India Thrice: Leaving Pushkar

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Leaving Pushkar

Tonight is my last night in Pushkar, I am leaving tomorrow after eight days here staying at the wonderful Inn Seventh Heaven. There is a wedding across the street from my hotel, which is of course loud. Every night, it seems, there is a celebration of some kind here. Several nights ago was a big religious celebration, devoted to the god Vishnu, and we were treated to a noisy and colourful fireworks display. We had a perfect view form the rooftop restaurant.

My eight days in Pushkar have meandered along like a lazy river. There is a very strong "chill out" vibe here, which is bound to infect the most hardened traveller, methinks.

When I arrived I had just been hit hard by events in my personal life, and I felt very unwell (a crummy combination of heart ache and terrible indigestion). But slowly over the past eight days, the energy of Pushkar, the beauty of the surrounding desert, the comfort of Inn Seventh Heaven and the wonderful staff have combined to soothe me and make me feel a lot better about life.

Climbing the mountain to see the sunset from the Savitri Temple was the turnaround, I think. I went with an warm, open and charming young Dutch woman, Bente, and we had a great talk as we walked up and back. The sunset was glorious (sorry, I didn't feel like lugging my camera!) and we walked down just in time as it was dark when we got back to Pushkar. There was also a power outage so we had to walk through the market and back to our hotel in the dark. When we got back we lay in lounge chairs on the roof and looked up at the stars. I realized that night that the magic of India hadn't disappeared; I was just too preoccupied with my emotional life to notice. Perception is reality!

After that, I slowly started coming out of my shell and noticing my surroundings. My friend Kabhi took me, on his motorcycle, for a long drive into the countryside and I saw some traditional villages that were completley off the tourist trail. It was great to get a glimpse of "real" Rajasthan, especially from the back of a motorbike, which is much more up-close-and-personal than a car, train or bus.

I also spent some time walking around the Pushkar Lake and visiting temples. There are a lot of hidden gems in Pushkar, beautiful, tranquil temples infused with reverent energy. I went back to the Brahma Temple, to say goodbye to Brahma, and down to the ghats at sunset where I performed my own puja to bring good luck, health and happiness to my family members and friends. An elderly man came and sat with me and told me a lot about Pushkar and the religious life as he is a Brahma Temple preceptor. Then he starting telling me how beautiful I am and that he feels heartily towards me. He took my hand and didn't want me to leave. I think he was falling in love, so I beat a hasty retreat.

It's getting hot here, so I also spent one afternoon at the Jagat Palace Hotel swimming in their glamorous pool. It cost me 400 rupees to swim there, which is about $10 -- very expensive! But what a place. It used to be a maharajah's palace and it was very elegant. I felt like I was in a Chanel commercial. There are luxury palace hotels all over Rajasthan as, before independence, this was the land of maharajahs. Anyway, it was worth it. It is very luxurious to swim in a pool fo water in the desert, and I felt great after moving and floating in water for an hour or so.

So, slowly, slowly, I have allowed the peaceful pace of Pushkar to heal my emotional wounds, and I am very grateful for this opportunity -- to be in a sacred place, staying in a very special haveli-hotel and to have the time. But I am now interested in getting off the tourist trail (especially the hippie trail) and seeing some quieter, more authentic places in Rajasthan. I don't have much time left (or money!), but I want to get at least a taste of the countryside before I leave Rajasthan. So that is what I am going to attempt to do tomorrow.

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Comments

[mahavir]

Wonderful pic !!!!!!
Hello Maryellen, Thanks very much to put us in your blog, very happy to see my self and my nephew raju also. Hope to see you again in pushkar sometime !!! Best Mavi