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金色沙丘上的落日,印度塔爾沙漠The Setting Sun on Golden Sand Dunes,Desert Thar,India.

 

The Camel Festival in A Desert That Stretches Hundreds of Miles-The Golden City of India,Jaisalmer.

 

 

前一天在齋浦爾的美國連鎖品牌速食店"地下鐵"吃了有生菜沙拉的漢堡,然後就挫賽了3天,真的,不要在印度點任何生菜吃,後來印度捧油教我吃香蕉和優酪乳,才慢慢止住了不斷流湯的屁屁,總共損失5條透明內褲(哈哈哈,因為是拋棄式的),往後幾天,我也不太敢吃、喝太多,就以有果皮保護的水果類裹腹,如柑橘、香蕉等。

The day earlier I'd eaten a hamburger with lettuce in it,at "Subway",an American well-known fast food chain store,then I had diarrhea at least for 3 days.Really,please do not try any raw vegetables in India.Eventually,I listened to my Indian friends' remedy by eating bananas and yogurt to make a stop to my running asses.I totally in the end lost 5 transparent undies(hahaha,they were disposable ).However,in the following days,I did not dare to eat or drink much.Mostly I had fruits protected by their own natural peels,like tangerines,bananas,and so on.

 

這天肚子好很多,燒也開始退了,我趕緊搭火車往西邊邊境重鎮齋沙默爾去,因為一年一度的駱駝祭只有舉行3天,後來印度捧油告訴我,其實印度其他地方一年到頭也常舉辦這類慶典啦,不過我覺得齋沙默爾所提供的異國情調和文化底蘊,有絕對不可代替的觀光地位。

Today I felt much better and my fever had started to subside,I quickly made a move by taking a train to Indian western city,Jaisalmer,where was about to hold a camel festival for 3 days this year.But my Indian friends told me later that in India there were many occasions like this all year round.Nonethelees,I kept my faith in Jaisalmer's,for it provided exotic ambiences and thick cultural base that other cities in India wouldn't have equal quality to stand for.

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齋沙默爾火車站 Jaisalmer Train station

印度的火車常常誤點,可是必需要了解,如果東西橫貫幾百公里的路程,不誤點對今日的印度而言是不可能的事,所以,如果是印北金三角交通,誤點就比較少,或沒差多久時間,但如果像我從西邊邊境城鎮要往來首都新德里,火車誤點個4-6小時,我覺得很正常,也就是距離愈遠,誤點的時間愈長,要有心理準備就是。

It's,though,a common sense to know that Indian trains wouldn't be punctual from time to time,and it would increase the odds of being late for those trains running long distance between eastern and western cities,that were apart from each other by hundreds of miles.However,if you only travel in the area of Northern India,especially in the golden triangle,then the trains wouldn't delay that much as you might have expected.Thus,in my case,I needed to travel to and from far west,that my train delayed at least 4-6 hours,and that was considered normal.Just prepare in mind ,that longer distance,the greater chance of having trains delayed.

 

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火車上認識的車掌和服務人員The train conductor and the service staff that I got aquainted. 

睡在搖搖晃晃的火車上,身體有了很好的休息,車上廁所也沒有傳聞中的"驚人",可見隨車服務人員非常盡責工作,長程旅客人少,就讓我獨佔一間VIP,大家後來混熟後,還在途中請我喝道地的印度拉茶,本來硬著頭皮想說又要拉肚子嗎?結果沒事,反而還香甜可口,所以煮熟食物還是比較安全。
I had a sound sleep lying on my bunk of the slightly swaying train coach,and regained my strength.The laxatives on the train were not filthy as the rumors had said.The staff was also hard-working people ,who fulfilled their duties nicely.They even let me occypy a VIP booth alone.After a while,I got along well with them,and they treated me with a hot glass of Indian "La Tsai"(milk tea).I wondered if I were going to have an another episode of diarrhea,but it turned out fine,and the tea was excellent in flavor and tasted sweet.Yes,fully boiled beverage to me on this moment was good.

 

 


旅印期間,怕坐車坐過頭,都會要求車上人員幫忙提醒我要到的車站,所以一路都很平安正常。

終於到了,事先要求旅館人員來接,因此沒什麼意外,在旅館安頓好後,才明白,根本就跟電影"金盞花大酒店"一模一樣的氛圍,別的旅客比對飯店本身還吸引我注意,哈哈,好奇妙的感覺。

It's always a challenge ,a nerve stinking procedure for me to get off the train at the right destination.I then had the habit to force the train staff to give me a pre-notice before my stop about to come.It's the main reason that I never missed my stops.I finally arrived in Jaisalmer.The hotel's staff had sent someone to pick me up at the station,so it's all good all the way.After settling in,I did a little exploration of the hotel and its clients,and I found that it was giving me an ambience like the movie "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel",no,it literally was the Marigold Hotel to me.Ah-Ha,what a weird feeling I got !!I thought the hotel's customers' personality were quite appealing somehow.

 

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我下塌飯店The Hotel I'd checked in

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我的飯店房間My room at the hotel

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超高的床,因為這地區從古代就睡這種People slept on this type of high bed since old times.床下可以藏小三,哈哈,開玩笑的,可以放玫瑰花,這樣香氛會蒸發上來,阿卡巴大帝的床也是這樣。Home wreckers can hide under bed,lol,kidding.Roses usually are put under the bed,then the aroma of roses will evaporate up into bed.The emporer Arkaba's bed was also like this type.

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屋頂餐廳可以直接看到城堡區The roof top restaurant.The Jaisalmer Fort is in sight.

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借我外套穿的員工The employee who wore my coat.

 

飯店的屋頂就可以看到山丘上的古城區,景色真是不錯,早上跟一堆奇妙的西方旅客打招呼,漸漸明白有些人還真故意跑到"天涯海角"來流浪,人真是千百種,我在這一個星期可要好好玩玩逛逛。

The rooftop restaurant was the best location to have the view of the Jaisalmer fort from afar.The view was truly excellent.I was greeted by other customers and had small talks with some of them.I'd found that some people really came to a town that was in the edge of a desert purposely,simply wanting to avoid chaotic urban lifestyle or personal dissatisfaction in life.People are always amazing to me.Anyway,I needed to taste the best of this place to have a good time, while I was staying here.

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遠處的齋沙默爾堡Jaisalmer Fort afar.

齋沙默爾是沙漠邊緣的城鎮,由於地理因素,居民建材都是就地取材的土黃色岩石,因此在陽光下無時無刻閃耀著金色的光芒,古城區的齋沙默爾堡突立於一望無際的平地上,如同傲然鄙視的王者,統治著塔爾沙漠的眾生。

Due to geographical limits,the construction materials for residence were mainly yellowish mountain rocks.They shone brightly like gold in sun.The Fort was erected abruptly on the top of a hill, on a plain,barren, and sandy land,like a king condescending everything with no obstacles standing on his way ,ruling all beings in Desert Thar.

雖然跟大夥一起鬼扯閒談很好混日子,我還是趕快出去逛,免得也跟著發瘋了,哈哈,有些人就神經神經的,首先先去城堡裡面,齋沙默爾堡常常會被誤為是焦特布爾的梅蘭加爾堡,遠看是很像,都是中世紀軍事堡壘,也兼做王宮,因為是邊境城鎮,靠近不是那麼好相處的鄰居,巴基斯坦,所以即使舊城已經不用當軍事基地,但城鎮周遭有設許多軍事基地。

 Even though shooting wind with everybody was kind of fun,but I'd better not indulge myself too much in this chit-chatting senario.Well,some people were heebie-jeebies.

I went out to visit the Fort.People might mistake Jaisalmer Fort from Mehrangarth Fort sometimes.They did look alike from afar.Both were the military fortresses and also the ruling centers, palaces at old time.As Jaisalmer Fort closes to western border against Pakistan,there is no surprise that many military bases built in this area,even though the old Fort is no longer serving the military purposes.

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齋沙默爾堡Jaisalmer Fort

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齋沙默爾堡Jaisalmer Fort

 

以為很遠,不料走著走著竟然就到了,因為古堡是市區最高建物,所以沒有方向迷失的問題。

I thought it would have taken me forever on foot to reach the Fort,unexpectedly ,it wasn't actually that far.Besides,there's no way to get lost ,for the Fort was the highest building in this area.

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齋沙默爾堡Jaisalmer Fort

 

古城11、12初世紀建成,裡面售票處可以買語音導覽,沒有寬廣大廳,但不減精緻細微的用心,廊道狹小是古時考慮城堡受到攻擊時,讓敵人只能一次在一人容身的走道上肉搏,避免直接受到全方面攻勢。

The Fort was built in 11-12 century,now is a museum.You can rent an audio guide at the entrance's ticket booth.The entrance's hall wasn't large,but the decoration carving was exquisite.

The corridors of the palace were narrow,so that the palace's defenders were able to fight with its enemies one by one in these narrow corridors,instead of encountering directly the full attacks from all directions in broad space.

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齋沙默爾堡Jaisalmer Fort

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售票櫃台The ticket counter

 

王宮跟堡裡民居很靠近,感覺大家感情很近的樣子。不過宮裡婦女只能透過鏤空窗櫺望著下面的市集過乾癮。

The Palace(museum) was so close to residential houses .It seemed that every one here was getting along so well with each other,since people all lived so close.But,in old time,women at the palace could only watch people on the streets through those tiny holes of the exquisite made windows.

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堡外民居The residence around the palace.

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繁複的雕花,拉賈斯坦精美窗櫺,印度齋沙默爾堡。Exquisite carvings on dainty Rajastan window frame,from Jaisalmer Fort,India.

 

堡裡的小攤販都賣一些舊舊的商品,我找到有人賣畫的商家,印度拉賈斯坦文化的"細密畫"非常有名,我買了用已經不再生產的舊明信片為底紙的仕女畫當紀念。

The Shops in the fort were selling antiques,but I had found a store that sold me few paintings,with the famous style of "Rajastan Exquisite Paintings".These pictures were painted on the old post cards,which were no longer in production.

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拉賈斯坦細密畫風The Exquisite Painting style of Rajastan

 

古堡是古時絲路上的重要補給站,當時理所當然成為受惠於東西方國際貿易的城市,現在是世界文化遺產之一,堡中有供奉一尊女神像,是該地蘇丹的財神,每年會定期在堡中出巡,古時古堡被攻陷時,女神像被俘就是戰敗了。

Jaisalmer was one of the important supplying stations at Silk Road,surely it was benefited by international tradings between far East and West.Now,Jaisalmer fort is enlisted UNESCO assets.People of the palace worshopped the Goddess,which was considered to bring fortunes to Sutan.The Goddess went for a tour in city(fort) regularly.In old time,if the Goddess were captured,it meant the fort was also defeated by enemies.

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齋沙默爾堡的守護女神The guardian Goddess at Jaisalmer Fort.

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齋沙默爾堡廊柱The corridor columns at Jaisalmer Fort.

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齋沙默爾堡at Jaisalmer Fort

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齋沙默爾堡於中庭的模型The miniature of Jaisalmer Fort at courtyard of the museum.

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展出中的文物The object in display.

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蘇丹臥室,所以電視不要看太多The bedroom of sultan,unlike you saw from TV soap operas.

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城堡的陽台The balcony at the Fort.

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堡外景觀The view out of the Fort.

 

 

古堡區裡面還有幾間古蹟-耆那教神廟(Chandraprabhu),之前在卡修拉荷(性廟)Khajuraho領教過,這次比較有心理準備,不過裡面神像卻有更濃烈的民族風,而且神像還有更大、更明顯的性器官,耆那教是古印度宗教教派之一,比佛祖還早出世,大家不要因為這個教派的風格誤會了(裸體修行),因為與佛教一樣,都崇尚苦修,肉體則是靈魂容器罷了,印度聖雄甘地也受其影響。

There are other ancient relics in the fort,like the Jain Temple of chandraprabhu.I had learnt it when I was in Khajuraho(the sex temples).So,I was fully prepared in mind.All statues inside were having more strong domestic style,and the exposed genitals looked bigger,more obvious.Jain(naked) is a religion which is created earler than Buddhism.Thus,I hope you guys do not make mistakes about this religion.It has the same idea about asceticism like Buddhism.Both religions see our bodies as souls' vessels.Indian Father,hero,Ghandi was also its believer.

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耆那教神廟(Chandraprabhu)

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耆那教神廟(Chandraprabhu)

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耆那教神廟(Chandraprabhu)

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耆那教神廟(Chandraprabhu)

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耆那教神廟(Chandraprabhu)

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耆那教神廟(Chandraprabhu)

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耆那教簡介The brief introduction of Jain.

印度很多神廟其實脈絡互通,山形廟塔為須彌山的比喻。Some of the theories of different religions in India are correlated.The shape of the temples is a metaphor of Mt.Meru.

神像看久了就不會覺得性感了,因為耆那教的神像都長的一樣,禁慾是必需功課。另外,耆那教當時創立時,是反對印度的種姓制度,因此耆那教有著崇高的教義。You wouldn't feel licentious by looking at those statues for a while,because they all looked alike,and the lessons of being ascetic were the same in every religion in the world.Jain has a supreme goal when established,it objects social classes.Those lower classes in society are oppressed by others.See,Jain has a high standard of moral request.

 

 

市區不遠有一人工湖,卡蒂莎湖Gardisar Lake,古時是城裡重要的蓄水池,現在只有收集雨水、觀光用,當然又有我最怕的一堆鴿子和鳥,其實鳥很不衛生的,可是印度不殺生,所以我看要減少數量很難吧?
Gardisar Lake還有一種動物非常驚人,就是湖中的捻魚,沒人吃,卻有人不時丟食物餵養,每隻都超大,我是覺得滿噁的,哈哈。

There is a lake in urban area,too,Gardisar Lake,which was an important reservoir in old time,now serves as a tank for the collection of rain water,and a site for tourism.Of course,a swarm of pigeons that I am loath as usual, were there.I don't see there's a solution of reducing pigeons' population,because India doesn't "kill". Unexpectedly,there was another species of shocking animals to me in the pool, the catfish,Oh~my God, so fat.I thought them obnoxious.hahaha.

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卡蒂莎湖Gardisar Lake

湖的入口處漂亮的門牌坊,是由當時身分低下的婦女卡蒂莎所捐贈的,當時社會看不起她從事賣身,但是她卻一無反顧出錢出力,捐了一座漂亮的入口建物,翻轉了大家的眼光。

The beautiful gate at the entrance was donated by a woman,Gardisar,who was doing jobs that poeple at that time considered not to be worthy of respect.However,she turned the disadventage by offering enough money to build the gate with her name on it.

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卡蒂莎湖Gardisar Lake

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卡蒂莎湖Gardisar Lake

 

混了幾天,終於來到重頭戲了,駱駝祭分為2個場地舉行,市區內的露天體育場,和沙漠中的活動Sand n Dune。這邊旅館和民宿會出車給觀光客,可以大家一起包車,到沙漠中的會場路途遙遠,道路穿越漫漫黃沙,不時有軍警站查察,會場有另設停車場,大家說好回去時幾點集合,就一起放牛吃草去了。

There were mainly 2 sites that holding the festival.One was at the school's playground,and the other was "Sand n Dune" in an arranged desert area.Hotels usually takes care of the transportation,so if you come alone,just join the car pool.It took a long time to get there,and I saw armed policemen or soldiers at every check points on the way to the destination.When we arrived,we left our car at the parking lot,then we went our own way freely,after setting the time to go back to our own hotel.

 

 

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沙漠會場Sam n Dune

 

 

沙子細軟,踩下去就鑽進鞋裡,滑不溜丟的,我沒有穿有高筒內裡的運動鞋,就隨它去了,沙漠的沙子,即使鑽進鞋子也不會刺人,太細太細了,所以當風吹起,反而要小心相機或手機被沙子汙染了鏡頭。

Sand in desert is infintesimal,so tiny and soft that you wouldn't feel any uncomfortable at all.Nonetheless,it is a nuisance as it contaminates the lens of your video cameras or mobiles.

 

 

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裝飾的很漂亮的駱駝Camels were decorated fantastically.

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騎駱駝Fun for camel riding

 

來參加、來玩的人很多,沙漠一時很熱鬧,風箏飄揚天空,小販也賣小朋友的玩具,大家玩得很高興,晚上還有音樂會表演,駱駝馬夫也趁機當場賣騎駱駝體驗,一次才100盧幣,超便宜的,從這沙丘騎到另一沙丘,可以過過遊牧民族的癮頭,拍照擺個pose多有FU啊!

Lots of people coming for the event,vendors selling kids' toys,and some were flying kites,it seemed everybody were having a good time.It was a must of having a camel riding from one dune to another,and it was cheap, about 100 Rupees per ride.It offered so much fun by taking photos with those camels or having a pretentious experience of being a nomad. There's a concert at night also.

 

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騎駱駝Fun for camel riding

 

不久萬眾屬目的騎駱駝大賽登場,大伙一時往前擠觀看駱駝賽跑,還以為是賭馬那種,駱駝跑起來很快呢,大會最後還有頒獎儀式,將這屆駱駝祭畫下完美句點。

The camel racing was the core focus of all festival activities.It's pretty much like watching horse racing games,and camels were running fast that was new to me.When the game was over,the host gave away medals to winners,making a proper ending.

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駱駝賽跑的觀眾The audiences of the camel racing

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趕集的駱駝夫The owners of camels,who came to attend the event.

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跑道旁群眾The spectators by the running lanes

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駱駝賽跑The camel racing

 

 

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獎牌The prizes

 

夕陽西下,一望無際的沙漠呈現另一幅美麗的瑰麗景象,落日漸沉,白色的太陽帶起天空紅、橘、黃的漸層色帶,美得令人不忍將眼光移開,這是海島國家不會看見的奇幻景象,好像電影中的場景,卻又那麼的自然廣大,從這頭沙丘看不到另一頭沙丘,原來在沙漠裡,層層綿綿的沙丘無法立定地標,沒有方位器具,是真的會迷路且致命的。

There's no rim in sight on deserts,with setting sun creating a marvelous view.Cardinal,orange,blue and yellow colors were spreading on various levels in sky at the time of dusk,which was so pretty that I couldn't move away from my gazing.This was the sight that couldn't be seen in an island country that I came from.It was almost being in a movie setting,meanwhile it was so naturally wonderful and broad.Without coordinating devises to mark locations,I truly believed that it's easy to get lost when being in multiple layers of sand that identical to each other,and which you couldn't see from one hill to another when in bottom of the dunes.Desert Thar had proved itself a surely fetal environment here.

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塔爾沙漠Desert Thar

 

 

日頭終於消逝在地平線的另一端,場上鋪著綠色的地毯,燈光亮起,舞台已經準備妥當,樂隊奏著民族風樂曲,眾人全部往舞台欣賞表演,主持人請舞者表演,帶動大家歡樂情緒更加高漲,夜晚沙漠氣溫逐漸涼爽,已經沒有日間的炎熱,坐在沙丘上往下觀看主辦單位的節目,怡然自得,最好自帶飲食,只不過要記得不要把垃圾丟下,讓沙漠就保持亙古的美麗吧。

Sun finally sunk below horizon at the other end of the sky.Night came,but the lights were all lit.The host laid out the green carpets on the sandy ground for audiences came to sit on.The stage was ready.Folk music started to play and dancers were swaying,stirring everybody's mood,while the air was cooling down.It's no longer scroching heat at night.
It would be a nice thinking to bring with your own snacks and drinks,just remember not to litter any trash here.Let Thar be as perpetually beautiful as ever.

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日落時分The sunset

 

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夜間舞台The concert at night

Sand n Dune

隔天自行搭車往操場去,一進管制口,很多人已經就位,樂手和行進隊伍陸續進場,人們爭相和色彩繽紛的彩披駱駝在場上拍照,不久場上舉行了熱舞,少女的民族舞蹈卻很撩人性感,但是太熱了,還以為被曬昏了,出現了另類表演的幻覺,表演完畢,緊接著還舉辦駱駝先生的選拔,我事前沒有看到這一段的資料,太過驚喜的想笑,雖然一些參賽者也是身強體壯,但好像不是比健美先生那種身材,鬍子是一大重點,必需又長又翹,最好要有造型,還要笑聲感染力強的人獲勝,太好玩了。

The next day,I took a cab to the other site,the school's playground.Audiences ,band players,and other performers were coming in nonstop before I passed the check point.Taking photos with colorful decorated camels was still the fads.Before long,girls' folk dancers were on,but the moves were too sexy that was out of my expectation.At first,I thought I was dazzled by the heat to have the delusion.
They also hosted a pageant of Mr.Camels.Funny was that the choosing standards were based on "who has the most exaggerating laughters",and "who has the wildest style of beards",which turned out to be a great amusement.

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在操場的會場The site at the stadium.

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在操場的會場The site at the stadium.

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駱駝先生選拔The Pageant of Mr.Camels

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駱駝先生選拔The Pageant of Mr.Camels

 

夜晚操場還是有搭建臨時舞台,也有樂團表演,夜色漸漸深沉,回到飯店屋頂,星光下遠眺古堡,齋沙默爾城的生活,並沒有沙漠本質的荒蕪和寂寥。

There was a concert set up for the night performance,too.Night fell deep,I went back to my hotel's rooftop,appreciating the fortress in the starlit night.The night life of Jaisalmer wasn't as dull and arid as the desert should have been.

 

隔天趁著最後時光,回到古堡區找了間高樓上的露天屋頂餐廳,坐在吊椅上,靜靜凝視山下市區景色,和風吹拂著身軀,一時貪戀悠閒,忘卻時光,我錯過了離開的火車,忙著到車站購買了下一班車次,雖然過程爭扎奮鬥了一番,但當地人在擁擠的人潮中,還是禮讓我這外地人解決了問題,一時竟然有恍如隔世之感,不禁啞然失笑,到這地方旅遊後,不用怕趕不上行程了,對我事事都要精確地在定點上的人而言,是人生重要的生活經驗。

Before I left,I went back to the Fort,where I went to a rooftop restaurant, and rested on a suspending chair for the last time.Looking over the downhill quietly,while breezes gently blowing over me,I felt a piece of tranquilty in mind.I was so indulged in my own thoughts that I had forgotten the time and missed my train to the next destination.
I hurried to the train station to get my ticket for next train.I had to squeeze myself forward in a crowd.With the help of some local people,who were so generous to assist me getting a new ticket,even though the process was an arduous struggle.When it's all done,I felt so ridiculous to some extent, like I was just jumping out of a dramatic senario.For someone like me,who had the tendency to keep things done in punctual.The experience of fixing a ticket in India was an important lesson to me,that letting things go at their own paces is as good as being pushed around.

 

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城堡區的屋頂餐廳往下景觀The view from a rooftop restaurant inside the fort.

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城堡區的屋頂餐廳往下景觀The view from a rooftop restaurant inside the fort.

 

 

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