Stay logged in to proceed with bookings, orders and offers.
On changing the terminal, you will loose items in your cart. Are you sure you want to change your terminal?
Witness the cultural wealth of India and the idyllic charm in the ordinary lives of traders
Eight years ago, I created a travel bucket list with Pushkar's name. I was almost going to celebrate Holi in the holy city of Pushkar. But it didn't materialise. However, the conviction to visit Pushkar remained strong in me.
Time passed, and I moved away from north India and plans for a Pushkar trip became impractical. Eventually, I found myself in Delhi one winter in November when the mela was celebrated. Every fibre of my being signalled me to attend it.
So, my friend Bala and I booked a bus to Ajmer for a weekend during the Pushkar Fair. We reached the boarding point in Gurgaon at the right time, but unfortunately at the wrong location. It was late until we realised that the bus had left without us. Now, we had two choices: go back home or find another bus. Going back would mean that I would miss another opportunity to visit Pushkar. So, we choose the second.
Finding a bus to Ajmer late at night wasn't easy. The buses plying on the route were fully booked. After getting rejected by many bus operators, someone finally agreed to drive us.
This bus didn't have a seat for us and we had to find space among the cargo they had kept in the aisle. Not the best way to travel, but brimming with excitement and adventure, we were ready to take on the night.
The jolty bus ride gave us many thumps and bumps. However, we braced our cores to stay steady at each brake. Tiredness took over us and we woke in the morning to find empty seats. Relieved, we slipped our aching bodies into these seats and, five minutes later, a noise jolted us awake. We were in Ajmer.
Pushkar is connected with Ajmer by private bus services and autos. We hopped on an overcrowded bus. Watching the terrain change from a city to an arid town, we landed in Pushkar in about an hour.
I love finding stays offline. The idea scares many people and in my opinion, it is always cheaper to book a stay offline than online. Then there is the added benefit of checking the location personally. It helps understand the location of the property in relation to popular destinations and transport hubs.
We found a room in a 200-year-old haveli in the middle of a market. The haveli had a rustic charm from the garden in the centre. Surrounding it were rooms on two floors. The Jodhpur blue colour of the walls added to the aesthetics of the haveli and to top it off, the room was priced at INR 800. A steal!
After sorting out accommodation, we decided to have brunch. Pushkar gained worldwide popularity in the last few decades as hipster tourists recognised the place for its Indian-ness. With a boom in international footfall, the demand for restaurants increased in the vicinity.
Finding a bus to Ajmer late at night wasn't easy. The buses plying on the route were fully booked. After getting rejected by many bus operators, someone finally agreed to drive us.
This bus didn't have a seat for us and we had to find space among the cargo they had kept in the aisle. Not the best way to travel, but brimming with excitement and adventure, we were ready to take on the night.
The jolty bus ride gave us many thumps and bumps. However, we braced our cores to stay steady at each brake. Tiredness took over us and we woke in the morning to find empty seats. Relieved, we slipped our aching bodies into these seats and, five minutes later, a noise jolted us awake. We were in Ajmer.
Pushkar is connected with Ajmer by private bus services and autos. We hopped on an overcrowded bus. Watching the terrain change from a city to an arid town, we landed in Pushkar in about an hour.
I love finding stays offline. The idea scares many people and in my opinion, it is always cheaper to book a stay offline than online. Then there is the added benefit of checking the location personally. It helps understand the location of the property in relation to popular destinations and transport hubs.
We found a room in a 200-year-old haveli in the middle of a market. The haveli had a rustic charm from the garden in the centre. Surrounding it were rooms on two floors. The Jodhpur blue colour of the walls added to the aesthetics of the haveli and to top it off, the room was priced at INR 800. A steal!
After sorting out accommodation, we decided to have brunch. Pushkar gained worldwide popularity in the last few decades as hipster tourists recognised the place for its Indian-ness. With a boom in international footfall, the demand for restaurants increased in the vicinity.
Pushkar boasts of highly-rated restaurants that sell vegan and vegetarian food. Popular international dishes include hummus, pita, baba ganoush, stroganoff, and guacamole toast. Rajasthani dishes, too, are not behind on the list of popular dishes. Daal baati churma, sangri, and ghevar are some of these drool-worthy dishes.
With the sight of colourful handicrafts and the aroma of food, it was difficult to keep moving in the alley. Something or the other caught our eye and we would stop to explore it. We halted only when it came to a point where we were overwhelmed and exhausted by it all. You can shop endlessly here at unbelievable prices and eat your fill. Remember to carry a camera along.
Walking through these alleys, I could see the contrast in the profile of visitors here. Sharing the same streets were a purple-haired blogger from Canada, a veil-clad newly-married girl from the neighbouring village, a saffron-shrouded yogi from the Himalayas, and an advertising professional from Delhi. People from different backgrounds find common ground in Pushkar. Here everyone is on their own journey. Everyone seeks a different experience here, and Pushkar has unique experiences in store for all. It doesn't matter what mind frame they come with.
For the photographer in me, it was time for unrehearsed, split-second shots. The foodie in Bala was looking for new flavours to try. The yogi walking in front of me wanted to dip in the holy waters of the auspicious Pushkar Lake. The blogger wanted pictures that captured the culture of India. And that traveller from Europe just wanted to have a one-of-a-kind experience.
Strangers by familiarity but united in purpose, we ambled towards the fairgrounds.
And here it was, a picture straight out of the pre-digital era.
Picture this: a giant Ferris wheel at the center of the ground. Stables exhibit high-bred horses for sale near the wheel. A group of transgender persons dance their choreographed routine. As we moved further, a rooster-fighting contest was in progress and I made the most of this photographing opportunity. Small, red, winged, ferocious fighting machines were competing to win in a bloody battle ending in victory or death.
After the rooster fight, the venue hosted a moustache contest. Men from all over India came to show their stylish long moustaches. The winner of the contest had his moustache near the ground. Soon after this, Kalbelia dancers took over the stage to show their dancing and balancing skills followed by Matka Phod.
Matka Phod – a group activity where participants make a tableau formation in an attempt to break a pot suspended from a height – is a popular activity during Janmashtami in India. But it was a new, exciting event for the westerners to experience. This event saw large participation from western tourists.
While there were a few more dance performances lined up after this, we left the venue after the Matka Phod event. The sun was about to set – the ideal time for me to cover the camel fair.
The highlight of Pushkar mela is the cattle fair. Horses, cows, sheep, goats, and many animals are traded during the fair. But camels occupy a special place in Pushkar. Pushkar fair is synonymous with camel trading among the locals. For tourists and travellers, it is a photographic delight.
I got some fine shots of the camels at dusk. But it was not just the camels that offered great pictures. The indigenous people of Rajasthan are great subjects for portraits. Realising the commercial potential, many locals pose as subjects for a nominal fee.
As night fell, we went to the part of the arena that was developed as a fun park. Various rides, including carousel and Ferris wheels, were set up here. Children and adults were enjoying themselves on these rides. After getting on one of the large rides, we headed back for dinner.
The next morning, we went to the Pushkar temple and lake. Pushkar has the only temple dedicated to Lord Brahma in the world. It was a morning soaked in divinity. The lake juxtaposed tranquillity with the cacophony of the fair. As the day unfurled, we watched a horse show followed by performances of funambulists and fire dancers.
After having lunch, we went back to Pushkar lake. A musical jamming session was in progress here. People from all parts of the world had shed their barriers to singing and dancing to religious chants.
It was time for us to bid goodbye to Pushkar. We could only get a glimpse of the 10-day festival. But what I saw was beautiful and I'm sure I'll be back someday.
The Adani One expressly disclaims all liability, direct and indirect, in respect to actions taken or not taken based on any or all the contents of this Blog. The Blog is an opinion of the contributor based on the collation of data from various sources and is provided only for information purpose. Adani One does not canvass, advertise, solicit, invite or induct for any product, merchandise, information, brand or any other materials mentioned in the Blog, nor does it obtain any monetary benefit from the same. Reader is advised to read and apply his/her intellect and discretion in this regard. Any Intellectual Property mentioned in this blog belongs to the rightful owner. We do not intent to claim any interest over the same.
