The Indian Nomad

India is a land of diversity, home to many great religions of the world. This diversity has made people believe and worship different kinds of deities. They vary from trees to rivers and snakes to cows. However a small village in Pali district of Rajasthan has the distinction one of the rarest and weirdest temples ever known or seen.  Having heard a lot from fellow travelers visiting the famous Om Banna temple aka Bullet temple was indeed a must for me. On Pali – Jodhpur highway in a small village called Chotila lies a temple of Royal Enfield 350 cc Bullet Motorcycle. I crossed the mountains of Aravali region in Rajsamand and reached the jodhpur highway. The Sun has gone down the horizon when I reached the temple. The temple is situated just on the highway. While I was boarding off the bus, the conductor gave me a twenty rupees note and asked me to give it inside the temple. The temple or shrine whatever you may call it is an open space where Royal Enfield b...

a Rajput warrior with his horse As a part of rural tourism in Rajasthan, I had visited few villages in Salumbar region of Udaipur. After travelling to few villages of Bheel community, I was waiting for Rajasthan State Road transport bus when it started to rain. Due to the heavy Rain, I was totally drenched and therefore decided to ask for shelter from one of the villagers. I reached the doorstep of the closest house and knocked the door. An elderly person, maybe in eighties opened the door and asked me to get comfortable. When I told him I am traveling all of Rajasthan and collecting stories about the rich culture of the state. He told me there is a story which not many know, but is an incredible part of the heritage of Rajasthan. It is one of the greatest stories of courage and duty. I urged him to tell me the story and he gently agreed. A kid had brought tea from inside and we took our cup and on the sip of tea, he started telling the story: This story is about a p...

The relationship between a man and food is inseparable and I believe some food just don’t fulfill your stomach but also your soul. That’s why whenever I get an opportunity to experience new delicacies in my travel experiences, I give no second thought and explore it to the fullest. Recently, when I was in Rajasthan on a 10 day trip , I got to experience different aspects of the state and its food. I am listing out few of my food discoveries in the state which you can find only in Rajasthan. 1) Lal Maas – It is a Red colored Mutton gravy quite famous in the Rajput community of Rajasthan. It was originated in the Royal Kitchen of Mewar and spread in other parts of Rajasthan. Best Lal Maas is served at a Restaurant called Ambrai in Udaipur. You can also try Bhangaar Maas in Ambrai.               2) Ker Sangri - When you live in desert of Thar and you don't have much of vegetation to support you. People tend to move to optio...

Long before Stuart Little made Rats look adorable and loved, people of Rajasthan were praying and loving Rats from many centuries. A temple stands in Deshnok, Bikaner called Karni Mata temple, popularly known as Temple of Rats is the home of more than 20000 rats. Rats are treated here as a deity and people from thousands of kilometers come to witness them and take blessings from Karni Mata. I had heard a lot about Karni mata and her stories and I got a chance to witness it in my recent trip to Bikaner. Karni Mata was a Hindu sage in the 14 th century. She was born into Charan caste and people of Rajasthan consider her as a reincarnation of goddesses Durga. She is the official deity of the Royal family of Jodhpur and Bikaner.  It is said she fought with Yam, the god of death and brought back twenty thousand people from death to life. But Yam gave a condition that these people can’t be brought to life in a human form. So, they were reborn as Rats which still roams in the c...