Most travelers to India concentrate on the “Golden Triangle,” a hugely popular route covering the cities of Delhi, Agra (for the Taj Mahal), and Jaipur. All three are well worth visiting, but these megacities can be overwhelming and often leave you gasping for fresh air while yearning for a bit of peace and quiet. To get away from the masses and experience India on a more personal scale, you need to dig a little deeper.
Rajasthan was once called Rajputana, “the land of the Rajputs.” Out in the countryside, you can follow the history of these fiercely independent warriors who never gave up their struggle against the Mughal rulers. In fact, many historians believe the Rajputs were responsible for keeping Hinduism alive during the 300+ years of Muslim rule. In addition to exploring the vestiges of Rajput power, you can visit small villages and witness a way of life that hasn’t changed much in hundreds of years.
Create your own triangle anchored by Jaipur, Udaipur, and Jodhpur – and enter a time warp as you focus on the lesser known sights of Rajasthan along the way. Here are 8 of those lesser knowns:
One more reason to dive into rural Rajasthan is to experience the crazy joys of riding the roads. Since it is downright hazardous to drive yourself, the best way to travel is by hiring a car and private driver. Although this would sound like an extreme extravagance in most parts of the world, in India this mode of transporting tourists is common, reasonably priced, and safe. Not to mention fun.
Riding the rural roads of India ranks right up there with the Taj as one of the most unforgettable of Indian experiences. The roads are jammed with cows, goats, camels, water buffalo, and even the occasional elephant. Not to mention people on foot, riding bicycles or motorbikes, or traveling in tuk-tuks (3-wheeled auto rickshaws). Tuk-tuks are supposed to have a legal limit of four passengers, but they routinely carry a dozen or more, including the young macho types who ride outside, standing on the bumpers and hanging on by their fingertips.
Full-size buses and delivery trucks add to the mélange. Custom painted with a circus car look, these colorful vehicles sport windshields decorated with tinsel, satiny curtains, and strands of garland — each truck looks like it just ran over a fully decorated Christmas tree. And the mirrors almost always display a string of fuzzy black pompoms, good luck charms to ward off accidents and other catastrophes.
And all of this is just the activity on the road. A typical journey passes through tiny villages and larger towns all teeming with women in sparkling saris shopping at the outdoor markets, and men getting haircuts on stools in dusty parking lots or sipping drinks at neighborhood hangouts. You may even see the local dentist seated on the ground, well-positioned on the main drag with a nice choice of dentures spread out on a blanket. He’ll even pull a tooth for you right there on the spot!
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