Let the festivities begin
Camel trading complete, it's time for the Indians to worship, bathe and party!
Pushkar is built around a holy lake, where it is said that Brahma dropped a lotus flower. It's an important Hindu pilgrimage site and is only one of three of the world's Brahma temples.
We wanted to see the Brahma temple and the bathing ghats, so Leslie arranged a camel cart ride there and back. Don't ever use the words speed and camel carts in the same sentence. And for a bit of visualization, picture me trying to hoist myself onto this high rolling platform ... graceful, unh unh!
We rode next to Raja and his driver. Raja is a gorgeous 8 year old camel that his 25 year old driver got when he was just a pup. Or what is a young camel called? True affection his driver had for him. He painted Raja's head and face black for the Mela - his hands were covered in black stain. I heard that he pierced Raja's ears (three fancy earrings in each ear) the night after (I also heard Raja was pretty ticked off about all that to-do).
The Brahma temple is smaller than I expected, but filled with worshippers of all walks of life. Flower and rice offerings everywhere ... people watching at its best!
After we collect our shoes and meander over to the ghats. On the way, we're passed by a proper parade, complete with bands, camel "floats", and lots of marigold throwing. The marigolds smell so good in the air.
Shoes off again, we walk down to one of the many bathing ghats. We're followed by a Pushkar "priest" which we know is a scam, but interesting nonetheless. He talks us through the bathing ritual, thankfully we only dip our fingertips in a bronze vessel filled with the green water. We make a wish , throw our marigolds and rice in the lake. The usual, he wants his rupees afterwards, so we give him a few (it was of course not enough) and we move on.
What better to do next, than watch the turban tying competition for foreigners and 
the moustache competition for all. Lots of people, lots of tourists and Leslie falls prey to the lots of pick-pockets. Without the slightest of anything, her Blackberry is GONE!
What an addition to the day that just will never make the list of things to do in India. The camel driver and his friend try their best to help out by bringing us around to the police and the event-announcer ... but it is really quite futile. Instead after lunch we head off to an internet cafe and phone so Leslie can cancel her accounts and change passwords. BLEAH!
Note to self ... what a vivid, real life reminder to watch my own stuff!
I think and hope (fingers crossed) my stuff is as safe as can be. I have a moneybelt under my underwear that has my passport, travelers checks, ATM card and extra credit cards. It NEVER comes off (well ok, I do take it off when I take a shower).
Outside my clothes I have a small fanny pack where I keep my day-to-day money and camera. It's got steel cable straps (to keep off the cutters) and locking zippers and snaps.
My day pack doesn't have much except my water bottle, journal and Lonely Planet guide (and a couple of Immodium pills and toilet paper - come on now, you didn't really think I could refrain from some toilet talk did you). Pickpockets might get into that, but they're sure not going to get much for their troubles!
Then there's my big pack which could be vulnerable. I've brought with me a steel cable mesh covering tht I can lock to myself or my belt ... and it seems to work quite well.
It's fair to say that pickpockets can happen anywhere, not just in India. But perhaps we're just a bit more aware of such things in our home surroundings.
After that bit of a bummer afternoon, we wander about, watch a Rajasthan song and dance performance around the campfire, chat with friends at dinner, watch an after dinner Rajasthan puppet show (they are the best puppeteers) ... at 11 pm it's time for bed. I'm exhausted!
Pushkar is built around a holy lake, where it is said that Brahma dropped a lotus flower. It's an important Hindu pilgrimage site and is only one of three of the world's Brahma temples.
We wanted to see the Brahma temple and the bathing ghats, so Leslie arranged a camel cart ride there and back. Don't ever use the words speed and camel carts in the same sentence. And for a bit of visualization, picture me trying to hoist myself onto this high rolling platform ... graceful, unh unh!
We rode next to Raja and his driver. Raja is a gorgeous 8 year old camel that his 25 year old driver got when he was just a pup. Or what is a young camel called? True affection his driver had for him. He painted Raja's head and face black for the Mela - his hands were covered in black stain. I heard that he pierced Raja's ears (three fancy earrings in each ear) the night after (I also heard Raja was pretty ticked off about all that to-do).
The Brahma temple is smaller than I expected, but filled with worshippers of all walks of life. Flower and rice offerings everywhere ... people watching at its best!
After we collect our shoes and meander over to the ghats. On the way, we're passed by a proper parade, complete with bands, camel "floats", and lots of marigold throwing. The marigolds smell so good in the air.Shoes off again, we walk down to one of the many bathing ghats. We're followed by a Pushkar "priest" which we know is a scam, but interesting nonetheless. He talks us through the bathing ritual, thankfully we only dip our fingertips in a bronze vessel filled with the green water. We make a wish , throw our marigolds and rice in the lake. The usual, he wants his rupees afterwards, so we give him a few (it was of course not enough) and we move on.
What better to do next, than watch the turban tying competition for foreigners and 
the moustache competition for all. Lots of people, lots of tourists and Leslie falls prey to the lots of pick-pockets. Without the slightest of anything, her Blackberry is GONE!What an addition to the day that just will never make the list of things to do in India. The camel driver and his friend try their best to help out by bringing us around to the police and the event-announcer ... but it is really quite futile. Instead after lunch we head off to an internet cafe and phone so Leslie can cancel her accounts and change passwords. BLEAH!
Note to self ... what a vivid, real life reminder to watch my own stuff!
I think and hope (fingers crossed) my stuff is as safe as can be. I have a moneybelt under my underwear that has my passport, travelers checks, ATM card and extra credit cards. It NEVER comes off (well ok, I do take it off when I take a shower).
Outside my clothes I have a small fanny pack where I keep my day-to-day money and camera. It's got steel cable straps (to keep off the cutters) and locking zippers and snaps.
My day pack doesn't have much except my water bottle, journal and Lonely Planet guide (and a couple of Immodium pills and toilet paper - come on now, you didn't really think I could refrain from some toilet talk did you). Pickpockets might get into that, but they're sure not going to get much for their troubles!
Then there's my big pack which could be vulnerable. I've brought with me a steel cable mesh covering tht I can lock to myself or my belt ... and it seems to work quite well.
It's fair to say that pickpockets can happen anywhere, not just in India. But perhaps we're just a bit more aware of such things in our home surroundings.
After that bit of a bummer afternoon, we wander about, watch a Rajasthan song and dance performance around the campfire, chat with friends at dinner, watch an after dinner Rajasthan puppet show (they are the best puppeteers) ... at 11 pm it's time for bed. I'm exhausted!
posted by CECILIA at 9:54 PM
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