Pushkar

I have mixed feelings about Pushkar.

The day we reached I hated it. Lots of Israeli druggies everywhere, shopkeepers trying their broken English on you, people at the ghats trying to fleece you, like a bigger version of Paharganj or Janpath. But after a day you kind of get into the groove. The shopkeepers recognize you and don’t bother to call out to you any more. Thanks to the Israelis you get yummy humus, falafel and pita bread everywhere. Also pancakes and delicious cakes and pies.

In fact, since there isn’t much to do, you start the day at one café, smoke some, eat a big breakfast spread over two or three hours, amble down to the next café, maybe pick up some Chinese pajamas on the way, smoke some more, eat again and so on till it’s dark. At which point you mix drinks in coke bottles and walk by the lake, eat some, smoke some. Very relaxing.

The gang arrived on the 25th and that was fun – lots of inane laughter about nothing at all! We climbed a hill and there was a beautiful view from the top – one side Pushkar town and the lake and the other the start of dunes, children sliding down them. Also went for a camel safari which was great ‘cept that your thighs ache the next day. Mahender and Suresh, the two camel boys scored some awesome maal for us for a hundred and fifty compared to the six hundred which is the standard price.

Despite all the tourists, the local people are extremely innocent. Chatted to a lot of them. How they feel blessed to have been born in holy Pushkar, a few of them have been to cities such as Delhi – how they hated the pollution, noise and aggression. Some of the café owners have even traveled to Europe thanks to the tourist friends that they made – Greece, Germany and of course Israel!

One of our favourite cafes, right by the lake, had a Christmas party on the 24th – they got it a little mixed up with New Year’s though. Thought they had to wait till midnight for some reason. Most people had left by ten, and every time people would get up to leave they would entreat them to stay till 12 when they would cut the huge cake which said ‘Happy Marry X’mas’ – it was really sweet. We were the last to leave at 11.30 – would have stayed till midnight except that the place we were staying was really far. There were some local boys gathered around a bonfire at the party, one of them had a cigarette and there was this major excitement in the air. B and I tried to figure out what the excitement was about – was it a joint perhaps? No, it was just a regular ciggie that they lit after much discussion and passed around like naughty schoolboys – they were about twenty or twenty one years old. It was very endearing.

We stopped overnight in Jaipur on the way to Pushkar which was fun – checked out the city palace and did some shopping – blue shoes for me, pink Jaipuri quilt for Mom. B bought lots of music in Pushkar – you get stuff there that isn’t available in Delhi.

In all, yes, I think I would go back!
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Have been reading Krishnamurti’s Journal. A bit to remember:

Have you ever wondered why human being go wrong, become corrupt, indecent in their behaviour – aggressive, violent and cunning? It’s no good blaming the environment, the culture or the parents. We want to put the responsibility for this degeneration on others or on some happening. Explanations and causes are an easy way out. The ancient Hindus called it karma, what you sowed you reaped. The psychologists put the problem in the lap of the parents. What the so-called religious say is based on their dogma and belief. But the question is still there.

Then there are others, born generous, kind, responsible. They are not changed by the environment or any pressure. They remain the same in spite of all the clamour. Why?

Any explanation is of little significance. All explanations are escapes, avoiding the reality of ‘what is’. This is the only thing that matters. The ‘what is’ can be totally transformed with the energy that is wasted in explanations and in searching out the causes.
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This is something I was trying to post on the 16th but couldn’t so here it is now:

Conversations between my Mom and my Niece

This is the argument my Mom and Niece had this evening:

Don’t wave around your hands while you drink your milk or you’ll spill it.

(Sure enough, the milk spills on to the table.)

It told you not to do that! You silly girl! You’re so stupid! (This may seem a little harsh but my Mom was tired and she had been telling her not to wave her hands about a million times.)

Nani! You said a bad word. You can’t say bad words.

No I didn’t. ‘Stupid’ isn’t a bad word. It just means not intelligent.

But it’s not true cos I am intelligent.

Intelligent people don’t wave around their arms when they’re drinking their milk.

Whoever says it, they are it first.

That’s true in most cases but not in this one.

Yes, it is. It’s always true.

What? Do you see me waving around my cup of chai like this. (Mom does weird routine with arms flailing.)

They both burst into laughter.
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Then later, same evening:

Are you doing your bedtime susu darling?

No, I’m brushing my teeth first.

Oh, I thought I’d let you off brushing your teeth today since it’s so late. (re: the Christmas dance in my last post)

Oh, okay. I’ll just eat the toothpaste then.

!! !! !! :)
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In Pushkar I checked up on the blog world from a cyber café one day and was very saddened to know that two of my favourite bloggers have decided / been forced to quit blogville – kraz and Ani this means you. Also where are you Nitin D?? Ah he’s sitting at a remote café, playing chess with strangers and writing notes in a notebook with a pen – time to put that notebook online pal!