Vishnu-arama
Well, glad I managed to make it to an internet cafe today, I think I would have bust with excitement before long - Ive got so much to tell you!!
Im sitting on the Ghats of Pushkar (well nearly) in a cafe which seems to be Vishnu (that is the Blue Hindi elephant faced god) themed. The guy is wafting insense and giving me a stream of ginger tea. Its all very heavenly.
After I left you all last, I went on an adventure around Delhi with Mary Guru in a beat up old Ambassedor taxi. The whole thing was quite...
Hang on a minute....a massive black mouse just ran across the floor of the internet cafe - Id better tell the man (and hitch up my skirts.)....
As I was saying.... The whole drive around Delhi was very mysterious - the smog in the city gives everything this sort of misty dreamlike appearance -and huge buildings can suddenly appear out of the miasma. Guru and I cruised around the shopping areas (I was hoping to buy some clothes), but they were all shut due to the strike, and some of the roads were being closed by the police to avoid the demos. We cruised past a peaceful protest which consisted of people sitting around on the ground and someone shouting through a loadspeaker. Later there were pictures in the paper of the demo's getting out of hand and people burning effigies of government officials and also conducting mock funerals!
Anyway, Guru got bored, and so I dropped her off and set off for a day sightseeing instead. Saw the India gate, which is a little like the Arc du Triomphe (sp??) in Gay Paris. From this leads a long wide boulevard to the Presidents house, and the government buildings...which are HUGE magnificent pillared edifices either side of this massive ornimental roundabout. They appeared out of the gloom with some majesty.
The I trollied off to one of the large Hindu temple complexes, which had separate temples for all the Hindu gods. I liked Shiva best as she is riding a tiger! At the temple, there were life size marble sculptures of elephants, sacred cows and other wild animals. Would love to have shown you some pics, but I wasnt allowed to take any - sacred place and all!
Then towards the end of the day, I managed to spot a shop which still was open, and so I got measured up for some clothes. I have ordered 3 Salwar Kameez (Indian trouser suits) to be made for me and sent to Vishal's for when I get back to Delhi in a month.
Dinner with the family, and then early to bed, as I had to rise early (4am) to get the train to Ajmer to go to Pushkar.
At 5am, my driver and his beat up Ambassedor arrived - with only one headlight working -to run the gambut of the traffic. After a ride where I just closed my eyes and hoped for the best, I arrived at Delhi station. Once again, I braced myself for a shock - Delhi station is renowned for being chaos and terrifying. But, once again, I must say it wasnt half as bad as I was expecting. The station was heaving with people and luggage, both tourists and locals. The driver helped me to the carriage and my seat, and the train set off on time. I was in an airconditioned second class carriage, which, black windows, ripped brown leather seats, and general grime permitting, was a jolly nice ride! I sat next to an ancient indian lady who was really sweet and sleepy. The staff on board gave us newspapers and chai (tea) and lots of snacks - including hot pea and potato curry for breakfast - all included in the price.
After a smooth 8 hour journey through beautiful Indian countryside, we arrived in Ajmer. On the journey, I even braved the train toilets...twice...once in western style, and once in Indian style...and I can truely say they were no worse than UK train toilets.
In Ajmer I was met and whisked to Pushkar - about a half an hour away - to my luxury tented camp. On the road, there were lounging monkeys, and too many bizarre modes of transport to report- camels started to feature regularly!!
From the camp, I could already see the main show site called the Mela, and also the surrounding sand dunes, which are where the horse and camel traders do thier business. The scene was one of legends - hundreds, if not thousands of camels and people all milling about doing business. Men in bright turbans and ladies in groups in the most colourful sari's you could imagine.Children swarming on the tourists and the brightly coloured tinsel bedecked rickety fair ground rides. Food stalls, piles of cow pats drying, cooking implements and pots on sale in piles on the floor, and most of all, hundreds of people everywhere.
I set off straight away for a wander - the heat of the day already passed. Although it was difficult to take photos without people spotting you and coming to talk to you/sell you something...it was almost impossible to NOT get good pictures -everything seemed BEAUTIFUL! I walked around for about an hour, and as the sun was waning, I headed back to camp. I thought it wouldnt be too safe to be out after dark - shame though, as most of the fire shows and all that jazz happens after dark.
At camp, I sat jibbing at being female and vulnerable, when I met two aussie ladies, who said they were heading back into the town later, and I could join if I wanted...didnt need asking twice. Safety in numbers! We were driven by the camp jeep to the Mela, where they were having a "westerners dress up as an Indian bride competition" which was quite funny. They had found 6 gushing american girls and one really jibby french girl to do the thing! When they asked them the standard "Miss World" type questions, the Americans came up with "I love Rajisthan, oh my Gawd its sooooooooo great" type answers. I laughed when the French girl, when asked about Indian men said " I dont really like the facial hair, and I wouldnt marry one!!" Ha Ha! We didnt stay long enough to see if she won!!!
Nightime at the fair brings out all the fire dancers and more traders. Everything is bedecked in tinsel and neon, and ALL the stalls are blaring out LOUD Hindi music -and I mean loud!! I have been to raves which sound like a tea party in comparison!
We then got seriously lost in the sand dunes (it wanst me, I KNEW the way, but the Aussies were sure...I didnt like to say anything!) then got a camel cart back to the hotel! Nearly swayed off the back, but what an experience!!
Todays task is see the whole of Pushkar town and not just the festival. Im doing a tour of the sacred lakes and Ghats on foot...been a bit waylayed by the internet!
Lots of Swami's about and other monk types. This festival is also about when Bhrama dropped a lotus into the lake here as the place where he was to come to earth. Off to look for lotus's now.
Love you all. more to come soon....
Im sitting on the Ghats of Pushkar (well nearly) in a cafe which seems to be Vishnu (that is the Blue Hindi elephant faced god) themed. The guy is wafting insense and giving me a stream of ginger tea. Its all very heavenly.
After I left you all last, I went on an adventure around Delhi with Mary Guru in a beat up old Ambassedor taxi. The whole thing was quite...
Hang on a minute....a massive black mouse just ran across the floor of the internet cafe - Id better tell the man (and hitch up my skirts.)....
As I was saying.... The whole drive around Delhi was very mysterious - the smog in the city gives everything this sort of misty dreamlike appearance -and huge buildings can suddenly appear out of the miasma. Guru and I cruised around the shopping areas (I was hoping to buy some clothes), but they were all shut due to the strike, and some of the roads were being closed by the police to avoid the demos. We cruised past a peaceful protest which consisted of people sitting around on the ground and someone shouting through a loadspeaker. Later there were pictures in the paper of the demo's getting out of hand and people burning effigies of government officials and also conducting mock funerals!
Anyway, Guru got bored, and so I dropped her off and set off for a day sightseeing instead. Saw the India gate, which is a little like the Arc du Triomphe (sp??) in Gay Paris. From this leads a long wide boulevard to the Presidents house, and the government buildings...which are HUGE magnificent pillared edifices either side of this massive ornimental roundabout. They appeared out of the gloom with some majesty.
The I trollied off to one of the large Hindu temple complexes, which had separate temples for all the Hindu gods. I liked Shiva best as she is riding a tiger! At the temple, there were life size marble sculptures of elephants, sacred cows and other wild animals. Would love to have shown you some pics, but I wasnt allowed to take any - sacred place and all!
Then towards the end of the day, I managed to spot a shop which still was open, and so I got measured up for some clothes. I have ordered 3 Salwar Kameez (Indian trouser suits) to be made for me and sent to Vishal's for when I get back to Delhi in a month.
Dinner with the family, and then early to bed, as I had to rise early (4am) to get the train to Ajmer to go to Pushkar.
At 5am, my driver and his beat up Ambassedor arrived - with only one headlight working -to run the gambut of the traffic. After a ride where I just closed my eyes and hoped for the best, I arrived at Delhi station. Once again, I braced myself for a shock - Delhi station is renowned for being chaos and terrifying. But, once again, I must say it wasnt half as bad as I was expecting. The station was heaving with people and luggage, both tourists and locals. The driver helped me to the carriage and my seat, and the train set off on time. I was in an airconditioned second class carriage, which, black windows, ripped brown leather seats, and general grime permitting, was a jolly nice ride! I sat next to an ancient indian lady who was really sweet and sleepy. The staff on board gave us newspapers and chai (tea) and lots of snacks - including hot pea and potato curry for breakfast - all included in the price.
After a smooth 8 hour journey through beautiful Indian countryside, we arrived in Ajmer. On the journey, I even braved the train toilets...twice...once in western style, and once in Indian style...and I can truely say they were no worse than UK train toilets.
In Ajmer I was met and whisked to Pushkar - about a half an hour away - to my luxury tented camp. On the road, there were lounging monkeys, and too many bizarre modes of transport to report- camels started to feature regularly!!
From the camp, I could already see the main show site called the Mela, and also the surrounding sand dunes, which are where the horse and camel traders do thier business. The scene was one of legends - hundreds, if not thousands of camels and people all milling about doing business. Men in bright turbans and ladies in groups in the most colourful sari's you could imagine.Children swarming on the tourists and the brightly coloured tinsel bedecked rickety fair ground rides. Food stalls, piles of cow pats drying, cooking implements and pots on sale in piles on the floor, and most of all, hundreds of people everywhere.
I set off straight away for a wander - the heat of the day already passed. Although it was difficult to take photos without people spotting you and coming to talk to you/sell you something...it was almost impossible to NOT get good pictures -everything seemed BEAUTIFUL! I walked around for about an hour, and as the sun was waning, I headed back to camp. I thought it wouldnt be too safe to be out after dark - shame though, as most of the fire shows and all that jazz happens after dark.
At camp, I sat jibbing at being female and vulnerable, when I met two aussie ladies, who said they were heading back into the town later, and I could join if I wanted...didnt need asking twice. Safety in numbers! We were driven by the camp jeep to the Mela, where they were having a "westerners dress up as an Indian bride competition" which was quite funny. They had found 6 gushing american girls and one really jibby french girl to do the thing! When they asked them the standard "Miss World" type questions, the Americans came up with "I love Rajisthan, oh my Gawd its sooooooooo great" type answers. I laughed when the French girl, when asked about Indian men said " I dont really like the facial hair, and I wouldnt marry one!!" Ha Ha! We didnt stay long enough to see if she won!!!
Nightime at the fair brings out all the fire dancers and more traders. Everything is bedecked in tinsel and neon, and ALL the stalls are blaring out LOUD Hindi music -and I mean loud!! I have been to raves which sound like a tea party in comparison!
We then got seriously lost in the sand dunes (it wanst me, I KNEW the way, but the Aussies were sure...I didnt like to say anything!) then got a camel cart back to the hotel! Nearly swayed off the back, but what an experience!!
Todays task is see the whole of Pushkar town and not just the festival. Im doing a tour of the sacred lakes and Ghats on foot...been a bit waylayed by the internet!
Lots of Swami's about and other monk types. This festival is also about when Bhrama dropped a lotus into the lake here as the place where he was to come to earth. Off to look for lotus's now.
Love you all. more to come soon....
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