After a fantastic final few days of cycling and visiting the water and sanitation NGO, Gram Vikas, it was time to head home where christmas was in full swing. This is the final post of this blog... until next time!

Christmas time with my neice!

 Gandhi once queried what the world had gained from rapid transportation. Chaos was his response and no place is this more true than India. Along that vein Ill be cycling the last leg of my trip and using Gandhi's preferred mode of long distance transport, second class rail.

Kolkata

Indian rail

 Ten rupee (20 cent) blessings

The map I am using indicated a road between two towns but a gap of ~2 miles over a small mountain pass was passable only by a small trail. With the delay of carrying my bike over the pass I ended up stranded at dusk in a small village. I was relieved to find a temple happy to accommodate, feed, and give me a tour of their 6th century shrine to the Hindu god Shiva.

 Evening ablution

My gracious hosts

Visiting a boarding school supported in part by Actionaid

Funeral Pires in the Spiritual center, Varanasi

Indian tourists visiting the temples of Khajuraho known for their exotic carvings

 Carvings depicting leisure time activities of military personel

 An Elephant mid-execution giggles at a couple in the act

Photo by a student of his peers model well drilling machine. The state of Rajasthan faces a water crisis due primarlily to water overexploitation.

The photographer becomes the photographed

From this whirlwind tour over the past few weeks with Boo, I have stored up countless memories from the cultural preserve of Bhutan, world heritage sites, tiger sightings, dinning in a palace, and not least, Boo's generosity which enabled them (and my camera!).
Thanks Boo!

Ranthambore National Park

 

Hanuman langurs at the entrance of the park

Nilgai

 Spotted deer

 Shere (Tiger) 

Rajasthan, India

Holy cow... It is true that Hindus hold the bovine in high regard and give them the same love one holds for their mother. These cattle are pampered guests of a cooperative where their milk is reserved for infants and the elderly, their urine is used for traditional medicine, and their dung is mixed with herbs for incense.

Making of incense out of cow dung

Wedding in Jaipur

Wedding band

Children waiving at tourists

This young girl became incensed when her mother was scolded for using her children to beg 

Astrological observatory Jaipur