from city center, near All Indian Radio, in a quiet location, has a garden and rooms for Rs 400.
Cosy Guest House (261-2066l; Email: cosyguesthouse@yahoo.com), Novechokiya Rd,north of Jalori gate near the fort, is a friendly, good place with simple rooms for Rs 125/175 and rooms with hot water and a air-cooler is Rs 300/350. Rents bikes..
Shri Amar Bhawan Haveli (614-615), opposite Tunjika Jhalra, is a friendly old haveli with plain clean rooms. Good value.

Where to Stay—Middle
Hotel Adarsh Niwas (627-338; fax 627-314), near the railway station, is a fairly good modern place with rooms with TV, telephones and baths with hot water for Rs 650/800 and A/C rooms for Rs 850/1100. 24-hour checkout.
Hotel City Palace (264-9911; fax 263-9033), 32 Nai Sarak, in the heart of the city, is a good place with air-cooled rooms for Rs 1100/1400 and A/C rooms for Rs 1400/1600. It has a veg restaurant.
Marudhar International, opposite KN Hall, Raikabagh, is a quiet place with a lawn. It has clean comfortable, plain mid-range rooms.
Rawat (42622), near Umaid Gardens, is a good place with rooms for Rs 750/850.
The popular Ajit Bhawan Palace Hotel, (251-1410 fax 251-0674: http://www.ajitbhawan.com), Airport Rd, is a good place with modern cottages for Rs 2200/2750 and very good deluxe A/C rooms for Rs 2395. It is well-managed and has a good pool, health club and a nice garden. It has very good buffet meals. They arrange a good Village Jeep Safari. Recommended.
Raj Basera (431-973; fax same), Residency Rd, near the airport, has traditional well-designed cottages for Rs 1200/1400. It has a restaurant and a pool.
Karni Bhawan (251-2101; fax 251-2105; Web Site: http://www.karnihotels.com), Palace Rd, Ratanada, has 25 comfortable rooms with antique furniture for Rs 1250/1550. Nice lawns and a pool. It is a good value, nice, family-run place with rooms starting at Rs 1100/1200.
Devi Bhawan (251-1067; fax: 251-2215; Email: devibhawan@satyamonline.com), 1 Ratanada, has comfortable rooms for Rs 950/1000. It is a well-managed, recommended family-run place. Good restaurant. Good value. Really nice garden.
Newtons Manor (243-0686; fax 261-0603; E info@newtonsmanor.com), 88 Jawahar Colony, Ratanada, is a pleasant with rooms for Rs 1000. Rooms have antique furniture.Colonial type place.

Where to Stay—High
Umaid Bhawan Palace (253-0101; fax 252-0101) has 100 palatial rooms and is one of the finest palace hotels in India. It has beautiful lawns and gardens, an underground zodiac swimming pool and a health club with a sauna. Rooms go for $240/$260 and suites start at $400 and go up to $1100 for the Maharani Suite. If you want to stay here between Nov and Feb you should try to book your room at least five months in advance. In their brochure they say, “To create luxury we did not change history.”
Hotel Ratanada Polo Palace (431-910; fax 433-118), Residency Rd, between the downtown and airport has comfortable A/C rooms starting at Rs 2000/3000. There is a 30% discount in the low-season. It has a pool and a restaurant.

Where to Eat
Jodhpur is known for makhania lassis, which is a saffron-flavored variety.
There is a refreshment room on the 1st floor of the railway station which serve good, cheap food. A thalis is Rs 20.
Midtown Restaurant, opposite the railway station, has good veggie burgers, pizzas, snacks and lassis. Have an indoor and rooftop diniing area. $$.
Jodhpur Coffee House, Sojati Gate, has good South Indian and snacks.
Uttam Restaurant, High Court Rd, near Sojati Gate, has good, reasonably priced thalis.
Kalinga, below the Hotel Adarsh Niwas, near the main railway station, has good Rajasthani food. It is popular.
On the Rock at Ajit Bhawan Hotel (230-2701) has an excellent buffet dinner for Rs 225. It has a good atmosphere. During dinner there is live folk music and dance between 6 and 8 pm and a band continues to play live music after this. It is best to book in advance, especially during the high season.
Umaid Bhawan Palace has a buffet lunch and dinner, which is served in the large palace hall. During dinner live sitar, tabla and sarod music is played. There is a wide range of excellent food for Rs 550. This place has four restaurants.

Where to Eat—Pure Veg
Poonam Restaurant (254863), High Court Road, is a very good restaurant serving veg Indian, South Indian, Continental and Chinese. It is one of the better places that I have seen in India and is recommended. $.
Fort View Restaurant on top of the Govind Hotel, near the railway station on Station Rd, is a good and friendly place. From here you have an excellent view of the fort. Veg pizza is Rs 35 and they make good makhania lassis and masala milk.
Agra Sweet Home, opposite Sojati Gate, is a good place to sample a makhania lassi. As is Mishrilal, near the main entrance of Sadar Bazaar.

Travel
Air The airport is 5km from the center of the city. It costs Rs 75 by rickshaw and Rs 150 by taxi to get from the airport to downtown.

Indian Airlines (510-3333. 510-2222; airport 432-016), Osho Apartments, Residency Road in Surya Colony, south of city center near the Taj Hari Mahal Hotel, is open daily from 10 am to 1.15 pm and 2 to 4.30 pm. They have flights to Delhi (3 weekly, $100), Mumbai (3 weekly, $140) and Udaipur (3 weekly, $60).



Train The Booking Office is on Station Rd, about a five-minute walk from the main station. It is best to book your ticket as soon as possible, because reservations can be hard to get. Open Mon to Sat 8 am to 8 pm and on Sun 8 am to 1.45 pm.

There is an International Tourist Bureau, with comfortable armchairs, where foreign tourists are allowed to sit while waiting for a train.

There is a day train to Jaisalmer (8 hr, 295km). The day train can be hot, slow and dusty. There is a night train, the Jodhpur-Jaisalmer Exp #4810 at 11 pm (6½ hr). During the high season all foreigners are put on the same carriage. You should be careful of your bags, as this train is known for theft. During the winter, night can be really cold, so it is a good idea to have sleeping gear.

There are fast expresses to Delhi (11 hr), Bikaner and Ahmedabad (8 hr) and a train to Agra (439km) and Jaipur (318km). There is a day and night passenger train to Udaipur (10½ hr). The Marudhar Express #4854 goes to Varanasi via Ayodhya, Lucknow, Agra, Mathura and Jaipur.
Abu Road Ranakpur Exp #4707 (5.20 am, 5 hr) Ajmer Delhi Mail #4894; Agra Howrah Exp #2308 (10 am, 13 hr), Marudhar Exp #4854 (9 am, 12 hr); Ahmedabad Surya Nagri Exp #4845 (6.15 pm, 8 hr); Bikaner Ranakpur Exp #4708 (11 am, 5 hr) Calcutta Howrah Exp #2308; Delhi Jodhpur-Delhi Exp #4860 (11 pm, 12½ hr), Mandore Exp #2462 (7.30 pm, 11 hr); Jaipur Intercity Exp #2466 (5 hr), Jodhpur-Delhi Exp #4860 11.15 pm, 6 hr).

Bus The Jodhpur bus stand is near Rai-ka Bagh railway station. There are regular buses between Jodhpur and Jaisalmer (6 to 8 hr). The buses are mainly four seats across that pick up passengers along the way and can thus get fairly crowded. Get an inside seat if you can. You can reserve a seat in advance at the bus station or from a travel agency near the railway station.

There are buses to Jaipur (7 hr, hourly), Udaipur (8 to 10 hr), Ahmedabad (11 hr), Ajmer (4½ hr) and Bikaner (6 hr). Buses to Mt Abu (6 hr) mainly leave in the early morning and in the evening. Some buses only go to Abu Road.

The private bus companies, such as Sun City Tours, Solanki Tours and Sethi Yatra, are mainly located across from the railway station. They offer express and deluxe video buses to Delhi, Jaipur, Bikaner, Jaisalmer and Ahmedabad. Most buses depart from the railway station at night. The number on your ticket is the same as the registration plate of the bus.

Karoli (Karauli)



Karoli is about 182km southeast of Jaipur and about 100km southwest of Mathura. It is a small town and is home to the important Madana-Mohan Temple.

There is an interesting City Palace with a good collection of sculptures and paintings.

Madana-Mohan Temple
Madana-Mohan means “one who can even enchant Cupid.” In the temple, there are three altars. Madana-Mohan stands on the center altar, with Sri Radha on his left and Lalita Devi on his right. On the left altar is Gopalaji Krishna with Radha and Lalita. The king of Karoli worshiped these Deities 100 years before Madana-Mohan came to Karoli.

The Deity receives a midday offering consisting of fifty-six dishes. Most of the preparations are sweet—malpura, sweet samosas, and other items.

These Deities were worshiped by Sanatana Goswami in Vrindavan at the Madana-Mohan Temple. Maharaja Jai Singh brought Madana-Mohan to Jaipur from Vrindavan. His brother-in-law, Maharaja Gopal Singh, had a dream in which Madana-Mohan said “Take Me to Karoli.” He then told Maharaja Jai Singh about the dream and asked permission to bring Madana-Mohan to Karoli. Maharaja Jai Singh told him if he could distinguish Madana-Mohan from Govinda and Gopinatha, the two other main Deities of Jaipur, while blindfolded, then he could take the Deity. When Gopal Singh was blindfolded, he directly approached Madana-Mohan and touched his feet.

Practicalities
Bhanvar Vilas Palace (07464-20024) has comfortable rooms and a pool in pleasant surroundings. You can reserve a room here at Karauli House (0141 367-532; fax 382-810), New Sanganer Rd, Sodala, in Jaipur. Rooms are Rs 1400 to Rs 1800.

If you are going from Mumbai to Mathura or Delhi you could stop in the city of Gangapur, the train junction for Karoli, early in the morning. Gangapur is 50km from Karoli.

Coming from Delhi or Mathura you can get down at the station in Hindaun. You can get trains to Mathura or Delhi from this station. The bus from the railway stations lets you off about two km from the temple.

The easiest way to get to Karoli from Vrindavan is to go by taxi on the way to Jaipur. It will take you an extra two hours out of the way. If you leave Vrindavan by 8 am in the morning, you should get to Karoli for the noon arati.

Kota

Pop: 640,000 Area
Phone Code: 0744

Kota, 230km south of Jaipur, has one of the most interesting forts in India and a city palace. It is one of the most industrialized cities in Rajasthan. Kota was originally part of the Bundi Rajput kingdom, but became a separate state in 1624.

The Dussehra Mela is a large festival here (Sept-Oct). Kota is not such a popular tourist destination. (10 to 12 October 2005)

Information
The Tourist Office (232-7695), next to the RTDC Chambal Tourist Bungalow, has maps, Rajasthan brochures and travel schedules. Open Mon to Sat 8 am to 6 pm. Closed 2nd & 4th Saturday of each month.

You can rent a taxi at the Hotel Navrang (323-294).

You can change money at the State Bank of India (changes AMEX cheque but not others), Chawni Circle, which can be quite slow; and the State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur (242-1784) at Industrial Estate. HDFC Bank ATM is next to Hotel Phul Plaza.

Two possible hospitals are Baheti Hospital (242-7359), Talvandi Scheme; and Maharao Bhim Singh Hospital, Civil Lines.

For Internet there is Shiv Shakti Enterprises (Rs 30 per hr).

Kota Fort and City Palace
This is one of the largest forts in Rajasthan. The fort was built in 1264, but was expanded over the years, reaching its present size in 1625, when the city palace was completed. The fort is not well-maintained so it is looking a bit run-down, but the palaces are in good condition. You enter the fort through the south Naya Darwaza Gate (New Gate). There are some good views from the walls of the fort.

The best part of the City Palace is the excellent Maharoa Madro Singh Museum (232-3040). You enter the museum through Hathian Pol, an ornate gateway with a brass cannon and painted elephants on either side. To the right is the Raj Mahal, which has excellent mirror work and is intricately painted. On the left are many exhibits, such as statues, silver waterpipes, instruments, clocks, vases, and chess sets. There are excellent Kota Kamba, painted miniature figures that are a local specialty, and a good weapons exhibit. Open daily except Fri 11 am to 5 pm; Admission foreigners/Indians Rs 50/10, camera Rs 50, video Rs 75.

Other Places
In the middle of Kishor Sagar (an artificial lake) is Jagmandir Palace (1740). It is interesting to look at from the outside, but is not open to the public. It may be possible to get special permission to enter from the Superintendent Engineer at the Public Works Department behind Collectorate Circle. You can rent a RTDC paddleboat (Rs 30) and ride around the lake.

The Brij Vilas Palace Museum (232-8443) on the north side of Kishor Sagar, has a fairly interesting collection of weapons, statues, and paintings. Open daily except Fri; admission Rs 5. There is a Fun Park behind the museum, which has a small zoo (open daily except Tue 8.30 am to 6 pm; Rs 3).

The Chhattar Bilas Gardens, near the Tourist Bungalow, has a collection of royal chhatris, each having a pair of stone elephants in front of them.

Chambal Gardens, 2km south of the fort, has a pond with crocodiles and gharials and is a popular place to hangout.

Where to Stay
Hotel Marudhar (232-6186; 232-4415), Jhalawar Rd, near the entrance to the fort, has air-cooled rooms with bath and TV for Rs 350/450 and Rs 450/550 with A/C. Some of the rooms are noisy so best to see (hear) a few.
Hotel Shri Anand (244-1773: fax 244-1970), 200m from the railway station, has singles with common bath for Rs 250, rooms with bath for Rs 350/450, and deluxe rooms for Rs 350/500. It has a veg restaurant.
Hotel Navrang (232-3294; fax 245-0044), near the GPO, has comfortable air-cooled rooms with bath and hot water for Rs 600/700 and Rs 800/1100 with A/C. It is a good idea to check out a few rooms, as some are better than others. Have a central courtyard. Have a vegetarian restaurant ($$)
Hotel Phul Plaza (232-9350; fax 232-2614), next door, has well-maintained air-cooled rooms with bath and a TV for Rs 450/550 and A/C rooms for Rs 750/850. It is a good value. Has a good vegetarian restaurant.
RTDC Hotel Chambal (232-6527), Kishor Bagh, has clean rooms for Rs 500/550 and Rs 800/900 with A/C. It has a nice garden.
Sukdham Hotel (320-081; fax 327-781; Email: sukhdam@datainfosys.net), Station Rd, 2km from the railway station, is a good place with rooms with bath for Rs 800/900 and Rs 1050/1200 with A/C. Family-run colonial place with large garden.
Hotel Brijraj Bhawan Palace (245-0529; fax 245-0057), overlooking the Chambal River, has comfortable rooms for Rs 1700/1900 and Rs 2200 for a suite. It is a former palace of the Maharaja of Kota and was also the former British Residency (built in 1830 by the East India Company). It is a peaceful place with character and a tennis court. Has a veiw of the Chambal River. It is recommended and should be booked in advance during the season. It has a good restaurant that serves Indian and Continental food, only open to guests. Dinner are Rs 400.
Umed Bhawan Palace (232-5262; fax 245-1110), Station Rd, is a spacious, luxury place with excellent gardens and a billiards room. Rooms with antique furniture are $65/85. It is the best place in town. It has a very good restaurant that serves set lunches and dinners for Rs 450, which is only open to residents.

Where to Eat
Hotel Phul Plaza has a good vegetarian restaurant.
Barkha Restaurant, Nayapura Circle, has good cheap veg food.
Maheshwari Bhajnayal, Nayapura, is a very good vegetarian place. It is a popular, reasonably priced place. Recommended.

Local Travel
A motor rickshaw between the railway and bus station is Rs 30-35 and a bike-rickshaw is Rs 15-20.

Travel

Train Kota is on the main Delhi to Mumbai line (station phone 244-1162). There are trains to Delhi (6 daily), Mumbai (6 daily), Jaipur, Sawai Madhopur (2 hr, 108km), Amritsar and Agra (350km). The fully A/C Rajdhani is the fastest train to Delhi and Mumbai.

Delhi Indore Nizamuddhin Exp #4005 (11 pm, 7½ hr) Jaipur Mumbai-Jaipur Exp #2995 (8.45 am, 4 hr); Mathura Golden Temple Mail #2903 (11.30 am, 5½ hr); Sawai Madhapur Mumbai-Jaipur Exp #2995 (8.45 am, 1¾ pm).

An auto-rickshaw from the railway station to the bus stand is Rs 20. Minibuses connect the two for Rs 3.

Bus There are buses to Chittorgarh (6 hr), Ajmer (5½ hr), Udaipur (9 hr), Jaipur (6½ hr, every hr) and Bundi (1 hr, Rs 14, every half-hour) in Rajasthan. There are buses to various cities in Madhya Pradesh such as Ujjain, Indore and Gwalior.

Mount Abu

Pop: 20,000
Phone Code: 02974
Elevation: 1200

Mt Abu is a hill station 1200m (3960 ft) above sea level in the southwest corner of Rajasthan, by the Gujarat border. It is a quiet, mellow town with no bicycle or auto-rickshaws allowed. This is an important Jain pilgrimage site because of the marble temples located at Dilwara, which are covered with some of the most intricately carved sculptures in India.

There are no beggars, pushy salesmen or commission agents, except for a few guys who want to help you find a hotel. Mount Abu is visited mainly by middle-class Indian tourists and honeymooners, with a small percentage of Western tourists. Many budget travelers find Mount Abu expensive, especially during the busy season. To get here, you can take a side trip from Udaipur (5 hr), or stop here while going between Mumbai and Delhi.

Mount Abu is on a plateau, the top of which is about 22km by 6km and which varies in height from 1050m (3500 ft) to 1680m (5600 ft). The town of Mount Abu is flat, but everywhere else in the area is hilly. You have to make steep climbs to see some of the sites. You can visit everything here in one day, but may want to stay a few more days as it is a pleasant place.

Information
The Tourist Office (243151, 235434), opposite the bus station, is open Mon to Sat 10 am to 5 pm.
The RTDC has daily tours of the main sites in the area. One tour starts at 8.30 am and ends at 1.30 pm, and the second tour goes from 1.30 to 6 pm and ends at Sunset Point, if there is enough time. Both tours start at the tourist office. Private companies run the same tour. The torus cost Rs 40 which does not include admission fees. This is quite a good tour to take.

You can change money and also does credit card advances at the Bank of Baroda (Mon-Fri 10 am to 3 pm, Sat 10am-12:30 pm), at the south end of the Polo Grounds; State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur near the GPO; State Bank of India, near the GPO; and at the Chacha Museum, a shop on Nakki Lake Rd.

The GPO is on Raj Bhavan Rd.

Internet Shree Krishna Telecommunications (23098) for Rs 50 per hour)

If you have heavy luggage, you can hire a person with a push-cart to push your baggage to a hotel.

The owner of the Shree ganesh Hotel (243-3591), Lalit Kanojia, leads good trek in the area, visited some hilltops and lakes in the area.

When to Visit
The best time to visit is from March to June and Sept to Nov. It can be cold here in the winter because of the high elevation. I was in Mt Abu at the end of February and needed a sweater at night, but it was not uncomfortable. March and April are quiet, and hotel rooms are half price. The high seasons are late-April to June and Sept to Oct, when room rates can be three times the cost of other times of the year. Winter temperatures are 7ºC to 26ºC; summer 17ºC to 33ºC.

Nakki Lake
This is the beautiful lake next to downtown. Bathing in this lake is held to be as purifying as bathing in the Ganges. The lake is said to have been dug by a sage using only his nails (nakha).

The 14th century Raghunathji Temple, with Deities of Lord Rama, Laksman, and Sita, is next to the lake. Southwest of the Raghunathji Temple is a famous large rock that resembles a toad. There are also other large rocks called Camel Rock and Nandi Rock. By the lake is Ram Kund, a small well that never dries up.

Renting a row boat is Rs 200 for a half-hour and a pedal boat is Rs 60 for a two person boat for a half-hour.

Museum and Art Gallery
The museum has exhibits dating from the 8th to the 12th centuries. It has sculptures, Jain bronzes, and textiles. Open daily except Fri 10 am to 4.30 pm.

Vasistha Muni Ashram
It is said that Mount Abu used to be the home of Vasistha Muni, Lord Rama’s guru. This place was called Nandivardhan after Nandini, the wish-fulfilling cow who lived with Vasistha. One time, while Nandini was grazing by the lake here, she fell in. Vasistha then flew to the Himalayas to ask the gods to save her. They sent Arbuda, the celestial cobra, who brought a huge rock on his hood. Arbuda dropped the rock into the lake and it became the present Mount Abu. The water from the lake was displaced and Nandini saved. The spot is now known as Arbudachala, the hill of Arbuda.

Parasuram, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, killed twenty-one generations of ksatriyas (warriors) to avenge the death of his father, who was murdered by ksatriyas. It is said that the gods came to Mount Abu to ask Vasistha to restore the situation caused by the lack of ksatriyas on earth. Vasistha performed a fire sacrifice, and out of the flames came the four “fire-born” Rajput clans.

The Gaumukh Temple (1337) at this place is said to mark the spot where Vasistha’s ashram was located. Inside the temple are deities of Lord Rama, Laksman, Vasistha and his wife, Arundhati. At this place water flows out from a marble cow, giving the temple its name. Gau means “cow” and mukh means “face.”

In front of the main shrine is the sacrificial fire-pit from which the Rajput clan is said to have come. There is a tank here called Agni Kund, said to have been created by Vasistha Muni. This place is located on the road to Abu Rd, 8km southeast of Mount Abu.

Dilwara Jain Temples
There are five magnificent temples here. The Adinath Temple (Vimala Vasahi) and Neminath Temple (Luna Vasahi) are the most notable.

The Adinath Temple (Vimala Vasahi) was built completely of white marble in the 11th century (1031) by Vimala Shah, a minister of the Solanki king, Bhima I. It is dedicated to the first Jain tirthankara, Adinath. It is covered with very superb carvings. It is said that it took 1500 sculptors and 1200 laborers fourteen years to complete. The bronze figure of Adinath wears a gem necklace and has eyes made of precious stones. The temple is said to have cost 180 million rupees.

Surrounding the courtyard are fifty-two identical cubicles, each containing a figure sitting in meditation. The temple has intricate carvings of Narasimha and Krishna’s pastimes. On the ceiling of the thirty-fourth cell (old No. 29) is a beautiful sculpture of Krishna subduing the Kaliya snake. When you come off the street into the temple complex, directly in front of you is the small Mahavir Temple, and slightly to the right is the Adinath Temple.

The Neminath Temple (Luna Vasahi) was built in 1231 by the brothers Vastupal and Tejapala, ministers of the king of Viradhaval in Gujarat. It is dedicated to the 22nd tirthankara, Neminath. The carvings on this temple are extremely intricate. The lotus on the center of the dome is outstanding. Several full-time carvers are employed to maintain and restore the temple.

The Chaumukha Temple (Parsva­natha) was built around 1459 and is the tallest of the Dilwara temples. The unfinished Sri Risha Deoji (13th century) has a huge, 4.3 ton tirthankara statue made of panchadhatu (five metals)—gold, silver, brass, copper, and zinc.

These temples are open from 12 noon to 6 pm for non-Jains. Visitors are not permitted to bring anything leather into the temple; this is strictly enforced. Video cameras are also prohibited.

There is a sign at the entrance that says: “Entry of women on their monthly course is strictly prohibited.” Women may be questioned about this. These temples are a one-hour walk from the downtown. Shared jeeps (Rs 3) come here from Mount Abu.

There are four ruined temples to the northwest of the Jain temples including a Vishnu temple and the Kanya Kumari temple.

About half a km away is a small wildlife sanctuary, which contains Trevor’s Tank. Crocodiles lie around on the bank of the tank. Visitors can get a good view from the paths that lead through the park.

Viewpoints
The most famous place for people to view the sunset is Sunset Point (2km from town). You can get there by renting a camel at the end of Sunset Road.

There is a good view of the lake from the terrace of the Maharaja of Jaipur’s former summer palace. Honeymoon Point also has a view of the sunset. There are also good viewpoints at Shanti Shikhar, Robert’s Spur, and The Crags.

Brahma Kumaris Center
Located here is a spiritual university of the Brahma Kumaris (phone 238268). To take one of the courses, prospective students must contact the branch closest to where they live and arrange attendance here in advance. The introductory course (seven classes) can be taken without advanced arrangements. Courses are free, as everything is paid for by donations.

The Brahma Kumaris believe that all religions lead to God, so all are bona fide and should be studied. They have centers in over sixty countries. They practice Raja Yoga. When I visited this place, I found the people to be serious, caring, and loving. They seemed to be sincere and unmotivated. It is worth a visit.

There is a museum named the "Gateway to Paradise" in the town, which explains their teachings and has daily meditation classes. Open daily 8 am to 8 pm. Admission: free.

Achalgarh
There is an ancient 9th century Siva temple and fort in Achalgarh, 11km from Mt Abu. The Siva temple has Siva’s toe-print instead of a linga. Lord Siva is said to have stood on Mount Abu to stop it from moving. Where the Siva-linga would normally be located, there is a deep hole that is said to go to Patala, the innermost core of the earth. In the temple compound there is a Lakshmi Narayan temple with figures of Vishnu’s ten incarnations.

There is a tank here called Mandakini Kund (near the temple) with three stone buffaloes and a king shooting them with a bow and arrow. The tank is now in ruins. It is said that the tank was once filled with ghee. When three demons came each night in the form of buffaloes to steal the ghee, the king shot them. The Parmar Chief Dharavarsha is said to have killed these three buffaloes with one arrow.

There is a path that goes to a group of interesting Jain temples on the hill (ten-minute climb).

Other Places
There is a small Dattatreya Temple at Guru Shikhar, 15km from town at 1720m (5,675 ft). This is the highest point in Rajasthan. There are 300 steps leading to the temple located on top of a hill. A little to the northwest is a temple dedicated to Ahalya, Dattatreya’s mother.

The Adhar Devi Temple is 3km northeast of town. This is a 500-year-old Durga temple. Over 400 steps must be climbed to reach it. The temple is situated in a small cave, and it is necessary to bend over to enter the temple. There is a good view of Mount Abu from here.

Shopping
The Rajasthan Handicraft Emporium, near the bus stand, and Khadi Gramodyog Bhavan are two good shops. Chacha Museum is a big, old emporium with many interesting objects.

Where to Stay
The high season goes from mid-March to mid-November. The peak times are May 15 to June 15, Diwali time in November, and Christmas/New Years. During the high season, hotel owners raise their prices and it can be difficult to find a room at any price without a reservation. During the off-season there can be up to a 50% discount off the hotel prices. The prices given are mainly for the off-season. For what you get, Mt Abu is an expensive place to stay. Hotels often have a 9 am checkout time, so you may want to look into this in advance.

During the high-season most of the hotels will be full. If you come during the peak time, the touts (commission agents) that meet you at the bus stations can actually help you get a room. They will know which hotels still have rooms left.

Where to Stay—Lower
The are Retring Rooms at the train station for Rs 200.
Paying Guest Accommodations can be arranged in people’s home at the tourist office. Rates range from Rs 100 to Rs 700.
Hotel Panghat (238886), by the lake, has rooms with hot water between 7 and 9 am. During the low season rooms are Rs 200 and Rs 300 with a view of the lake. Some of the rooms are quite small.
Hotel Nakki Vihar, close to the lake in a good location, has some rooms with a view of the lake. Rooms with bath are Rs 300 to Rs 400. There are also some cheaper rooms.
Shree Ganesh Hotel (235591; Email: lalit_ganesh@yahoo.co.in), which is further up the hill from the Hotel Nakki Vihar, has clean rooms for Rs 200.250. The price is so reasonable because of its slightly out of the way location. It is a friendly place and there are good views from the roof. Has Internet for Rs 50 per hour. Have a kitchen for guest to cook at. Popular with travlers, friendly place. The owner Lalit Kanojia gives leads good trek in the area.
Hotel Lake View (238659) has rooms with hot water between 6 and 11 am and a view of Nakki Lake for Rs 650. Single rooms are Rs 250 to Rs 450, and double rooms range from Rs 450 to Rs 750. Rooms are double to triple these prices during the high season. It is a popular place, so if you want to get a room here, it is best to come around 9 am. It is not such a good place, but it has a good location and the best view in town.
At the far end of the polo grounds is the Hotel Saraswati (238337; fax 238377), which has clean rooms with bath and bucket hot water for Rs 225. It has other rooms for Rs 300 to Rs 600. It has a good Gujarati veg restaurant. Clean rooms.
Mount View (238279), by the polo grounds, has nice rooms. It has hot water in the morning.
Hotel Surya Darshan (243165) has simple rooms for Rs 300 (Rs 700 high season) and bigger rooms with TV and hot water for Rs 550.
Hotel Natraj (243532), which is reached by going up the right road opposite the taxi stand, has rooms with a balcony and hot water for Rs 300/400.
Tourist Guest House, by the Tourist Bungalow just off the main road, has run-down, but clean rooms for Rs 175/225 up to Rs 500. Rooms have hot water in the morning. It has a small garden and a helpful manager. It is a good value, but is fairly basic. During the season the prices are much higher.
Hotel Chanakya (243438) has comfortable rooms with bath and hot water for Rs 450. During high-season the price is double.
RTDC Shikar Tourist Bungalow (243129; fax 243526), up a steep little hill off the main road, is a big place with 82 rooms. Rooms go for Rs 325/400 up to Rs 600/700. If you decide to stay here, ask to see some rooms before you choose one, as they range from horrible to good.

Where to Stay—Middle
Suruchi Hill Resort (243577), at the bottom end of the backside of the polo ground, has rooms for Rs 800/950, with a 30% discount during the off-season.
Hotel Sheratone (243544), by the main road, has good, big, clean rooms with bath for Rs 850 during the off-season.
Hotel Maharana Pratap (238667; fax 243576) has comfortable modern rooms for Rs 900. There is a 50% discount in the off-season.
Hotel Vrindavan (243147), near the bus stand, is a nice place that has rooms with bath for Rs 450/600 and Rs 900 for a bigger room with a TV.
Samrat International (243173) and Hotel Navijan, which share the same check-in counter, have rooms from Rs 250 for a simple single and Rs 550/650 and higher for a nice double for Rs 1100/1400 Some rooms have a swing seat and a balcony. It is a good idea to look at a few rooms and choose the one you like.
Maharaja Hotel (238114), across the street, has good rooms with TV and a view of the polo grounds for Rs 500/650. Both this place and the Samrat are a good choice.
Hotel Lake Palace (237154; fax; 238817: Email: savshanti@hotmail.com) has a good location next to the lake. Double rooms with bath are Rs 800/950 and with A/C for Rs 1200. A 30% discount is given during the off-season. Have a selection of rooms, some of which have a terrace overlooking the lake. Helpul, friendly.
The well-managed Hotel Sunset Inn (235194; fax 243515) is a modern place with rooms for Rs 600/800 and Rs 1000 with A/C. It has a 30% discount during the off-season. Friendly and helpful.

Where to Stay—High
Hotel Connaught House (238560: Email: welcom@ndf.vsnl.net.in) was owned by the Maharaja of Jodhpur. It has rooms for Rs 21000/2400. It is a laid-back place with a beautiful garden and rooms that have a good atmosphere. It has a nice old building and a new one with good views.
Hotel Hilltone (238391; fax 238395) is a good modern place with a pool and sauna. It has rooms for Rs 1650/2900 and Rs 1700/2700 with A/C. On the weekends and during the high season it is best to book this place in advance. There is a 20% discount during the off-season.
Hotel Hillock (238463; fax 238467) is a good value with modern clean rooms for Rs 1500/1700 during the off-season and Rs 2400/2700 during the high-season.Friendly, efficient place. Has a pool and a children playground. Accept credit cards.
On a hill above the Hotel Hillock is the Sunrise Palace Hotel (238673; fax 238775), a former maharaja’s summer palace that has large luxurious rooms for Rs 1200/1800 to Rs 1700/2000. With up to 30% discount during the off-season, it is a good value. The rooms are well furnished and have a very good view. Recommended.
Palace Hotel (215121; fax 238674), Bikaner House, Dilwara Road, was the summer palace of the Maharaja of Bikaner. It has rooms for Rs 17000/2200 and Rs 2000/2500 with A/C. It is a recommended place, but it is often full. The hotel is located well outside the city in a peaceful location and has its own private lake, tennis courts, billiards, lawns and a beautiful garden. It has a very good restaurant. The Maharaja’s son-in-law manages it. During the season it is best to book this place in advance.
Cama Rajputana Club Resort (238205; fax 238412) has comfortable rooms and cottages for Rs 2450/2500. It has a restaurant that serves Punjabi, Chinese and Continental dishes. It has a garden and a pool. It is a nice place.

Where to Eat
King’s Food and Hencky Frencky are across the street from each other on the upper side of the polo ground going towards the lake. Both are fast-food places owned by the same people, and both have about the same menus, which includes veggie-burgers, dosas, and not-so-good pizzas. Both are good places, and the owner was able to give me exactly what I asked for.
Haveli, which is also owned by the same people, is back from the street next to King’s Food. It is a good place with a bigger menu, mainly Punjabi food.
Madras Café is a vegetarian place that serves South Indian, Gujarati and Western food. A pizza is Rs 35.
Aangan, Nakki Lake Rd, connected to the Samrat International Hotel, is a good place that has nice Gujarati thalis and other food. Open 8 am to 2 pm and 6 to 9.30 pm.
Kanak Dining Hall, uphill from the bus stand, is a good, cheap place with good South Indian dishes. Thalis are Rs 60.
Further up the hill at the bottom end of the polo grounds is the Veena Restaurant, Nikki Lake, which has good cheap Gujarati thalis (Rs 55) and a “Super Special” masala dosa.
The restaurant at the Palace Hotel (38673) is very good. A set dinner is Rs 200. It is best to book in advance.

Local Travel
It costs Rs 250-300 to get a taxi from Abu Road to Mt Abu. To hire a jeep for local sightseeing costs around Rs 700-800 for the day. Shared taxis depart to Dilwara (Rs 5-6 or Rs 40 for whole taxi) from opposite the Madras Café.

Travel
Air The closest airport is in Udaipur (170km), five hours away by road.

Train The railway station for Mt Abu is at Abu Road, which is 27km (1 hr) away. It is on the railway line that goes between Ahmedabad and Delhi via Ajmer and Jaipur. It is about 1231km (765 miles) north of Mumbai. There are no direct trains to Mumbai. You have to either get a bus or train to Ahmedabad and from there get a train to Mumbai.

A taxi from Abu Road to Mt Abu cost aroud Rs 250-300

You can book railway tickets and make reservations in Mt Abu by the HP service station near the Tourist Bungalow. The booking office(221205) is open Mon to Sat 9 am to 8 pm, Sun 9 am to noon. They have quotas for many of the the trains departing from Abu Road.

The Ashram Express #2915 (10.30 pm) goes to Delhi (13½ hr) via Jaipur (8 hr) and Ajmer (4 hr). There are other trains to Jaipur, Delhi, Jodhpur and Ajmer. There are several trains to Ahmedabad (5 hr, 187km). The Agra Fort Fast Passenger Exp #9706 takes 25 hr to reach Agra.
Ahmedabad Delhi-Ahmedabad Mail #9106 (1 pm, 4½ hr); Delhi Rajdhani Exp #2957 (10.30 pm, Mon, Wed, Fri, 11½ hr); Jaipur Rajdhani Exp #2957 (10.30 pm, Mon, Wed, Fri, 6½ hr), Aravali Exp #9707 (11.15 am, 9 hr); Jodhpur Ranakpur Exp #4708 (5 am, 5½ hr)

To get to Bhuj and other places on the Kathiawar peninsula in Gujarat you have to change trains at Palanpur, 52km south.

Bus There are many buses departing from Mt Abu. Using one of the private buses can be much faster than going to Abu Road and taking a train. There are buses to Ajmer (8 hr), Jodhpur, Barmer, Chittorgarh (9 hr), Jaisalmer and Jaipur (11 hr). There is an express bus to Ahmedabad (7 hr) that connects with the overnight Girnar Express to Veraval (Somnath) in Gujarat. There are private luxury day buses to Udaipur (5 hr).

There are regular buses between Abu Road (27km, 45 min, Rs 10) and Mt Abu. Shared jeeps from opposite the bus stand in Abu Road depart to Mt Abu when full. As you enter Mt Abu there is a tollgate where passengers are charged Rs 10. Some state buses go to Mt Abu and others go to Abu Road, so make sure you get the correct bus.
Shobha Travels (3302), near the Samrat Hotel operates buses to Udaipur, Ajmer, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Mumbai and other places.
Bana Travels (3300) is also good.

Abu Road
This is where the closest railway station to Mt Abu is located. There are railway Retiring Rooms here and some basic hotels. Trains departing from here can be booked in Mt Abu.

Nathdwar

Pop: 20,000 Area Code: 02953

This small town is famous as the home of Sri Nathji, one of the most popular Deities of Lord Krishna in India. The name of the town means “Doorway to Nathji.” Nathdwar is very crowded on Janmasthami and during Govardhan Puja.

Nathdwar is located 48km northeast of Udaipur, in Rajasthan, on the right bank of the Banas River.

Sri Nathji Temple
Sri Nathji is a beautiful black marble Deity of Lord Krishna, standing with his left hand upraised lifting Govardhan Hill. The Deity appears in a large black stone from which his form emerges in bas-relief. The stone around the Deity bears several marks: two cows, a snake, a lion, two peacocks, a parrot by the Lord’s head, two sages seated on his right side and a third on his left, and below the sages is another snake. Around the Lord’s neck is a flower garland, resembling a black snake.

The same Deity (known then as Gopal) was worshiped by Madhavendra Puri in Vrindavan. Rana Raj Singh of Mewar brought Sri Nathji to Nathdwar in the 17th century. The temple of Sri

Nathji is said to be the second richest temple in India, the first being the Balaji Temple in Tirupati.
Architecturally, the temple is simple, but the devotees’ enthusiasm is among the greatest in India. Every day Sri Gopal is offered large quantities of opulent foodstuffs cooked in ghee. The maha-prasada is excellent and can be easily purchased at stalls outside the temple.

Mangala-arati begins at 5 am. Darshan continues after the arati. During darshan the mukhiyajis, as the priests here are called, close and open the curtain in front of the Deity several times.

The Lord wears a large diamond beneath his lips, which is said to have been a gift from the Muslim emperor, Akbar. There is a story that Sri Nathji once tore his garment while rushing back to the temple to be on time for darshan. From that day on, it has been a custom to blow the conch and then wait several minutes before opening the altar doors.

The temple priests are all followers of Vallabhacarya, who was born in 1479. His son Sri Vitthalanathji raised the worship of Sri Nathji to a very high standard. The temple is under the management of the main acharya (spiritual leader) of the Vallabha-sampradaya, called the Tilakayata. He is the head of the temple.

Once, when Sri Vallabhacarya defeated a large group of impersonalist scholars at Vidyanagar, King Krishnadeva Raya presented him with a gift of many gold coins. Sri Vallabhacarya gave most of these to the local Brahmins and kept only seven. Those seven coins were then made into an ornament for Sri Nathji. The Deity still wears it today.

The temple owns over 500 cows. One of the cows is called “Sri Nathji’s cow,” and she comes from a lineage that has served the Deity for generations. The milk from this cow is offered only to Sri Nathji to drink.

Many people attend each arati. The temple room is extremely crowded and pilgrims have to constantly move on by the force of the crowds. The pushing is unlike other situations in which you are pushed in India. It is actually pleasurable to experience the devotees’ extreme desire to see Sri Nathji.

Mangala-arati is at 5 am in the winter and 6 am in the summer. The last arati is 6.30 pm in the winter and 7 pm in the summer. The temple is closed in the afternoon until 3.15 pm in the winter and 3.45 pm in the summer.

Non-Hindus are technically not allowed to enter the temple. If you are a foreigner and wish to enter, the guards may ask you to sign a piece of paper at the main entrance, which is written in Hindi. I believe it says that you believe in Hinduism. You are then permitted to enter the temple.

Deity Story
Vajranabha, Lord Krishna’s great-grandson, installed this Deity 5,000 years ago. Five hundred years ago Madhavendra Puri found the Deity in some bushes next to Govardhan Hill near Vrindavan. Madhavendra Puri then established the worship of Sri Gopal in a temple on Govardhan Hill. Madhavendra Puri handed the service of the Deity to the son of Vallabhacarya, Vitthala.

The town of Nathdwar was built in the seventeenth century for Lord Nathji, after the Deity was brought to Rajasthan to protect him from the destructive reign of the Muslim ruler Aurangzeb, who terrorized the Vrindavan area in 1665. For almost six months, the Deity stayed in Agra. Then he was moved to Mewar. Nathaji was moved to Nathdwar around 1669.

Other Places
In Nathdwar there are also temples dedicated to Madana-Mohan and Naveet Priya, which are connected to the main temple of Sri Nathji. Naveet mean “butter” and priya means “dear,” so Naveet Priya means “one who is fond of butter.” The Naveet Priya Temple is visited by most of the people who visit the Sri Nathji Temple.

Vitthalnath Temple is just opposite the entrance of the Sri Nathji Temple. This Deity used to be located at Gokula, in Vrindavan. The Banamali Temple is a Krishna temple located to the right of the main entrance of the Sri Nathji Temple.
About 15km away in Kankroli there is a Deity of Lord Krishna known as Dwarkadhish. The Deity was brought there from Mathura in 1676.

Festivals
The largest festival is known as Annakuta, commemorating the pastime in which the people of Vrindavan worshiped Govardhan Hill. Thousands of people attend and all the guest houses are full. As part of the celebration, a 2500-kilo hill of rice is offered to the Lord. Diwali is also an important festival. It precedes the Annakuta festival by one day.

At the end of the summer is Ratha-yatra. The Lord is taken around on a silver chariot and 100,000 mangoes are offered to him. The swing festival, Jhulana-yatra, takes place in June/July. Janmasthami (Aug/Sept), the appearance day of Lord Krishna, is also a major festival.

Where to Stay
There are a few large dharamshalas about a five-minute walk straight down the road from the temple. Vallabh Bhavan is a large place with double rooms for Rs 125.
Hotel Rajshee, right next to the bus stand, has decent rooms with common bath for Rs 150.
Krishna Guest House, a minute from the bus stand down a side road, is a nicer place having double rooms with bath for Rs 175.
Vandana Hotel (02953/2162), a little further down the road, is a nice place with rooms for Rs 400 and Rs 600 with A/C.
Hotel Vrinda (02953/2218), down a side road near the Sri Nathji Temple, has double rooms for Rs 350 up to Rs 600 for a room with A/C. It is often full.
Hotel Vallabh Darshan (02953/30038), down a side road about a two-minute walk from the temple, has double rooms for Rs 700 up to Rs 900. 9 am checkout.
RTDC Gokul Tourist Bungalow, which is inconveniently located 3km outside of town, has rooms for Rs 400/450. Dorm beds are Rs 75.
Hotel Utsav (2277), National Highway No 8, 1km from the downtown, has rooms for Rs 700/1100 and Rs 850/1250 with A/C. It is the best place in town.

Where to Eat
Outside the temple you can purchase excellent Lord Nathji maha-prasada. There are many different preparations, both sweet and salty. There is unlimited Sri Nathji maha-prasada, which is one of the things for which Nathdwar is famous.
The Hotel Vallabh Darshan has a vegetarian restaurant.

Travel
Air The nearest airport is in Udaipur, 48km south.

Train If you are coming from Gujarat or Maharashtra, you can get a train to Udaipur and from there take a bus to Nathdwar. About a five-minute walk straight down the road from the Nathji Temple there is a train reservation office where you can reserve a train to Delhi and some other places. Nathdwar is 13km from the Nathdwar railway station.

Bus The bus stand is a 15-minute walk from the temple. From Udaipur there are two express buses daily as well as many other buses that take about two hours to reach Nathdwar. There are express private buses to Ahmedabad, Pushkar, Ajmer, Jaipur, and Delhi, which can be reserved with the travel agencies next to the bus stand.

Pushkar

Pop: 11,000
Phone Code: 014581

Pushkar is an important holy place that has over 400 temples. It is a small, mellow town with little vehicle traffic on the main street. Some of the important temples are dedicated to Brahma, Raghunath (Vishnu), Varaha, Savitri, and Gayatri. It is a pleasant, hassle-free place, which is a nice place to relax for a while. It is worth a visit. It has a good shopping bazaar that caters to foreign tourists. Many people come here just to shop. Pushkar is famous for its Camel Fair, which takes place in Oct/Nov. Alcohol, eggs and meat are banned. Pushkar is on the edge of the Rajasthan desert, 10km northwest of Ajmer, 400km southwest of Delhi, and 145km southwest of Jaipur.

It is said that Lord Brahma’s lotus flower fell in three separate places in the Pushkar area, and that water came from the ground at each place. The three places are located within a radius of six miles. Senior Pushkar, where the hotels are located, is considered the most holy, because the lotus fell here first. Middle Pushkar is 3km down the road and has a small Hanuman temple and a 200-year-old banyan tree. New (Junior) Pushkar, 3km further north, has a small Krishna temple. As Brahma threw the pushpa (flower) with his kar (hand), so the place received the name Pushkar.

In the Mahabharata it is said concerning Pushkar: “The holy place of Lord Vishnu, Pushkar-tirtha, renowned in the three worlds, is situated on this earth. Fortunate souls can enter that place. O son of the Kuru dynasty, at Pushkar-tirtha billions of tirthas (holy places) gather at daybreak and sunset. Simply taking a bath at Pushkar-tirtha destroys sins of both men and women, including the sin that caused their birth. As Madhusudana (Krishna) is the original God, so Pushkar is the original tirtha.”

It is believed that to bathe in Pushkar Lake on Kartika Purnim (full moon day in Oct/Nov) gives one salvation. The full benefit of taking bath in Pushkar Lake is said to be available during the last five days of the month of Kartika. Those who take bath at this time are said to be relieved of all sins and promoted to heaven when they leave their bodies. It is said to be especially auspicious to do parikrama (circumabulation) of the three Pushkars (16km) on Kartika Purnim. Gaya Kund, near Junior Pushkar, is where people do puja (worship) for the salvation of their ancestors.

Story of Pushkar
It is said that while Lord Brahma was passing this spot he dropped a lotus flower. From the places where the petals fell, water sprang up and lakes were formed. There is a rectangular lake in Pushkar surrounded by temples. According to the Padma Purana, Brahma, the lord of creation, killed a demon with a lotus flower in this place. The lotus was dropped to kill the demon. Petals fell in three spots, thus forming the three lakes.

Brahma wanted to perform a yajna (sacrifice) on the full moon day in Kartika (Oct/Nov), and he was in search of a suitable place to perform the yajna. The lotus from his hand fell down, rebounded, and fell at three places, from where water sprang. Thus Brahma decided to perform the yajna at Pushkar. The yajna, however, could not be performed without his wife, Savitri, by his side, and she was late. Brahma therefore had to request Indra to arrange a marriage for him so that he could fulfill the religious obligations. The priest manifested a daughter called Gayatri. Because she was an untouchable, she was put into the mouth of a cow and removed from the other end, which totally purified her. Gaya means “cow” and tri means “passed through.” When Savitri arrived, she saw that Brahma had married without her permission, so she cursed him that he would be worshiped only at Pushkar.

Enraged, Savitri went and established a temple on top of Rathkagir, the hill a little south of Pushkar. It is said to be due to Savitri’s curse that Brahma is worshiped almost exclusively at Pushkar.

Information
There is an unofficial curfew at 11 pm. All the shops are supposed to be closed, and the police expect Westerners to be off the street at this time.

The Tourist Information Centre is at the Hotel Sarovar. Open Mon-Fri 10am-5pm, closed 2nd and 4th Saturday of Monday.

The owner of the Pushkar Hotel is full of information, which is a good reason to stay there.

The State Bank of Bikaner & Jaipur, in the main bazaar, changes money. Mon-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat 10 to 12 noon.

Many people will ask you to change money on the black, often at a rate less than the official rate. Kamal & Company changes money and gives an exchange certificate. They change money at around the bank rate quickly and efficiently, unlike the State Bank of Bikaner & Jaipur. They may charge a commission for the transfer so you should ask about this.

The GPO post office is near the Marwar bus stand at the end of town. There is a small post office in the Main Bazaar, near the lake. There are several places to rent a bicycle near the Pushkar bus stand and the Hotel Oasis.

There are several places where you can send and receive email for Rs 30 to Rs 50 per hour, but there is often a problem with connections and speed. Vacation Network (Rs 30 per hr) has a fairly good connection. Kamal & Company and the Internet Office, which are both in the main bazaar near Varaha Ghat.

Many travel agencies offer camel rides and camel safaris. Ram’s Camel Adventures, by the Pushkar Palace Hotel, runs good camel and jeep trips. You can get a camel ride for about Rs 50 per hour.

The Government Hospital, near the Marwar bus stand, is most likely the best in town.

Saraswati Music School (277-3124), Mainon Ka Chowk (10 am to 10 pm) gives lessons on classical tabla, flute and singing. They also sells instruments.

Ganesh Enterprises, Sadat Bazaar Rd, is a good place to process film. It is also a bookshop.

Navjyoti Tailors (277-2589), across from the Lake View Hotel, is a good tailor.

A good place to watch the sunset is on the bank of the lake near the Sunset Café and Pushkar Palace Hotel or from the Savitri Temple on top of the hill just south of town.

Temples
The Brahma Temple has a red tower and a hans (swan), Lord Brahma’s carrier, over the doorway. In the temple there is a deity of four-headed Brahma with Gayatri on the left and Savitri on the right. There are also deities of Indra, god of heaven, and Kubera, god of wealth, in the temple. This is one of the few Brahma temples in India.

The Varaha Temple has a beautiful, 2/3m (2 ft) high white Deity of Lord Varaha. Lord Varaha is said to have appeared in Pushkar. The original temple was built in the 12th century. Anyone can enter the temple. It is said that persons who visit the Pap Mochini Temple, north of town, becomes free of the sin of killing a Brahmin.

There are two Raghunath temples in Pushkar, the old and the new one. The Deities in the New Raghunath Temple are Vaikunthanath and Lakshmi. The Deities in the Old Raghunath Temple, built in 1823, are Venugopal, Narasimha, and Lakshmi. In India, I saw many signs saying, “Non-Hindus not allowed” at the temples, but these temples had signs that said, “Foreigners not allowed.” It is strictly enforced.

The Savitri Temple, on top of a hill a little outside town, is dedicated to Brahma’s wife. The temple dates back 2,000 years. It is a difficult one-hour climb up a 4th century stairway to reach the temple. From the top of the hill there is a great view of the surrounding countryside. It is a good place to watch the sunset.

On the other side of town by the Marwar bus stand is the Gayatri Temple, who is the wife that sat in on Lord Brahma’s sacrifice when Savitri, his first wife, was late. To get to the Gayatri Temple, you walk to the temple directly behind the bus stand. From there, a path leads to the stairs to the top of the hill. Both this temple and the Savitri Temple are open in the morning and in the late afternoon.

Pushkar Lake
This sacred lake is said to have been created by Lord Brahma. It is said that one who bathes in Pushkar Lake will go to heaven and will not have to take birth again in the material world. The full benefit of bathing in the lake is during the last five days of the month of Kartika (Oct/Nov), especially on the full moon day. This is the same time as the Pushkar Camel Festival.

If you do not want to take a full bath in the lake you can also put three drops of water on your head.

It has fifty-two ghats. Varaha, Brahma, and Gau Ghats are the most important. At Varaha Ghat, Lord Vishnu is said to have appeared in his boar incarnation. Gau Ghat is considered the main ghat. This is where the ashes of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri were placed into the lake. It is said that Brahma worshiped at Brahma Ghat.

It is said that the sacred River Saraswati begins again at Pushkar Lake, after it disappears at Vinasana near Kurukshetra. It is said that Lord Rama bathed in this lake.

When you go to one of the ghats on the bank of the lake, you will be approached by a priest to do puja (worship) for yourself and relatives. They will then ask you for a donation and then tie a red string around you wrist called a “Pushkar Passport.” This means that you can go down to the ghats and not be bothered again for a donation by the Pushkar priests who stay around the ghats.

You are expected to show respect near the lake, and the locals do not tolerate disrespect. Photography is prohibited at the ghats, as is walking too close to the lake with your shoes on. You should not smoke near the lake.

Nag (Yajna) Hill
Nag Hill is said to be one of the oldest hills in the world. It is the long hill that is a km south of Pushkar. You cross Nag Hill while going from Ajmer to Pushkar.

Its height is said to have been ten-crore yojanas in Satya-yuga, ten-lakh yojanas in Treta-yuga, and ten-thousand yojanas in Dwapura-yuga. A yojana is 13km (8 miles). In Kali-yuga its height is decreasing day by day because it is sinking into the earth. By the end of Kali Yuga it will almost disappear. It is said that if you visit this hill on your pilgrimage to Pushkar you will not have any interference or difficulties.

On this hill is Nag Kund. The story of this hill is that on the second day of Brahma’s sacrifice, Rishi Chyavan cursed Vatu, the grandson of Brahma, to become a snake, because he released a snake at the sacrifice that coiled around Bhrigu Muni, Rishi Chyavan’s father. After Vatu begged for forgiveness, Brahma blessed him to live near this natural kund (lake) on Nag Hill. Vatu performed austerities here. People who worship here on the fifth day in Krishna Paksha of Sravana (July/Aug) are said to have their desires fulfilled. Agastya Muni’s residence is said to be a cave on Nag Hill.

Camel Festival
This well-attended, interesting festival takes place around the full moon day (purnim) of Kartika (Oct-Nov). About 200,000 people (around 15,000 foreigners) come to the fair, along with 30,000 camels, cows, and buffaloes. There are camel races, parades, performances, folk dancers, magicians, jugglers, acrobats, and camel rides. There are many places selling a wide assortment of handicrafts. Many tribal people come to the festival dressed in their brightly colored clothes.
The nightly cultural program at the RTDC Tourist Village has various folk dance and musical performances. It is worth seeing.

The reason why many of the people come during this time is because it is considered a very auspicious time to bath in the Pushkar Lake, especially on the full moon day. They are not just coming to see the camels.

Women by themselves should be careful about going into crowded situations during the festival, as men have a bad habit of heavily groping (touching) women, especially at night.

Considering the potential of this event, it is poorly organized. For example, many people come to see the camel races, but it is difficult to tell when they start or end. It is very crowded during the festival, which may be interesting for a few days, but can get to you after a while. Room rates go up in the hotel from five to tens times the normal price. Many people I meant were disappointed in the festival and actually like Pushkar much more after it was over. Still, even after considering the downside of the festival, I am glad I went to it and I enjoyed it.

Shopping
Pushkar has one of the best shopping bazaars in India. There are hundreds of shops selling clothing, jewelry, incense, oil, books, music tapes and much more. Most of the items sold are low end products and the prices are some of the best in India. Many people spend a day or two shopping.

You should bargain hard, especially for clothing and jewelry. You can be quoted five times the correct price at first.

There are several music shops here that have a good selection of classical Indian music and the latest Western music.

There are several used bookshops here, which have books in various languages. They will often buy used books for up to 50% of what you paid for them.

So-called silver in Pushkar is often 60% copper. Most of the times antique silver is only a month old and just made to look old. This does not mean you should not get the jewelry, but you should bargain accordingly.

Where to Stay
It can sometimes be hard to find a room, especially later in the day. Most of the hotels are nothing special, but they are usually clean. Often the most popular places to stay have a pool, which can be a real added plus. Even if you don’t swim in the pool, it is a pleasant place to hang out.

Rooms in the same hotel often vary considerably in design, so it is best to ask to see an assortment of rooms. Rooms are usually pretty basic. Mosquitoes can also be a problem, especially with the hotels by the lake.

Hotel prices are greatly increased during the Camel Fair and it can be difficult to find a room (especially a higher-end room). A room that is normally Rs 100 could be Rs 1000 during the Camel Fair. You should expect to pay 10 times the listed prices below during the Camel Fair. When I arrived on the first day of the festival several people approached me with a basic room to rent, so it is possible to get a room without reserving one in advance. The price of the rooms during the Camel Fair return to normal the day after the full moon (the last day), so don’t be tricked into paying a higher price after this date.

Where to Stay—Lower
Hotel Om (277-2143), Ajmer Rd, has decent rooms starting at Rs 125/150 with commom bath and Rs 200/250 with bath. It has a pool about the size of a large bathtub which is usually very dirty (Rs 50 for nonresident, free if you eat in restaurant). The restaurant serves pizzas
Hotel Venus (72323) has rooms with bath for Rs 175.
VK Tourist Palace (72174) has rooms with common bath for Rs 150/200 and Rs 200/300 with bath. It is a well-managed place.
Hotel Poornima (72254) has rooms built around a courtyard with bath for Rs 150/170. It is a nice place.
Sai Baba Guest House has really basic rooms with common bath for Rs 70.
Prince Hotel, close by, has quiet rooms with common bath for Rs 90/125 and Rs 175 with bath.
Mount View Hotel (72802) has fairly good rooms with hot water for Rs 200. It can be noisy because it is in the main bazaar.
Bharatpur Palace (277-2320), Brahma Mandir Rd, next to the lake, has basic rooms for Rs 150/250 to Rs 500. There is a great view of the lake from the roof. Some rooms have lake veiws. Recommended. It is a laid back and peaceful place.
Konika Guest House has clean rooms with bath for Rs 150.
Shri Anand Guest House has rooms for Rs 90/125 with common bath and Rs 100/175 with bath.
Hotel Paramount (2772428; fax 277-2244) has rooms with common bath for Rs 125/175 and Rs 250 to Rs 550 with bath. There is a good view of the lake from this place.
Lake View Hotel (277-2106; fax: 277-2106), Main Bazaar, is a really basic place with a good location, right off the main road by the lake, with rooms with common bath for Rs 150/200 to Rs 350.
Payal Guest House, in the middle of the main bazaar, has very basic rooms with bath for Rs 100/125 and with common bath for Rs 100.
Hotel White House (277-2147; fax 277-3370; near the Marwar bus stand, Web Site:http://www.pushkarwhitehouse.com:), about a five minute walk from the Marwar bus stand, has very small rooms with a common bath for Rs 200/250 and larger doubles with bath from Rs 400 to Rs 600. It is clean and the management is helpful. The restaurant here is good.
Across the street from the Marwar Bus Stand in the north part of town is the Hotel Brahma, which has rooms for Rs 90/125 with common bath and Rs 200 with bath. It can be a little noisy, because it is on the main road.
Amar Hotel, in the center of town, away from the main road, is a good place with a garden. Rooms with common bath are Rs 90/120 and with bath Rs 150. The double rooms with bath in the back building are one of the best deals in Pushkar.
Mayur Guest House (277-2302; Email: mayurguesthouse@hotmail.com) has rooms with common bath for Rs 70/100 and with bath for Rs 150/175. Nice atmosphere.
Everest Guest House (72080) is a clean place that has small, basic rooms with bath for Rs 120/140 and rooms with common bath for Rs 80/100. This place has hot water.
Hotel Navratan Palace (277-2145; fax 277-2225), near the Brahma Temple, is a good value having rooms with bath for Rs 300/350. This hotel has a good-sized pool. The place is somewhat impersonal, but the rooms are good.
Krishna Palace Guest House has basic rooms, but the price is good at Rs 110 a night.
Oasis Hotel (72100; fax 72557), by the bus stand to Ajmer, has good, clean rooms with hot water for Rs 200 to Rs 300 with bath and Rs 175 with common bath. It has a fairly good pool (Rs 40 for non-guest and it is usually clean). It has a good restaurant. It is a popular place.
Peacock Hotel (277-2093; fax 277-2516), on the eastern outskirts of town, has rooms with bath for Rs 200/400 and with common bath for Rs 150/200. It has deluxe rooms for Rs 600 up to Rs 1000 for an A/C room. It has a pool (non-guest Rs 75) and a shady courtyard (a good place to hang out). It is a popular (with travelers), well-managed place and is recommended.
JP’s Tourist Village Resort (277-2067: fax 277-2026), about 2km out of town, has rooms for Rs 550/850. It has a nice garden, a small pool, a restaurant and a quiet location.
Hotel New Park (277-2464; fax 277-2199), a ten-minute walk from town, has good, well-maintained, modern rooms with bath ranging from Rs 300 up to Rs 650/750 for a room with air-cooling. It has a good pool. Some rooms have balconies overlooking the hills. It is a popular (especially with Israelis), peaceful place. They rent bikes. Recommended.

Where to Stay—Middle
RTDC Sarovar Tourist Bungalow (277-2040), east side of lake, in a garden by the lake, has rooms with common bath for Rs 200/250, with bath for Rs 500/600 with air-cooling. Rooms with a lake view are Rs 650/800 to Rs 1000/1100. It has dorm beds for Rs 60. You can rent a heater in the winter. Part of the hotel was a palace of the Maharaja of Jaipur. It has a nice pool (the water is changed every week). It is a recommended, well-managed, pleasant place. It has a fairly conservative mood. During the camel festival a normal room with bath is $75/85.
Pushkar Palace Hotel (277-2001; fax 277-2226; Web Site: http://www.hotelpushkarpalace.com), east side of lake, is a nice place that used to be the palace of the Maharaja of Kishangarh. It has simple rooms with common bath for Rs 250/400. Good doubles with bath and hot water range from Rs 1000 to Rs 1250. A/C suites are Rs 2150/2250. Some of the cheaper rooms have an excellent view of the lake, and there is a small garden right next to the lake. It has a good vegetarian restaurant. The cheaper rooms will be full later in the day, so if you arrive late, come the next day at 9 am. It is a recommended place, popular with package tours. It has an upmarket mood. The best rooms here can go for $200 during the camel festival.

Tourist Village and Camps

RTDC Tourist Village (0145 277-0238During the Camel Festival a tented village for around 2,000 people is set up by the RTDC right next to the Camel Fair. A standard tent is $82/98, a deluxe tent is $119/132, and a hut is $132/145. A dorm bed is $7. There is a 6% tax added on. When the fair is not on the huts are Rs 350/400.

The demand is high for these tents. To book a tent you contact the Rajasthan Tourist Corporation in Jaipur at (0141 277-2074, 233-0238) at the Swagatam Tourist Bungalow or in Delhi at Bikaner House, Pandara Rd (011 338-3837; fax 011 338-2823). You are supposed to pay in full 30 days before the fair begins.

Royal Desert Camp (277-2957) has luxury tents with shared bathrooms for $100 and with meals for $150, which includes meals. It is booked at the Hotel Pushkar Palace.
Royal Tent Camp, owned by the Maharaja of Jodhpur, has luxury tents for $200/$250. Owned by the maharaja of Jodhpur. They can be reserved at the Balsamand Palace in Jodhpur (0291 257-227-2323; fax 0291 257-1240). Rates include hot water and all meals.

Where to Eat
All the restaurants in town are strictly vegetarian, and do not serve even eggs. Many of the places in town offer all-you-can-eat buffet lunches and dinners for Rs 45. Basically they are thalis that you serve yourself. Many times the food is sitting all day, so it may be unhealthy. It is best to get food, especially in India, when it is freshly cooked.

OM Siva Restaurant, upstairs in the main bazaar, across from the State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur, has an all-you-can-eat breakfast for Rs 40. This includes cereal, fruit, brown bread with your choice of butter, peanut butter, jelly, or cheese, and other items. This meal is a real bargain and is recommended. The lunch buffet includes several items including rice, vegetables, soup, chips and falafel.
The OM Shiva Buffet Restaurant that used to be on the rooftop of the VK Tourist Palace Hotel, on the way to the Hotel Pushkar Palace, has been moved. It is now located in the building just to the right of the VK Tourist Palace Hotel, on the ground floor. It is still a good place and a bargain. It serves breakfast from 7 am to 12.30 pm.
Raju’s Garden Restaurant, in the center of the town off the main road near Ram Ghat, is one of the better places. The spaghetti is good, and for western food this is one of the better places. It has pizza and baked potatoes. It has a breakfast buffet for Rs 45.
RS Restaurant, by the Brahma Temple, is one of the better places in town. It has good cheap thalis.
Rainbow, near the Brahma Temple on Brahma Mandir Rd, is a rooftop restaurant that serves Indian, Chinese, Mexican Italian, and good falafels. It has a really good view of the lake.
Krishna Restaurant, Temple Rd, has good Indian, hummus, falafel and dosas.
Hotel Pushkar Palace has a good buffet. It cost Rs 110 for lunch and Rs 140 for dinner. It has a bakery. It is well located in a garden next to the lake.
Natraj, near the bazaar post office, is a fairly good rooftop place.
Moondance opposite the Vishnu temple on the main road, east side of town, has very good Indian, Italian, Mexican and Thai food. The sizzlers are excellent. It is a popular, laid-back, chill-out place. There is a section where you sit on the floor and eat. It is an easy place to meet people and hangout. It is a recommended nighttime place.
Venus Restaurant, on the rooftop of the Venus Hotel, serves Indian, Continental, Italian and Chinese food. The sizzlers are good. An Indian thali is Rs 50. It is a good place to sit and watch what is happening in the bazaar below.
The rooftop restaurant at the Oasis Hotel is good. The Israeli meal for Rs 75 is very good.
The Sunset Café, near the Pushkar Palace on the east side of the lake, is a nice place to sit and watch the sunset. The food is fairly good.

Travel
Air The closest airport is 131km away in Jaipur.

Train The nearest railway station, in Ajmer (11km), has trains to Jaipur, Delhi, Udaipur and Ahmedabad. From Ahmedabad you can get a train to Mumbai or Dwarka.

Rather than going to Ajmer yourself to reserve a train, you can have a travel agency in Pushkar arrange your train a day or two in advance for a Rs 50 charge.Vacation Network (277-2863), near the Pushkar Palace is good.

The fully A/C Shatabdi Express departing at 3.30 pm from Ajmer is the fastest train to Delhi.

The best way to get to Delhi is to catch an overnight train from Ajmer. It is much better than taking an overnight bus, but it takes a little advance planning.

Bus There are two bus stands in Pushkar—the Marwar bus stand, in the north of town by the post office, which services some long distance places, and the Ajmer bus stand, east of town by the RTDC Sarovar Hotel, which has buses to Ajmer and Jaipur. There are regular buses from Pushkar to Ajmer (Rs 4). The buses from Ajmer to Pushkar depart every hour from 6 am to 10 pm, from near the Ajmer railway station. Buses also depart from the Ajmer bus stand to Pushkar.

In Pushkar there are travel agencies that sell tickets for deluxe buses to cities all over this part of India. The buses usually depart from Ajmer, and the travel agency usually arranges free jeep transport to Ajmer.

Shreenath Travels is a good travel agency. It is cheaper to arrange a bus ticket directly with a travel agency than through your hotel.

For Delhi, one express bus leaves daily from the Marwar bus stand at 10.15 am (8 hr). There is a deluxe bus that leaves from the Ajmer bus stand at 7.15 am for Delhi. There is a direct bus to Udaipur (8 hr), stopping in Nathdwar.

Car From Ajmer there are shared jeep to Pushkar, which depart from the railway station. The jeep-taxis from Pushkar to Ajmer depart from the Marwar bus stand.

Ranthambhore National Park

Phone Code: 07462

Located 10km east of the town of Sawai Madhopur, between Agra and Udaipur, this park has around 25 tigers, jackals, nilgais, panthers, chitals, and interesting birds, including storks and eagles. The park covers around 400 sq km of beautiful scenic forest and open bushland. It was once a royal hunting reserve.

Located in the park are the 10th century Ranthambhore Fort, chhatris, and some pavilions. There are the ruins of a palace and some temples in the fort. There are some really good views of the surrounding area from the walls of the Sand Dunes fort.

Tourist Offices and Information
The Tourist Reception Centre (202808) is on Ranthambhore Rd at theRTDC Vinayak Tourist Complex, near the railway station (open daily except Sun 10 am-1pm, 2pm-5 pm). Thiere is also a tourst counter at the railway station open the same hours.

Ranthambhore Site (http://www.ranthambor.com

General Information
The park entrance is 10km from the town of Sawai Madhopur. The hotels are located on the main road between the town of Sawai Madhopur and the park entrance. Visitors are driven in an open vehicle through the park, but there have been no cases of anyone being mauled or eaten.

It is best to have 400 ASA speed film or faster because the forest can be very dark in the morning and evening. A video permet cost Rs 200.

The park is open from October 1 to May 30 and is closed during the monsoon. The best time to visit the park is from October to April. The best time to see wildlife is in the early morning and evening.

Ranthambhore Site (http://www.ranthambor.com)

Getting Around in the Park
There are four gravel trails that run across the park. There is a restriction on how many vehicles can enter the park in a day. Open jeeps driven by rangers and 20-person canter trucks bring people around.

You have to book at the Project Tiger office (223402), Ranthambhore Rd, to enter the park (for same day booking 5:30 am to 7:30 pm & 12:30 pm to 2:30 pm). Jeeps and canter trucks can be booked with them. A jeep costs Rs 1200 per trip (up to five people), It cost Rs 150 for the jeep to enter the park You also have to have a guide with the jeep which cost Rs 150.It costs Rs 200 to enter the park; camera Rs 50, video Rs 200.

You can also.get a seat on a canter which is a large open truck (seat 20) for Rs 175 per person. They can be booked at most hotels, the Project Tiger Office and at the Tourist Recption Centre.

From March to June the canter trucks depart at 6.30 am and 3.30 pm; and from Oct to Feb at 7 am and 2.30 pm. The drive around the park takes about three hours. The canters pick up passengers at hotels on Ranthambhore Rd, but not hotels in Sawai Madhopur.

It is selection to wear brown or olive clothes.

Where to Stay
There are several basic places to stay near the railway station, but the main group of hotels is on the road between the town of Sawai Madhopur and the park. Expect the rickshaw drivers to try to convince you to go to the hotel of their choice. You can often bargain down the price of a room. The best mid-range choices are most likely the Ankur and Anurag hotels.

There are Retiring Rooms at the railway station for Rs 200. Dorm beds are Rs 70.
Vishal Hotel, (220504) half a km east of the railway station, has rooms with bath (hot water in a bucket) for a doubel Rs 200-250. It can be a bit dirty.Popular with travelers. Best of the cheap places.
Hammir Wildlife Resort (220562; Web Site: http://www.hammirwildliferesort.com) has fairly good rooms with bath for Rs 750/850.
RTDC Vinayak (221333; fax 220702), 4km from the station, has comfortable rooms with bath for Rs 700/800 and 1000/1200 with A/C.
RTDC Castle Jhoomar Baori (220495), about 8km from the railway station on a hilltop, has comfortable rooms with bath for Rs 1000/1100 and a suite is Rs 1200/1500. It used to be a royal hunting lodge and it has a great location. It is a nice place with character. It is best to reserve in advance. In the off-season (April to June) you may get a discount. A jeep from the station is around Rs 200. Rickshaws can not climb the hill to this place and you will have to walk part of the way if you take one. Best to take a jeep.
Ankur Resort, (220792; fax 233303), Ranthambhore Rd, 1½ km from town, has modern, comfortable, clean rooms with bath for Rs 900/1050. Dorm beds for Rs 100. It has a good restaurant. Recommended.
Anurag Resort (220792; fax 222299), Ranthambhore Rd, 1½ km from town, has good comfortable rooms with TV for Rs 800/900 and Rs 950/1100 for a deluxe room. You can camp here for Rs 60. It has nice lawns and is well-managed.
Hotel Tiger Moon (252042; fax 220718; Mumbai: 022-2640-8742; fax 2645-8401; Web Site: http://indianadventures.com) is a high-class place with comfortable rooms for $80/110. It has a pool.
Taj Sawai Madhopur Lodge (0541 220541; fax 220718), around 4km from the railway station, has luxury rooms for $185/215 and opulent tents with bath for $150.175. It has a pool (Rs 400 for non-quest), a beautiful garden and a restaurant. It used to belong to the Maharaja of Jaipur. It is a pleasant place to stay.

Asha Hotel, near the bus stand, is a good restaurant.

Local Travel
An auto-rickshaw from the railway station to Ranthamhore Rd is around Rs 35. A bike can be rented at Vishnu Cycles in the main bazaar for Rs 30 per day.

Travel
Train The nearby town of Sawai Madhopur is on the main Delhi to Mumbai railway line. There are trains to Kota (2½ hr), Agra (8 hr), Jaipur (2½ hr), Bharatpur and Mumbai.

Jaipur Mumbai-Jaipur Exp #2955 (10.30 am, 2 hr); Kota Jaipur-Mumbai Exp #2956 (3.50 pm, 1½ hr); Mumbai Jaipur-Mumbai Exp #2956 (3.50 pm, 16 hr); Delhi Dehra Dun Exp #9019 (10 pm, 8¼ hr)..

Bus There are buses to Bundi (2 hr), Kota (4 hr) and Jaipur (5 hr).

Sariska Tiger Reserve and National Park

Area Code: 0144

This 480 sq km park is maintained by Project Tiger. It is situated in a valley surrounded by barren mountains and is home to tigers, leopards, nilgais (blue cows), spotted deer, chowsinghas (four-horned antelope), wild boars, sambars (deer), hyenas, jackals, rhesus monkeys, porcupines, peafowl, and wild dogs. It is located 110km northeast of Jaipur and 200km west of Delhi.

You are more likely to see wildlife in the evening, but sometimes tigers have been sighted during the day. The best way to see the wildlife is to stay on a tree platform overlooking a waterhole. In the dry season, the animals come to drink from the waterholes. You should bring a sleeping bag, food, water, and insect repellent.

In Sariska there is the Neela Kantha Mahadeva Temple, Kankwadi Fort (where Aurangzeb is said to have imprisoned his older brother Dara Shikoh), and a palace (now a hotel). The Maharaja of Alwar, who used to rule this area, built this palace.

Admission to the park is foreigners/ Indians Rs Rs 200/25; camera 10, video camera Rs 200. Jeep entry Rs 150. On Tuesday & Saturday admission is free to Indians between 8 am to 3 pm and it can be reaaly crowded, so is best avoided. Guides are Rs 60 per hour.

The park is open Sept to June, daily dawn to dusk (6 am to 4 pm. The best time to visit is from Nov to June. Summer: Min 22ºC to Max 48ºC; Winter: Min 4ºC to Max 30ºC.

A jeep (up to six people) can be rented at the Forest Reception Office (2241333, 284-1334), Jaipur Rd for around Rs 900 for five hours.

Where to Stay
RTDC Hotel Tiger Den (0144 284-1342), next to the park entrance, has rooms for Rs 650/750 and Rs 850/1000 with A/C. Dorm beds are Rs 75. It is surrounded by a nice garden and has a restaurant. The mosquito can be a bit rough here.
Forest Rest House, (284-1333) on the Main Rd, has rooms for Rs 300.
Hotel Sariska Palace (0144 284-1322;; fax 284-1323; Web Site: http://www.sariska.com), at the entrance of the park, is a maharaja’s converted hunting lodge that has rooms with A/C and hot water starting at Rs 2500/3600. Rooms have heat in the winter. It has a restaurant, a pool and nice gardens. They can arrange a 3-hour jeep tour for Rs 800.
Kushalgarh Palace (0144, 524-260; Delhi: 011 688-6909; fax 688-6122), 7km from the park, has very good rooms. It is in a nice setting and has a good restaurant. They arrange jeep safaris to the park.

Travel
To get here you will usually have to go first to Alwar (35km). There are hourly buses from Alwar to here. From Alwar there are direct buses to Jaipur (145km) and Delhi (170km). It is possible to visit Sariska on a day trip from Jaipur, but you will not see much by doing this.

Shekhawati

Shekhawati is an interesting area of towns within the triangle of Jaipur, Delhi, and Bikaner. These towns are famous for the beautifully designed, carved, and painted haveli houses. Most of the havelis were built from the 18th to the early 1900s. Around the 15th century, several important trading posts were established in this area, and many of the merchants became quite wealthy. In the middle of the 19th century, the merchants took the protection of the British and the Maharajas of Jaipur and Bikaner. Peace came to the area and the merchants felt safe to build their havelis. Many of them spent their riches in building truly outstanding houses. There are also interesting forts, step-wells, cenotaphs, and mosques.

The main towns in this area are Jhunjhunu, Fatehpur, Ramgarh, Nawalgarh, and Mandawa. You can just wander through these towns and see no shortage of interesting sites. These places are not yet so popular with tourists.

The Painted Towns of Shekhawati, by Ilay Cooper, gives a detailed account of the towns, buildings, and history of the area. It has some maps of the larger towns.

It is usually better to get around by bus because the trains are slow and run infrequently. Another good way to get around is by taxi (Rs 4 per km). Jeeps are usually available near the railway stations in Sikar, Jhunjhunu, and Mukundgarh.

You can also take a three-day, two-night tour of this area from Jaipur, which can be arranged through travel agent there. The cost of a vehicle is around Rs 3000 to Rs 4000.

Havelis
Havelis are magnificent mansions that usually have colorful paintings on the walls and often have intricate carvings. Many of the havelis have wooden gates (often intricately carved) leading into a small courtyard. That courtyard then leads into a larger courtyard. Some havelis have four large courtyards. The main highlight of many havelis is the outstanding murals painted on the outside and inside walls. Paintings may be decorated with gold or silver leaf and can be decorated with small mirror. Many of the paintings depict Krishna’s pastimes, as many people in this area are devotees of Krishna.

Most of the havelis are privately owned and are not open to the public. The owners may not appreciate someone rushing into their house, uninvited. When you enter the inner courtyard, you are supposed to remove your shoes.

Sikar
Pop: 155,000 Area Code: 01572

Located here are interesting painted temples, step-wells, and a clock tower. The New Palace has interesting paintings, including one of a map of the town in the Sheeh Mahal hall. The Deen Dayal Biyani (around 1900), Somani, and Murarka havelis are interesting. There are carvings in the Gopinath and Madana-Mohan temples.

Danta Dera Kila (89362), built in the 18th century, has rooms for Rs 1100/1250. They can pick you up at the railway stations in the area. You can reserve it with Dundlod House (0141 366-276), Civil Lines, Jaipur 302019.

There are regular buses to Jaipur, Fatehpur and Nawalgarh, and also buses to Delhi, Bikaner and Ajmer. There are trains to Jaipur (3 hr, 4 daily), Fatehpur (1½ hr), Jhunjhunu (2 hr), Nawalgarh (50 min) and Churu (3 hr, 3 daily).

Fatehpur
One of the most interesting havelis is the Goenka Haveli (1870), which has excellent paintings on the walls, including several depicting Krishna’s pastimes. The main highlight is the painted ceiling in an upstairs room. You get to this haveli by taking the main road north from the bus stand, and then you turn left at the main intersection. The house to the left of the Goenka Haveli has nice mirrorwork.

Nand Lal Devra Haveli has an interesting painted ceiling as you enter the house and nice paintings on the courtyard walls. There is a 17th century baori (step-well) near the bus stand. Also good are Singhania (1880) and Saraogi havelis.
Kedia Guest House (01571 231088), near the bus stand, has cheap, basic, clean rooms.
RTDC Hotel Haveli (01571 230293), south part of town, has rooms for Rs 350/450 and Rs 700/800 with A/C. It has a restaurant. They can arrange a taxi to visit the other towns in the area.

There are regular buses to Jaipur (3 hr, over 20 daily), Bikaner (5½ hr, 15 daily), Jhunjhunu (30 min) and Mandawa.

Jhunjhunu
Area Code: 0159

This nice, peaceful town has many beautifully painted havelis.

Located here is the Khetri Mahal (1765), a minor palace, which is definitely worth seeing. There is a good view from the roof. The Bihariji Temple (1775) has nice paintings from the Ramayana on it.

The Modi Haveli (1895) in the main bazaar is considered to have some of the best paintings in the Shekhawati area. There are paintings of maharajas and many of Krishna’s pastimes. The Tibrewala Haveli (1883) in the main bazaar has many murals on it and colored glass windows.
There are also step-wells, including Mertani Bawri, in the north of town, which is one of the best step-wells in the Shekhawati area.

Jhunjhunu is a good place at which to base oneself while exploring the area because of the good accommodations and travel facilities.

The Tourist Office (723-2909) is in the Hotel Shiv Shekhawati (Mon to Sat 10 am to 5 pm, except the 2nd Sat in the month). It has maps of many of the main towns in Shekhawati.

Where to Stay
Hotel Kulhari, near the bus stand, has fairly basic rooms with bath for Rs 155/275.
Hotel Sangam (723-2544), near the bus stand, has clean good-size rooms with bath for Rs 175/225 and air-cooled rooms with hot water for Rs 250/400. Singles with common bath are Rs 125.
Hotel Shiv Shekhawati (723-2651; Web Site:http://www.shivshekhawati.com), on the eastern side of town, has clean rooms with common bath for Rs 175/225, Rs 450/500 with air-cooling and bath, and Rs 850 with A/C. The owner knows the Shekhawati area well. It has good vegetarian food. It is a popular place and is recommended.

Hotel Januma Resort (723-2871; fax 723-4070) has comfortable, traditionally designed rooms for Rs 1000/1100. It has a pool (for non-guest Rs 75) and a good outdoor restaurant.

Travel
The main bus stand in the south of town has regular buses to all over Shekhawati, and also to Jaipur (5 hr, every half-hour), Bikaner (5½ hr, 4 daily) and Delhi. Buses also depart from the private bus stand, east of the main bazaar.

There are four trains to Sikar via Nawalgarh, three to Jaipur and one to Delhi.

Nawalgarh
Phone Code: 0159

Located here is an interesting Fort (1737) built by Thakur Nawal Singh. Just after entering the south gate called Nansa Gate (now named Ramilas Poddar Gate), make a left and you will come to Aath Haveli, which is seven havelis together, covered in paintings. The Hotel Raj Hans Restaurant has the impressive Sheeh Mahal (Mirror Hall), which among its ceiling paintings has a painting of maps of Nawalgarh and Jaipur (Rs 10).

Poddar Haveli built in the 1920s (east past Poddar Gate) is very well restored. Admission Rs 50. Open 8 am to 7:30 pm

Some other good havelis are Bhagton ki Haveli, Goenka Haveli, Khedwal Bhavan, and the Hem Raj Kulwal Haveli. The Ganga Mai Temple, near Nansa Gate, is also interesting.

Where to Stay
Natraj Hotel, near the entrance to the fort, has really basic rooms with common bath for Rs 100/140.
Nawal Hotel (742-3875), Mandawa Rd, near the bus stand, has budget rooms with common bath and rooms with bath.
Jangid (742-4060;; fax 742-4061 ), behind the hospital, is a quiet, friendly mid-range place with rooms for Rs 300/400. Has a good vegetarian restaurant. Grows own organic vegetables.. It is well-managed.
Apani Dhani (742-2239; fax 742-2129; Web Site http://www.apanidhani.com), on the main road to Jaipur, 1km from railway station, has huts designed in the local style with bath for Rs 800/900. It has a good veg restaurant.
Roop Niwas Palace (742-4152; fax 742-3388), about one km from the fort, has comfortable rooms with air-cooling and bath for Rs 2100/2500. You can get camel and horse rides here. It was the former house of the Thakur of Nawalgarh and has a nice garden, a pool, and billiards. See a few rooms, as some are better than others.

Travel
The bus stand is 2km west of town. Buses go to Jhunjhunu (1½ hr, every half-hour) via Dundlod (20 min), Sikar (1 hr, every half-hour), Jaipur (4 hr, every half-hour) and Ajmer (5 hr, 1 daily). There are shared jeeps to towns in the area. The railway station is 2½ km west of town. There are four trains a day to Jhunjhunu and Sikar, three to Jaipur, and one to Delhi.

Mukundgarh
Mukundgarh has a 300-year-old fort, now used as a hotel. The Ganeriwala, Jhunjhunwala and Kanoria havelis are interesting.

Mukundgarh Fort Heritage Hotel (reserve in Delhi 011 685-0451) has rooms for Rs 1700/2400. It has interesting paintings on it. It has a pool and restaurant, and stages puppet shows.

Dundlod
There is a Fort (built 1750) here with a Diwan-i-khas (Private Audience Hall) with stained glass windows and good paintings. Nearby are the family chhatris, which to enter you have to ask at the fort.

Good havelis are Jagathia Haveli and Goenka Haveli, which has three painted courtyards. There is also the interesting Satyanarayan Vishnu Temple.

Dera Dundlod Kila (0159 745-2519; Jaipur 0141 221-2576) has comfortable rooms with baths and hot water for Rs 900/1000. They can arrange good jeep, camel or horse safaris. As the rooms are all different, it is best to see a few. It has a splendid Diwan-i-khas and some rooms have good paintings on the walls. It has a good restaurant.

Castle Hotel (0141 361-611; fax 373-318), in the center of the town, is a Heritage Hotel.

There are regular buses and jeeps to Nawalgarh (15 min) and Jhunjhunu (1 hr).

Mandawa
Mandawa, established in the 18th century, is a nice town with several excellent havelis. The Fort above the town is now a hotel with a small museum and nice paintings. There is a good view of the countryside from the fort.

The Gulab Rai Haveli (1875) has some of the best murals in Shekhawati on both the exterior and interior walls. The Binsidhar Newatia Haveli, next to the State Bank of Bikaner, has interesting paintings of people using 20th century inventions.

Goenka Haveli in the west part of town, and the Nanda Lal Murmuria Haveli next door, have interesting paintings.

Where to Stay
Lakshminarayan Ladia Haveli has really basic rooms for between Rs 60 and Rs 120.
Rath, on the east side of town, has basic rooms. Hotel Heritage Mandawa (01592 23243), near the bus stand, is an old haveli with rooms for Rs 350/450. A good place.
Desert Resort (01592 23245 fax 23151; http://www.mandawahotels.com), south of town, on the road to Nawalgarh, has very nice modern rooms for Rs 1250/1450 and Rs 1400/1850 with A/C. It is designed like a traditional village with clay-covered huts. It has a pool and a garden. Really nice place.
Hotel Castle Mandawa (0159 7223124; fax 772-3171; Web Site: http://www.castlemandawa.com) has well-decorated rooms with traditional furniture for Rs 1800/2000 and deluxe rooms for Rs 2200/2700. The royal sutie is Rs 6500. Some of the rooms have their original murals. Some of the rooms are nicer then others, so it pays to see a few. It has a restaurant with a dinner buffet for Rs 300. They can arrange expensive camel rides. Recommended. It is the best hotel in Shekhawati. It can be booked through Hotel Castle Mandawa in Jaipur (0141 38906; fax 382-214).

Lakshmangarh
Some interesting havelis here are the Shyonarayan Kyal Haveli, Rathi Family Haveli, and the Char Chowk Haveli (private). On a hill overlooking the city is a Fort built during the 19th century, from which you can get a good view of the area.

Ramgarh
In the 19th century this was one of the richest towns in the area. Some good havelis are Poddar Haveli and Ram Gopal Poddar Chhatri near the bus stand. This town is 20km south of Fatehpur. The Shani Temple, in the northwest part of town, has good mirrorwork.

Mahansar
The Poddar Haveli, Raghunath Temple and the Rama Temple, which has the interesting Golden Room, are interesting.

Narayan Niwas Castle (0159 756-4322; reserve in Delhi 011 264-6807, 011 688-6909; 011 688-6122) is an interesting hotel in the old fort with rooms for Rs 1100/1400. Some rooms are better than other so it pays to see a few. Serves good meals. Also has a couple of inexpensive rooms. Has atmosphere.

Churu
There are nice painted temples here. Kanhaiyal Bagla Haveli (1870), west of the central square, and the six-storey Surana Haveli, are especially interesting.

The dharamshala (01562 5024) next to the Ram Mandir (temple), 1km from the railway station, is a good cheap place to stay. Rajend Restaurant, across from the railway station, has cheap thalis.

Churu is on the Delhi to Bikaner and Jaipur to Bikaner train lines. There are trains to Delhi (6 hr, 3 daily), Bikaner (4 hr, 4 daily), Jaipur (5½ hr, 3 daily) and Sawai Madhopur (9½ hr, 1 daily).

There are buses to Jaipur (every half-hour), Fatehpur (hourly), Jodhpur (3 daily), Alwar (2 daily), Delhi (3 daily) and Bikaner (4 daily).

Bissau
Bissau, 15km northwest of Jhunjhunu, has a Fort and the Chhatri of Hammir Singh, which has paintings on it. Some interesting havelis are Tibriwalla, Kedla, Jhunjhunuwala, Kedia and Khemka havelis.

Udaipur

Pop: 310,000
Phone Code: 0294

This beautiful city is one of the most attractive and romantic cities in India. It is known as the “Venice of the East.” Udaipur has attractive, landscaped gardens and beautiful lakes, impressive palaces, havelis, and temples. The city palace, a popular tourist site, is located high over the waters of Lake Pichola. The city is about 610m (2,000 ft) above sea level.

Udaipur is a pleasant, hassle-free place, where the people are friendly and helpful. It is enjoyable to wander around the streets of the old city. Udaipur is popular with foreign tourists and it is definitely worth a visit.

Udaipur was named after Maharaja Udai Singh, who founded the city in the middle of the 16th century after his former capital of Chittorgarh was sacked by the Mughal emperor, Akbar. The Maharaja of Udaipur is the leader of the Mewar Rajputs, and he is the highest-ranked Rajput ruler. The Maharaja is known as the “Sun King” and has the emblem of the sun on his standard.

The city was once completely surrounded by a wall, but all that remains now are the gates and some pieces of wall in the city’s upper areas. The wall surrounding the old city has five gates with iron spikes on them to protect against elephant attacks.

During the Mewar Festival there is a lake parade, music, dance, and fireworks.

Information and Tours
A wall surrounds the old city. The bus and railway stations are outside this wall in the southeast part of town. Most of the accommodations and the City Palace are near the Jagdish Temple, which is a landmark that all the rickshaw drivers know.

The Tourist Office (241-1535), Fateh Memorial Building, close to Surajpol, is in the northeast part of town, outside the city walls, about 1km from the bus stand. Open Mon to Sat 10 am to 5 pm. There are tourist counters at the south end of the City Palace, the airport (265-5433) and the railway station (8 am to 11:30am & 4 pm to 7 pm. RTDC, at the tourist office, rents cars for the day (around Rs 1100)

.Out and About magazine (free) has useful information about Udapur including hotel and restaurant info.

Udaipur Website http://www.udaipurdiary.com

There is a daily city tour (5 hr, Rs 50) that begins at the RTDC Hotel Kajri at 8 am. A Rajasthan Tourism afternoon tour goes to Nathdwar, Eklingji, and Haldi Ghati (Rs 90). It starts at the Kajri Tourist Bungalow at 2 pm and ends at 7 pm.

Poste restante is collected at the City Post Office at Shastri Circle. It is not far from the RTDC Hotel Kajri. It is not suppose to be such a good place to recieve poste restante.

Internet at Comfort Travels, just outside the entrance to the City Palace Museum. Also most of the hotels have Internet services for around Rs 40 per hour.

Bicycles can be hired next to the Hotel Keerti on Airport Rd. Heera Cycle Store, 86 Gangaur Ghat rd, has good rates for renting a bike (Rs 30 per day0. They also rent out scooters and small motorcycles at reasonable princes.

Some established travels agencies are Haveli Tours and Travel (523-525), Gangaur Ghat Marg, near Lalghat, who deals with airline tickets; Rajasthan Tours (525-777); and Shrinath Travels (524-333).. Comfort Travels (241-9746) inside the City Palace. Gangaur Tours (241-1476), 28 Gangaur Ghat Marg.

Taldar Travels), near where the private buses depart from and the Town Hall, sells tickets for private buses.

It is possible to use the swimming pool at the Laxmi Vilas Palace Hotel (Rs 150) or at the Shipli Restaurant in Shilpigram (Rs 100).

Mayur Book Paradise, 60 BC Rd, has books in various languages and magazines. There is a good bookstore just within the entrance of the city palace.

Udaipur Hospital (242-0223), Uaipol, is a good, modern private hospital with 24-hour emergency service.

Money
You can change money and do cash advances on credit cars at the Bank of Baroda, Town Hall Rd;.

State Bank of India, Hospital Rd; State Bank of Bikaner and Jaipur, Chetak Circle. Some travel agencies also change money.

Thomas Cook (241-1663) in the City Palace compund, is the best place to change money (9am to 8 pm)

City Palace
This is the largest palace in Rajasthan. Udai Singh began construction in 1559, but additions have been built over the years. It is now partly the residence of the present Maharaja, part museum, and part luxury hotel. There are great views of Lake Pichola and the city from the upper balconies and terraces.

The museum is divided into two sections, the Mardhana Mahal (men’s palace) and Janana Mahal (women’s palace). The Mardhana Mahal is much more interesting, and many people do not even go to the Janana Mahal.

Visitors enter the north gate of the palace, Tripolia Gate (1725), which has eight marble arches. Upon entering the museum part of the palace, you come to the Raja Angan Chowk (the Royal Courtyard). Around it are rooms filled with Udaipur miniature paintings. There is one painting that appears three-dimensional when viewed from a distance. There is a white, life-sized marble bust of Maharaja Rana Pratap, and a 400-year-old suit of armor once worn by his horse, Chetak.

The palace has inner patios, courtyards, and marble balconies. Rooms have mirrored walls, ivory doors, colored glass windows, and much more. One room is covered with painted miniatures.

The Mor Chowk (Peacock Courtyard) has glass peacocks made up of thousands of tiny colored glass slivers inserted into the wall and convex mirrors. Krishna-vilas, which contains excellent miniature paintings, is dedicated to Krishna Kumari, a sixteen-year-old princess who was betrothed to two princes and who chose to kill herself in order to stop almost certain war. The Manak (Ruby) Mahal has porcelain and glass figures. Chini Mahal has decorative tiles. Moti Mahal has fine mirrorwork. Bari Mahal has a garden. There are elephant stables capable of housing twenty elephants.

Outside the main building there is a small, interesting museum displaying old sculptures. There is also the Janana Mahal (queen’s palace) near the entrance gate. It is not as interesting as the main palace and not so well-maintained, but it has a nice exhibit on the upper floor, on the right side of the complex. It houses Maharaja Bhopal Singh’s 1922 Rolls Royce.

The palace is open daily 9.30 am to 4.30 pm; admission Rs 50, camera Rs 100, video Rs 300. Tours are Rs 100 and are good. Tours are provided in English and several other languages. This place can be busy, and should be avoided on weekends.

Part of the palace has been made into two luxury hotels: Fateh Prakash Palace Hotel and Shiv Niwas Palace. In the Fateh Prakash Palace there is a remarkable Crystal Gallery. It has a great collection of Maharaja Sajjan Singh’s Osler’s crystal, brought from England in 1877. There are crystal tables, chairs, and beds. Open daily 10 am to 1 pm and 3 to 8 pm. Next door is the Durbar Hall, which has impressive chandeliers and portraits of the former maharajas.

Jagdish (Jagannath) Temple
This is a Vishnu temple built by Maharaja Jagat Singh I in 1652. It is nearly 24m (80 ft) high and is located about 200m north of the entrance to the city palace in the Old City. There is a black stone Deity of Lord Vishnu as Jagannath, Lord of the Universe. It also contains a large bronze statue of Garuda. This beautiful temple is the largest and finest temple in Udaipur. There are stone elephants on either side of the steps leading to the temple.

Bagore-ki-Haveli
A beautifully restored 138-room haveli that was built in 1751 by Mewar Amachand Badwa, the prime minister.Has antique, musician instruments and a modern art gallery.Located to the right of the Jagdish Temple towards Gangaur Ghat.

Admssion Rs 10; Camera/Video Rs 10/50. It has been restore by the West Zone Cultural Centre (WZCC) (Web Site: http://www.udaipurplus.com)

Lake Pichola
After founding the city of Udaipur, Maharaja Udai Singh II expanded the lake by building a dam. The lake is 4km long and 3km wide. The city palace is next to the lake. South of the palace, running along the lake, are beautiful gardens. North of the palace, there are interesting ghats.

You can take a very pleasant boat ride on the lake. You get the boat at Bansi Ghat (Rs 125 for an hour, operates daily 2 to 6 pm) or a 30-min boat cruise for Rs 40 (operates 10 am to noon and 2 to 5 pm). The boat stops on Jag Mandir Island.

Jag Niwas Island— Lake Palace Hotel
Jag Niwas Palace is located in the middle of Lake Pichola. It was once the summer palace of the royal family. It is now an impressive luxury hotel. The palace grounds are remarkable. There is white marble inlay, corner towers, and turrets. It has stained glass windows, painted ceilings, and antique furniture. The palace was used as a set in the James Bond movie, Octopussy, which explains why this movie is shown in several restaurants in Udaipur.

You can eat at the Jag Niwas restaurant. Non-quests are not usually allowed to visit the hotel unless they eat in the restaurant, which must be reserved in advance. The dinner buffet costs about Rs 500 and is popular. The palace has a coffee shop and shopping arcade which are open to visitors.

Jag Mandir Island
Shah Jahan stayed at the red sandstone Jag Mandir Palace in 1623-24 while he was staging a revolt against his father, Jahangir. Construction on the palace was begun by Maharaja Karan Singh and finished by Jagat Singh (1628-52). It is made of yellow sandstone and has inlaid marble There is a great view of the city palace and the city from this island. There is a splendid chhatri and large stone elephants at the boat landing.

Fateh Sagar Lake and Nehru Park
Fateh Sagar is a beautiful lake north of Lake Pichola. There is a pleasant road that runs along the east bank of the lake. Hills and parks overlook the lake.

Nehru Park is located in the middle of Fateh Sagar Lake. It is one of the best maintained gardens in Udaipur. It is very popular, which ruins much of its peaceful atmosphere. It is an outstanding park, with fountains, palm trees, and flowers spread over a fairly open area. Open 8 am to 6.30 pm; admission Rs 3. You get a boat to Nehru Park at Moti Magri for Rs 8 return.

Saheliyon-ki Bari (Garden of the Maids of Honor)
This pleasant, 18th century garden was built by Maharana (Maharaja) Sangram Singh for the maharani (queen) and her friends. It has a lotus pool, fountains, and palm-tree-lined walkways. It can be quite a tourist site, so may not be so peaceful. It is located 2km north of town.

Admission Rs 4 and there may be a small payment to turn the fountains on.

Bharatiya Lok Kala Mandal Folk Museum
The Folk Museum is a center for the preservation and distribution of Rajasthani tribal folk arts. It has several rooms with a variety of exhibits, including clay diorama figures depicting local festivals, colorful painted masks, and life-sized models of people from different tribes.

They have a collection of kathpurli—traditional Rajasthani string puppets, which are dressed in colorful, traditional costumes. There is an expertly performed puppet show every half-hour with musical accompaniment.

There is a dance school here and dance performances between 6 and 7 pm; admission Rs 20. Open daily 9 am to 6 pm; admission Rs 7, camera Rs 5; phone 529-296.

Shilpigram
Shilpigram is a rural arts and crafts complex located off Lake Fateh Sagar, a few km west of Udaipur. Located here are the representative houses of the tribal and rural communities of Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Goa. Each house has a plaque with details about living in these communities. They have a shop where they sell village handicrafts. They also have live folk cultural performances. Potters, musicians, and dancers often come and live here for a while.

There is a festival here around early December.
Open daily 9 am to 6 pm; admission Rs 10, no performances between 11 am and 5 pm. There is no public transportation here. A rickshaw here cost Rs 50 each way. You can also ride a bike.
Shilpi Restaurant, next door, has good Chinese and Indian food. There is a swimming pool here (Rs 100).

Other Places
Sajjan Niwas is an excellent park and is popular. It is on Lake Palace Rd. Nearby is Gulab Bagh (Rose Garden).

On top of Moti Magri (Pearl Hill), overlooking Fateh Sagar, is Pratap Smarak, which is a statue of Maharaja Pratap, who challenged the Mughals. There are nice gardens on the path up to Pratap Smarak. The park is open 9 am to 6 pm; admission Rs 5.

Monsoon Palace is located on a mountain, overlooking the city. The palace is closed, but the views from the mountain are spectacular. It takes a couple hours to get to the palace and back from Udaipur. The palace is floodlit at night.

Shopping
You can get excellent picchwais, colorful wall-hanging paintings, in Udaipur and Nathdwar. This art originated at Nathdwar as backdrops for the Nathji Temple. These painting are usually of Krishna’s pastimes. Udaipur is a good place to get Rajput–Mughal miniature paintings.

The Rajasthan Government Handicrafts Emporium is at Chetak Circle. Hathipol Market is a good general place for shopping. You can get handicrafts at Ganesh Handicraft Emporium and Shree­nath Emporium on City Palace Road and Chelawat Art Gallery on Jagdish Road.

Where to Stay
The Jagdish Temple area is the main tourist area in Udaipur and is a pleasant area in which to stay. Many of the hotels in the area have a great view of the lake, and the area is quiet. As far as I am concerned, it is the only area in Udaipur worth staying in, unless you stay at a place that has a pool. When you arrive in town, the auto-rickshaw drivers will try to bring you to a hotel that is not in the Jagdish Temple area, but to a hotel where they get a commission.

The hotel area by the bus station is both noisy and very polluted. The hotels at the bus station area could be used if you are just traveling through and need a quick place to sleep.
Home Stays

To stay in a person’s home, contact the tourist office. Rooms range from Rs 150 to Rs 700, depending on the quality. There are over 200 families participating.

Lower—Jagdish Temple Area
Lalghat Guest House (252-5301; fax 241-8508), right next to the lake at 33 Lal Ghat, is a good place with a courtyard. Rooms are Rs 125/150 with common bath and Rs 250/350 with bath, and dorm beds are Rs 75. There are better rooms with bath and a view of the lake for Rs 300. There are great views of the lake from the rooftop.
Lake Ghat Guest House (252-1636; fax 252-0023) has rooms for Rs 200/250 with common bath and Rs 500/600 with bath. There is a good view from the terrace. It is a friendly place with a good restaurant. Among the lower priced hotels, I believe these two places are about the best for atmosphere and location. Both places are popular and very close to the lake. They are good places to meet people.
Evergreen Guest House (252-7823), next door, has rooms with common bath for Rs 175 and Rs 200/300 with bath. The management is friendly. Free hot water in a bucket. There is a nice terrace area and a rooftop restaurant.
Nearby is the popular Badi Haveli (241-2588; Email: hotelbadihaveli@yahoo.com), a little north of the Jagdish Temple on Gangaur Ghat Rd, which is a nice 350-year-old place having rooms with common bath for Rs 200/250 and Rs 450 with bath. There is a courtyard and a good view of the lake from the roof. A very good value. As they don't give commisions the rickshaw driver may not bring you here, but you can have them bring you to the Jagdisa Temple and it is down the hill
Lehar Guest House (241-7651), next door, has simple rooms, some with a lake view, for Rs 175/200 up to Rs 350
Anjani Hotel (252-7670), nearby, has modern rooms with common bath for Rs 200 and Rs 400/500 with bath. Some rooms have a view of the lake.
Jheel Guest House (242-1352), by the ghat, is in an old, well-maintained haveli with a nice atmosphere. Rooms are Rs 125/175 with common bath, Rs 250 for a room with a view, Rs 300 with a bath and a deluxe room with a view of the lake is Rs 700. The annex across the street has better, newer rooms. There is a rooftop restaurant with a view of the lake.
Lake Corner Soni Guest House (252-5712), near the lake, has basic rooms for Rs 125/150 with common bath and Rs 175 with a bath. There is a vegetarian rooftop restaurant with a good view of the roof.
Jag Niwas Guest House, near the lake, has clean rooms with bath for Rs 250 to Rs 700.
Nukkad Guest House, 56 Ganehsi Ghat, has clean rooms with bath for Rs 110/150 and Rs 150/200. It has a rooftop restaurant. It is a friendly, good place.
Shiva Guest House, 74 Nav Ghat, next to the lake, has nicely decorated rooms with common bath for Rs 200/300.

Lower—Lake Palace Road Area
Ranjit Niwas Hotel (252-5774), Lake Palace Rd, has rooms with bath for Rs 300, with common bath for Rs 225, and Rs 60 for a dorm bed. It is a family-run place and has a courtyard with a garden.
Hotel Mahendra Prakash (241-9611), Lake Palace Rd, has singles for Rs 4000 and Rs 800/1000 for an air-cooled double with hot water. It has a good-sized garden, a pool and a central courtyard. Nice furniture in the rooms. There is a good view of the City Palace from the roof. A good value.
Chandra Prakash (252-8109), Lake Palace Rd, has clean, good-value rooms. It is well-managed and friendly. Recommended.
Kumbha Palace (242-2702), 104 Bhatiyana Chotta, near the east wall of the place, is a good, clean place. It has a good rooftop restaurant with a view of the lake.
Hotel Shambhu Vilas, right next door on Lake Palace Rd, has singles for Rs 225 and Rs 350/450 for an air-cooled double. You can get a discount if you stay a while. It has a good rooftop restaurant.
Monalisa (256-1562), 104 Bhatiyani Chohatta, City Palace Road, down from the Jagdish Temple, is good budget place run by a nice family. Rooms with bath range from Rs 150 to Rs 300. It is a good value and is quiet.

West Side of Lake Pichola
Lake Shore Hotel (243-2480: Email: lakeshore007@yahoo.comis in a peaceful area next to the lake, near the Lake Pichola Hotel. It has fairly basic rooms with a beautiful view overlooking the lake for Rs 150/175 with common bath and Rs 450 with bath and a lakeview.
Natural Hotel (243-1979; Email: hotelnatural@hotmail.com), in a secluded area near Raj Bridge, Rang Sagar, has basic, large, clean rooms with common bath for Rs 125/200 and Rs 175/225 with bath. Some rooms have balconies overlooking the lake. It is a fairly popular, friendly, peaceful place.

Lower—Bus Station Area
If you are passing through on your way to Nathdwar or other places, there are a good number of hotels by the bus station.

Hotel Apsara (242-0400) is a big place set back from the road, so it is fairly quiet. It has double rooms for Rs 200 and higher and also dorm beds. It is one of the best places in the area.
Hotel Yatri (252-7251), across from the bus stand, has rooms with hot water for Rs 250/300.
Hotel Welcome (485-375), across the street, is a better place with good double rooms for Rs 150/200.
Gokul Palace Hotel has good double rooms for Rs 300 and A/C rooms for Rs 500.

Other Area The Pratap Country Inn (258-3138; fax 258-3058), Airport Rd, Titadhia Village, 7km from city center, has comfortable rooms ranging from Rs 350 to Rs 1000. They have a pool and horse riding. It is a secluded, quiet, relaxed and beautiful place. You can arrange your stay here at the Keerti Hotel, on Airport Rd. in Udaipur. An auto-rickshaw to this place is around Rs 50.
Mewar Inn (252-2090; fax 252-5002; Email: mewarinn@hotmail.com), 42 Residency Rd, away from the center of town, has rooms for Rs 60/75, bigger rooms for Rs 110/150 and dorm beds for Rs 30. It has hot water and cheap veg meals. They rent bikes. It is a very good value. Popula with backpackers. Travels facilities.
Hotel Kajri Tourist Bungalow (241-0501), near Shastri Circle, has good-size rooms with bath for Rs 400/500, with air-cooling for Rs 550/700, and with A/C for Rs 850/1050. Dorm beds for Rs 75.

Where to Stay—Middle
Jagat Niwas (242-0133; fax 252-0023Email: mail@jagatniwaspalace.com), Lal Ghat area, on the lake shore, has rooms for Rs 450 to Rs 650 with common bath and rooms with bath for Rs 1200 to Rs 2000. Rooms have character and a well-restored. It is a recommended 17 century haveli. It has a quiet courtyard and a rooftop with a good view of the lake. Cushioned window seats.
Kankarwa Haveli (241-1457; fax 252-1403; khaveli@yahoo.com), next door at 26 Lal Ghat, has good clean comfortable rooms for Rs 550 to Rs 1400 (rooms with views of the lake). There are good views of the lake and it is well-maintained old haveli. Has character.
Hotel Raj Palace (241-0364; fax: 241-0395), 103 Bhatiyani Chotta, down the road from the Jagdish Temple, is a good place with either air-cooled or A/C rooms for Rs 500 to Rs 1400. Nicely design. Garden Courtyard. The front rooms can be noisy.
Hotel Sai Niwas (25204909), 75 Navghat, near the City Palace by the ghat, has well decorated rooms with traditional furniture. Rooms are Rs 550 to Rs 1150 with bath and hot water. The better rooms have balconies with a lake view. It has a good atmosphere and is well-managed.
Ratan Palace Guest House, near the Sai Niwas, has clean, spacious, comfortable rooms with hot water for Rs 350/500 to Rs 700/850. There is a great lake view from the terrace. It has good food. This place is a good value and is recommended.
Rang Niwas Palace Hotel (252-3890/1: fax: 252-7884; Email: rangniwas75@hotmail.com), Lake Palace Rd, is good friendly place with large rooms with common bath for Rs 600/700 and Rs 900/1050 with attached bath. It has A/C suites for 2300/2600 with hot water. Formerly a small palace, this relaxing and peaceful place has a large garden and a pool. This place is a good value, but is away from the lake. It has a vegetarian restaurant.
Hotel Lake End (241-5100; fax 252-3898), by Fateh Sagar, has a pool with a good garden by the lake. Modern comfortable rooms are Rs 1650/1600 and Rs 1800/1800 with A/C.
Gulab Niwas (252-3644) is in a nice old building that has a good well-kept garden. Rooms are Rs 1200/1400. It is a nice place.
Chandralok Hotel (2560-011), 123 Saheli Marg, is a good place that has A/C rooms for Rs 1400/1600.
Rani Village, Rani Rd, Sanjay Park near Fateh Sagar, is a peaceful place with a nice garden.
Hotel Ram Pratap Palace (252-8700; fax 252-0168), close to the lake in a quiet location, is a modern haveli. Rooms with bath start at Rs 1200/1500. Many of the rooms have balconies with a lake view. It has a good restaurant and is a good place.

Where to Stay—High
Lake Pichola Hotel (243-1197; fax 243-0576; email: reservation@lakepicholahotel.com; Web Site: http://www.lakepicholahotel.com), Chand Pol, on the other side of the bridge from the Jagdish Temple, has a great location next to the lake. It is a well-managed place with well-maintained rooms with A/C, bath, and hot water for Rs 1500/1700 and rooms with a balcony and a great lake view overlooking the ghats and the City Palace for Rs 170/2000. The rooms with a lake view are much better. Has chandeliers in the hall. It has a good restaurant. Accepts credit cards. Arranges boat rides. Room service. This place is an excellent value and is highly recommended.
The four-star ITDC Laxmi Vilas Palace Hotel (252-9711; fax 252-3536; E: grnlvp@jp1.dot.net), on a hill between Fateh Sagar and Pichola Lake, is a luxurious place with a pool and rooms for $125/150 up to $325 for the Maharani Suite. This place was built as a royal guesthouse. It is best to book this place in advance, as it is often full.
Hotel Anand Bhawan (252-3256; fax 523-247), next door, is a first-class place that has rooms with hot water for Rs 950/1100 and deluxe rooms with a lake view for Rs 1200/1500. It is a very good value. Has great views from the terranceand lawn.
Hotel Rajdarshan (252-6601; fax 252-5887), 18 Pannadhai Marg, next to Swarup Sagar, has modern, central A/C rooms for Rs 1900/2700. It has a pool and a good restaurant. It is a good value.
Hilltop Palace (243-2245; fax 243-2136; Email: hilltop@datainfosys.net), above Fateh Sagar, has modern rooms for Rs 1975/2700. It has a beautiful garden & pool and there is a great view of the city from the rooftop terrace. Some rooms have swing seats.
Shikarbadi Hotel (258-3201; fax 258-4841), about 3km from town on the road to Ahmedabad, is a secluded, peaceful, beautiful place. It used to be a royal hunting lodge. It has a pool, deer park, horse riding, three restaurants, and a small lake. Comfortable rooms are Rs 2100/3300. Has a good restaurants. At 4:30 pm deer, monkeys and wild boar come to be fed.

Where to Stay—Luxury
The famous Lake Palace Hotel (252-8800; fax 252-8700; fax: http://www.tajhotels.com http://www.lake-palace-udaipur.com), located in the middle of romantic Lake Pichola, is one of the best hotels in the world. It looks exactly as you would expect a maharaja’s palace to be like. It has a central swimming pool, lotus ponds and nice courtyards. Rooms start at $300 and suites go up to $500 to $1000 for the top suite. It is in high demand, so it is advisable to reserve a room in advance. It can be fully booked months in advance, because it is very popular with tour groups.
The grand Shiv Niwas Palace Hotel (252-8016/7; fax 252-8006; Email: gmsnp@udaipur.hrindia.com), which is part of the City Palace, is also excellent and has rooms starting at $110. There are also rooms and outstanding suites with a terrace that cost from $300 to $700. It has an excellent marble pool (Rs 350 for non-resdients) and was formerly a guesthouse for the Maharaja. It can be heavily booked, but there are sometimes cancellations.
Hotel Fateh Prakash Palace (252-8016; fax 252-8006; Email: sales@udaipur.hrhindia.com), also part of the City Palace, is an excellent place that has rooms with a view of the lake for $140 and suites startomg atr $350. The rooms are lavishly furnished and have some original Mewar paintings. It has two good restaurants with great views of the lake. Both of ties place and the Shiv Niwas are excellent alternatives if you cannot stay at the Lake Palace Hotel. The rooms with a terrace are excellent. They were both full when I went there, but I was told that a room might be available if I came at 9 am in the morning.

Where to Eat
Natural View Restaurant, on the roof of the Evergreen Guest House, has Indian and Continental food and great views of the lake.
Anna Restaurant, 15 Jagdish Temple Rd, has good Indian and Western food. Octpussy is shown at night in the back. Rooftop view.
16 Chef Restaurant has good vegetarian Indian, Chinese and Continental food. Spaghetti is Rs 35.
Café Hill Park, on a hill overlooking Lake Pichola, south of Sajjan Niwas Garden, has Indian, Chinese and Continental cuisine. It has a great view of the lake.
Berry’s Restaurant, Chetak Circle, has good Indian food.
Jagat Niwas Palace Hotel has good Indian and Continental food, and a great view of the lake. Open 7 am to 2 pm and 6 to 10 pm.
Sai Niwas Hotel, 75 Navghat, has good food served on a terrace overlooking the lake. It is not cheap.
Roof Garden Restaurant, Lake Palace Rd, is a popular rooftop restaurant that has a view of the palace. There is live Indian classical music at 7.30 pm.
Mayur Roof Café, Shakti Palace Hotel, has good Indian, Continental and Chinese food.
Kumbha Palace (242-2702), Bhatiyani Chotta, has a good rooftop restaurant serving good Indian and Western food including pizza and baked potatoes.
Amantran, Hotel Rajdarshan, next to Swarup Sagar, has a good Indian lunch (Rs 175) and dinner (Rs 200) buffet.
Hariyati Restaurant (521-888), Lake Palace Rd, is a good vegetarian place with South Indian, Continental and Chinese food. It has a laid-back garden and terrace dining.
Gayitri Dosa Centre, Lake Palace Rd, has a wide selection of dosas and other snacks.
Shreeji Garden Cafe is a very good vegetarian place with cheap prices. It is run by a nice Brahmin family—the wife cooks and the husband serves you. It is located a little down the road from the Rang Niwas Palace Hotel on a lawn next to the owner’s house. It is a good setting for an evening meal, but it can be hot during the day. Recommended.
Garden Hotel, further down the road toward the bus stand, serves Gujarati thalis for Rs 50.
Mayur Cafe, opposite the Jagdish Temple, serves South Indian food and some western preparations. It seems to be the best veg place in that area.
Hotel Natural has a good rooftop vegetarian restaurant serving Indian, Mexican, Tibetan and Chinese food. It has a lakeview.
Gallery Restaurant in the Fateh Prakash Palace Hotel has very good Continental and Indian food. The restaurant has a fantastic design and the view over the lake is great. There is live classical Indian music at night.
Shiv Niwas Palace Hotel has very good Indian food and live classical Indian music at night. You dine in a great setting, in the courtyard next to the pool. It is best to book in advance.
Lake Palace Hotel (252-8800, ext 3202) is an excellent place to dine. There is a lunch buffet from 12.30 to 2.30 pm (Rs 700) and a dinner buffet 7.30 to 10.30 pm (Rs 800). The dining room is impressive and it is a great experience. Candlelit diner. You must reserve in advance and usually you can only get a reservation if the hotel is not full.You should be dressed nicely, or when you get there you may be told that the place is full

Local Travel
You can go to most places in the city for Rs 25 by auto-rickshaw, for example from the bus station to the City Palace.

Udaipur is a nice place to ride a bike. The rate is around Rs 3 per hour or Rs 20 per day.

Travel
Air The airport (265-5453) is about 25km east of the city. A taxi into town costs about Rs 250.

The Indian Airlines office (241-0999) is on Dhan Mandi, off Ashwani Rd, near Delhi Gate. (Mon-Sat 10 am to 1 pm, 2 pm to 5 pm)

Jet Airways (256-1105), Blue Circle Business Centre, 1C Madhuban (Mon-Sat 10 am to 6 pm

There are flights to Delhi (1 daily, $120), Jaipur (1 daily, $95), Mumbai (1 daily, $140), Jodhpur (3 daily, $60) and Aurangabad (1 daily, $130). The trip to Aurangabad by train or bus is a tedious trip that takes as much as 24 hours, so a plane trip is worth considering even for a budget traveler.

Train The Ahmedabad-Delhi Sarai Rohila Exp #9944 (8 am) goes to Delhi (23 hr) via Chittorgarh (4 hr), Jaipur (16 hr) and Ajmer (13 hr). The overnight Chetak Exp #9616 (6.10 pm) takes 20 hours to reach Delhi, via Chittorgarh (3½ hr), Ajmer, and Jaipur (12 hr). The Delhi-Ahmedabad Exp #9943 at 7 pm to Ahmedabad takes 10 hours. There is a metre-gauge train to Jodhpur (220km).

Bus The buses operated by the private companies are best for long distance trips. Express buses go to Jaipur (10 hr), Ajmer (7 hr), Ahmedabad (7 hr), Mumbai, Delhi (4 pm & 7 pm, 17 hr), Mt Abu (6 hr), Agra (15 hr), Mathura (15 hr), Vadodara (10 hr), Kota (6 hr), Chittorgarh (3 hr), Jodhpur and many other places. Most of the private bus companies have offices on Khangipur Rd, which is the road the bus station is on.

You can arrange private buses to many places with the many travel agencies in town or at your hotel. These buses should be booked in advance.
There are many buses to Nathdwar (2 hr), including two express buses. Sphere: Related Content