Dhapodi ji became a shepherd once she learnt that she would not be able to give Ambaram any children. Limping, I saw her whole life in that moment as she slowly walked away from us, with his cattle family. She took the responsibility of walking seventy goats and four cows to greener pastures. She used to take them all together for grazing, in rain, in dusty, deadly heat of Rajasthan daily, finding newer fields and branches to eat from all day to come back as the sun sat and help his husband’s second wife in cooking.

Yes, second wife!

Ambaram married again, in search for a boy to continue his lineage. Instead the new couple got five beautiful talkative girls, each a year apart. They went to every temple and sage to pray and ask for their blessing- leaving the older wife- Dhapodi and children back home. It became an irony that on the day Ambaram and Dhapodi got married- twenty years later, a boy arrived from the younger wife.

As i Sit on the ledge of this only White House in the middle of this barren field, writing details to bide my time here, I watch all children chirping on their way to school except the youngest girl- who has found one close buddy in a baby goat.

I remember Dhapodi ji because we never spoke. Over all It must have been over four days as she brought me tea each day and food in the night before leaving back to her part of the hut. Falling sick around her was like i became her new goat. She gave me home medicines like any parent would give.

One night when the family had gone out, i found her working in the candle light in the kitchen. She was cooking but what spirited me up was the light in that room that was falling on her face. I went back, brought my camera and reluctantly asked her if i can make an image of her. I thought she understood but may be not the words. She stood slowly on her one leg, went inside almost making me feel ashamed for even asking! I heard some sounds as if she was finding something- for a moment a ‘stick’ went through my mind but i waited. She came back, and as she walked towards light again- i could see a piece of jewellery placed on her forehead. That must have been from her wedding don’t know how long ago.

I think she looked beautiful. What do you think ?

I photographed her in February 2016 while working on a film.

Tales from Rural India

Also Read : When Brahma Called me to Pushkar and other Stories

Ambaram’s girls with their favourite goat

The White House

With Ambaram’s children

The best food under sky, a traveller can get

I do not know how to put this time to paper because it was such a solitary period in my life that regardless of the work and purpose with which I moved, nothing ever came out of it.

It was also the time when I was losing trust in myself and relationships in general yet the strangers i met on the road were making me a part of their family. I had to stretch to feel well but I was being looked after somehow wherever I travelled.

Travelling in Rajasthan has been the most uncomfortable and devastating period of my life so to say and it wasn’t short. But as you know and see most wells if dug deep enough, give the sweetest water.

If you have been a follower of this blog you must be knowing about my personal project around The Rural Weddings in India that i have been documenting for the longest period as a part of Ancient Life and Research – here, you may remember one Groom who found me sleeping in an abandoned village at night, Veeru. It was here, not exactly right after the wedding, but Veeru travelled with me and took me to his sister’s place, this home that you see in the images.

Just imitating Rajasthani Men here

The rawest and the most popular meal of Rajasthan, ‘Dal Baati choorma’ was specially prepared by Ambaram himself, here his second wife looks over

Dhapodi Ji with the youngest son

Veeru and her elder sister

The daughter was too young and innocent to understand either her adolescence or her destiny. Having been brought up as a son for years, she now considered herself a man. She believed that she would grow a moustache when she got married…

Tales from Rajasthan, Annao Village


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Thank you


If today is the first time you have arrived on The Road to Nara, you are heartily welcome ~ Namaste

“I will be really happy to offer my photographs for a minimal price. Just so it will help me in keeping these stories, this space and journey alive.”

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You might also like to know about My Little School Project. 

If you wish to come over for a visit someday, that you must, you will be heartily welcome here

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I will take this opportunity to introduce you to About me and importantly;

As a co-traveller, will take you through the Ten Lessons I learnt from several years on the road, before you coarse on your own Road to Nara.

Also read: 9 Most Read Stories from Road To Nara in 2022



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If you have anything to share, or feel like saying a hello, please feel free to write to me at narayankaudinya@gmail.com

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