JANUARY 15, 2001 VOL. 157 NO. 2

Short Cuts

TRAVEL WATCH Live Like a King in the Castles of Rajasthan From the comfort of our hotel room, we watch the sun burst through a curtain of crimson, swirling across the drowsy dawn sky above Udaipur's massive citadel Hot Spot The Maharaja who ruled Marwar during the first half of the 19th century was either a magnificent leader or a colossal fool Short Cuts Riding through the desert on the back of a Marwari war horse is a proud Rajasthan tradition, and one you can take part in if you sign up for a trek with Shekhawati Brigade Horse Safaris Web Crawling Among the possibilities on this quirky website: following in the footsteps of the U.S. President's recent trip through India Detour The vast Thar desert sprawls across western Rajasthan and spills deep into Pakistan Travel Watch Archive Browse hundreds of Asian travel tips

HORSE PLAY
Riding through the desert on the back of a Marwari war horse is a proud Rajasthan tradition, and one you can take part in if you sign up for a trek with Shekhawati Brigade Horse Safaris. Based in Shekhawati, the company offers a variety of trips and a view of India that few get to see. Fully catered, vehicle-supported excursions are available for $145 a day per person. Call (91-141) 366-637 or fax 372-766, or visit www.horsesafarirajasthan.com.

SANDY SOIREE
Every year during the Hindu month of Magh (February), Jaisalmer holds its Desert Festival. Music and local delicacies feature large, of course, but it's also a time for hearty desert people to vie with one another for bragging rights for the year ahead. Men compete in contests of strength and dexterity for the title of Maru-Shri (Mr. Desert), while visitors can take part in the tug-of-war and the turban-tying contest—but don't count on beating the natives. Winning the Longest Mustache contest is even more unlikely.

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