PATTERN IN CHAOS: 2015

Camels and carnivals are not the only flavours of Pushkar. Pushkar is also about a cohesive pattern of vibrant townscape, a placid lake with heritage, people with vivid ethnicity, royal parades and adventures on hot-air balloons.

Being surrounded by 52 bathing ghats, the tranquil Pushkar lake has a buzz around it. Families, old and young, ascetics and believers, all flock in for a holy dip, especially during the days of the fair. Narrow winding roads come alive with a diverse framework of colourful people and street food entwined to form a vibrant structure. Lip-smacking Poha, sugarcane juice and a wide variety of mithais make up for the multifarious food options.

With a content stomach and more excitment running through my curious soul, I wander along the close-packed streets. I am lucky to catch the Royal Parade with its entourage of vivid finery and decor. This parade marks the conclusion of the fair. On this day the royals and commoners all come together on the streets of Pushkar to head to the Brahma temple for spiritual offerings. Pushkar hosts the only Brahma temple in the entire world. It is a visual treat to remember.

The adventures of the day continue in the hot-air ballon ride that takes off from the stadium in Pushkar. Tourists as well as locals gather to see this spectacle of the huge balloons blowing up into a mammoth magnificence which then gently alights and drits off into the blue horizon with its riders. The fuzz of the fair continues with food, shopping and steaming cups of masala tea.

Amidst all the amusement the day speeds by and along with the sunset the neon lights come up. The funfair lights up to spread merriment before the curtains come down and the wait for the forthcoming year begins.

It is a beautiful end to a vibrant, spirited tour packed with buoyant, joyful experiences to take back home. Memories that will errupt once in a while whenever and wherever I see camels strutting along with the sun peeping behind them.

Parade photograph credits: TJ Gulati.

Nestled in Ajmer district of Rajasthan and famous for its annual fair, this modest town comes alive in the month of November when the world's largest camel fair is hosted there. The Pushkar Fair continues for five days and this time is a period of celebration, relaxation and merry-making for the villagers. They organize camel safaris which is the prime tourist attraction.

Tourists from all over the globe throng into the city during this time. The time-saving routes are, to fly into Jaipur and approach Pushkar by road or to make it by Indian Railways to Ajmer junction and then reach Pushkar again by road. Locals from villages far and near arrive, some looking forward to a successful cattle and camel trade, others visiting for pilgrimage.

As far as the vision stretches, golden sands and the ship of the desert merge to form an artistic landscape. Migrant villagers form a pattern of uniformity making the dunes of Pushkar their temporary home. The fair in the backdrop add a flavour of festivity and amusement in the air. The camel tenders are busy feeding and grooming their prized possessions.

As the sky lights up in a crimson hue with the setting sun, the villagers busy themselves making their food on wood and twig-lit fire. This, they generously offer to us. The meal is a modest combination of hand rolled Bajra Rotis and spicy Baingan Bharta. The simple meal with its peppery flavour will be a memory to savour.

It's been a long, fruitful day, plodding my adventurous soul through the desert sand. I find my moment of rest very rewarding as I sink into the lounge chair at the resort, watching women sway and twirl to traditional Rajasthani folk music.

Sand dunes, camels and history are seamlessly woven to form the essence of Pushkar. As I dig in, I find Pushkar has more stories to tell.

Vibrant people coupled with fun and fair, in my next blog.

Translucent cobalt skies...
Vivid green Conifers...
And
a pure Buddhist essence.
That's the canvas of Paro for me.

Gliding through a hilly terrain, from Punakha via Thimphu, we approach Paro. The tour guide Tenzing keeps filling the quiet with details of Bhutan while I soak myself in the beautiful ride. The first stopping point to stretch my limbs is a noted viewpoint where I can see the Buddha Dordenma at a far distance like a spec of solitude in the horizon. The second stopping point is the long suspension bridge, decorated with colourful prayer flags flapping in the wind.

The first place of visit in Paro is the ancient ruins of Drukgyel Dzong. It is known to be one of the most beautiful and famous archaeological sites in Bhutan. It has served as an important base for defence since 1651 when it was built, till 1951 when a fire destroyed it. With history embedded in its mortar, Drukgyel Dzong stands regally overlooking farmhouses nestling in the valley below.

The itinerary's last stop of the day is the Kyichu Lhakhang temple. It is one of the 108 border taming temples built in the 7th century and also one of the oldest built in Bhutan. Monks, tourists and locals are spread all across the temple. Some are busy photographing the moment and some absorbing its spiritual aura.

Day 2 is a trek to the Paro Taktsang, popularly known as the Tiger's Nest. Copper coloured mountains and a mystical white monastery, hanging at the edge of a precipitous cliff at 900 metres above the Paro Valley, looks like a tempting visit and a formidable climb. Braving the narrow mule tracks and walking for a couple of hours through the colourfully festooned Pine forests, I finally make it to the view point at Taktsang Cafe. The view is stunning! It is worth having dared the steep climb and the sweat. The wooden interiors, steaming food and panoramic view of the Taktsang cafe is an added bonus to the calm and scenic beauty that overwhelms one at this height. A visit to Tiger's nest is a full day's itinerary and a remarkable adventure sketch.

With my last day at Paro, the travel chronicles of Bhutan is ready for a wind-up.

'At some places you leave a part of you but carry back a part of it'. A friend had prophesied once. That's what Paro did to me with its eclectic charm.

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