TRAVEL THE WORLD - BIKANER, INDIA

Bikaner in Rajasthan is situated in the desert not far from the Pakistani border. Temperatures were warm during the day - we visited in December - but fell close to freezing at night. We saw more camels here than elsewhere, possibly because of the town's remoteness, or perhaps because of the camel research centre located there. We liked this camel for its typically haughty facial expression. He seems to be telling the world that he is king of the road, and perhaps in Bikaner he is.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - BIKANER, INDIA

This street scene, photographed in 2007, could be almost anywhere in India. Note the cow in the middle of the street at the very centre of things.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - BIKANER, INDIA

This Jain temple in Bikaner, Rajasthan was photographed in 2007. Jainism, one of India's major religions, is very old. Its adherents are especially known for the respect they have for all life to the extent that they will not even kill an insect. In most communities, Jains operate shelters for abandoned or ill animals. Though each Jain temple was unique, this temple had the beautiful decoration we had come to expect. We were amazed to be allowed to approach the inner sanctum featured in the second photo. This is the most holy part of the temple, where the image of the god is seen and worshiped.

TRAVEL THE WORLD - BIKANER, INDIA

These hand prints, displayed just inside the entrance to Junagarh Fort in Bikaner, Rajasthan, serve to commemorate the women of the fort who committed sati (or suttee) when their men were preparing to face certain death in battle. Rumour has it that sati is still practised in India, although it was banned by the British in the early 19th Century and I believe continues to be against the law today. Certainly, there was no useful role for widows in traditional Hindu society, and today a widow in India is often tossed aside by her husband's family. When we visited the fort in 2007, we were deeply touched by the sight of these hand prints and by the tragic fate of the women.

INDIA VACATION 2007

JAIN TEMPLES IN INDIA

Jainism, an ancient religion, has 10 million followers in India. Compassion for all life is central to their beliefs. They adhere to a vegetarian or vegan diet, and almost every town and village in India has its Jain animal shelter.

Ranakpur temple, located 60 km from Udaipur in Rajasthan, is famously said to contain 1,400 carved marble columns, all different. Dating the temple is controversial, but there is agreement that it was built between the late-14th and mid-15th centuries. Ranakpur temple is pictured in the first photo above.

Another Jain temple, the Bhandashah temple, shown in the second photo, is the oldest structure in Bikaner. It dates from the year 1514.

INDIA VACATION 2007

MORE FORTRESSES OF INDIA

Golden Fort, so-named for its resemblance to a golden flame in the desert sun, includes Jain temples, a palace, a museum, and one-quarter of the houses in the Old City of Jaisalmer. It was built in the 12th Century and has now been placed upon the World Monuments Watch List of 100 endangered sites. Located in an area of meagre rainfall, the fort was built with a complex system designed to collect rainwater. However, it was not designed to handle the volume of water now necessary to accommodate tourists and has become unstable. It is unclear if anything is being done to contain or reduce the damage. The fort is shown in the first photo above.

Junagarh Fort, located at Bikaner, was built in 1593 and has a very well-preserved interior. Hand-prints, shown in the middle photo above and preserved near the fort entrance, are those of women about to commit suttee after their husbands had died in battle.

Construction of Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur began in 1459 and was completed in the 17th Century. The fort, never captured, sits atop a 125-metre hill. The last photo above shows the blue houses of Jodhpur, the Blue City.