“Incredible India” with Pushkar Camel Festival
We’ve reached the country of a thousand tongues and a thousand gods. At the Intercontinental, the ladies in my group are greeted with marigolds and a red dot on the forehead. This hotel is a luxurious refuge amid a 14 million-person filthy metropolis. Spend two days visiting Delhi. The required sites include the tomb of Gandhi and other UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Delhi is the only city where old and contemporary traditions coexist to such an obvious degree. Large, holy Brahma bulls impede traffic and cause delays. In this Hindu nation, cows hold sway. Children, dogs, and monkeys cross at their own peril.
I adore spicy foods and begin each day with a three-alarm curry. We go by bus to Rajasthan, a stunning desert state where camels have replaced cows. The air is more pleasant and everything is more vibrant. Here is a microcosm representing the whole of India. People are polite with a sense of modesty, and their eyes still light up at the sight of outsiders. We continuously wave through our windows to the curious onlookers who appear to ask, “Why have you come here?” As a devotee of the developing world, this location has been on my bucket list for years. Now, I really experience the aspect of travel that astonishes me.
We’ve traveled to Pushkar to attend the annual Camel Fair, which has been held for a millennium. As the biggest in the world, it once drew 50,000 camels and 200,000 merchants. We unload at our Exotic Adventures camp. Our spartan tents were equipped with private bathrooms, but toilet paper was scarce. Outside was a 24-hour guard who stingily rationed our allotment. In the desert, evenings are cold and afternoons are hot. I revealed to an American Embassy visitor that I felt like I was in an episode of “Survivor.” She chuckled while telling me that everything was worthwhile. As I approach the fairgrounds, my disbelief soon transforms into amazement.
With miles of undulating sand dunes, bedecked camels, and an influx of pilgrims, the picture seems completely bizarre. Comparable to a State Fair on steroids. There are horse, bullock, and camel races, competitions for milking, animal decorating, turban tying, and tattooing, as well as snake charmers, free carnival rides, mystics, astrologers, and dazzling handicrafts for free. The surface vibrates with activity. Thousands of Rajasthani women have come attired in their best, almost neon-colored attire. I see the dancing of trained monkeys, painted cows, and cobras. There are no suitable words to convey how this chaos overwhelms my five senses. Europe, with its churches and museums, is for others. This foreign exposure and cultural immersion is the pinnacle of travel for me!
Dust-covered, we return to camp. Every evening, singers, folk dancers, puppet performances, or fire eaters provide entertainment beneath the stars. There is no alcohol permitted, and all meals are vegetarian buffets. The Ayurveda Center gives us detoxification therapies. We refuse to vomit induction, enemas, nasal drainage, and bloodletting.
We explore the holy city of Pushkar and its Brahmanic-created holy lake. Pilgrims go great distances to wash in the ghats and pray continuously. Here, we learn about the following religions: Zorastrism, Sikhism, the mystic Sufis, Jainism, which maintains there is no ultimate truth, and the caste system. Some temples near the lake are “blessed” by priests during our trip. Later, a one-hour Camel Cart Safari behind the scenes of the fair was a highlight for me. Children crowd our path, yelling “hello, hello, one pen, please” A camel is slain and half-naked people are washing themselves. Back within the grounds, we visit an orphanage before dispersing in the frenzied celebration. Huge, spitting camels give us an elevated view of everything. A dozen garnet necklaces and silver ankle bracelets are acquired. Teenage lads approach Terry with the intent to photograph him. He’s 6’5″. One asked him nicely, “Sir, what do you eat?”
Our group was fantastic!
There are several food courts, but we must avoid all temptations to avoid “Delhi Belly.” I relish in the noise of anarchy. Pushkar is definitely a celebration for the natives, while we are only observers. I’m very glad to have so little time to complete our hectic agenda.
Due to pollution, the once-famous “Pink City” of Jaipur is now a darker shade of maroon. By exploring its palaces, fort, and architectural wonders, we learn about the Moghul empire’s famous Amber kings and maharajahs. History comes to life, and I find myself very interested in things I never cared about before. In addition, this location is a shopper’s paradise for silk sarees, gemstones, jewelry, and marble crafts. I went to the “Help In Suffering” animal sanctuary. Volunteer veterinarians handle the most severe illnesses of many species here. Daily, 45 stray dogs are sterilized, and I see one of the procedures. (Check out www.HIS-INDIA.com) Simply send them a cheque to assist.
At ‘Help In Suffering’ a dog spaying is performed. Making a contribution Volunteer vets chat to Suzy
Proceed to view the beautiful “Ghost City of Akbar” Fatehpur Sikri, which was abandoned owing to a lack of water. We have reached Agra, a 2.5 million-person city in ruins. The vendors annoy us. For rupees, bears in chains dance on the street. Hungry children beg. We are grateful to be staying at the luxurious Sheraton with its $20 massages and western food. It seemed like a different galaxy from downtown.
We have saved the finest for last at the world’s largest ode to love, where we have seen a multitude of marvels along the road. As I reach the Taj Mahal’s magnificent entrance, goosebumps form across my arms. It is illuminated by the morning sun like a pristine gem… 22 years to construct by two hundred thousand workers using two million pieces of semiprecious stone inlay. We scatter to shoot what seems to be a mirage after a lesson on why this immaculate symmetry was designed for Queen Mumtaz. It is architectural poetry and as wonderful as one can imagine.
Back in Delhi, we all get a free day to explore at our leisure! Most individuals go shopping since costs are absurdly cheap, but how many Pashmina shawls does one require? For our last evening, we enjoy a performance titled “Dances of India” followed by a Last (Indian) Supper goodbye dinner.
I commend the superb guides, drivers, support, and accommodations on this trip. My greatest moment occurred during the fair when I hired Jamal and Ranchi as “body guides” to help me navigate the throng. These two 11-year-old boys attached themselves to me like barnacles, and their radiant, grin-filled faces will long be engraved onto my recollection of India. This journey has rekindled my interest in the globe, reminding me that my passion for travel continues to grow. The more I observe, the more I want to observe.
This nation is for seasoned travelers only. I am highly pleased by the resilience and tolerance of my sixty-person group in a country with unstable infrastructure. Some of them were making their first trip to the third planet, yet they persisted like veterans. To experience hardship firsthand is the most profound way to appreciate one’s home. We saw both horrifying and pleasant things. However, “fascinating” best describes the whole journey. I must return once again.