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Other entries in Pushkar

Pushy Pushkar

Pushkar is a very mixed place.  It is very touristy however it is actually a holy town so it is also a place pilgrimage for Hindus so there is a real mix of people.  It really has the stereotypical image of travellers in India - those who are there to "find themselves" and total hippies!  There are even old men who must've been there living there hippy life for goodness knows how long!   Also there are so many old Hindu priests and of course many of the obligatory holy cows enevitably follows by a good number of holy cow pats.  They were really strange cows too - they looked like they either had big tumors on the top of their backs or that they had been cross bread with a camel (of which there are many in Pushkar)!!  Apparently it was just some strange breed though! 

The town is centred around a holy lake which has ghats (steps) going down into the water where people go to bathe.  It's really beautiful around the lake.  The surrounding streets are generally filled with white tourists and shops selling lots of clothes and souvenirs.  Although it's a shame it's got so touristy (which I can hardly criticise as I was there as a tourist myself!) there were so many beautiful things to buy that I just couldn't resist!  So I spent some of my first day just wandering and shopping then wandered out of the main tourist part.  Diwali celebrations were still  on going and the kids still setting off firecrackers int he street - they thought it was hilarious to frighten tourists by setting them off near them and giving them a fright.  Not so much fun when you almost have a heart attack and are half deafened but hey.  Despite getting bit lost outside the town and getting harrassed by men and children I eventualy found a place that was so peaceful.  I really don't think I've experienced such silence since I arrived in India. On the way back into town I visited a temple and then went for a bite to eat at a restaurant.  A really nice restaurant call Shri Baba all set around a sandy central area where there were kids playing, a dog and of course a cow and on the edges there were low tables and cushions to sit at.  Of course there were some obligatory hippies playing guitar, wearing colourful clothing and smoking joints.  At the restaurant I met a French man and his daughter who were travelling around India.  Got chatting to them and eneded up heading back to their guest house with them for a beer.  Was a really nice evening.  It was interesting hearing how they were travelling - so different from me - much more luxurious with private drivers, expensive hotels etc. 

The next day I started by walking up a hill with a temple at the top to look over Pushkar.  Actually finding the path up the hill became a very frustrating exercise.  There were of course all he people who tried to sell me stuff or make "friendly conversation" as I walked there, then when I was actually at the foot of the hill I couldn't find the path and was acosted by about 10 wee children shouting at me and pulling me in various directions -  mostly to "see the temple".  I tried to explain that I just wanted to walk up the hill through various actions as they didn't really speak english except to try and sell you something!  They were probably just trying to help me but it was just starting to get me absolultely to my wits end.  I was jsut about to give up and head back to the town when a man pointed the way to the stairs.  He must have thought I was pretty crazy for almost breaking down because I couldn't find the path up to the hill!  The climb itself was nice and the views were good so I guess it was worth the initial trauma!  After this I headed back to see the camels which were arriving for the camel fair next week. 

Later in the day I just wandered for a bit and then as the sun was going down I took a walk around the lake.  It was really peaceful and I was glad at the lack of bother I got because apparently during the day you are often inendated by people trying to sell you flowers to put into the lake at rediculous prices.  While waiting for my bus I sat in a nice restaurant and just watched people go buy. 

Getting the bus to Udaipur was a bit of an adventure!  First I had to take a bus to the nearby town to Ajmer which was fine - lots of white tourists!  At Ajmer me and a guy who was going to Munt Abu (near Udaipur) were told that we had to go to another part of the town for our buses and were bundled into a rikshaw.  A little later the rikshaw stopped so we got out assuming this was our destination especially as the rikshaw was now being bundled full of large packages.  But no!  I was told that I was to get on a scooter with some random guy to go to my stop which I refused so I got to go in the rikshaw with the other guy however this required that I sat on top of all the packages with my feet hanging out the back - must've been quite an image!  Anyways - after that wee adventure I was dropped off at the bus!

Although I'm glad I've visited Pushkar I'm glad I'm leaving - the intense tourism was just getting a bit too much!

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