Rajasthan Travel Diaries !! Part 1 covers Pushkar and Ajmer.

  Hello all!! After many of my friends enquiring about my trip to Rajasthan , I have made a small attempt to pen down my (not so)recent trip with an intention of helping out others intending to travel to this lovely city!
So here is a brief write up ( well, I tried to keep it short!) with respect to the places visited , hotels resided in , random photos thrown in of the places visited along with some Travelling TIPS. 😃

I shall start with the holy town of Pushkar.
  Pushkar is a small town bordering the desert of THAR . Set on the banks of Pushkar river, it is known for its holiness and spirituality. One must visit Pushkar and reside there at least for a couple of days to be able to appreciate the beauty of this place !

My husband with the Ghats as a backdrop 

                           There are plenty of things to do in Pushkar.

1) Visit the sacred Pushkar river ghat and soak in the vibes . There are 52 ghats ( staircases leading into the water ) for each sect and caste as per Hinduism  wherein we can take a dip and try to cleanse our sins . Camera's are allowed only till the main gate of the ghat and not inside to maintain the sanctity.

TIP - Visit the ghats at dawn and witness the spectacular silhouette of the sky whilst sunrise and engulf yourself in the Gayatri mantra  . It is SURREAL!!! 

2) The Jagata pita Brahma temple is a prime tourist spot aside from devotees (was shocked to find  many foreigners as ardent devotees) who throng the temple . Supposedly , it is the only temple in the world dedicated to Lord Brahma ( As per the official tour book and the localites )  The Chaturmukhi idol of Lord Brahma is housed in the inner sanctum . One can literally feel the peace and tranquility upon entering this temple .

The Brahma temple 

 
                                The road to this temple is filled with tie and dye shops of all kinds . Many of these are government recognised and sell handloom cotton bed sheets and quilts and clothes at very reasonable prices . No bargaining is allowed but the price itself is so reasonable that one doesn't feel the need to bargain here!

We also have The Pushkar market  set up around these Ghats, wherein you will be lost in riot of colours !

Pushkar market 

                                      Everything from fancy hangbags, potlis ,trinkets , embellished jackets, chappals ,  jewellery , artifacts to swords and shields ( YES U READ IT RIGHT! )is available here . I might add it isn't overpriced at all and if you are a good bargainer you can purchase some amazing stuff at a steal!!!! ( DO REMEMBER TO PACK IN AN EXTRA DUFFEL BAG or THREE in MY CASE 😝)



















 

The markets begin at 10am and are open till 10pm ,so one has plenty of time to roam about all the stalls first before deciding what to purchase .  (Only cash is taken , although a few shops accept Paytm now )


TIP - Much better to purchase clothes and artifacts from here as shops in Jaipur & Udaipur are highly overpriced!!!!!
The multicolour jacket worn in the picture was purchased for 350bucks!!!

The multicolour neckpiece for 50 bucks!

Dinner facing the ghats!

3) There are also plenty of eateries in and around the market place which serve amazing cuisines to cater to the plethora of foreigners who throng Pushkar (it being a Tirtha Raj) .So it's a riot of flavours for your taste buds . No meat or alcohol is served in the holy city ,but then who needs that whilst seeking solace and spirtual awakening! Some eateries are situated on the rooftop from wherein we can see the entire ghats along with the hills.. Very picturesque and highly recommended!
Most of the hotels (99%) are non a/c and are light on your pockets whilst providing sumptuous meals .
TIP- Do experiment , you wont be disappointed for sure !

Sunset atop a camel in the desert!

                    4)  Pushkar also boasts of many other temples ( around 300) , but we chose to do something outdoorsy on the second day! We decided to try out the much acclaimed Camel desert safari and boy we weren't disappointed at all! Much to our delight our camel driver was a fun loving lad who blabbered nonstop and kept us highly entertained throughout the travel. He doubled up as a tour guide and ensured we knew the history of his hometown.

Husband with our driver 

   

There are various stalls wherein a pamphlet containing various points covered during a safari is shown.One can choose accordingly . It is a 30min ride to the dunes to witness the sunset . There are numerous stalls renting traditionl attire and villagers playing folksongs ..The atmosphere is enthralling!
We enjoyed ourselves thoroughly , though I was shit scared of falling off the caravan !! The camel was literally running and our tiny caravan was flying !!😓😓😓😓I had to hold on for dear life!
Finally on reaching the dune I became brave enough to crawl and sit atop the camel .. I had nothing to hold onto and the mischievous camel decided to prance about suddenly!!
I think I must have shrieked like a banshee whilst my husband and the driver burst out laughing 😔 In my defence , camels are insanely tall!! ( 14ft atleast ) and what if it chose to sprint?

 TIP- Wear comfortable clothing (saree, dupatta not recommended)for the safari . Take a camel with its caravan . One cannot sit atop a camel for more than 10min. It is painful and risky !
Bargain before striking a deal and ensure you leave sufficiently early to witness the sunset and soak  in the moment. 

Grandfather - Grandson duo were awesome! 

The gorgeous sunset

               5) For trekking enthusiasts the famous Panchkunda and Jamanikunda hills provide the perfect getaway ! One can witness the sunrise and have a splendid view of the Pushkar lake as well!

TIP- Keep a flexible plan and interact with the locals if you speak Hindi or English. They are friendly and are the best guides

 How to reach PUSHKAR :

1) BY FLIGHT : There are no airports at Pushkar. The nearest airport is Sanganeer Airport at Jaipur (Rajasthan). Pushar is 158kms away . Plenty of private cabs ply to and fro and travel by road is comfortable with most of the roads being well maintained.

2) BY TRAIN : There is no direct train  PUSHKAR to other cities either. The nearest Railway station is Ajmer which is aproximately 10 kms away from Pushkar. Again cabs are available from Ajmer to Pushkar easily.

3) BY CAB/CAR : The only possible way to reach Pushkar in one shot without alighting! We parked our car in the hotel itself and explored the town on foot .The best way to experience this place is undoubtedly by foot !!

Best season / time to visit : 
 The festivities take place almost continually here .However the wearther can be harsh in summer. The best time for visiting Pushkar would be from November to March . Even March will be harsh for many.The famous Camel fair takes place in the desert in November , followed by numerous festivals being celebrated with pomp and gaiety ending with the festival of colours HOLI .
  We had visited the city in the later half of FEBRUARY 2017 and were very fortunate to have been there for MahaShivratri .The atmosphere was electric! Bhang was freely being distributed at every corner whilst music was being played at each and every beautifully lit and decorated temple.People thronged the temples and the pious sadhus at the ghats for their blessings We were enthralled by the electricity in the atmosphere!!!


TO SUM IT UP : Hotels : Aplenty as per budget. We resided at TREEBO PUSHKAR
 Travel within : On foot preferably as market roads are narrow

 Food : Plenty of cuisines available cheaply (VEG only)
But I found Rabdi Jalebi , Malpua , Samosas and Kalakand to be delicious there!

Clothing : Conservative (western is fine) Cash : Carry cash as few ATM's and most insist on cash.
Period of visit : November to March
Photos : A few good ones
Memories : A gamut of emotions experienced and soul enriching experiences        
                               
IF YOU ARE PLANNING TO VISIT PUSHKAR :

Ajmer Sharif Dargah is enroute Pushkar ,situated 2 kms away from the Ajmer Railway station.We just need to take a small detour .So if you are planning to travel to Pushkar from Jaipur , do visit the dargah as well . It contains a domed tomb of the saint called Moinuddin Chisti (Gareeb Nawaz ). Akbar and his queen used to come here by foot to pray for a son every year in observance of a vow. The saint is highly revered and it is estimated around 1,50,000 pilgrims visit the shrine every day!

Outside the Ajmer Dargah 

 We need to cover our heads with a scarf . Gents too need to tie a handkerchief . Footwear is not permitted beyond the main gate . One can purchase flowers for His Holiness's shrine or a sacred thread or a basket containing varied things once we cross the main gate. People from all castes and religions are allowed inside the tomb area for seeking blessings . The architecture is amazing and the sufi songs played are mesmerising . A must visit !
TIP - Do park your car on the main road and walk down the final stretch as it is pretty         crowded with numerous stalls on either side of the road .  
Ladies do carry a scarf / dupatta along with you.
Beware of pickpockets and scamsters !  
Deposit your footwear in a shop / leave them in the car as you might lose them forever!


From Pushkar we travelled to Udaipur , the city of lakes . More on the same shall be discussed in my upcoming blog !
 Until then , see you around !  😁😁😁