Ranakpur- Narlai village

Women shelling fresh chickpeas

We stayed outside Jodhpur in a village called Narlai and one of the staff from the hotel took us on a village walk showing us around the village and taking us into some family homes.

This village has a population of about 3000 but had over 300 temples! The first we saw was tiny and built into the rock. You had to climb over 100 steps to reach it.

Steps up to the temple in the rock
Bell outside the tiny temple

Then we saw another large temple built onto the side of the rock

and then we saw their newest temple built from white marble which was pretty spectacular

Evidently quite a number of families now live in the city and have more money, just returning for holy days. The whole village paid for the new temple which took five years to build.

We also visited three families going into their homes.

Grandfather with his pipe

Cooking over wood fires is the norm.

Baby covered up in a cradle
Mother and grandmother

The women in this area commonly completely cover their heads with their dupattas.

 

Older men in the village
Bullock cart
Rawla Narlai where we stayed

Phone charger

Travelled to the village of Narlai outside Ranakpur only to discover that I’d left my phone charger and adapter behind. Potential disaster! But no, this is India where the mobile phone is queen. Wandered down the road to find three tiny mobile phone stalls. Initially they didn’t have a iPhone lead, but then it turned out that the salesman just happened to be there on his motorbike bringing supplies. iPhone lead? No problem.