Two Camels and Boy in Setting Sun, Sand Dunes, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan

High quality, archival prints of this image are for sale. Ordering info is given at the end of the post.

About the Image
Image Code: AJ070
Title: Two Camels and Boy in Setting Sun, Sand Dunes, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan
Photographer: Ajay Jain
Year Taken: 2010
Material: Archival Paper
Standard Size: 32″ x 24″

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Wherever you are in the world, there is no dearth of something or someone to attract your attention – and impress you, or make you wonder in amazement, to make you ponder, or to humour you. Here is something from the roads of Karnataka. Enjoy!

A sign at a pub in Manipal, Karnataka (Manipal is mostly a student town - I am not implying anything with regard to youthful energy here)

Sunset Point near Agumbe - I was there at the wrong time of the day

View of the valleys from Sunset Point near Agumbe

Spotted these stones on the side of the highway - wonder what these are? Any guesses?

At the coffee and forest regions near Chikamagalur. Something to think about?

At the coffee and forest regions near Chikamagalur. Something to think about?

Ajay Jain is currently on the Great Arabian Sea Drive, starting from Delhi and following the coastline all the way from Gujarat down to Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Follow all updates on:
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Want to join us in our future journeys? Join Club Kunzum – no membership fee! And do join us for a coffee sometime at the Kunzum Travel Cafe in Hauz Khas Village in New Delhi.

Gokarna, Karnataka: The setting sun on the Om beach

Some rate Gokarna as the Pushkar of the south – where western backpackers and latest versions of hippies come seeking spiritual peace by getting a high.

If you are looking for those ‘flower power’ crowds, you will be disappointed. What you have is a wound-down version of the 1960s. Small groups, fully coherent.

The shacks on its beaches serving seafood and alcohol also conjure up images of the not-so-distant Goa. Fortunately, Gokarna is largely clean and unadulterated.

Its beaches are a delight to be in, the most famous being the Om beach. Why is it called so? Hike up one end up to the rocks where a lone palm tree grows and look down – it is shaped like the holy symbol ‘Om.’

The significance does not stop with the symbolism. I am not an atheist, but neither a customer for religious over-zealousness. But this place did touch me.

Staying at the wonderful Swaswara resort, I joined their meditation session atop a hill against the rising sun. Besides other things, the yoga instructor asked us to focus and allow the sea, the deep ocean and the air to caress the energy centre at the base of the spine. I am not exaggerating when I say this: my lower back had been hurting for days, and I got cured by the end of the half hour.

I walked the beaches and climbed the rocks in the water (despite warnings of the risks involved) during sunrise and sunset hours – could have played like a child on these for hours. And I’m not a beach person.

Even the low density of visitors manage to leave behind some garbage and plastic bottles and wrappers. Pity really!

The beaches have their share of stray dogs and cows too – but they leave you alone. Can be a bit unsettling though.

Like every other place in the south, Gokarna town has a big temple. And many small ones. You can feel religion all over – with temples dotting the town, priests walking around, devotees going in and out and shops selling religious stuff.

Some rules to be followed in the main temple (quotes verbatim from the signs, except the part in brackets):

‘Presents to God to be dropped in Hundi only’

‘Indian dress preferred for darshan (going into temple for prayers)’

‘Foreigners are not allowed’ (But there is no stopping anyone to look around from the outside)

Do any of the cows on the beach contribute to what this sign indicated: ‘Cow dung shampoo. Totally natural. Try it. Believe it.’ Don’t try it if you are headed for a date!

Gokarna is a place I would recommend you go as a destination in itself; and the place to stay is Swaswara – one of the best in the world. I mean it. More about the property later.

Given below are some images of Gokarna town and its beaches.

Gokarna, Karnataka: It’s mostly cows at sunrise on the beaches

Gokarna, Karnataka: Backpackers at the shacks at Om Beach, many seeking a high

Gokarna, Karnataka: One of the beaches at Gokarna

Gokarna, Karnataka: Yet another beautiful beach

Gokarna, Karnataka: Rocks going into the water from Om beach

Gokarna, Karnataka: Anyone care to identify this species?

Gokarna, Karnataka: Time for some water sports? Check out the safety measures though as most operators in India throw caution to the winds.

Gokarna, Karnataka: The Om beach - can you make out the shape of Om?

Gokarna, Karnataka: Setting sun at Om Beach

Gokarna, Karnataka: A western tourist reading a book under a plam tree on a rocky outcrop at the end of one the arms of Om beach against the setting sun

Gokarna, Karnataka: A sign for a shack on Om beach

Gokarna, Karnataka: Full moon over the Om beach

Gokarna, Karnataka: Twilight over Om beach

Gokarna, Karnataka: One of the cars or chariots used to carry idols of Gods on special occasions in town

Gokarna, Karnataka: Priests out to distribute blessings in town

Gokarna, Karnataka: Shopping in town

Gokarna, Karnataka: Flower sellers outside a temple in town

Gokarna, Karnataka: Shops in town

Gokarna, Karnataka: Flower sellers outside a temple in town

Ajay Jain is currently on the Great Arabian Sea Drive, starting from Delhi and following the coastline all the way from Gujarat down to Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Follow all updates on:
* Kunzum.com (All posts from the trip can be read here) – Subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
* Twitter – @ajayjain and @kunzum. Follow us.
* Facebook – Join our Fan Page

Want to join us in our future journeys? Join Club Kunzum – no membership fee! And do join us for a coffee sometime at the Kunzum Travel Cafe in Hauz Khas Village in New Delhi.

I have already written about Wadi Rum in Jordan being one of the most fascinating desert landscapes on the planet. As sunset approached, my 4×4 driver urged me to stop clicking pictures if I wanted to catch the sunset. I love sunsets and I was not going to miss this one!

We speeded ahead and just before reaching our vantage point, the SUV refused to go over a sand dune. It did not have enough power to go over the hump. We reversed, and throttled from a longer distance than before. We covered a few more inches than before but not enough. And then we really went far back – and voila, we made it even if all the bones got realigned in the resulting flying ship act.

We parked below what seemed like a rock hundreds of metres high, and had to run / trudge our way to the top on a soft sand dune again. Trust me, it is no easy task walking on these dunes especially when laden with heavy camera equipment making your centre of gravity all wobbly. But once on top, there was no looking back.

In front of me lay an endless desert, accentuated with a rising rock monoliths standing all by themselves. And behind one range the sun was setting – as the colours changed around me and the air got cooler, I could only go click click. Nature was at work, painting a canvas that is best preserved in one’s memory. Photographs are only a poor copy. I wish the travel plan included sleeping spending the night on the rock – and waking with the sunrise. Another time!

Something for you to consider:
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And do join us for a coffee at the Kunzum Travel Cafe in Hauz Khas Village in New Delhi, India.

Sunset Storm in Munsiyari in Uttarakhand

This image was taken in Munsiyari, located in the Indian Himalayan state of Uttarakhand (formerly Uttaranchal). Click on the image for a larger view. You can view and order more such images at the Kunzum Gallery

Early morning shot in the Himalayan town of Munsiyari in Uttarakhand

Click here, to see a series of images I took on a trip to Munsiyari in the Himalayan state of Uttarakhand in India in early June 2008. These were all taken during the morning and evening hours. If you like any of these, and would like to place orders, do contact me at ajay@ajayjain.com or visit my gallery. Click on the image for a larger view.