Rajputana - A Travelogue

My sketchy image of Rajasthan 

Was no more than a dreary desert;

The lakes, the palaces & the forts, 

However, ruffled my mindset;

 

While the earth and the air 

Speak the valor of Rajputs,

The grandeur of structures in stone 

Make us feel Lilliputs;

 

Marble, granite & sandstone 

Are chiseled into life;

I wonder how could they do it 

Amidst war and strife;

 

When my tongue longs 

For something salty and spicy,

Sweetish cuisine makes 

Those chances paltry and dicey;

 

Buzzing wildlife amidst barren 

Mountains and rugged plains is a paradox;

Stainless marble temples 

Besides victory pillars are no less orthodox;

 

Where the Asian and the European 

Tourists flock to watch,

The message of Ranas and Sufis 

Nobody can detach;

While every road in the state leads 

To a lake full of sprawling water,

Endless desert on the margins of 

Countless lakes are no strange matter;