The Rajasthan circuit - Day 8 - The Sahelion Ki Bari, Udaipur and on the way to Pushkar - The 22nd of November 2012

Soon after the visit to the City Palace we were given the chance to observe the artistry involved in miniature painting and actually see some of the exemplars that come out of those amazingly meticulous artists, whose mastery may take years. The various exemplars were painted on wood silk and camel bone and without any hesitation the ones that had us "out of our mind" were the latter. The range of prices varied but the best painted ones were undeniably expensive (though worth the price).

We then headed towards the Sahelion Ki Bari, which we had not had the time to visit the previous day. Built in the eighteenth century as a retreat this "Garden of the Maidens of Honour" (the queen of Udaipur and her 48 maids) has ornamental fountains, a lotus pool and a rose garden.

There were quite a few local and foreign visitors, thus the calm atmosphere one might have experienced had there been fewer people was not there. It wasn't much more than a simple nice garden on which to stroll about.

Based on the fact that some of our travel companions had chosen this particular circuit to be able to"participate" in the Pushkar fair, which was apparently not included and after some "negotiations" with the guide and the local agency we were told the circuit would then be altered so as to accommodate the fair, arrangements having been made for us all to stay at a tent camp.

We reached Pushkar very late having had to gather almost immediately upon arrival at the "Passage to India" communal restaurant tent. I was impressed with the food and the organisation.

We walked around in search of our tent in the dusk, realising then that the camp was certainly huge judging by the number of tents we passed on the way. I was again impressed the moment we walked into the tent itself, with its toilet and hot water shower ... simple as it may have looked, the beds were very comfortable, whilst the camel  bed covers provided the rest.