Colouricious Block Printing Holiday. 11 day in Jaipur, January 20th - 31st. Part the third.

 
Wonderful colours and shapes.


As you can imagine, India is full of the most stunning images. The colours, forms, shapes and patterns just make your head spin. Here are a few of the shots I took on the 11 day trip around Jaipur.


Whilst the trip was a block printing extravaganza, we also got out and about, in an air conditioned coach, to enjoy the local area. One of the many great things of going on a trip with Jamie is that she is so enthusiastic about showing you 'behind the scenes' of life in India. There is nothing Jamie enjoys more than exploring the back streets of Jaipur, finding new factories and workshops and other delights to share. Discovering new experiences for her guests. Each trip is different.
Just look at the trips that are on offer - colouricious.com/textile-art-holidays-trips

Our holiday included the Amer Fort, just out side Jaipur. A stunning building.  
One of the highlights of a visit to the fort is to travel up the hill to it on an elephant. The elephants are under the protection of the government and there are strict rules as to how many journeys up the hill the elephants make per day. 

 
 Their are wonderful views from the fort - so high up.

 The elephants arriving up at the fort and some of our group disembarking.

 The elephants on their way back down the hill.

The fort is highly decorated, just stunning.  . .


 . . and there are areas of calm . . 

After wandering around the fort for an hour or so - we were driven down the hill in a convoy of jeeps. At the bottom of the hill is the Anokhi Museum of Hand Printing.  www.anokhi.com/museum/home.
A wonderful building full of block printing history with a fabulous book shop.

After the museum we all piled back in to the coach and we were off to the farm where the elephants live.

 
Jamie had arranged for us to paint a few of the elephants. In small groups. Everything had been carefully arranged and we were all told how to behave around the elephants - what to do, and what not to do. The head mahout gave us a fascinating talk about how the elephants were kept and cared for. did you know that an elephant can live to over 90 years old?
 All the elephants are used to being painted, it almost becomes a game with their mahouts. A mahout is an elephant trainer. The farm we were taken to is where the elephants live with their mahouts. The elephants become part of the mahout's family.
 Everyone was quiet, but still managed to enjoy themselves. It was almost a spiritual event . .

 I think this part of the holiday was one of the highlights for a lot of the group.
It was a very peaceful, and colourful hour or so.

I have lot more to show you - so watch this space . . . 

x x x


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