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Published: March 29th 2009
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Pushkar Blues
March 28
Today is apparently the second day of the Hindu calendar year and I am in Pushkar, a very small town ringing a circular sacred lake in central Rajasthan. Pushkar is famous for three things: the (supposedly) only temple dedicated to Brahma in India; the annual camel fair (held in November); and the “vibe,” which attracts hippies and other foreigners to this laid-back town.
I was in Pushkar three years ago, but only for lunch as I was driving from Jaipur to Jodhpur. I remember thinking I wanted to spend some time here and get to know the place a little better. Pushkar is not a beautiful city, it is no Jaisalmer, but when the lake is full of water, it can be very charming. Unfortunately, the lake is not full of water. The lake is very low, and currently the scene of a construction project as Indian engineers struggle to dredge it.
From my perspective at the moment, the best thing about Pushkar is the Inn Seventh Heaven, the haveli hotel I am staying in. It is really lovely, and the people here are very nice. It has, far and away, the best
rooftop restaurant in Pushkar (though it is not on the lake), authentic haveli rooms and everything you need to feel comfortable. I don’t actually feel much like leaving this oasis, though I have ventured out a few times since arriving three days ago.
The first entire day I was here I basically stayed in bed, nursing a heart ache and a bad tummy. I am still on my “journey of the heart,” and these days, I am on the dark side of the heart …
The second day I was here, a young man from Seventh Heaven, Shambo, took me on a walk around town and I went to the Brahma temple. Apparently, it is 1,000 years old. I loved the airy feeling in the temple, and was delighted to discover that it is the Hindu new year. I am in need of a fresh start, so I am very grateful for the timing. It’s a lovely temple, and only one of about 500 or 1,000 temples (depending on who you talk to) in this small town of 20,000 people. Small white temples perch on two of the hills that ring this circular valley: one is dedicated to
Savitri and the other to Gaytri. They are the two wives of Brahma.
Brahma was originally married to Savitri and he wanted to perform some sacred rites at this spot, and when his wife failed to show up on time, he married a local lass, Gaytri. When Savitri found out she was very angry and she cursed him: she said Pushkar would be the site of the only temple dedicated to Brahma in India (though there are countless temples dedicated to the other two gods in the Hindu trinity, Shiva and Vishnu). You can walk up to these temples, the Savitri and Gaytri, to watch the sunrise or sunset, and I plan to do it, but I just haven’t had the strength or motivation yet.
However, this morning I got up at 6 a.m. and went down to the ghats by the lake to watch the sunrise. There may have been a total of 40 pilgrims on the ghats that ring the lake each doing some form of puja. I was the only foreigner. The end of March is the end of the tourist season in Rajasthan as it is growing hot. It is still reasonable here, but
they tell me Jaisalmer is already scorching.
I am writing this during a sudden storm that is blowing sand and drops of rain around the open air havel (rooms are ranged around an open central courtyard, on four levels, with the restaurant on the roof). I have retreated to my room, and shut the windows to keep the sand out. The desert storm, the half-filled lake, and the quiet streets combine to give me the feeling that I am not quite in this world. I don’t think its Pushkar’s fault, entirely … I am in the midst of some very profound life changes … and feeling betwixt and between. The old world had ended, the new world has not begun, and this is the netherworld of my heart’s journey.
I have never felt so lost in India … but at the same time, I feel I am exactly where I am meant to be. I am working hard to stay positive and trust that this is all part of the journey; that everything that happens is for the best (the universe knows what we need), and that it will all be okay. In fact, it will be better.
In the meantime, there is a big swing-bed in a corner of the top floor restaurant, and lying on it I can see the mountain tops, the sky, the clouds or the stars, depending on the time of day … and this is my spot. It is really all I am up for. But it will do for now. I keep wondering if I should get on a plane and lie on the sand by the ocean in Goa or Kerala … but I just can’t get off the swing bed. The soft desert air, the kind and attentive staff, the beauty of this haveli, the surrounding mountain scenery, the Gaytri and Savitri temples … Pushkar is weaving a subtle magic … and I am hoping it contains a heart-healing balm …
March 29
This morning Kabhi, a Rajasthani man who works at Seventh Heaven, and I walked up to the top of the hill, to the Gaytri Temple to watch the sunrise. It was a cloudy morning, so not much of a sunrise, but I had a wonderful time walking, talking, taking photos and enjoying the fresh morning air -- and being out of Pushkar. The hotel
Seventh Heaven, the setting and the people at the hotel are great ... but I do not think I am overly fond of Pushkar. Let's just say it's not my scene ... too much of a "traveller's haunt" for me. It makes me miss Rishikesh and the sincere yoga students who are more my ilk. But of course, Pushkar is in Rajasthan and Rajasthan is great. The scenery, the culture and especially the people are really wonderful. And the men are sooooo handsome ....
Of course it doesn't help that I am not in a good mood. My friend Kabhi pointed out that I would probably like Pushkar more if I were in a better mood...
So, getting into a better mood and deciding where to go next (Bundi?) are the top two items on my agenda ... but after dinner in the beautiful rooftop restaurant of Seventh Heaven (it's called Sixth Sense. I love this place!).
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