| There can can be no better way
of experiencing life in the desert
than through a journey into its
hinterland on camel back. Special
tours can be arranged so that you
can camp close to a village,
participating in aspects of village
life without disturbing in in turn.
A camel is not the easiest animal on
which to ride, is not the easiest
animal on which to ride, but then
the option, of walking in the sand,
is an even tougher one. One must try
it though, to experience the way the
foot sinks into the sand, and the
way the sand seeps into one's shoes.
Only this will help you respect the
manner in which the people of the
desert walk so elegantly across it
every day of their lives.
The rocking motion of the camel
takes getting used to, and at first
the time seems to pass very slowly.
This is not surprising for the only
constants seem to be the discomfort
caused by the camel's movement
(forward-backward-forward-backward...),
and the unchanging panorama of
sheets and waves of sand with a
little scrub. After a while, the
body adjusts to the motion, and
starts to move along with the camel,
so that it is no longer
uncomfortable. A sense of great
tranquillity begins to seep in: this
is the primordial world, away from
cell phones and civilisation as most
people know it, the beginning of
time, of mankind.
Safari organisers ensure that
halts are arranged just outside a
village, and from here you can
observe life around the community
well, for example, watch the orange
sands being kicked up in little
puffs as flocks of cattle and sheep
come back from grazing, or watch
child-ren scramble to a school where
a teacher may hold a collective
class for children of different
ages. In all probability, your meal
will be cooked over a wood fire or
kerosene stove. Later, as you lie
down to sleep, you will see the vast
canopy of stars in the sky above,
lighting up the night like giant
fireflies. It was these stars that
the caravans of the past used for
navigating across long distance
through this very desert, and as you
fall off to sleep, you can't help
wondering that it was in this manner
too they must have camped centuries
ago.
Temped to take a safari? Here's
what you should know before you find
one most suited to your needs: plan
on travelling for up to 6-7 hours a
day, covering a distance of 30-40
km; carry bottled water; since
you're unlikely to wear a turban, a
hat is recommended as protection
against the strong sun; tented camps
provide adequate accommodation; wear
loose fitting clothes and do not go
around bare-armed or bare-legged to
avoid offending local sensibilities;
it is unseemly to talk to the
village women who tend to be
conservative.
Camel safari itineraries are
quite flexible, and can be taken
from most points in Rajasthan, and
can range from a day long affair to
one that spreads over many days.
These safaris can also include
visits to larger cities to see the
attractions of the former princely
kingdoms, or they can be limited to
the hinterlands. They can also
include visits to smaller towns with
heritage hotels for a change from
sleeping in tents.
The best areas for camel safaris
are the Shekhawati belt, Bikaner,
Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, and Pushkar. |
