Instagram Roundup – Rural Rajasthan Rhapsody

Instagram Roundup – Rural Rajasthan Rhapsody

Background

Ever since I started posting an-image-a-day on Instagram, I have posted many series on different destinations. Notable amongst them have been my series on New York City (NYC), Paris, Ladakh, Delhi, and Iceland (you may check those out here – NYC Instagram | Paris Instagram| Ladakh Instagram | Delhi Instagram | Iceland Instagram).

You may want to follow me on INSTAGRAM for your viewing pleasure. I post an image a day, you know.

This time, it is Instagram Roundup – Rural Rajasthan Rhapsody. This is my second Instagram series on Rajasthan – the colourful Indian desert state (someday soon, I’ll post my first series also). I did this second series as it is not possible to do justice to this state that offers culture, heritage, wildlife, landscapes, slice-of-colourful-life, and more in just one series.

My Friend Prasad (@desitraveler on Instagram) calls it Rangeelo Rajasthan (in Rajasthani dialect, it means Colourful Rajasthan). This series will help you discover just how colourful! I hope you enjoy my Instagram Roundup – Rural Rajasthan Rhapsody as much as my other Instagram roundups.

Results:

This series of 26 images ran from 27th March to 14th April 2018. While it ran, it got 2022 likes and 105 comments. During this period, my Instagram account got 63 new followers.

Here’s the Instagram Roundup – Rural Rajasthan Rhapsody Phase-I

Harshat Mata Temple, Abhaneri, is a 1300-year old temple. People still come here to worship the deity. Its stone carving is simply splendid. Here, you see a devotee leaving the temple after offering her prayers.

Here, you see the priest offering his prayers at Harshat Mata Temple as his son and assistant looks on.

A devotee offering her prayers at a smaller temple just outside the main Harshat Mata temple.

If you want to read about another architecturally-stunning temple, click – Sun Temple, Modhera, Gujarat

While on the subjects of temples, here is the Sun Temple situated in Osian, Rajasthan. This is just one of the many temples in Osian – some of them in an advanced state of disrepair. These temples are believed to have been built between the 8th and the 11th century CE. In fact, the structural similarity of these temples has led to Osian being called the ‘Khajuraho of Rajasthan’.

The village of Jhajhi Rampura is famous for its natural water tank as well as the temples of Rudra (Lord Shiva), Balaji (Lord Hanuman), and other gods and goddesses. It is situated around 45 km away from the Dausa district headquarters, towards Baswa (Bandikui). Surrounded by hills and water resources, this place has natural and spiritual glory.

This image is from the Rudra Temple where the water naturally flows through these stone structures on the deity idols.

This image is from the water tank in Rudra Temple, Jhajhi Rampura village, where the water naturally flows through the stone-carved cow’s head in the far wall. Despite bathing not being permitted here, a village boy is merrily splashing around in the tank.

Earlier, you saw a monkey splashing around in the inside water tank. Now, you see a monkey swimming around the water tank outside the Rudra Temple.

Here’s the Instagram Roundup – Rural Rajasthan Rhapsody Phase-II

In a village near Jhajhi Rampura, there is a step well (Baoli) that is not in use anymore. While it may have served its original purpose, it still helps provide a keen glimpse into an era that was.

The following images (3 sets of 2 images each) were posted as Instagram grids. Have a look!

Another villager enjoying a ‘chillum’ (pipe), while the others wait their turn!

Here is a cart selling the popular local street food – golgappas (also variously known as fuchka, paanipuri, gupchup, paani batasha). These golgappas, filled with a potato slush and tangy tamarind water, are to be gulped down in one go. Do it and feel the textures and flavours explode in your mouth!

A bahurupiya (loosely translates to an impersonator or a mimic) attired as Lord Shiva at the Bahurupiya Festival, Abhaneri. In the foreground, a floral rangoli of Lord Ganesha (Lord Shiva’s son).

A group of bahurupiyas (loosely translates to impersonators or a mimics) performing a local Rajasthani dance at the Bahurupiya Festival, Abhaneri. The guy attired in a rider-on-a-horse costume danced almost like the swirling dervishes from the Arab world.

A tourist joins the group of bahurupiyas (loosely translates to impersonators or a mimics) performing a local Rajasthani dance at the Bahurupiya Festival, Abhaneri. Attired in a rider-on-a-horse costume, he did his best to dance the way the locals would – just like the swirling dervishes from the Arab world.

Here’s the Instagram Roundup – Rural Rajasthan Rhapsody Phase-III

A couple of folk musicians play a tune to welcome the attendees at the Bahurupiya Festival, Abhaneri. It is normal to see the Rajasthani people attired rather colourfully.

A locally put-together vehicle called ‘jugaad’ (improvisation; finding a low-cost fix; out-of-the-box life hack). It resembles a tractor-trolley but is a locally made marvel of engineering. In the backdrop, you see Harshat Mata Temple, Abhaneri.

A local general store owner fiddles with his smartphone in his colourful shop in Bikaner.

A power-dresser Rajasthani paan-vendor (beetle-leaf vendor) making paan in his shop in Bikaner. Don’t miss his chunky gold ornaments and his ‘trademark’ beard!

Khichan is a small village in Phalodi Tehsil in Jodhpur District (India), about 140 km from Jodhpur (and about 120 km from Khimsar). It crept on to the tourists’ itinerary over the last couple of decades for sightings of a large number of Demoiselles Cranes during the winter months. To read more about Khichan, click HERE

It all began with a humble pigeon-feeding initiative by a local villager in the 1970s. That year, around 100 cranes landed here. That number grew to about 150 next year. And over the years, this number has ballooned to about 20,000 cranes every year!

Here, you can see the visitors enjoying the spectacle of the collective flight of these Demoiselles Cranes!

And here, you can these cranes filling the sky through their collective flight!

While this series concludes with this image, look out for more of my Instagram roundups.

The desert vista Rajasthan is known for. For a monotonously arid region, it sure wears more than its share of colour!

This image is from Khimsar near Jodhpur.

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