Each of the seven posts in this series includes a song at the beginning. These songs have their roots in the culture of Rajasthan and are intended to instill in you the same feeling I experienced during this trip. Tip: Use picture-in-picture mode to let the video play in the background while you read the post.
The afternoon incident of getting pickpocketed in Ajmer was still fresh. But as we all know, life moves on pretty quickly.
A forty-minute bus ride brought me to Pushkar – a small town with a peaceful vibe.
From the bus stop, I walked straight through the narrow streets to reach Brahma Temple.
It was a small temple with just a handful of people inside. However, its importance among the people in India is huge, despite the widespread rumor that this temple is the only Brahma temple in India being just that—a rumor.
I would’ve preferred coming to Pushkar a little earlier or staying a bit longer if the popular Pushkar Fair was still on. Unfortunately, it had ended just days before.
Without further ado, I took the path via Hanuman Gali to hurry towards Pushkar Lake, as I wanted to be there during sunset.
There are several ghats around the lake, and you can choose to visit any or all of them. I chose Gau Ghat as it was the nearest to me.
Upon reaching the ghat, I was advised to remove my shoes near an old wooden bench, where many other shoes were also kept—unsupervised. I reluctantly obliged and descended through the steps to reach near the water body.
I relaxed on the ghat stairs for almost an hour. It felt amazing to do nothing but observe the surroundings—slow winds brushing through my hair, birds chirping in the distance, fish splashing in the lake, and the occasional sound of a bird flapping its wings.
I hadn’t sat anywhere with that sense of quiet and calmness in a long time. There was nothing to worry about. No calls, no messages, no emails.
A group of foreigners passed by. In the month of Kartik (Oct-Nov), worshippers arrive in Pushkar to take a bath in the lake, as it is said to provide salvation from all sins.
But I did not come to Pushkar to get rid of any sins; I just wanted to enjoy the natural beauty and take some good pictures before it became too dark.
By now, I’m sure you must have gauged my love for Rajasthani food. Well, this time the kachori included kadhi as well.
Great food was indeed the best part of my entire trip.
I had bookmarked a shop in the small, narrow lane near Gau ghat which sells delicious dal kachori. He also gave me a fresh hot Malpua.
One delicious dal kachori and one hot malpua were all that I needed to forget about my pickpocketing incident in Ajmer. When the shopkeeper extended to me that sugar-coated delight, I just couldn’t help but salivate.
From here on, I spent the evening strolling through the streets of Pushkar, which were packed with shops on both sides, barely leaving any room for pedestrians.
Pushkar is actually a hip destination among foreign backpackers in India.
There were quite a number of foreigners, especially Israeli tourists backpacking in Pushkar. Some of them even owned and ran their own shops and restaurants, which is why Pushkar is sometimes referred to as a “mini-Israel.”
At one point I was tempted to get a tattoo, but then I controlled my emotions.
The ideal choice would have been to spend the night in Pushkar and explore different places to eat. Unfortunately, it was getting dark and my hotel was booked in Ajmer, so I had to leave soon.
I returned to the same point where the bus had dropped me off, and another one was waiting to depart for Ajmer. I went back to my hotel room, relaxed, and prepared for the next day, which was going to be a big one.
*****
This story is part of my solo trip series— Backpacking Rajasthan.
Check out the entire series here.
