Holy cow

Like in most Indian cities, cows are in the street everywhere. They are holy, but they are owned by somebody and their milk, hide and shit is used

The reason behind the cows becoming holy is probably because they were so useful. If they would not have been declared holy, the people would have killed them and afterwards they would have lost their milk, cheese and the burning material

However, the whole thing became much more radical because of the British. After the big rebellion of 1857 they increased the tensions between Muslim and Hindu for their purposes and installed the Brahmin caste, the  priests, as local substitute rulers. To increase their power and in resistance against muslims, they started the "cow protection societies" and created a "cow shed fund". Until then, the sale of cows to non-Hindus and slaughtering was allowed

The muslims retaliated by slaughtering cows in more provocative ways. In 1893, 45 cow protection riots caused 107 death in different cities.

Gau Mater's (mother cows song):

Living, I yield milk, butter and cure, to sustain mankind

My dung is used for fuel

Also to wash the floor and wall

Or burnt, becomes the sacred ash on foreheads

When dead, of my skin are sandals made

Or the bellows at the blacksmiths furnace

Of my bones are buttons made

But of what use are you, O man?

The bulls were also necessary as work-force, and the animals in the streets took care of most of the garbage, which at that time was mostly organic... the food was served in leaves and eaten by hand

Nowadays you frequently see cows chewing plastic bags and digging in garbage cans.

Getting in.... the city gate

After an initial period of unrest, Jaisalmer started to prosper. Being along an important trade route, import-export business advanced a lot and therefore a town was established near the fort in the 15th century

The town was surrounded by another wall, most of it still exists

The wall was 25 feet high and contained many burj (bastions). There were 4 gates, called pol, Amarsagar, Malka, Kishanghat and Garisar

Amarsagar gate very much looks like it has been for centuries. The traffic, mostly animals, motorcycles and pedestrians pass the spines mounted to deter elephants used to attack and break the gate

In front of the gate is a little square where a market springs up in the morning

Cenotaphs of the Jaisalmer kings

Deceased Hindus are burned and, if they were wealthy enough, their ashes are brought to the holy Ganga and distributed in the water. However, rich people also can afford a cenotaph, a monument erected in honor of a dead person whose remains lie elsewhere. Boullee planed one for Isaac Newton as well.

At Bara Bagh are the cenotaphs of kings and queens of Jaisalmer of the 15-19th century. Next to the monument for the Maharawal are those of his wives, who usually threw themselves on the pyre because they did not have any future after his death.

Not far from the cenotaphs is a Jain temple which is beautifully carved.

Monks are celebrating a service in the temple. There is a smell of incense in the brisk morning air and the sound of bells and chants

The temple was separated from the royal gardens by a lake. Nowadays the lake is dry and it is a miracle on what all the black goats feed.