Jaipur to Agra

We got to sleep in today.  We boarded the bus at 1030.  The trip from Jaipur to Agra is about 240 kilometers (150 miles).  We made a couple of brief stops along the way and arrived in Agra in the late afternoon.  To travel by Indian public transport bus from Jaipur to Agra will take over 14 hours based on their schedule and many stops along the way.  Also, the public bus is very crowded and not air-conditioned.  We are riding in a Mercedes built, luxury touring bus that even has a toilet.  The drivers here are amazing in what they can do driving these buses.  Watching traffic is half the fun.

Our Hotel Doorman

One of the more interesting stops along the way was at the Chand Baori, a step well constructed sometime between 800 - 900 CE.  It extends over 100 feet into the ground and its walls are lined with red sandstone.  One side is particularly ornate.  Adjacent to the Chand Baori is a Harshat Mata, a Hindu temple dating back to 800 CE.  Two women were at the temple assisting worshipers and welcoming visitors.

Harshat Mata Temple

We next visited a potter who lived in a nearby village.  His work and living area were in a space covering a few square yards most of which was exposed to the elements.  There was no electricity.  His potters wheel spun on a spindle.  He used a stick to get the wheel spinning.  His kiln was a few feet away.  His wife cooked on an open fire and they had little more than two beds in a hovel.

Potter Smoking His Pipe

We stopped for lunch at a very nice hotel that we think was once a royal hunting lodge based upon pictures on the wall and the general layout.  Hardened dung is used for paving.  We witnessed a couple of women working with dung to extend the size of the paved area around the hotel. 

Paving Using Dung

Dung is also used as fuel.  We saw it being dried and stored in fields and atop roofs.

Dung Drying on Rooftops

Our last stop before arriving in Agra was a visit to a rural school.  The school is too small to accommodate all the students at the same time.  So, a morning and afternoon session is held each day with older and younger students sharing classrooms.  The younger students were in session when we arrived.  The principal greeted us and allowed us to spend some time with the students and teachers.

Class Held Outdoors

Indoor Classroom

Rural Market