Craay-zay Misconceptions People Have About Deserts.
It's very obvious for people to have their own set of
curiosities about places they've never been to. But here's a list of
insane questions I've been asked about my native place- The Thar Desert.
1.
Have
you ever seen rain?
For a sec, even I hoped
the inquirer was referring to the song by the Creedence Clearwater Revival. But
nooo. This is the most outrageously absurd question I've come across til date.
And it has to be. He actually meant if I'd ever seen the sky pouring, as if the
clouds get sucked out of the space just because there're sand dunes down on the
clod! *Facepalm*
The Thar Desert, just like any other part of the world experiences the 4
seasons including monsoon. There're even hailstorms and floods that destroy
crops, like other states of India.
It's a fact that deserts are subject to extreme temperature changes as freezing
nights alternate with blazing hot days. Rajasthan has it's very own hill
station too- Mount Abu, a part of the Aravalli Range. Mount Abu has a pleasent
climate thanks to its rich dense green forest cover, In summers when typical
temperature of desertious Rajasthan is around 44°C, Mount Abu's temperature is
31-34°C. In winters the temperature ranges from 10°C to-8°C (in Night).
My own city has witnessed temperature extremes of upto -2°C many a times in the
winter season. So yeah, our winter wardrobes are pretty much brimful, just like
your's! Hahh!
Now I wouldn't complain if people ask questions because of the bias of
photographic record. I've been asked if Rajasthan's railway tracks and highways
actually look as depicted in the poster of the movie PK. While it's true that
you'd find sand dunes around but that does come with a little vegetation, plain
surface, 4/6 lane roads and flyovers as well. If you're planning to visit the
state and expecting to find mounds of pure sand everywhere for your
photoshoots, you're wrong. You would only find them in limited parts of the
desert.
Don't be surprised if you find more landforms other than desert. Yes, there'll
be hills & uplands, forests, more than a dozen lakes, 2 dozen plus rivers
and lush green farms. Unlike the normal perception, there is vegetation even in
the driest, hottest parts. You'll find these keekar trees almost everywhere, as
far as your sight can go.
I'm not sure about the
Middle-East and Sahara deserts, but we do not use camels as our means of public
transport (other than exceptions of tourist activities). It's possible that you
might spot a herd of camels in the sub-urbs or near village mandis. But no, we
do not have our personal camels to pet or ride.
Normally, new borns' celebration acts do not include speeches naming 40
camels to the baby and property wills do not constitute of distribution of a
herd of camels amongst the offsprings.
There are some parts
that do get hit by water crisis in summers. But the situation is much better
after the Indira Gandhi Canal Project was completed in the 1980's. Besides,
there are ground water reserves and you'd find hand-pumps in villages and
sub-urbs catering to the water requirements of peeps. However, most of the big
towns and cities hardly face any crisis, and we've got abundant water supply
for all our needs even in summers.
My mother can serve you a plate or more of the most delectable daal-baati
choorma you've ever had. But do not walk-in anyday of the week without prior
notice expecting to join us over a dinner for that! We do eat some vegetables
that you're unfamiliar with, like saangri, pattod and we eat baajri
ki roti more often than you do.
But other than that, we have usual food like you do.
For a sec, even I hoped the inquirer was referring to the song by the Creedence Clearwater Revival. But nooo. This is the most outrageously absurd question I've come across til date. And it has to be. He actually meant if I'd ever seen the sky pouring, as if the clouds get sucked out of the space just because there're sand dunes down on the clod! *Facepalm*
The Thar Desert, just like any other part of the world experiences the 4 seasons including monsoon. There're even hailstorms and floods that destroy crops, like other states of India.
It's a fact that deserts are subject to extreme temperature changes as freezing nights alternate with blazing hot days. Rajasthan has it's very own hill station too- Mount Abu, a part of the Aravalli Range. Mount Abu has a pleasent climate thanks to its rich dense green forest cover, In summers when typical temperature of desertious Rajasthan is around 44°C, Mount Abu's temperature is 31-34°C. In winters the temperature ranges from 10°C to-8°C (in Night).
My own city has witnessed temperature extremes of upto -2°C many a times in the winter season. So yeah, our winter wardrobes are pretty much brimful, just like your's! Hahh!
Now I wouldn't complain if people ask questions because of the bias of photographic record. I've been asked if Rajasthan's railway tracks and highways actually look as depicted in the poster of the movie PK. While it's true that you'd find sand dunes around but that does come with a little vegetation, plain surface, 4/6 lane roads and flyovers as well. If you're planning to visit the state and expecting to find mounds of pure sand everywhere for your photoshoots, you're wrong. You would only find them in limited parts of the desert.
Don't be surprised if you find more landforms other than desert. Yes, there'll be hills & uplands, forests, more than a dozen lakes, 2 dozen plus rivers and lush green farms. Unlike the normal perception, there is vegetation even in the driest, hottest parts. You'll find these keekar trees almost everywhere, as far as your sight can go.
I'm not sure about the Middle-East and Sahara deserts, but we do not use camels as our means of public transport (other than exceptions of tourist activities). It's possible that you might spot a herd of camels in the sub-urbs or near village mandis. But no, we do not have our personal camels to pet or ride.
Normally, new borns' celebration acts do not include speeches naming 40 camels to the baby and property wills do not constitute of distribution of a herd of camels amongst the offsprings.
There are some parts that do get hit by water crisis in summers. But the situation is much better after the Indira Gandhi Canal Project was completed in the 1980's. Besides, there are ground water reserves and you'd find hand-pumps in villages and sub-urbs catering to the water requirements of peeps. However, most of the big towns and cities hardly face any crisis, and we've got abundant water supply for all our needs even in summers.
My mother can serve you a plate or more of the most delectable daal-baati choorma you've ever had. But do not walk-in anyday of the week without prior notice expecting to join us over a dinner for that! We do eat some vegetables that you're unfamiliar with, like saangri, pattod and we eat baajri ki roti more often than you do. But other than that, we have usual food like you do.
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