RANAKPUR - FEBRUARY 14

After another nice breakfast on the hotel terrace, we leave for Ranakpur, about 80 km away.

Today, we drive to Jodhpur, stopping en route in Ranakpur, about 80 km away from Udaipur. Some parts of the road are under construction, so it is slow driving again, then it is hills and mountains landscape, with many curves, so Jassi drives rather slowly as well. The landscape is green and we make some stops ....here and there....

It takes more or less two hours to reach the Ranakpur Jain Temple. It was built in the 15th century. It is huge, there are side shrines too, many halls with pillars and domes... supported by over four hundred columns.... The total number of columns is 1,444, all with different carvings.... It is really a beautiful place and we spend 1 ½ hours there... There are many tourist groups as well.......

The Jain religion is based on non-violence and asceticism.............................

Then we drive further to Jodphur, about 180 km away. It is a wild drive, as the road goes straight on and buses and trucks overtake like crazy. There are sometimes 3 cars or trucks driving on the same line. We just wonder how we did not experience directly any accident. Luckily, the speed is never too high, never more than 90 km/h, which is actually enough to kill people... Still, we have seen several times trucks upside down by the roadside and in some cases, it had happened just short before we passed there.
Once in Jodhpur, the hotel we would like to go to is within the city walls and we can't get there by car. Never mind, we ask Jassi to wait for us till we are sure to get a room. The problem is we never find this hotel. We even meet tourists who actually stay at this hotel, but they are unable to explain us how to get there. Even though we have a map, it is impossible to find it. When we ask locals, the only thing they have in mind is letting us having a rickshaw ride... So we give up and drive a bit outside of the city where we are not very lucky either. We find the hotels, but they are full... We finally end up in the Raman Hotel, that is also listed in our guide books. Well, it is the first time we have so much trouble finding accomodation. Although we arrived in Jodhpur before sunset, it is pitch dark when we arrive at the hotel. We are too tired to get out again, so we have our dinner on the roof terrace.