Exploring Pushkar – A Melting Pot of Religion and Bohemian Vibes

So, after almost nine months of home quarantine, when my family gathered enough courage to step outdoors and explore a new place, aside from the corners of our home, we decided to ditch the crowding Himalayas and find our retreat in the tranquil town of Pushkar. After thorough research, a meticulously charted plan, and bags loaded with sanitising sprays among other things, we headed out of the capital city early in the morning.

As we drove out and away from the bubble of pollution encircling Delhi NCR region, we realized how much more there was to thank for than the privilege to travel safely during a pandemic. And what better way to express our gratitude than visiting a revered Hindu temple the first thing on the trip!

Keeping up with my devout parents, we cruised along NH 48 to arrive at Khatoo district in Rajasthan to seek blessings from Shri Khatu Shyam Ji for a safe journey ahead. Oblivious to the obstacles awaiting us, we reached the temple entry only a few minutes before their afternoon closure. To our surprise and contrary to our Google searches, the shrine had been opened to pilgrims on the same day as we’d arrived, which meant a lot of security and procurement of visitor’s pass in advance. But as my parents like to say, when that superpower calls, all doors open up; and before we knew it, we were the last ones to be admitted to the shrine for the day.

A quick prayer and a few hurried chats with the local vendors later, we were back on the road, making our way to the peaceful Pushkar city. Contrary to the popular preference of staying in a resort on the outskirts of the city, we decided to take our chances with a hotel situated in the middle of the crowded town. It wasn’t difficult to notice the hard-hitting effects of the COVID outbreak, for the narrow and sleepy lanes, were suddenly jolted awake on the sight of a tourist car in the vicinity.

By this hour, the itch to explore had taken complete possession of our bodies and we hurried out to visit the most prominent temple dedicated to Lord Brahma in the world. As we walked through the carefully crafted doors of the marble temple, we were enveloped with a distinct sense of peace and quiet.

Having concluded our pious journey for the day, it only felt fair to spend a leisurely evening by the ghats while putting an end to our hunger pangs. As we devoured a remarkably well-cooked plate of pasta at Café Lake View, the sun set in the Aravalli and the quiet evening was taken over by the melodious sandhya aarti (evening prayer).

Another day, another pilgrimage, only this time it was to one of the most famous Sufi shrines, Ajmer Sharif Dargah. We had been seeing film stars and eminent personalities visiting Moinuddin Chisti’s shrine to seek blessings, ever since we could remember. So, when the opportunity to pay our obeisance at Chisti’s grave came knocking at our doors, we grabbed it and started for Ajmer.

Despite being merely 13 km apart, Ajmer was in stark contrast to Pushkar. Crowded roads, blaring horns, and a pool of self-appointed guides was first of the few sights to greet us. However, the situation changed for better as soon as we left the car park and walked towards the shrine. The usually cramped, narrow lanes were being walked by only a handful of pilgrims, and a generally busy dargah was empty enough for us to spend undisturbed minutes altogether inside the main maqbara.

Since we were already in Ajmer, we decided to explore the city furthermore and head to Tarahgarh Fort for a panoramic view of the city. The fort was perched on top of one of the hills and with every turn, we could only see the city shrinking more and more.

However, pictures can be deceiving and so was the sight of Taragarh Fort. Nothing more than an abandoned fortress with a crumbling structure, the dilapidated fort was left to a fate of its own. The smelly and littered lanes, carefree and unbothered attitude of the locals only added to our sour experience, which made us hasten back to Pushkar.

As soon as we drove back to the tranquil town, we were welcomed back to the haven that Pushkar became synonymous with. The rest of the trip was spent shopping to our heart’s content and trying some of the best falafel wraps and wood-fired pizza.

Our mini escape to this oasis of Rajasthan was clearly the highlight of 2020 – unexpected and something that brought us all closer. The laid-back shops, conversational shop-keepers, and the chilled-out vibe of the town undoubtedly soothed our souls and cleansed the bitterness of the year.

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