Through the Desert
During my first trip to India, I mostly interest my self to the Rajasthan region, due the nomadic culture and they known for the desert. I discover these people through the amazing photographic work of Steve Mccurry.
My adventure started in Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan. A city rich in culture, which is surrounded by old fortress that testified their past as a kingdom. There is nothing such as India vibrance and the life that emerges from the streets. People are every where, always something interesting happening around the corner…
Something fascinated me, staying couple of days in the capital. I call it “the kite runner”. It’s for me the most poetic memory I have made during my trip. Every evening I stepped into a parallel world a couple mettre higher. All occupation where on hold to watch the kids running they kits during sunset.
The goal of the kite parade is to bring others kite down and the last kite who still flying when the nights cames down win. It was a true moment of happiness and hope to see all these people coming together to share a unique moment.
I then wandered around Jodhpur, Udaipur and Pushkar before heading to Jaisalmer; where the adventure really started. Jaisalmer is still build in the fortress which is located in the Thar desert; between the Indian and Pakistan boarders. It’s in this small town where I met Akbar, a nomadic coming from the Desert. Talking with him, I learned that he came to the city to find a job, but all his famille is still living there. I asked him if he could bring me to the desert to see how they live and learn from the culture.
After three days cruising around town, I finally got the confirmation from Akbar; his cousin and one of his good friend will take me to the desert for three days. At this point of the trip, one of my German friend, I have met earlier, joined the adventure.
At the first hour the next morning, a jeep was waiting for us. The night was short, due the excitement we couldn’t sleep much. We drove one half hour out of town when the driver decided to stop. I asked him - Is there any problem or something ? He just answered me - Wait ! So we waited a few minutes, when suddenly Akbar cousin and friend appear from the horizon with six camels. This unreal image of these nomadic people and they camels coming out of nowhere will be etched in my memory forever. Barely time to load the camels with food and water that we where gone. Some long journey on camel back in harsh sun awaited us.
Living with the desert is living the rythme of life and not trying to go faster. Most of the day we where riding camel. When came the time to eat we where looking to find a tree so we can enjoy a bit of shadow. One hour of preparation is needed before tasting a good meal. Some of us where preparing the fire, others where preparing the vegetable for the curry, the chapatti and others toke care of the camels. The food was the same for the three days of the trip, but it was simply good; just made out of local ingredients.
Riding camel on long distances is a kind of meditation ; I was completely lost in my thought seeing so many landscapes passing by. On our route we met other nomadic families, how often invited us to share a tea. There too, life is pretty simple. Man’s are often out to work, woman are working inside the house and are taking care of the children and kids often let by them self. Often not going to school, because it’s too far, cost a lot of money and most families can not afford it.
At the end of the day, when the sun came down, it’s time to let the camels free. We prepare our camp site made out of blanket laying on the sand and concocted the food. Nothing better than a good meal around a fire camp, telling stories and enjoying the cold desert night illuminate by the milky way.
Now days, the nomadic people are disappearing. More and more kids are joining the big cities to find jobs and bring money home. A lot of these families went into the tourisme business by owning hotels, restaurants and offering safari desert to make discovered they way of living.
Waking up with the sun, eating when you're hungry, contemplating the stars resume the simplicity of that nomadic life. During my journey in the desert I had this intense feeling that if any thing happened I would not be alone. A true feeling of mutual aid, like if they all know each other. I had the feeling they don’t have a lot, but are rich in time and are always ready to share. That’s what make these nomadic people so special to my eyes.
