Pushkar, a small town, in the Ajmer district of Rajasthan has recently become a popular tourist stop. The word of mouth has added a lot to this, evidently supporting the warm welcome and farewell this city bids to its travellers coming from India and abroad.
My trip to Pushkar was also a product of word of mouth. Some of my colleagues visited the town during the famous Pushkar festival and they had nothing but good experiences to share. Peaceful, serene, beautiful, and vibrant were some of the common words they use. I planned my weekend trip to Pushkar in January. Not sure if I could have had any better timing: the temperature was warm enough to get me out of the bed and cold enough to keep me walking for kilometres.
The city highly resonates with the state it lies in, in being vibrant but what makes it peculiar from others is how it has in store something for everyone.
Starting with the lovers of nature, Pushkar can be compared to the magician’s pandora box: too many things, each capturing us with awe. The town has a variety of landscapes to offer: the tall and handsome mountains, the bright-shining pond with its proud 52 ghats, the wide and diverse Aravali range, a whole sightseeing of beautiful birds and animals, and its never-ending desert.
A peacock taking flight in Aravalis, while the others wait for their turn
Amongst these many things, one of the major attractions remains the sunset view from the top of a mountain, overseeing the whole town. The next thing comes to the pond, which one can visit anytime to enjoy seeing birds flying in huge flocks, the sun rising from the mountains, still, water shining bright in the daytime and the usual hustle-bustle of people. Though, my favourite of all is Aravali, how thrilling it feels to walk right in the middle of a range that is home to numerous beings. And if you are lucky enough, find a whole flock of peacocks learning to fly, one at a time, exactly like how they show in movies.
Coming next to the town’s colourful streets, Pushkar can also be called a place to find lovers of aesthetics. Walk in any of the lanes and you will find vibrant dreamcatchers stealing your attention. Never in my life, I have seen so much variety of the same, be the colours or the shapes or the sizes. I still can’t forget the white and blue crescent-shaped dreamcatcher made with stones and threads. Besides this, the market has something for everyone, be it artistic handmade diaries, naturally-fragrant incense sticks, handcrafted totes or sling bags. Standing true to its roots, the elephant print and stones dominate the market in almost everything.
The cherry on top: We could not find any plastic bags there, everything was given in pretty cloth bags. They are my little souvenirs now.
Food lovers, this is a place you should totally add to your list. Vegetarians, next time, someone teases us for being one, ask them to visit Pushkar. With authentic Rajasthani food, Pushkar will make you ask for more and more. Gatte ki sabzi, dal-baati, Papad sabzi, Lehsun chutney, baajre ki roti, choorma were some of the dishes we tried.
Last thing, that most people were enjoying but we could not were the visits to temples and other religious places. Pushkar is home to peculiar places, including the only temple of Lord Brahma and a temple of Goddess Savitri on top of the mountain. Other than this, one can find temples in every nook and corner and all the religious vibe with pandits roaming around the Ghats doing poojas for people. A few kilometres away, one can also plan a visit to the famous religious Ajmeri Dargah; also a place of historical importance. Walking in the streets, one can actually feel the vibe of the place with shops selling all the paraphernalia.
Tell me what vibrant is
Only if this is not enough, Pushkar is a home for so many interesting stories. Like the conversation, I had with the manager of the hostel. Of how she moved from Barcelona and made Pushkar her home. Or how an army veteran is living the rest of his life near the holy place guiding others. Or how a girl from Portugal has become so Indian while performing her art every day. There are many more stories, and there are many more people, all waiting to unfold.
The trip was trippy, to say the least; it left us happy, refreshed and motivated.
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