Tuesday, August 3, 2010 Jamnagar (Gujarat)
Junagadh I left this morning under heavy rains, much more abundant than those 2 days. I had to stay still, but I was saturated with water, if you know what I mean ...!
I'm a little ashamed to say it anyway, because the Indian might be saturated, they are condemned to attenndre it to pass, and not for tomorrow ... Last
around town this morning, just to rinse my one last time and wade through the puddles (well, in small rivers because there is no more puddles to stage this morning ...) and direction the bus station (bus stand) to take a bus to Jamnagar is 130 kms from the further north east. There are about 4 hours drive.
Before you tell Jamnagar, Junagadh I must tell you, small bead of Gujarat, in the extreme south of the peninsula Gujarati.
I am part of Ahmedabad by train, sleeper class as usual and ticket booked online via the website IRCTC (Indian SNCF, very nice site and very easy to use).
I call a nice coolie as usual, with 30-40 rps, and I carry my suitcase to the dock or me riding in the train to my bunk when I was already in trian station. The coolies officials are easily identifiable with their gilded brassars on a red jacket, and a fabric dicked on the head to lay charges.
I give him 50 rps, he asked me 50 extra .... it looks, I smiled and said that this is not the price, and Suddenly he bursts out laughing, a real nice laugh, shakes my hand and walks away!
Beside me are moving 4 policemen. Although naively, I think they go on leave to their families for the weekend ... Not at all! These are the policemen on duty on the train to ensure the safety of passengers and women in particular!
They begin their rounds by sharing a bottle of alcohol with 2-3 plainclothes acolytes, and suddenly I'm not necessarily be reassured of sitting right beside them ... But hey, at the same time I will not tell them that drinking during the service is average, so I shut up and try to close one eye, which is not comfortable because they squeal like geese throughout the evening!
I arrived at dawn has Junagadh without reservation because the hotel I wanted to go or is under renovation (it's quite common here to undertake the renovations during the summer rainy season because it is the low tourist season, so the shortfall is less ... or maybe the hotel remains open during construction, it is also quite frequent, it is the "bronx" in India but did not shock anyone!) The
hotel manager gave me the name of another hotel near the historic district and train station, telling me (or rather was saying Younten because he had spoken to me, although obviously mastery Hindi better than me!) that it was not worth booking, season the rain was not very touristy ...
course when I arrived, there were more rooms available ...
I tried another hotel: as above, and in any case far too expensive for me (1200 rps the room for the lowest price for a reminder Euro = 59 rps). I finally
"fails" in hotel Girnar, yet advised by the Lonely Planet, but I had to have the 1956 edition, as indeed it was top rated tranquility, just outside the city and the agitation, large spacious room, but hotel room and gloomy, absent staff (I think I was alone at night in the hotel, because no other boarder and managers arrived by car in the morning ... maybe goalkeeper Night has crossed my arrival the first morning ...)
Apart from that, there was hot water (but not funds enough to fill 5-6 small jugs and wash my hair, the top luxury!) , it was relatively clean ... in fact for 200 rps the night was not so bad!
After resting a part of the morning, I go to the discovery of the old city of Junagadh ... It's raining but it's bearable with an umbrella ...
lot of curious looks and smiles I smile ... There are very few tourists who stop here, let alone during the rainy season. I do indeed any tourists during the 3 days spent here ...
I'm heading towards the fort Uparkoti, witness the presence of the emperors Mogul in the region. The Jama Masjid is a very good example of this architecture, unfortunately, the provincial government takes care of the little local historical monuments, and also the patina of time and humidity, there are a lot of damage caused by the hand of the man (tags etc. ..).
The area was also a Buddhist location, as evidenced by underground caves with sculptures probably very nice but little visble as uninformed and not development ...
I meet when I went to Yasmin, Rubina, Rumi and their families. They are Muslim, Mohammedan or rather as they say.
Jasmine is 17 years old, Rumi 16 years and Rubina 13. It are also 3 smaller: Gudi, Monta and Jaci (11, 7 and 5 years).
Poonam is the mother of Jasmine, Sima is the mother of Rumi, and Zoya is the Gudi.
Amir is the only man and father of Gudi.
I crossed several times on the way, we exchanged a few words, not easy to communicate because they speak only Gujarati, and not me ... Jasmine finally rudimentary English, and with the language of the heart we always come to share something ...
The rain calmed a little, and suddenly Jasmine offers me to join them for dinner. I accept with joy this special moment with a Muslim family.
Women lay a cloth on the ground, and we sit in a circle. Jasmine prepare a delicious chana masala, and Zoya A mixture of rice grains such blows, which are added roasted peanuts, onion, fresh lemon, mix all this with chana masala and savored! Is DE-LI-HEAVEN! Obviously I'm
served and re-served like a queen, and I am entitled to a ration of peanuts for the road, sometimes I still a little hungry after this feast ...!
The rain forced us to break camp, and we finish our walk quietly together.
Upon leaving the fort, Jasmine and Rumi clothe the black chador de rigueur for Muslim women pubescent. They are fully covered, and we see only their eyes. Zoya the mother of the younger children remains bare head, she wears just black djelaba. Sima, the most senior of three women, she has concerns about a lighter scarf, revealing her face.
I do not ask questions about these disparities, happy to have shared this moment of rare intimacy and very warm.
I am returning the heart in peace to my hotel, while all the little family returned home after few hours of family outing.
Tomorrow I will tell you about my visit to the temple of Somnath, a 2hr bus Junagadh, or how I am lowered into an underground cavern has 4 legs and sing Om Shiva chick with Hindus pilgrims ....! Patience, it will be for tomorrow!
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