Drive Through Ranakpur Ghat Section, Rajasthan
The drive from Kumbhalgarh to Ranakpur was a revelation which I never expected. I was told by my driver that this section of Rajasthan is a hilly region featured by the Aravalli hill range. As we traveled I was surprised to see the dry ghat section almost resembling the eastern or western ghats of India. I saw a few places where the road takes a number of hair pin bends. Forest on the body of the hills are not very thick but bushy in nature. From a viewpoint noticed that a new hotel/resort is being made ready in the valley below.
Rainy season will be more greener and more soothing, there is no doubt about it! If environment can be helped artificially with more rain or water for the ecosystem here, the forest would grow further. This would ultimately result in more natural rain and the ecosystem can endure henceforth. Driving through the forest and stone hills we stopped at a bridge. Here a natural waterfalls can be viewed during monsoon season only. Through I could see water below the bridge but there was no trace of waterfalls then.
We were greeted by langurs who tried to block our way in the hope of getting something. I found langurs are naturally found here. They typically wait beside the road in the hope that passerby people will feed them. These species of monkey are different than what is typically found in and around Bangalore. The langurs have grey hair, black face, black hand and black feet. Wheres the monkeys around Bangalore are smaller in size comparatively, have red face and golden hair.
I could view a few temples in the lap of the hill merging with the forest but still distinctly visible. This journey kept be guessing. Soon we reached Surya Narayan Temple followed by Ranakpur temple. This was a discovery for myself. I would like to tell my readers that Rajasthan is not all desert as many of us typically think. Be there to experience it and surprise yourself!