JAINISM

We have visited the marble Jain temples in Delwara of white marble and now the sandstone ones of Jaisalmer.  The inner section of each temple has a huge square with very intricately carved dome above.  The figures are mostly very voluptuous busty women in very difficult dance poses.  Around the back of each inner sanctum John has found a 'naughty area' where the statues are nude - male and female and these are rubbed to a shine - probably touched by the faithful for fertility reasons.  ( Yes I just had a hunch that I might find such things round the back and I was right. It was the same in Egypt in the Luxor temple. It's a human nature thing! (John)) The figures around the central courtyard portray the same buddha like form replicated many times wearing slightly different headgear.  The faithful kneel at the central altar with large figure and wave hand over a holy flame given by a monk and wipe their hands then over their head.  Usually at this point an offering of money is given.  Basically the Jains seem to believe that all life is sacred and that we all must try to attain bliss and break from the cycle of rebirth and death - but that women can only do this by becoming men as the menstruation makes them unclean and unable to reach bliss - hard luck women yet again!

In the fort here there are several womens' cooperatives selling goods only made by local village women - some fantastic bed covers with the old saris - pity got no room to pack anything.  There are quite a few tourists here so the fort is quite commercialised but still lovely to wander around.

Met two young lads from Devon in our hotel last night just about to start uni and heard their tales of scams in Delhi and how they triumphed - they've got gumption to be doing India at their young age - that's how you get wisdom fast....