Dazzling Rajasthan | florisleeuwenberg.com

Dancing woman in the Water Palace of Udaipur

Dancing woman in the Water Palace of Udaipur. The palace, now a luxurious hotel, covers an island in the centre of Pichola lake and appears to float on water.

Jodhpur the Blue City

Jaipur is known as the Pink City, but some say that the Blue City is more blue than the Pink City is pink.

Drinking chai

Drinking chai – or tea – quietly while sitting in a windowsill: an age-old sight in India.

Lake Palace on Lake Pichola in Udaipur.

A close-up view of Lake Palace on Lake Pichola in Udaipur. The Jag Niwas, or Lake Palace as it is referred to, was built in the 18th century. The island of marble has a number of smaller palaces with gardens and fountains, a summer retreat for the Maharana when in pursuit of more pleasurable pastimes. The palace has been converted into a hotel – more pleasure for many.

Holy man in Jodhpur

This holy man in Jodhpur, a sadhu, owns nothing but the clothes he wears – and this surprisingly flashy pair of sunglasses.

Constuction workers

Brightly dressed women constuction workers – a common sight along the road in Rajasthan.

Veiled girl at the entrance of the famed Fort Jaisalmer

Road from Jodhpur to Jaisalmer.

Through the Thar desert, a straight military road stretches from Jodhpur to Jaisalmer. Halfway, a lone man crosses from one side of dry, blistering hot nothingness into another.

The royal city of Fatehpur Sikri

The royal city of Fatehpur Sikri to the west of Agra, was built on the orders of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. The Emperor was reputed to be a tolerant ruler and the architecture of the city’s buildings combines Islamic and Hindu elements.

Jodhpur the Blue City

The Blue City at dusk, with the Mountain of Birds and its fort, the massive Mehrangarh, whose foundations were built by Rao Jodha in 1459.

Maharajah Gaj Singh II, descended from the Rathore clan, ascended the throne of Marwar-Jodhpur

Maharajah Gaj Singh II, descended from the Rathore clan, ascended the throne of Marwar-Jodhpur in 1952 at the age of four. Here, he is slightly more informal than usual, having participated whole-heartedly in paint-throwing Holi celebrations.

Chiv Niwas Palace Hotel, location for the James Bond film Octopussy.

Chiv Niwas Palace Hotel, have been turned into a hotel especially for the James Bond film Octopussy. The suite Roger More slept in still bears his name., once the guest quarters of the Winter Palace in Udaipur, Poolside restaurant

Bright red , catches the eye

As the monsoon arrives, green is added to the landscape. Bright red, however, catches the eye in all seasons.

Hawa Mahal, Palace of Winds built in 1799 , Jaipur

Hawa Mahal, the Palace of Winds built in 1799 is part of Jaipur’s City Palace. The facade is only one foot wide and was designed so the ladies of the royal household could watch life outside while themselves remaining hidden from public view.

Men in one of the royal palaces in Rajasthan.

This man, sporting a brightly colored turban, plays the sitar, a traditonal Indian snare instrument, in one of the royal palaces in Rajasthan.

Women carrying building materials

Women carrying building materials on their heads to a palace under construction.

Bisnoi men smoking a pipe

Bisnoi men smoking a pipe ,the Bisnoi tribe have 29 rules the most important is not kill any living creature or plant .They are under protection of the Maharaja of Jodpur

Holi in the royal palace garden of Jodpur

A Jodhpurian sitting in a rickshaw

A Jodhpurian sitting in a rickshaw, which is of course painted blue.

Jodhpur ,The Blue City sprawls at the foot of the Mountain

The Blue City sprawls at the foot of the Mountain of Birds.

A maharani dancer at the Lake Palace in Udaipur

A maharani dancer at the Lake Palace in Udaipur. Once a princess in India or the wife of a maharaja now only depicted in traditional performances.

Udaipur’s Lake Palace is one of the most beautiful palaces in the world

The Lake Palace is one of the most beautiful palaces in the world, arising out of the turquoise waters of Lake Pichola like an elegant fantasy in white marble. The Lake Palace was built in the 17th century on a natural foundation of 4 acres of rock located at Udaipur. It was initially called Jag Niwas after its founder Maharana Jagjit Singh. Once it was the summer palace of the rulers of Mewar. Today, the pleasure palace is a luxury hotel like no other in India, or indeed, the world.

A private house , Jodhpur

The entrance to a private house, demonstrating that the Blue City is blue on the outside and on the inside.

At the fort, dancing in the sunlight. Jodhpur

At the fort, dancing in the sunlight.

Bearded Rajput at Fort Mehrangarh

Dancing in the Thar desert near Jaisalmer

Girls dance as tourists are hoisted on camels to watch the sun set on the Thar desert near Jaisalmer,Rajasthan,India

The colour blue, together with the narrowness of the streets, helps cool the quarter down . Jodhpur

The blue has other, more practical, effects: the colour, together with the narrowness of the streets, helps cool the quarter down and protect it from the Loo – the hot desert wind that blows in from the Thar.

Swimmingpool in Umaid Bhawan palace in Jodhpur

The fairytale-like Umaid Bhawan palace in Jodhpur is largest privately-owned single-structure building in the world. Half of the Maharaja’s palace is still used by the royal family, the rest of the property is now a luxury hotel operated by the prestigious Taj group and is frequented by movie stars and celebrities like Madonna and Elizabeth Hurley. This is the Jiva Grand Spa

Women in saris dot Udaipur’s Fort Mehrangarh

Women in saris dot Udaipur’s Fort Mehrangarh like confetti.

Men In the Bishnoi villages near Luni

In the Bishnoi villages near Luni, men dress in white.

A 200 year old mural depicting maharanis the wives of the maharaja

A 200 year old mural depicting maharanis, the wives of the maharaja, done in stone colours, a type of paint which never fades and will always retain it’s brilliancy.

Girls dance and sing among the sand dunes near Jailsalmer.

Sunset in the Thar desert. These joyful women and girls dance and sing among the sand dunes near Jailsalmer.

Men at the entrance of the Mehrangarh Fort in Jodphur.

Men at the entrance of the Mehrangarh Fort in Jodphur. Situated on a steep hill, Mehrangarh Fort is one of the largest forts in India. The fort has been a witness to the splendour of a bygone era. The beauty and the grandeur of numerous palaces in the fort narrates a saga of hard sandstones yielding to the chisels of skilled Jodhpuri sculptures. To enter the Mehrangarh fort, seven gates have to be crossed.

The reception hall of the maharaja at Fort Mehrangarh, Jodhpur

The reception hall of the maharaja at Fort Mehrangarh, Jodhpur. On the right, the elevated throne was to ensure he king would be looking down at his guests at all times.

Menon the streets of ..Bandhavgarh

On the way ..Bandhavgarh-Khana-Nagpur ..green from monsoon and Jodhpur-Jailsamer Dessert

The Sardar market of Jodhpur

Colorful people, delicious lassi, and mysterious fragrances make the Sardar market of Jodhpur and unforgettable experience.

A young performer on the streets of Jodphur.

A young street dance performer on the streets of Jodphur.

The Mehrangarh ford in Jodhpur

Maharajas have, over the ages, each added their own wing or palace to this fort, until the Mehrangarh became the invincible titan it is today.

All in blue! Jodhpur

All in blue! The old citadel of Jodhpur lies within the 9.5 km wall with seven gates and 101 bastions, and its labyrinthine maze of streets is notoriously difficult to wander through without getting lost at least once. The Brahmins, India’s highest caste, gave their name to the citadel and it is their colour which covers it.

Man in the royal city of Fatehpur Sikri

A holy man in the royal city of Fatehpur Sikri to the west of Agra, was built on the orders of the Mughal Emperor Akbar. Soon after it was completed, the water dried up and the elite returned to Agra. Fatehpur Sikri became the ‘forgotton’ or ‘abandoned city’.

This Jain woman covers her mouth to ensure she doesn’t accidentally inhale (and kill) small insects. Luni.

Woman looking at the spectacular view of the Winter Palace of Udaipur

Skyline of the City Palace of Udaipur

Skyline of the City Palace of Udaipur, a congolmerate of scalloped arches, balconies, courtyards, hanging gardens and terraces.

Men in a Bishnoi village

Brightly colored yarn at the Bishnoi villages near Luni

Mother and child smiling for rupee

An Indian mother and child smiling for the photographer.

Jag Mandir, a ceremonial island in Lake Pichola

Jag Mandir, a ceremonial island in Lake Pichola which belongs to the Lake Palace, is used only for celebrations. It was the key inspiration behind India’s most iconic building: the Taj Mahal

Horse-riding warrior holding the Rajput clan’s banner

Horse-riding warrior holding the Rajput clan’s banner aloft – this is done whenever the Maharaja goes horse riding.

A small child standing alone at the ‘abandoned city’, Fatehpur Sikri

A small child standing alone at the ‘abandoned city’, Fatehpur Sikri. This town was built by the Mughal Emperor, Akbar. He had planned this city as his capital but a shortage of water compelled him to abandon the city.

Centuries-old method of building with bamboo.

The construction site of a new roof using the centuries-old method of building with bamboo.

Veiled woman in Jodhpur,

Veiled woman in Jodhpur, Rajastan, India

Adinath Temple, a marble Jain temple with 1500 different pillars, with no two pillars alike

This is Adinath Temple, a marble Jain temple with 1500 different pillars, with no two pillars alike, built around a 600 year old tree.

Man at the main gate of Fort Jaisalmer.

Man enjoying the cool breeze that blows though the main gate of Fort Jaisalmer.

The Living Fort of Jaisalmer

The Living Fort of Jaisalmer is home to some 7,000 inhabitants and is tucked away so far in the Thar desert that it took until 1974 for the first modern tourist to arrive: prime minister Indira Ghandi. Today, there are German bakeries and Italian coffee, but despite all that, it still looks like a 1000 year old sand castle.

Jodhpur is India’s city of fashion and fabric

Jodhpur is India’s city of fashion and fabric – and has been for a long time. Women in saris dot the city’s terracotta-colored Fort Mehrangarh like confetti. Rajastan, India

Washing the laundry in Lake Pichola

Washing the laundry in Lake Pichola. The Lake Palace, which is now a five-star hotel, can be seen in the background.

Bowls create a mystical atmosphere at the Palace in Udaipur

Bowls of water serve as musical instruments that create a mystical atmosphere at the Shiv Niwas Palace in Udaipur – also known for its appearance in the James Bond classic Octopussy.

Man at the abandoned city, Fatehpur Sikri

A holy man at the abandoned city, Fatehpur Sikri, taking a drink of water.

Sweet serenity.

Women dance during the Holi at the royal Umaid Bhawan palace, Jodhpur

Women dance during the Holi festival at the palatial grounds of the royal Umaid Bhawan palace, Jodhpur

Man relaxes at Fort Mehrahgarh in Jodhur

Man relaxes at the end of the day in the richly decorated Fort Mehrahgarh in Jodhur

A Rajasthani woman preparing a meal in her clay hut.

A Rajasthani woman preparing a meal in her clay hut. Little has changed over the centuries and life remains very primitive in the rural areas of Rajasthan.

Musicians and dancers at the Maharaja’s palace in Jodpur

Musicians and dancers at the Umaid Bhawan, the Maharaja’s palace, part of which serves as a five-star hotel.

Chandraprakash suite of the Lake Palace hotel in Udaipur.

Chandraprakash suite of the Lake Palace hotel in Udaipur. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt stayed here on a recent visit to Rajasthan.

Even the cows are painted at holy

During Holi, the colourful Hindu festival, paint-hurling is one way the feast is celebrated and the sight of passers-by covered in brightly coloured hues is common during this period. Even the cows are painted. They are, after all, holy too.

Sadu smoking a typically Indian pipe

Man smoking a typically Indian pipe, filled with opium.

A veiled woman

A veiled woman with henna’d hands looks wistfully out of a window.

Small musician in Jodhpur

A small musician with a very big turban in Jodhpur, makes a blessing after playing.

Fatehpur Sikri, the abandoned city

Fatehpur Sikri, the abandoned city is a jewel in the desert and is now used only for religious ceremonies.

Sublime balancing act

This sublime balancing act is just another household chore in the colorful Bishnoi villages in the vicinity of Luni

The old bedroom of the maharaja ,in Udaipur, once used in the James Bond film ‘Octopussy’.

The old bedroom of the maharaja, now transformed into a hotel room in Udaipur, once used in the James Bond film ‘Octopussy’. Located in the City Palace, the bed is made totally of silver.

Women dance during the Holi festival

Women dance during the Holi festival at the palatial grounds of the royal Umaid Bhawan palace, Jodhpur

A farmer wearing a flourescent turban

A farmer wearing a flourescent turban heads home on his tractor.

Female miners of the gemstone mines in Rajasthan

Like brightly coloured birds, the female miners of the gemstone mines descend into darkness.

Blue gemstones in Jodhpur

Perhaps it is the soft blue of gemstones found locally that inspired Jodha to build his blue quarter.

Blue door details of Jodhpur’s architecture

A beautiful blue door – the details in Jodhpur’s architecture, like its doors, portals, gates and windows, are splendid. And blue.

Spoonful of blue

Scoop up a spoonful of blue power and fling it at a passer-by, as is the custom during the festival of Holi!

Brahmpuri quarter of Jodhpur.

The tiny cobbled streets give the impression of time having stood still here in the Brahmpuri quarter of Jodhpur.

The blue city Jodhpur

The blue city looks enchanting, but life – including the hanging out of laundry – continues as normal.

A typical Rajasthani woman

A typical Rajasthani woman dressed in a sari, in front of the blue walls of Jodphur. Jodphur is known as the Blue City because all the buildings are painted in blue.

One of the many deities in the Hindu pantheon of Jodhpur

One of the many deities in the Hindu pantheon, nestled in its own niche for family worship.

Portraits of Shiva

Portraits of Shiva adorn many surfaces in Jodhpur, including its trucks, as in this case.

Musician at the Gadi Sagar lake near Jaisalmer.

Singing musician at the Gadi Sagar lake near Jaisalmer.

Lake Palace in Udaipur

Indian hospitality: graceful hosts and umbrella-men are only the start of the perfect service that awaits guests of the . Once a mystical destination in the James Bond-classic Octopussy, it is today one of the most exclusive hotels in India. Recently, Angelina Jolie and Brad pitt stayed here.

A holy man praying

A holy man praying in Jaipur, the Pink City. A palatial ruin in the middle of a lake shows the wealth once abundant in this region.

A Sadu or holy man in Jodphur.

A Sadu or holy man in Jodphur. Sadus live a life devoted to God, they are Shiva worshippers. Shiva is the God of passion, destruction and rebirth.

The Umaid Bhawan palace, largest privately owned single-structure building in the world.

The Umaid Bhawan palace, just outside Jodhpur. Owned by the Maharajah of Rajasthan, this palace was built by three thousand people between 1929 and 1943 and is a testimony to the beauty and grandeur of early twentieth Century architecture.

Child adorned with jewelry and makeup.

A young Indian child adorned with jewelry and makeup.

The tabla, a traditional Indian instrument

The tabla, a traditional instrument with a very prominent role in Indian music

Opium ceremony of Bisnoi tribe

The Bisnoi people live in the hills around Jodhpur and perform the famous local opium ceremony – rural workers find they can work much longer when under the influence of the drug.

Turban in lieu of a motorcycle helmet.

Practical safety solutions on the road in Rajasthan: an oversized turban in lieu of a motorcycle helmet.

Hand’s of Maharanis of Maharaja Man Singh who were burnt alive on the pyres with their dead husband.

Ghostly reminders of a past in which the widowed maharanis of Maharaja Man Singh were burnt alive on the pyres with their dead husband. As the women walked their last steps towards the pyre for the sati ceremony, they dipped their hands into a pigment and touched the walls of the citadel.

Musician at the ford of Jodhpur

This musician entertains tourists with typical Indian music, while the blue of the city stretches away far beneath him.

The Cathedral-like main hall of the Umaid Bhawan palace in Jodhpur

The Cathedral-like main hall of the Umaid Bhawan palace in Jodhpur. It largest privately-owned single-structure building in the world. Half of the Maharaja’s palace is still used by the royal family, the rest of the property is now a luxury hotel operated by the prestigious Taj group and is frequented by movie stars and celebrities like Madonna and Elizabeth Hurley.

The ‘Spice Man’ supplies direct to the Maharaja himself, and people from all over the world

The Spice Boys: Mr. Mohanlal Vermohal and proudly proclaims he sells the best herbs and spices in the whole of India. He invented Winter Tonic – an aphrodisiac that he now sells worldwide via the Internet (www.mvspices.com ). The ‘Spice Man’ supplies direct to the Maharaja himself, and people from all over the world now come to him for his seasoned wares.

Shiva during its yearly procession through Udaipur

Man pulls a cart with the Hindu deity Shiva during its yearly procession through Udaipur

Public transport in Rajastan

On the way .. Public transport in Rajastan

Precious textiles

At Maharani Art Exporters, precious textiles are sold at a fraction of the price that the major fashion houses that shop here will sell it for elsewhere in the world. The store is deceptively dingy – you’d never know that people like Richard Gere and Mick Jagger frequently return to it if it wasn’t for the proud sales men who are eager to show the celebrity pictures they’ve taken inside the store.

Bishnoi women in their kitchen

Veiled Bishnoi women working in their traditional kitchen

Indian woman, wearing a light-blue sari

Indian woman, wearing a light-blue sari and veil.

The Mehrangarh ford in Jodhpur

A boy dressed as the Hindu deity Krishna

A boy dressed as the Hindu deity Krishna plays the flute at the Holi festival in Jodhpur.

These men work at a dilapidated palace that has seen better times.

Not all palaces are thriving. These men work at a dilapidated palace that has seen better times.