Excursion to Rajasthan

This past week we took an excursion to the state of Rajasthan. We learned about some state and traditional medical programs and also NGOs. We also did a ton of fun sightseeing and activities.

Our little group in the sleeper compartment on our 12 hour overnight trip from Delhi to Rajasthan.

The view from my hotel while in Udaipur.

While in Udaipur, we got to ride an elephant through the streets! She took a little (3 gallon) pee break in the middle.

In Udaipur, we went to a hospital that had a pediatric malnutrition clinic. Here, mothers are paid "wages lost" each day (IR130, about 2.75USD) to take care of their children under the doctor's directions. Here they get medication and food.

Next to the hospital in Udaipur, there was a breast milk donation center (brand new NGO) and also a place where babies can be abandoned. The picture above is the crib that has a censor with a two minute delayed alarm. Someone can drop off the unwanted child and walk away before the alarm goes off for an NGO worker to collect the child. This is an effort to reduce the number of children who are abandoned out in the desert of Rajasthan.

We visited two different villages in Rajasthan, one in Udaipur and one in Devgarh. We saw how a government funded NGO runs a mobile clinic, and also how a privately funded NGO runs Balwadies, which are similar to the function of the Anganwadies.

On our final afternoon in Rajasthan, we visited the Chittorgarth Fort.

There were multiple locations to the Fort and this one reminded me exactly of the monkey secene of the Jungle Book. Including the carvings and structures ...

... and all the 100s of MONKEYS!!!