During my month in India last year, I was fascinated by the variety of ways that natural materials were used in building, especially bamboo and stone.

You would expect stone in construction, of course. I think the stone used in the area of Jaipur where I spent my month, with a few short excursions, is Agra Red Sandstone, also known as Dholpur Red Sandstone. This red stone originates in Rajasthan and I saw it everywhere.

It has been used extensively in historical monuments and buildings, as well as for modern construction and architectural applications. The latter includes iconic structures like the Amer Fort, the Red Fort in Delhi, and many other historical buildings and monuments. 

During the train trip to Jodphur, I was surprised to see the red stone standing upright forming fences along the side of the railroad tracks.

In Jodphur we stayed in a former haveli or mansion that was in the process of being converted into a guest house. The owner continued working towards the final of decorating during our brief stay. This delightful carved stone plaque with elephant was waiting for the perfect place in a wall.

Another weekend trip took me and visiting Daughter to Agra to see the Taj Mahal and much more. The vertical stone plaques like alongside the railroad to Jodhur appeared again in the median of the road to Agra; I guess the purpose of what I thought resembled “tombstones” was to prevent traffic from changing sides of the fast moving road.

The red walls of the buildings of Fatehpur Sikre, the late 15th century capital of the Mughal Empire, are intricately carved. From entire rooms to the decorative panels in the rooms, the stonework stands out. This one celebrating the pomegranate is only one example found in the entire complex. Any trip to Agra to see the Taj Mahal should include this historic, architectural site.

And then the bamboo, a great sustainable product, put to many uses. Here it is gathered to be used to hold flags to line the streets of Jaipur on Independence Day. This is the road I walked daily to get to the University.

Bamboo is also used to informally display raingear for the many “moto” riders on a rainy day on the same road.

Even more astounding was the use of use of bamboo for scaffolds at construction sites. Like the metal structures constructed here, this is a recyclable material.