“Bhangarh is a place on way from Jaipur to Alwar city in Rajasthan state of India. Today Bhangarh is known for its ruins where nobody dares to stay after sunset. Going to history we find that this town was established by Madho Singh, younger brother of King Akbar’s General Man Singh, in 1631. But the city seems to have been abandoned in a hurry some centuries later. As per local folks, due to some curse the whole town was vacated overnight. According to this curse, it was also said that if the town was ever rediscovered, the township would not be found, but only temples would show up. True to the story, only temples dot the landscape and even far up on the mountains only shrines can be seen. People say that nobody who stayed there after dark returned from there. The biggest thing is that as per Govt. of India rules there has to be an office of Archaeology Survey of India (ASI) beside every historical structure in India. But even Government authorities couldn’t dare to open an office there and they opened their office about one kilometer away from the ruins of Bhangarh. Also ASI has put a signboard at Bhangarh saying, "Staying after sunset is strictly prohibited in this area." People who visit this place out of tourist interest say that there is a strange feeling in the atmosphere of Bhangarh, which causes sort of anxiety and restlessness.”

How many times have you heard such a story? Now, how many times have you rented a bus and took around 40 people to such a place?!!? Well, you need to hang out with me a bit more!
But let’s go in order. Last weekend I really wanted to go to Khajurhao, a city famous for its erotic temples with kamasutra sculptures. But after I found out it is 18 hours away from Jaipur and we had to change 3 buses (which meant at least 22, 23 hours) I gave up the idea and felt a bit sad. Luckly my web-editor sent me the story above and that made me super super curious!! So I just sent out an email to the other AIESEC trainees and surprise surprise, they were curious and tempted as well! Of course there is no bus or other form of transportation to get there so we had to rent few cars or even a bus. The whole day on Saturday was very hectic for me: had to do a lot of stuff at work (yes, I do work on Saturdays when I don’t travel!), I didn’t have time for lunch, after work I had to arrange with AIESEC Jaipur president for a bus since it was so many of us going there. Once at home Marsha told me that Adi had invited us to this reggae party in a place in the middle of nowhere and why not? A reggae party in India, let’s check it out! We reached there and it was one of the best time ever here! Not many people (around 20), some old Indian hippies with white long hair, we first watched a movie about Bob Marley, then just listened to some AMAZING reggae music, danced with the old hippies…such a great time, and so unexpected!!! Then a bunch of other trainees went to B2B (the night-club in Jaipur) and Marsha and I joined them…it was even better than last Saturday! This time it was seriously A LOT of us…I would even say that the club was filled half with Indians half with AIESEC trainees!!! We made the night really really fun, despite the weird hindi-house music, we brought so much energy, I danced like crazy and had an amazing time. Once back at home I realized I hadn’t eaten all day, I had been running around, drinking and dancing, and finally my body said STOP. I passed out for few seconds, luckily Sergei was there and made sure I was alright…yes, that’s my way to learn! Next time I will take care better of myself!
Nevertheless, the next morning we left for Bhanghar! After stopping in a ugly dirty place for lunch, we decided to ride not “inside” the bus but actually “on” the bus! We all set on the bus roof and it was so much fun! Well, we did get some trees in the face, we had to lower our heads at the electricity lines, but it was beautiful! We had a very very nice view of rural Rajasthan…really amazing! People working in fields, small villages, people bathing in mud-ponds, kids left alone in the streets…very interesting experience.
Once in Bhanghar we just walked around, wondered through the ruins. I expected it to be very quite and isolated, but in fact it was full of people! The abandoned town reminded me a lot of Pompei, and it was really suggestive to see just the top of those temples, and so many monkeys!!! Some people hiked up to one temple but it seemed pretty hard and most of us were in flip-flops so we didn’t attempt. We waited for the others sitting on a field and Hardy had the wonderful idea of start playing with the monkeys!! It was really funny, I felt like in primary school again but I laughed so much! Hardy was the “director” of the whole scene, taking movies with its digital camera, and sent others to feed the monkeys with bananas…the facial expressions of monkeys and their movements are so human and sometimes they really act like babies! Then one of them got stuck in a piece of white fabric and we were like “so those are the ghosts of Bhanghar!” Anyhow, it was a pleasant, sunny, relaxing day, we came back sitting again on top of the bus, this time with a view of an AMAZING sunset, then falling asleep being all over each other and fitting like in a puzzle. While lying on the bus I had a metaphoric thought about my experience in India. In fact living in the US, Italy or France is actually like riding inside the bus. Of course you catch the ride of life, you’re not missing out and you still get where you have planned to, but you’re missing out on little details of the world around you cause you’re too comfortable sitting in your bus sit. Now, living in India, is indeed like riding on top of the bus. You live life at 120%, you cannot just sit and relax, you have to be careful for the trees and electricity lines, and all around you see real beauty – such as the sunset, the landscape, the hills etc – but also poverty and slices of human lives that you would miss otherwise. Also, meeting other trainees and living your life with them is like different pieces of a puzzle who were wondering around the whole world and got to Jaipur and somehow just fitted together, as we all managed to fit and sleep on the top of the bus. Man, how much will I miss this life!
I think what I’ll miss the most– along with traveling, learning, and partying – will be the other trainees, especially my housemates! We all got really closed lately and we are such a nice crowd! (the closest thing to my ideal hippy commune!) We even get sick together! Yesterday I wasn’t feeling good and I stayed home from work, but I wasn’t alone! Nikola (Serbia) and Itri (Turkey) were home sick as well. Jaana went to work late so she spent the morning with us. Ines is back for few days before taking off for Portugal and she was hanging out with us…it was so nice to take a day off! I really needed it! Both Nikola and I felt better in the afternoon but Itri started shivering and having real high temperature. As soon as Hardy and Jaana got back from work we had them take him to the hospital where he stayed over night…and he’s fine now! He just caught a fever, luckily! But when last night Jaana and Hardy came back they had so many stories about the hospital! Of course he went to a private hospital (and paid as much as my monthly salary to stay over night!). They showed us pictures of the room and it doesn’t look that white, shiny idea of a private hospital that we may have. The nurses and doctors prescribed some medicines but didn’t provide them! Jaana had to go to the pharmacy and even buy the fluid to put in his blood-system!!! So what if he was alone?!?! Then it takes ages to get even water or food (and they had to pay for everything). And the worse disgusting thing ever: there is no toilet paper neither hand soap in the bathrooms!!!! Also, people are allowed to bring food inside (what?!?!) but with a special pass, which Hardy HAD to buy (so no hygienic reason for the pass, just profit). Then there is no emergency button to call a nurse or something, so somebody HAD to stay overnight. Hardy came back there and had to bring everything: his pillow, his bed sheet…I wouldn’t have been surprised to see him carrying a stuffed animal;) He went there with his traveling backpack and it was pretty funny! It didn’t seem as he was going to a hospital but more to a war camp! So, wish me to NEVER EVER get seriously sick in India…now I understand what the travel nurse at MU meant when she said “if you ever have to go to the hospital, fly to Singapore!”
Anyhow, these are some few slices of my life! You can see how I’m getting close to people and wish that my departure would never come. But luckily there is still the trip to Goa with some of my housemates (Jaana for sure, maybe Hardy, Kasia and Ana, who’s now in Cambodia with her guy) and Seth from South Africa. And I got an email from Harriet who will be around as well and maybe we will meet up…yeah!!! Let’s hope Monsoon will give us a break and I will finally wear a bikini;)