The bustle of Ajmer

---

We had all intention of doing the budget thing and catching a bus from Bundi to Pushkar until a Spanish couple asked us to share a taxi with them. Happily we agreed and with luggage loaded on top we set off. The road was very rough for the first couple of hours and it certainly would have been a bouncy trip in the local bus. The countryside was semi arid with patches of cultivation which seemed to be mainly corn. We could see the bright saris of the women dotted throughout the fields. We also passed many groups of sheep and goats each with a white robed and gaily turbaned shepherd following behind. Our driver had a puncture and replaced the tyre very quickly and at the next village he stopped to have it repaired. We wandered around for the half hour it took and it was like being in China again - we were surrounded by the townspeople who were as fascinated with us as we were with them. The ladies were covered in silver and gold jewelery and were wearing circular floor length skirts, ankle and toe rings and patterned scarves over their heads.
We arrived in Ajmer which is a large city 18 kilometers from Pushkar. The population here is predominately Muslim and the mosque is considered the most important Muslim site in India. Seven visits here equals one to Mecca and we wanted to visit it Within the mosque is the tomb of a Sufti saint who died in 1235. It has been a major pilgrimage site since 1567 when Emperor Akbar (of Taj Mahal fame) first prayed there after walking to it from Agra. Today every 2 miles between Agra and Ajmer is marked with pillars and it still a well used pilgrimage route by foot. Our driver left us on the edge of the old city and from there we walked through the narrow lanes to the mosque. The only vehicles allowed in were cycle rickshaws but as usual the odd motorbike and auto rickshaw forced their way through the crowds. It was a fascinating walk - dozens of shops selling Muslim caps and religious mementos, sweet shops with large glass cases of prettily patterned sweets, rows of shops selling prayer beads and necklaces and other shops hung with metal kitchen utensils. It took half and hour to walk to the mosque and the closer we got the busier it became.
The entrance to the mosque was lined with shops selling baskets of red rose petals and the atmosphere was verging on frenzied as people were pushing their way in through the gates. Security was tight and no cameras, phones, bags or shoes were allowed in. The area to leave them was down the alleyway through which we had already passed so we had to force our way back to leave them in the office there. Once inside there were thousands of people praying, reading religious books and lining up with their baskets of flowers to enter the tomb upon which the flowers are spread. In another courtyard were very large iron pots into which pilgrims were dropping money and bags of rice to be distributed to the poor. We lined up to enter the tomb and after paying our 'donation' of 100 rupees - it was literally taken from my purse - were allowed to go in. Both of us were totally overwhelmed by the crowds - it was a tiny room and people were shoving each other to get closer. I forced my way out via the entrance as I was too scared to go the clockwise route around the tomb - it was a frightening experience and I could easily understand how people are trampled to death at religious festivals in India. It was an experience I would not wish to repeat but once again an amazing insight into the intensity which people worship their religions in this country.
We saw more beggars in Ajmer then anywhere else in India - all asking for 100 rupees! We loved the bazaar so much that we decided to come back and explore it some more from Pushkar. Our driver then took us to another totally over the top religious display - this time a museum next to the Jain temple. A diamond merchant built a hall housing gold plated replicas of every Jain shrine in India - 1000kg of gold was used and above them all hang vimanas (airships of the gods). These were fascinating - with elephant heads and sails! It took 30 years to build all the models - there were hundreds of them. One wall is supposed to be hung with diamonds behind coloured glass panels. We saw the panels - no idea whether there were diamonds behind them. It was all housed in a very dirty building and was another Indian moment - you just never know what you will discover! It was totally weird....
We did go back to Ajmer from Pushkar by local bus and had a great morning wandering the bazaar. I found a shop which sold beautiful glass bangles - I loved the ones from Pakistan and had to buy some. Hopefully most will survive the postage home. One lane way was lined with sari shops selling wedding saris - there is no fabric more beautiful than those. Worth thousands of rupees they are covered in fine sequin work. When we left to go back to Pushkar we were packed onto a local bus like sardines in a tin - then the bus driver decided to have lunch. It was incredibly hot and by the end of half an hour when the driver returned we felt as if we had been in a sauna. Most unpleasant but yet another Indian experience.

---

Photos

Family photos prior to visiting the Mosque
Dressed in new clothes and with baskets of rose petals to offer at the tomb

Sweets on display
Thay are very large!

The glass bangles from Pakistan I had to have!
Each bead has been hand glued on.