Pushkar

Visit To Pushkar
-----------------------

Back from Ajmer Sharif.....had and awesome trip ....
Loved the life at Pushkar...The only place in whole world where Brahma ji temple is situated......Loved the culture ,the respect these people show,the folk,the simplicity,peace and serenity......I am in love with everything.

It began with a bus ride. Four of us -- a lifestyle writer(me), a photographer (saurah),ITC Trader(shagun)and journey planner(Arpit) -- had overslept and almost missed our train to Ajmer (in Rajasthan) from where the small town of Pushkar is only a half hour bus ride. The short version of how we finally reached Pushkar involved that ajmer shatabdi exp ,bus and a auto. Pushkar is a religious hub. The Pushkar lake, around which the town has come up, is sacred. There are 500 temples in the town alone, and also a famous temple to the God Brahma. This is the only temple to Brahma in the world, we are told, as legend has it, Brahma fell in love with his own daughter, and so, is not worshipped anywhere except here.

We eyed a rooftop restaurant called The paramount, complete with wall graffiti and an Israeli and Indian menu.We booked the room and then we all ran to reach the top of the hotel.It was an awesome view.We can see the whole puskar city from there it contained everything.The city is surrounded with lots of hills.The environment was so pure and serene,climate was awesome.i slowly slowly started loving the place.i was liking the culture of Pushkar,people were so nice , calm and quite.We got the best food,got the best hotel and also the best people around us with and awesome environment.In the evening i did some shopping,after a lil bit shopping we reached a restaurant where we had CHOKHA AND DAL BATI (famous western food).

Next morning , I got up early so that i can take pics of rising sun.It was really a treat to watch that.Sun was coming out of the hills.Bells were ringing in temples as it was morning and prayers were on.While having a cup of tea at the rooftop ,Ghanshyam, defied the image of Pushkar we had in our minds.(Non-vegetarian food, alcohol and drugs are not allowed, as hoardings all over Pushkar constantly remind you.) Interest piqued, we chatted him up and asked him what life in Pushkar was all about. He hinted that the restaurant had police protection, and therefore he could serve whatever he wanted, directing us to look at some of the patrons who were smoking more than just regular cigarettes. So, is this a hippy town rather than one filled with religious people, we asked. He took offence, and told us with great pride that he went to pray by the lake for three hours every morning. What's more, he told us, he belonged to the Parashar family who were alone allowed to touch (and therefore clean) the Brahma idol in the famed Brahma temple. His cousins rotated this sacred duty he told us proudly, adding with a slight chuckle that sometimes they paid one another to take their turn, as these holy duties were performed at the unearthly hour of 3am!

It was clear to us that Pushkar's local gossip was going to be far more interesting than the Famous Camel Fair of Pushkar. We asked him who else we should meet, and he pointed us in the direction of a Canadian girl who had settled down in Pushkar and opened a cafe.

While my fellow companions wandered off to take pictures, I decided to explore the street shops with their curious little pajamas and fashionable kurtas.My friend(saurabh) was accosted by a pandit who literally forced some flowers into his hand and insisted that now he better go immerse them in the lake. Before I knew it, another pandit had appeared to escort him to the banks to start the prayer.He resisted all attempts they made to empty his pockets, giving them only Rs 100 as donation.

In a place known for religious tourism, romance was blossoming. For me, it was the tide of events leading to a new Pushkar itself. Tourists with cameras abound. For every picture you took, ten people were taking a picture of you. Everyone knew everyone. Even the three of us were waving to all shopkeepers and entrepreneurs as we walked by, as if we'd known them for years! But far beneath this cosmetic change, is real churning. India today is bursting with news of religious extremism and bomb threats. But here, in a religious hub, there was no talk except that of romance (with a few wily pandits trying to make few extra bucks thrown in)!

Before we left, we decided to visit the pushkar lake. After that we reached ajmer back to pay homage at Dargah(dargah of mohideen chisti).After paying homage.We reached railway station to catch our trains..


There is a lesson to be learnt. Go visit, but when you do, dive in. You get much more than you paid for!