March 14, 2006

The less touristic flaying, please

Random jottings from a 2500-km road trip.

***

At the (a?) Jain temple in Jaisalmer, a sign announces: "Foreigners allowed after 11 am."

What's the reasoning here? What happens in that temple before 11 am that foreigners cannot see?

***

A camel and jeep safari operator in Jaisalmer has a large board up showing three maps. These are the routes you can choose to take for your desert safari. They are marked "Touristic Route", "Less Touristic Route" and "Non-touristic Route", respectively.

I was tempted to wait there. For it would be interesting to interview a tourist who strolls past, catches sight of this board, scratches his or her beard for a while, and then decides: "I'd like the Less Touristic Route, please!"

***

I'm standing at a cannon-embellished lookout point over the city, drinking in the view. Behind me, I hear Marathi: a small group of Marathi speakers trudges up the slope, led by a guide. When they have all made it up, he begins pointing out the sights. Like this:

"You see that haveli? That was in Lamhe ... Sridevi double role! And that hotel over there, it was in Sarfarosh."

To this, a woman says: "Naseeruddin Shah."

The guide nearly barks, he seems so offended: "No! Aamir Khan!"

Though of course, both Shah and Khan were in Sarfarosh.

***

"Chamunda Drayclin Look here laundry work any kind cloth's Drayclin wash and press."

Sign in Jaisalmer fort.

***

"Obscure Arts. La-Art-O-Boutique"

Sign outside a shop in Jodhpur.

***

Painted on the side of a SUV: "Flaying Rani."

Yes, I've always wanted to travel by that particular train. So fast, it takes your skin off.

***

Two Tshirt inscriptions:

"West Owinnet Soccer Club" (roadside market, Agolai).

"Rock Voger Voger" (Reliance petrol station, Baroda).

***

A few truck inscriptions:

Pyaru di gaddi. Sher ke peechhe karna bekar hai.

[Pyaru's vehicle. It's futile to pursue a tiger].

A.O. gai na Rajasthan ki gori.

[I have no clue].

Speed 41 km. [Not 40 or 50, but 41.]

The Great of Pandits.

Save Rain Water. Avoid Child Labours. Sound Horn.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

this happens before 11am.

Anonymous said...

Speed 41 km. [Not 40 or 50, but 41.]

Did you check properly? maybe it was 47. but is speed measured in km? :D

Madhav said...

I had spotted this sign all over the place at Jaisalmer, a few years back. Maybe they've changed it now.

'ADIS is curbal'

I'm happy they didn't misspell the second word.

Anonymous said...

What's the reasoning here? What happens in this temple ?

Ashish Gupta said...

A.O. gai na Rajasthan ki gori.
[I have no clue].


May be it means "Will you come Rajasthan's beauty?"