Although it meant a slight detour, when I heard that the Pushkar camel fair was going to be held while I was in India I could not resist. Pushkar is a natural spring oasis in the middle of the desert. It is actually one of the oldest sites referenced in any of India's ancient texts. Hindus believe that when Brahma, the creator of the universe (one of the three main gods among millions), realized that all the other major deities had earthly homes while he did not, he chose the middle of the desert for his. He dropped a lotus flower and there sprung up the sacred lake.
Whatever the case may be, it is a pretty spectacular place - picture a near perfectly circular lake, surrounded by 52 ghats (steps leading into the water), surrounded by over a hundred individual temples. During the religious ceremonies that coincide with the camel fair the lake is strewn with flowers and floating candles., and thousands of pilgrims come from all over India. I've been here three days now, and the chanting that comes from the temples that ring the lake, has not stopped, day or night. It apparently culminates on the fifth and final day, when the full moon is directly over the water, the chanting reaches its height and all of the Hindus wade into the water and believe that they are purged of all negative karma. The event is also a pilgrimage for sadhus (Indians who have renounced all worldly possessions), so everywhere there are these emaciated old guys with saffron robes, long white beards, and dreadlocks.
While all this religious action is taking place around the lake, in the desert dunes surrounding pushkar the camel fair is taking place. Semi-nomadic camel drivers from all over Rajasthan are camped out for miles. I've been going for walks out there among their little camps. During the day they converge around a big ring where there are all kinds of competitions - camel racing, horse dancing, ,snake charming, tight-rope acts, a mustache competition, a family of albino acrobats (not kidding), and every other imaginable form of entertainment. At night they each sit around their own little fire and the desert looks as though some medieval army is camped out.
Although it meant a slight detour, when I heard that the Pushkar camel fair was going to be held while I was in India I could not resist. Pushkar is a natural spring oasis in the middle of the desert. It is actually one of the oldest sites referenced in any of India's ancient texts. Hindus believe that when Brahma, the creator of the universe (one of the three main gods among millions), realized that all the other major deities had earthly homes while he did not, he chose the middle of the desert for his. He dropped a lotus flower and there sprung up the sacred lake. 
Whatever the case may be, it is a pretty spectacular place - picture a near perfectly circular lake, surrounded by 52 ghats (steps leading into the water), surrounded by over a hundred individual temples. During the religious ceremonies that coincide with the camel fair the lake is strewn with flowers and floating candles., and thousands of pilgrims come from all over India. I've been here three days now, and the chanting that comes from the temples that ring the lake, has not stopped, day or night. It apparently culminates on the fifth and final day, when the full moon is directly over the water, the chanting reaches its height and all of the Hindus wade into the water and believe that they are purged of all negative karma. The event is also a pilgrimage for sadhus (Indians who have renounced all worldly possessions), so everywhere there are these emaciated old guys with saffron robes, long white beards, and dreadlocks. 
While all this religious action is taking place around the lake, in the desert dunes surrounding pushkar the camel fair is taking place. Semi-nomadic camel drivers from all over Rajasthan are camped out for miles. I've been going for walks out there among their little camps. During the day they converge around a big ring where there are all kinds of competitions - camel racing, horse dancing, ,snake charming, tight-rope acts, a mustache competition, a family of albino acrobats (not kidding), and every other imaginable form of entertainment. At night they each sit around their own little fire and the desert looks as though some medieval army is camped out.
2 comments:
Wow! They have really big dogs in India!
that old guy with the white beard looks unreal blackburn-just everything about him in that picture is just awesome. i took a trip to montreal (doesnt compare at all to what youre doing i know) but i talked to this one canadian for a while and just pretty much took in his perspective on american culture. not a vast difference between the two cultures i know, but it was still very interesting and i cant imagine what kind of amazing cultural interactions youre having along your journey.
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