A Secluded Desert Experience

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  Osian, Rajasthan, India
Sunday, October 26, 2008

We were fortunate enough to trek into the back desert with a "desert farmer". How rare to be welcomed into a local persons home. Dhanna Ram, his wife Samu, and 4 children welcomed us into their 'guest hut', cooked our meals, and took us on camel treks into the area.

The hut had 4 foot high red sandstone side walls with straw roof supported by sticks. The floor was paved from a combination of dirt/sand/ cow dung/ straw and was comfortable to walk on. Two rooms and a small courtyard was their home. Samu was a freindly and shy woman age 30. She wore traditional Indian colorful dress and carefully kept her face covered when around us. The young kids wore only shirts during the day. Those older than 6 years wore pants but often no shoes.

Dhanna Ram farms goats, hay, and 'cucumber', which really looked like small watermelon. The growing season has ended......the sky has left no water on over 30 days. Temperatures were hovering around 100 in the afternoon but the dryness made it more comfortable than one would think. That is, until you step into the sun!! Hats, or umbrellas are a must when exiting the refuge of the shade.

We rode by "camel cart' from the small town of Osian for about 6 miles into the desert following dusty/ sandy trails. This desert has light brush/ bush growth all around. We saw but one wind-swept, dune absent of green.

Quiet and peaceful, this place is, hearing only the breeze passing your ear, or the camel snorting/ breathing. Some owl-sounding birds live in the thatch of the straw huts making a haunting symphony in the early evening.

Bonding Time

Some bees have made a home in small holes in the sticks supporting the thatch.

Dhanna Ram took us for a sunset trek to the top of a large dune to watch the fabulous display. The colors were a pleasant site after watching filthy brown-grey sunsets in the city. The clean air cleared my congestion and I feel fully healthy for the first time since I arrived in India. After the sunset the hour long return trek was by only starlight as it is new moon and we are far from any significant lights. The milky way revealed itself to us almost instantly after the sun droped. The sky was a brilliant display like salt speckled across a black table cloth. It was a still quiet walk. Twice, Dhanna Ram motioned for us to stop and be quiet. He seemed concerned. We held still for a full minute as he listened to someone talk in the darkness a couple hundred feet or so away. Then he motioned for us to proceed quietly. I took his clue. Dhanna Ran speaks poor english so I never got the story on what his concern was. I trusted him though.

That night Maria and I slept under the stars on a cot. The temperature dropped to maybe 50 degrees or so. We cuddled in our blankets but my feet hung over the cot.....it was just not sized for a Westerner. I dozed off and on thru the night. At one point I heard a man walking the path toward us and talking. It was probably past 11 PM. I rolled over as he past 15 feet away. He was an elderly man in white robe, a white turban, riding a camel, with a smaller camel in tow behind him.......and talking on a cell phone!!!! The striking contrast of new technology on ancient culture! I cannot describe the peacefull quietness and tranquility of that evening.

Can you guess she doesn't feel well?

I tried not to sleep simply because of the perfectness of the sky, temperature, and quietness. One could hear only a snort of a camel, a goat shuffle, an occasional dog bark. I awoke in the morning to the cry of a flock of peacocks.

The next day was different. A nice morning breakfast, playing with the kids for a while, a short nap. Maria was feeling a bit queezy and when Dhanna Ram asked if we wanted to go for a trek to a far dune I was concerned about it being the hottest part of the day. Maria said she was OK but I shouldve listned to my intuition. We went, shaded by an umbrella on the camel cart. After an hour of riding Maria was looking drained. She was drinking fine but complained it was not helping. We reached our destination and she sat by a tree to rest. We shortened our stay and I asked Dhanna Ram to hurry back. I noticed rashes on Maria's arms.....Heat stroke? Time is of the essence here. Now I was really concerned. Fortunately he had a cell phone. We asked that he arrange to have cold pop delivered from town (cold intake + electrolytes). Maria started to vomit dramatically.

To make a long story short, over the next 3 hours we arrranged to have a 4WD jeep drive in from town and evacuate us from the desert. We also arranged our hotel in Jodhpur to send and AC car to pick us up in Osian (1 hr drive) and rush us to an AC room. Maria conitnued to vomit ferociously in the meantime. We focused on keeping her cool and electrolyte/ water intake. At the hotel she showed a 2 degree fever so I put her on antibiotics. After a cold shower and rest she quickly stabilized. As I write this she continues to get better, is weak but up and about. I believe she had an intestinal bug complimented by the effects of the heat.

It was a scary experience for us both. I am glad the cell phone was available. I am glad I had the antibiotics available.

If Maria continues to get better we will go travel tomorrow.

Our best to all, Mark

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Dhanna Ram and Maria	Mother and Chile	Starlit camel trek	Time for dinner

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