When British Army officer and author TE Lawrence,better known the world over as Lawrence of Arabia,visited Wadi Rum,he described it as vast,echoing and god-like. The largest and most magnificent of Jordans desert landscapes,Wadi Rum is drenched in brilliant red,brown,and orange,with over-reaching sandstone hills that change colour almost four times a day. Loosely translated as the Valley of the Moon,it lies north of the southern port town of Aqaba,Jordans largest port-city,and is an hour-and-a-half drive from Petra. Wadi Rum was discovered as a rock-climbing spot by a group of tourists in the 1980s and has been popular with climbers and trekkers ever since. At the entrance of the Wadi looms a majestic rock formation made famous by Lawrence. The massive cliff was an inspiration for his book Seven Pillars of Wisdom (1918),in which he recounts his many adventures with Prince Feisal,the third son of the sharif of Mecca and the ruler of the Hejaz Arabs. The duo led the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire in 191718. The film Lawrence of Arabia,directed by David Lean has actual site shots. Bedouins in the area proudly talk of their uncles and fathers who have worked on the sets of the film. The valley is home to the Zalabia bedouins. Traditionally,camel and sheep herders and traders,they have lived here for generations. The bedouins promote exploration of the valley in 4x4 vehicles,or on camel or horseback,with overnight camp options. They wish to turn this once-isolated area into an adventure tourism hotspot. While we were there,at midday,we headed towards a bedouin camp deep in the desert valley for a leisurely meal of ful (fava beans cooked with chickpeas),pickled vegetables,flatbread and tea (flavoured with cardamom,sage and cloves). Here you can also explore ancient petroglyphs. Khazali Canyon in Wadi Rum is the site of petroglyphs,etched into cave walls dating back to 4 BC,depicting humans and antelopes. The etchings range from hunting scenes with bows and arrows to very stylised depictions of people and animals. The most recent engravings depict guns and automobiles,indicating the progress the bedouins have made. Every year,Wadi Rum hosts Distant Heat,a dance and trance festival,set against the backdrop of the magnificent Jordanian desert terrain. This year it is scheduled for 23 August. (The author teaches journalism at the Xavier Institute of Communications,Mumbai.)
