3 Nov SUN: Durgiana and Ram Tirath Temples, various local industries

On the way to the border to watch the Wagah Ceremony at dusk, we stopped off at a couple of temples and various local small scale industries

The Durgiana Temple is a Hindu temple dedicated to the Goddess Durga and was modelled on the style of the Sikh Golden Temple. There are lots of similarities but this temple is known as the 'silver' rather than 'golden' Temple. It is smaller, less busy and not so well maintained although its a hundred years younger.

The water was green and scummy but apparently its undergoing a cleansing procedure so it will look worse before it looks better, if you follow my drift.

The silver gates which gave the temple its name:

The temple has a small free kitchen but nothing like the scale of the Langar at the Golden Temple

Its impressive, but doesn't have the same WOW factor as the Golden Temple

Dhobi - a local 'laundry' …. very labour intensive.. they launder for local restaurants, hotels and hospitals as well as domestic households.

We visited the famous Dhobi Ghat at Mumbai a couple of years ago (surreptitiously as visitors aren't usually allowed in and have to make do with photographing what can be seen from the bridge overlooking the place - but we 'bribed' a manager). The washing there was dried on lines that were made from two twisted twines with the washing tightly pushed between the twines to hold it in place.

Here the washing is hung on barbed wire … I'd have thought this was a bit risky with fabric getting torn or stained by rust … but its the way its been done for decades.

Beating the cloth to get excess water out

Larger, heavier items like these blankets get trampled initially

Then we stopped to watch some large cooking pots being made - they were mostly tandoors (ovens) for use in commercial kitchens, but smaller pieces were also made for more modest households/kitchens. The ladies were shy and didn't want their photos taken … the kids were a different kettle of fish - it was hard to shake them off! As it was a Sunday the place was less busy than usual apparently

All the pots are made by hand from clay brought in 'from the countryside' and its strengthened with coir/hessian threads. I'm told these tandoors can last up to 50 years.

Indians are masters are reusing/recycling wood and metal

We had a quick look at more roadside businesses - these were making bamboo and/or wood ladders and 'hawkers' which is what they call the wooden trailers/carts which are built on bicycle carcases for use by street traders (hawkers)

We made a brief stop at Ram Tirath which was pretty busy as there is a Fair held each year for a week after Devali and being a Sunday there were lots of families visiting

Its devoted to Hanuman - he's the figure towering over the water tank

From another angle, with the weak sun shining on it, it looks much more attractive

This is a special area where homeless people can 'build' houses from bricks. They make them the size and shape they'd like to live in and say prayers and make offerings in the hope their wishes will be granted. Its taken very seriously.

There was also a 'stepping well' here, a series of steep steps leading down to a pool where ladies can bathe or anoint themselves and pray to conceive a baby.

The steps were very steep and slippery and the one handrail was inadequate and covered with multi coloured ribbons tied on by grateful (and presumably pregnant) ladies.

Under the circumstances I/we decided against risking the steps!

and finally just a selection of 'odds & sods' - photos taken throughout what has been a long and pretty tiring day!

What looks like Michelin Man on top of the coach is an elderly Sikh gent - his robes were billowing in the wind. You really do see all sorts on the roads here.

Love the headdress - we were told he's a follower of Vishnu and that normally these guys are seen in groups of 5 or 10. This one was alone …

the route became more rural and we stopped off for a while at this small-holding where 'prize cows' are bred. Apparently they are top class cows and much in demand. This 'farm' is run by two families who seem to have almost as many children as cows .... but they were lovely people.