During my recent adventure to India, my wife and I wanted to ride an elephant.  After all, we were in India where elephants are still used in parts of the country as work animals instead of machines.  We had ridden one in Cambodia and there’s nothing more exciting that swaying back and forth as this huge, gentle animal plods forward.  You really feel like a king/queen riding an elephant.  Would we get a chance on this trip?

We had traveled across northern India and reached Jaipur, a clean city set on the edge of a lake.  Unlike the rest of India, this city has new, wide streets through the main sections.  It’s a prosperous place with textiles and jewelry the main businesses.  Not far away, are some the largest deserts in India where camels are bred like we breed cattle in the U.S.

We set out from our hotel in the early morning just as the sun was rising like an egg yolk across the lake.  Several camels rose unsteadily to their feet along the lake shore, preparing for their work of the day.  By Jeep, we ventured north into a narrow valley toward the ancient palace of Akbar the Great.  In the 1400s, invaders from the Middle East had conquered India.  They ruled for several hundred years and were called Moguls.  Akbar was a wise and good leader, but he also loved to build palaces for himself!

The road rose into the valley until we drove under a stone arch and turned into a small town  High up on the western mountain, stretching across the entire peak, was Akbar’s palace, restored to its splendor.  We hoped to beat the other tourists by coming early.  There were only a few elephants available for riding.

Smoke from incense wafted across the road.  We stopped to allow a herd of goats to cross before us, their bells tinkling.

Across a small stone bridge over a second lake, we hurried toward the lower gate of the palace.  As we rounded the corner, we found about eight elephants standing in a small courtyard.  They were draped in regal colors of red and purple  Bells hung from these capes and rang as the elephants shifted their weight from one side to the other.

Luckily, we had beaten the tourists!  We climbed up a set of stone stairs to a platform.  The mahoot (driver of the elephant) maneuvered the elephant to the platform and we scrambled onto its back.  We sat in a flat box with a low railing to protect from falling out.  The mahoot wore a red turban and carried a short stick.  With his heels he gently prodded the elephant and we were finally riding an elephant!

You don’t realize how big an elephant is until you get on one.  When they walk, each step is long.  For the rider, it means you sway back and forth.  Up a narrow street, we started to climb for the palace.  The sun crested the hills on the eastern side of the valley, making it look like the mountain had a halo.  A flock of bright green parrots flashed up from the lake in front of us.

In a half hour, the sun had risen to warm us, the elephant trundled the last few steps, and we turned under a huge arch to enter the main courtyard of the palace of Akbar the Great.  A few trees dotted the space and flags rippled in the strong wind at the top of the mountain.  I felt like Akbar himself!