A Day in the Village of Samode

We woke up in our palace (nice way to start a blog entry, no?) and had breakfast. Our plan was to visit the small village right outside the Palace gates and down the mountainside a bit. At breakfast two of the waiters invited us to come to their home in the village. You can read about the Palace by clicking HERE.

A jeep drove us down the hill, to the center of the village. We got out and the waiters were there to greet us. We went to his house where they make and sell bangles. The bangles are all made by hand. The use the sap of trees heating the mixture so they can work with it. This is all done with primitive tools. The women then decorate the bangles. The house is very Spartan, it has been in the family since at least the 1800’s. Multiple generations of bangle artisans have lived there. It is a multigenerational home and he took us to his room, where he lives with his wife and two small children. It is there only private space, the children sleep with them in the same bed. He showed us his wedding pictures. Indians have very elaborate and expensive weddings. He had 400 – 500 guests. There were pictures of the dowry he received. He had not met his wife until the wedding night. She was from a village approximately 100 kilometers away. All marriages here are arranged, no love marriages. His wife is very pretty. We met her, she speaks no English. The women and men live separate lives. The men eat with the men, the women with the women. It appears to work!

While we were shopping for bangles a young pretty girl came and swept the street in front of the house. They explained to us that she was from a sweeper caste. They were employed by the families to keep the street clean in front of their house. They could not touch the people or let them into their home. They paid them one roti (piece of bread) per day. On a festival day they might give them some clothes or money. This is the first time I personally seen that the “Untouchable Class” now called dalits, really still exists in India.

We then went to another small house front that served as a store for a cobbler that makes shoes and slippers. Because he is working with leather, I assume he is also of a lower cast or possibly a Muslim.

Finally we went to another house where a jeweler displayed his wares. He had many gem stones and had created necklaces, rings, bracelets, etc. Rubies and sapphires were aplenty. The three women had great fun sifting thru the jewelry and trying things on. At the end I was the chief negotiator as we bargained. The young jeweler was leaving next month on a Haj to Mecca. We talked briefly about the fact that in this village there is no inter-communal problems and the Hindus and Muslims get along just fine. They invite each other to their festivals and are friends.

Goats, Pigs, and monkeys roamed the few small streets. Everyone knows everyone it this village. We have been using our small but ever growing vocabulary of Hindi words. Everyone likes the fact that we try and are always trying to assist us. Even when I know the word, the way that I pronounce it can be misinterpreted. I found out that one of the words that I had been using was similar to describing a sex act the way that I pronounced it. The villager suggested I don’t try to pronounce it at all and speak the word in English.

We went for a late afternoon massage, then relaxed for before dinner. Once again we ate at the Palace outside on a deck. Rajasthan food is delicious. It is less spicy then some other regional foods of India. Several bottles of wine later we retreated to our room. We heard and saw lots of fireworks exploding over the Palace. Tomorrow we check out and leave our Palace to drive the hour and half off the mountain and back to Jaipur. It has been really exciting living like a Maharaja in this Palace. The staff has been amazingly nice to us. We know their names and treat them like friends.

We love Mumbai and Delhi, but there is an entirely different experience visiting and making friends with people in Indian Villages. There is an honesty and simplicity about their lives that is so foreign to us. They are very poor and our money definitely helps them, but you feel the relationship between the villagers and us is more than a financial transaction. They are genuinely nice and striving to better themselves but holding on the ways and the traditions of the village.

Tomorrow we check-in to a Havali that has been renovated to be a guest house. Haveli is the name for a large mansion. It will be an adventure to stay in one. I don’t know If it will have Internet, so we may or may not be blogging!