Postcard From Jaipur

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Postcard From Jaipur - April 06

ONE MONTH ON since last writing, and day time temperatures are up to 34 C and rising. The water level in the lake is falling steadily, exposing more and more filthy silt and sludge.

The good news is that the authorities have come up with the requested saplings and treeguards. And so, after a period of frustration with bureaucracy and when we feared there might not be a positive outturn to our work, we shall achieve the main objective of replanting on two islands in Lake Mansagar.

With luck, the buffaloes will find the treeguards impenetrable and Mulanna will keep the trees watered until the monsoon. Work around the lake

continues apace to build the drain and sewer bypasses. Hopefully they will be completed this year and the natural process of the lake cleaning itself will commence, and will probably be aided by some silt removal.

The local method of doing that will be to advertise the silt as being available to any farmer who wants to collect it from the lake bed before the monsoon! The keen ones will also hope to find the odd coin from votive offerings thrown in the lake!

Work aside, India has shown us tigers, Tajs and traffic, a Rajput wedding, houseboats and Himalayan foothills, deserts and desserts, saddle sores from a superb night camel ride, magnificent moustaches, fantastic frescoes and terrible traffic, squalor, noise, pollution and friendship, but most of all, a chance to live with, and get to know all, three generations of our charming host family.

We will be home shortly.

Bill and Sue Hoare