Today we drive from Jodhpur to Udaipur. The morning is hazy and cool, another temperature inversion going on. We can see Nilgai from our window wandering through vacant blocks. The dogs, of which there are many, are gathering in packs and starting to look for a feed. Squadron’s of pigeons are in the air.

As we drive along we see so many things worth noting so we default to the photos. We pass farmland, small villages and temples everywhere is abuzz with life.

We stop at what they call a midway stop to have a quick break. In many such places whether they’re a road side rest stop, restaurant or place of interest you walk through a shop comprising of gifts and snacks.

Lunch is at a resort that practices sustainability, preferring not to use electricity during the day but maneuver metal screening to control lightning, heat and breezes, water is also recycled.

We continue on, stopping at the Ranakpur Jain Temple. It is widely considered one of the most spectacular and significant pilgrimage sites in Jainism. Nestled in a valley of the Aravalli Range in the Pali district of Rajasthan, this 15th-century masterpiece is dedicated to Lord Adinath (the first Tirthankara). It is renowned for its Maru-Gurjara architectural style and is often cited as a “symphony in white marble” due to its overwhelming level of detail and scale.

The temple is famous for its “Chaumukha” (four-faced) design, symbolizing the Tirthankara’s conquest of the four cardinal directions.

• The complex is supported by exactly 1,444 marble pillars, and legend has it that no two pillars are carved with the same design. They are arranged so that none of them obstructs the view of the main idol from any angle.

• The temple features 29 halls, 80 domes, and 5 principal shikharas (spires). It is spread over an area of roughly 48,000 square feet.

• The ceilings are adorned with exceptionally fine carvings of celestial beings, floral patterns, and geometric motifs. One of the most famous carvings is a single marble rock depicting 108 snakes with intertwined tails.

• The design allows for natural ventilation and a unique interplay of light and shadow throughout the day, ensuring the interior remains cool and well-lit.

We then travel through the Aravalli Valley, on a narrow road through the Aravalli  Range. This drive takes us across the Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary, it is a 610 sq km protected area (est. 1971) known for leopards, wolves, sloth bears, and diverse birdlife.

We sight many troops of Langurs, they are a group of Old World monkeys native to Asia, known for their distinctive appearance and social behavior. There are several species and subspecies of langurs monkeys.

The Aravalli Range, which dates back over two billion years is often referred to as the “ecological spine” of Northwest India. This landscape stretches roughly 800 kilometers from Gujarat to Delhi. It serves as a vital natural buffer, protecting fertile plains from the encroaching Thar Desert and regulating the regional climate by influencing monsoon patterns.

The valley and its surrounding hills are a geological treasure, preserving a record of Earth’s earliest tectonic processes.

• Formed during the Proterozoic Era, these mountains were once as tall as the Himalayas before being worn down by billions of years of erosion.

• The region has been home to human settlements for millennia, including sites linked to the Indus Valley Civilization.

• Historically, the rugged terrain provided natural defense for Rajput kingdoms, who built legendary forts like Kumbhalgarh Fort and Chittorgarh Fort along its ridges.

Despite its semi-arid appearance, the Aravalli landscape is a critical biodiversity hotspot and wildlife corridor.

• Flora: The hills are dominated by tropical dry deciduous and scrub forests, featuring native species like Neem, Babool, and Dhok.

• Fauna: It provides a safe haven for diverse wildlife, including leopards, striped hyenas, golden jackals, sloth bears, and numerous migratory birds.

• Water Security: The fractured rock formations of the valley act as a massive watershed, facilitating groundwater recharge that sustains agriculture and urban centers across several states.

We continue on and stop at farm land just near Vishma to view historical water management infrastructure still used today. The Persian Wheel, Rahat is an ancient but highly effective “water-lifting” technology that has been used for centuries throughout the Aravalli region and the plains of India to irrigate fields.  

While modern electric pumps have largely replaced them, you can still find functional Rahats in rural areas like Bishnoi.

The system is a marvel of traditional mechanical engineering, using a series of gears to convert horizontal motion into vertical lifting power.

1. The Animal Power (Horizontal Wheel):

A pair of bullocks, camels, or buffaloes is hitched to a long wooden horizontal pole. As the animal walks in a continuous circle, it turns a large vertical wooden or iron axle.  

2. The Gear System:

    The vertical axle is connected to a large toothed gear (often made of wood or cast iron). This gear meshes with another vertical wheel at a 90-degree angle. This converts the animal’s circular horizontal path into the vertical rotation needed to reach down into the well.  

3. The Chain of Buckets (Mala):

A long continuous loop of chain or rope, called a mala, hangs over the vertical wheel and descends deep into the water level of the well. Attached to this chain at regular intervals are small metallic or earthen buckets.  

4. Extraction and Discharge:

As the wheel turns, the empty buckets go down, dip into the water to fill up, and are pulled back to the surface. When they reach the top of the wheel and begin their descent, they naturally tip over. The water spills into a collection trough (a “flume”), which then channels the water into irrigation brick-lined drains that lead to the fields.

Why It Was Significant

• Constant Flow: Unlike a simple pulley and rope (Charas), which is “stop-and-go,” the Persian Wheel provides a steady, continuous stream of water as long as the animal keeps walking.

• Low Maintenance: It relies entirely on local materials and animal labor, making it sustainable for farmers who lived far from modern infrastructure.

• Conservation: Because the rate of extraction is limited by the speed of the animal, it naturally prevents the rapid depletion of the water table, unlike high-powered electric tube wells.

We chat to the farmer and he talks about his crop, he has wheat, chickpea and minty also known as Pudina or Mentha it’s scientific name is Menthol Mint, Mentha arvensis. It is a major industrial cash crop, particularly in Uttar Pradesh, which contributes over 80-85% of the world’s menthol mint oil production.

India primarily cultivates three types of wheat—Bread Wheat, Triticum aestivum, Durum Wheat, Triticum durum and Emmer Wheat, Triticum dicoccum mostly during the winter (Rabi) season. Bread wheat dominates production for chapatis, while Durum is used for pasta/semolina, and Emmer (Khapli) is known for its high fiber and health benefits.