TRAVEL THE WORLD - JODHPUR, RAJASTHAN, INDIA

These attractive young people happily agreed to be photographed in the museum of Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur. They are an example of the many friendly, approachable people we encountered in India. And don't you admire how beautifully dressed and poised the women are? I love the shimmering brightly coloured silk and the jeweled sandals. Even the baby girl is all dressed up!

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.