As I ride through Rajasthan, I pass through myriads of landscapes. The desert landscape is just a tiny blimp on the map. No one told me that Rajasthan was green. No one described to me that the people of Rajasthan are so friendly that they would invite random strangers for a cup of chai. No one taught me the Rajasthan I set out to discover myself. Schools continue to teach in a constrained manner despite technology at their fingertips. It is disheartening to see that textbooks fail to encapsulate the beauty and showcase the bounty of this country.
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| Rajasthan, a magical land |
I am lucky to have travelled through one of the most unique and beautiful states of India. At every turn, Rajasthan unravels a mystery. As I turn a page, a new surprise awaits; like a novel you can never put down!
I slowly weave my way through the heart of Rajasthan. I see cows grazing nonchalantly by the side of the highway, unperturbed by vehicles and the general noise of the highway. A couple of them gracefully dance across the road, blissfully unaware that a second's loss of concentration for a driver could mean the difference between life and death.
A man clad in a Red turban patiently waits for a bus which may take another hour to arrive. He doesn't, however, look perturbed. He gazes at the cars zipping through, probably wondering when he would own one, if ever. Stillness, patience, calmness - qualities I witnessed in the air of Rajasthan! I must remember this when I am back in the midst of relentless traffic and unceasing deadlines.
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| A sentry at a palace in Rajasthan |
Kids walk back from school, wearing cheerful smiles which hide the fact that they need to walk another hour to reach their homes. They wave at me, their smiles so wide, that it threatens to tear their skin, excited at the big black bike, because their normal forms of transport consist of buses, shared taxis and on occasions, a camel. They shout out to me and wave frantically. My wide smile is hidden behind the balaclava but I'm sure they can feel it all the same, such is the connection. Their innocence appeals to me and I am in touch with my inner joy!
Miles of yellow and green greet me. Mustard fields are aplenty; like an oasis in a desert, adorning the otherwise boring highway. I stop to admire the creator's paintings, a scene every artist itches to paint. The splendid scenery is quickly replaced with roadside dhabas where truckers stop to have their morning cup of chai with some butter laden Parathas to help them survive the long, tiring journey by road.
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| Mustard fields in Rajasthan |
Sitting on the charpoy in a dhaba you can see people of all ages, some playing a game of cards, some sipping their umpteenth cup of chai, oblivious to the world around them, basking in the sunshine, before the cold of the evening envelopes the land untouched by time.
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| A lone horse patiently waiting for its owner |
Rajasthan takes you back in time. A time, when you figured what time of the day it was by looking at the position of the sun in the sky. A time when time was aplenty. People didn't have places to go to, their life content. A time when gazing at cows grazing was a favourite pass time. Technology has changed everyone's life; but for some, the day is mostly the same, albeit with a little Facebook and WhatsApp diversion when the cows are grazing.
Oh, and my chai is getting cold. So long.
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| Chai, a symbolic drink of India |
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Gaurav Rajaram is a photographer from Bangalore who is passionate about travelling, teaching and writing.
He teaches Accounting and Direct Tax to students pursuing the Chartered Accountancy (CA) Course. You can read more about him and what he does for a living here
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