Horseback Riding Vacation in India (Day 7)
Day 7 – Another beautiful day with little wind dawned and after a breakfast of omelets, toast, cereal, fruit, coffee and tea we mounted up again and started out for the town of Kaku about 35 kms. away. Trees and grass are sparse today and the wind and shifting sand have created spectacular dunes here and there which tower above the plain. We sometimes had a marvelous view of the surrounding countryside as we went over the tops of dunes. Today we encountered many of the elusive desert foxes and enjoyed watching them as they zigzagged away from us. We passed a few villages and remote farms despite the austerity of the landscape. Camels are well adapted to the conditions and they are prized animals here. One of the main sources of camel food is the kedjeree tree which has roots going down up to 100 ft. and is one of the few things to grow well. The branches of this thorny tree are pruned and for the camels and goats. These amazing trees also have a bean which is a high protein food for humans.
Late in the afternoon we rode into the town of Kaku where there is an oasis. Our horses were picketed in the courtyard of the old fort which dominates the town. That night the local fire dancers entertained us in an ancient ceremony which seems to defy nature. While musicians played mesmerizing music the dancers worked themselves into a trance and walked barefoot on the glowing coals. Every now and then they would pick up red hot coals and hold them for minutes at a time in their mouths without apparently hurting themselves. It was an eerie feeling to be in that ancient courtyard in the dancing firelight with the horses in the background watching these dancers with a crowd of enthusiastic locals.