Rannoch Moor / Ranakpur

Yesterday my sister TML thought from my lake-and- sky shot that I had relocated to a Scottish loch. Today, well...every time I heard the word Ranakpur, my brain transposed it to Rannoch Moor. Of course, the two places have zero similarity, alart from both being open to the elements. 

We drove by minibus along a series of shoogly roads to our destination, the Jain temple at Ranakpur. My smartwatch was so impressed by my bouncing around in my seat that it counted 15,000 steps there and back! At one point we passed a pair of oxen yoked to apparatus. A man was driving them in circles, which caused a waterwheel to turn. We stopped to take photos, and children begged us for bees-keets! bees-keets! Fortunately we had some biscuits with us...

Later, the road went steeply uphill through mountains covered in bare, dry trees. Like rainforest in Madeira, without the rain, I thought. The Indian name for this type of wild, arid terrain is 'dry jungle'. Monkeys sat by the side of the road, stretched out. So often they remind me of withered old men in the pub, armed with more energy and enterprise. 

The temple itself is the largest Jain temple in India. I think there are four major ones. Jainism evolved out of a desire to get rid of the caste system of Hinduism, and to incorporate some elements of Buddhism. I did not see any nuns in billowing white robes, nor monks, but I didn't expect to see the latter, because those particular monks are skyclad (naked). I wonder if they do the cooking.

Lunch is served to visitors in a canteen. It is simple and vegetarian. Meal tickets are bought on the way in. Jains are  strictly vegetarian. No leather is allowed to be brought inside the temple, nor food/drink/cigarettes or sweets. Bags are searched. I paid 100 rupees (£1)for a photography ticket. 

Inside, it's another world. Bare feet are soothed by the coolness of white marble. White pillars, carved most intricately, all with different symbols, are everywhere. There are over 1,440 of them, all of them distinct fro the others. The temple is open to the elements in the there aren't doors or walls as such. Leopards could wander in if they wanted to (They, too, have a right to pray, says Sridhar).A school group was visiting at the same time as is, which might have acted as a good leopard-deterrent. Do leopards like noise? Do schoolchildren taste good? I shall never know.

I had an audio guide, which was most informative. It's hard to desscribe that sense of majesty I felt just walking around the temple, and looking at the mountains  There are many guards looking out for any fringement of the temple rules. I got told off for trying to sit in a place where only Indian people can sit, viewing the statues of the Deities. 

When we reconvened, our group leaders and the guards were having a discussion and asking to see our tickets again. Somehow the guard's ticket stubs were wrong, a number did not match up, and he was worried that he'd lose his job because of it. For want of a nail, the shoe was lost....terrifying. 

It is difficult to take photos inside the temple because a wide angle lens is needed, and I wasn't sure which images of idols we couldn't take photos of. There is a particular type of tree that is planted inside every Jain temple once it's built, so I've put that shot in extras. I might in fact make it the main shot.  

We bounced back in the bus, after having had some chai. Some of the group wanted to slow down in the jungle area and feed some monkeys. They had bought biscuits, in case of meeting more children. I didn't see, but a monkey very nearly boarded our bus through the window, which wouldn't shut. They certainly got biscuits! Truly I'm my mother's daughter: I keep thinking that monkeys just shouldn't eat biscuits!

Once back at the hotel, we had a quick rest, then three of us set off in search of dinner. Tonight we crossed the lake bridge and dined at Jasmine's cafe. I had falafels and 'Israeli salad'. Now I'm in bed, all packed, because we leave at nine tomorrow for Chittaurargh. The temple has closed for the night, horns are blaring in the tiny streets. Fireworks are booming, and all the stray dogs of the town are barking at once.