The city of Pushkar christened as Tirthraj Pushkar literally translates to the Lord of all the pilgrimage sites. It is said in Hindu mythology that a visit to Pushkar is must if you have to complete your pilgrimage. Various stories about the origin of the lake and the surrounding numerous temples abound.
Now, not for nothing is Pushkar famous as a pilgrim site. The entire city is built around a small lake and practically all steps lead to the lake. However, even in spite of all the steps going to the lake, reaching the lake is not that easy an affair, thanks to zillion holy men around who have their life’s mission to ensure that you reach nirvana at the drop of a hat(read small donation). All your sins would be washed away. Add to this, an unique temple of Brahma (the un-worshipped god of Hindu’s) and the entire aura of town is seemingly holy.
In light of the above facts, it is no wonder that one’s scorned as soon as the plan of a trip to Pushkar is uttered. In spite of not being inclined to religious dogma we did decide to visit Pushkar for few days. This post is a story of our days at Pushkar in search of Nirvana.
First, things first the Pushkar lake(Sarovar) is actually very calm and soothing if viewed from a reasonable distance. There is a certain calmness and one does get immersed watching it. This holds true especially for the early morning and late night timeframe when the city and the holy men are asleep. Half of the way to nirvana must surely be covered by soaking in the serene atmosphere by gazing at these unholy hour. During the day time your skills will be checked to the hilt in order to avoid the holy men. Stay away from the lake, have some innovative answers ready and there is a good chance that you will end up fine, albeit some distance may remain between you and Nirvana.
Secondly, avoiding Brahma temple is a cakewalk. The temple is wrongly credited with it being the only temple in India where Brahma is worshipped. Since nobody seems too interested in worshipping Brahma and the entire India is giving him a pass, for a change it won’t harm too much if you follow the same suit yourself.
Ok, now that the Gods have been handled, what exactly is to be done in Pushkar. Why, just why was the trip made to Pushkar. It turns out that the small temple town has been getting really big on the back packing circuit and is part of the Banana Pancake trail. Once in Pushkar it’s easy to see why. The bazaars are a riot of colors, very vibrant. Numerous cafes offering multiple different cuisines and a great easy going crowd. Great views of Aravallis, from the numerous brightly painted lounges offer a very relaxed atmosphere.
The vibes are interesting at Pushkar as there are a lot of independent minded people of all skill sets through out the town. Singers, Painters, Dancers you name it and they are in the town. Café Sunset near Pushkar hotel is a great place to meet the artists. It has the most beautiful setting to enjoy the lake regardless of the time of the day. Check out the various events held there and you would not be disappointed.
All in all a great place for a chilled out time. Now Pushkar being a holy town, consumption of liquor is banned, but trust us humans to be innovative and fully capable of finding out of the box solutions. Next time you see a special lassi on the menu in the town, have trust in the god and holy men of pushkar and grab hold of it. It really sounds special and it surely is.
And while in Pushkar, never miss out on the street stall in front of Rainbow hotel selling snacks with Kadi. Simply mind boggling and finger licking stuff. If the entire town of Pushkar somehow magically fails to charm you, this alone would bring you back many a times.
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