Leaving Amritsar we were planning to get to Bikaner some 550km southwest. On the roads we had been used to that would have been a tall order but here in Punjab and Rajahstan the roads are much better. It still took us all day but we made it just before dark which is always a bonus.

As ever we saw some interesting sights along the way, this was a roadside carrot processing operation:

There were people cleaning the carrots and then hordes of roadside stalls selling them:

 (The carrots here really are that red!)

As usual wherever we stopped we were the centre of attention, this little crowd grew in a few seconds as we pulled up at a rail crossing:

This area is also full of brick manufacturing sites:

Having reached Bikaner our first port of call the next morning was actually about 30km south where we wanted to see the Karni Mata temple at Deshnok.

This temple has an interesting story and consequently some very interesting inhabitants! Karni Mata was a Hindu sage who lived to over 150 years of age (she died in 1538). She married but decided to live a celibate life and arranged for her sister to marry her husband. Karni Mata’s stepson drowned when drinking from a pool and Karni Mata asked the God of Death, Yama, to reincarnate him. Yama at first refused but then relented. He obviously had a sense of humour because he decided that all sons of Karni Mata would be reincarnated as rats. So the Karni Mata temple, dedicated to her, is home to about 20,000 rats! And here they are:

 Drinking

 Sleeping

Apparently it is auspicious to see a white rat and to have a rat walk over your foot, I managed both so I am undoubtedly in clover:

There was also a band of local musicians adding some colour to the proceedings:

In the afternoon we went to Junagarh Fort in Bikaner. Apparently the fort has never been taken in battle (except some say for one day). I have an explanation for this – Junagarh Fort doesn’t look anything like a fort, I like my forts to be built in commanding positions high on rocky outcrops with unassailable battlements and deep moats. Junagarh Fort looks more like a Disney complex. Any marauding savages who chanced by would just assume it was an out to town shopping mall. Right, that’s saved someone the bother of writing a Phd thesis!

Nevertheless the “Fort” was interesting with some great features:

 Not very homely! I liked this little guy! On the front gate.

After the fort we went around the old town where we met this chap:

 quite a display!

We also went to the Bhanda Shaha Jain temple which is apparently the only Jain temple with a painted interior:

We saw a couple more interesting sights as we were strolling around:

 What are they protecting?

 A warm pillow but at quite a price!

This morning we set off for Jaisalmer. The road, as with all roads in Rajasthan so far, was excellent. We drove the 320km in just over four hours, this was a sight we have longed for all across India:

Along the way we came across these wonderful creatures:

and in no time at all we were in Jaisalmer.

Having had our Christmas plans go awry we decided to spoil ourselves for the New Year so we’ve moved into the best suite in the best hotel in Jaisalmer. We have a great view of the castle from our balcony and this evening there is Rajahstani folk entertainment followed tomorrow evening by a New Years Eve party.

The hotel is full of Indian families so the next two days look set to be quite an experience!

Happy New Year to you all and we hope it brings you whatever you could wish for.

Ian & Leishia xxx