Our drive from Jodhpur (266 meters above sea level) to Udaipur takes us south-south-west, but we remain in Rajasthan - "the land of kings". While it is only 258 kilometers, the drive takes in excess of 6 hours due to the rough hilly roads. Our drive takes us gradually from plains up to the eastern flank of the Aravalli Hill Range to Ranakpur at 436 meters (1431 feet) and ultimately on to Udaipur at 479 meters above sea level (1919 feet). We drive through more farm lands with crops in various stages of growth or harvest. We actually see maybe our second only highway accident - a truck is rolled over in the ditch with buffalo already eating out of the back.

We arrive at Ranakpur (463 meters above sea level) - a pilgrim destination due to the Jain's Adinatha Temple , tucked away in a wooded valley in the midst of the Aravalli hills. The temples were a gift to the Jain community in the 15th century by Rana Kumba, the Hindu ruler of Mewar. The main temple, constructed initiated 1439 taking approximately 50 years, was built according to a strict measuring system based on the number 72. The temple sits on a pedestal that is 72 yards square and held up by 1440 (72x20) individually carved pillars, complete with 72 elaborate shrines along with the main diety - a 72 foot tall, four faced Adinath. Unlike many temples, Adinatha houses many small areas of worship rather than a large room with a single raised alter. The carved marble is boasted to be on par with any in the world. Jainism (similar to Hinduism) follows a rigorous discipline to avoid harm to all jivas (souls) existing in humans, animals, plants, water, fire, earth and air.

We see, around the Jain Temple as well in the forests surrounding Ranakpur, many Gray Lanagur Monkeys. The monkeys, largely gray except the black hands and face, are very sacred in Hindu reliogions and are therefore protected in India. The monkey's traditional Indian name is the Hanuman Monkey - a famous monkey god who fought to save the wife of the Indian King Rama. The monkeys burnt their hands and faces when saving Hanuman's wife from a fire.

We lunch at Kings Abode nestled in the hilly wilderness outside Ranakpur. We then continue our journey up and down, in and around and about through the hills to our final destination for the day at Udaipur - the White City.