Backpacking and Bliss – Pushkar Ajmer
Updated: Oct 28, 2018
The holy cities of Ajmer and Pushkar in Rajasthan, India are at a proximal distance, separated only by a ridge of the Aravalli Mountains. Also, it makes for a blissful weekend getaway from Delhi, considering this area’s good connectivity by rail and road.
We spent a weekend away in the twin cities and had the best time exploring them, though this post also encloses pictures from Ani’s solo bike trip to Ajmer and Pushkar, taken sometime back.
Getting the beast up and running
Ani had the Royal Enfield Himalayan accompany him on his solo tripping (conveniently rented for this trip). While motorcycle touring and Royal Enfield are usually said in the same breath – kudos to its power, classic looks and the characteristic thump, the Himalayan model is class apart, built keeping adventure touring in mind. Every element of the motorcycle looks perfected for a great outdoor experience and it’s got to give you the confidence to go just about anywhere.
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Rail vs Road
Travelling from Delhi to Ajmer/Pushkar is convenient both by rail and road, so it’s really just a matter of personal choice. Whereas by road, we can either head towards Ajmer first and then Pushkar or vice-versa, the rail connection is available only at Ajmer. (At the time of writing this blog, Pushkar’s got practically no rail connections with the rest of the world, but an excellent road connection with Ajmer)
Train departures from these Delhi stations – Old Delhi, New Delhi, Sarai Rohilla, Delhi Cantt and Hazrat Nizamuddin happen all day long, literally making it so easy to get there. The Ajmer to Pushkar and vice-versa route is a small ride (30-45 mins) with a lot of options to pick from (Bus/Cab/Auto/Rentals).
The road trip from Delhi to Pushkar/Ajmer (400 km) can be covered in two legs –
Delhi to Jaipur (250 km/5 hours), spend the night at Jaipur
Jaipur to Pushkar/Ajmer (150 km/3 hours)
And the road beckons
The sound of a Highway is one noise that we love. As the vehicles whizz past, the Himalayan thumps gloriously in the hues of the evening Sun. Nothing beats the wonders that a road can bestow upon a traveler. Of course we could use some humor along the way as well ;)
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Jaipur welcomes with the warmth of a congenial host as the sun takes a dip behind the gorgeous Hawa Mahal.
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Also, Jaipur’s cityscape presents a great opportunity for Night photography.
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The first rays of the Sun are casting a golden glow over the pink of the city. It’s time to get behind the handlebars and head further west.
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Pushkar may mean a lot of things to lot of people, but above all it’s a city of contrasts. The first thing that hits you is its vibe – equal parts colourful, serene and indifferent.
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The town is set on the banks of Pushkar lake – considered a place of Hindu pilgrimage. Over time, it has developed many facets, evolving as a retreat for yoga, reflexology and ayurvedic healing. Interestingly, the place is brimming with Israelis and the marketplace seems agree with the trend. Locals speak bits of the language, restaurants serve Israeli food and shops display signs and text in Hebrew. It’s pleasant to see them flocking every corner of the town and feeling at home with the place.
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The lake is surrounded by 52 bathing ‘ghats’ – a series of steps leading to the lake. Pilgrims can be seen participating in religious ceremonies on the Pushkar ghats. The atmosphere is really charged and you can feel the vibe getting you!
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As the day draws a close, visitors flock to the “Jaipur Ghat” making it a carnival of music, lights and dance.
Word of caution – Watch out for wannabes acting as guardians to holy shrines and lakes. They will try to trade in a flower and holy blessings for money and can be really pushy. Others can be seen bossing around, shouting at people who inadvertently cross an invisible boundary down the steps of the ghat. An otherwise pretty place, marred by the touts!
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Para…Para…Paradise!
Much to our surprise, Pushkar turned out to be vegetarian’s paradise :O It’s considered a sacred town – meat and alcohol is strictly prohibited. Add to that the generous numbers of visitors pouring in from the world over, and the outcome is a mind-boggling variety of vegetarian cuisine from the world over available in the single winding lane of the Pushkar town!
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Devour Falafels, Laffas, Pancakes, Poha, Fresh fruit/Vegetable juices, Soups, Pizzas, Paranthas, Desserts, Indian chats, Desserts, Tea and Coffee – all within a mile! But if you are serious about covering the ground, you’ll end up eating every half an hour.
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For the stay, we’ve picked The Madpackers hostel. Full points to the hostel decor – it’s both fun and tastefully done! Also, the area is mercifully quiet. The vibe is great and you’ll find a great rooftop for morning yoga. Hot showers, soft beds and great staff – definitely coming back!
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One of the joys of travelling is coming across people, and some of them turn out to be rather interesting. When you walk down the winding alley of Pushkar towards the Jaipur ghat, you catch site of Kikasso aka Kishan Singh – an artist who had had careers in army and banking and then left his full-time job to focus on his calling. Chatting up Kikasso is rather fun – he’ll tell you about how in 1970, a tourist drew out the similarities in his work and Picasso’s and then took the ‘K’ from his real name and called him Kikasso. He’ll showcase his love for meditation, yoga and tantric studies. We all may have our reservations when it comes to trusting what folks say about themselves, but he surely is full of energy!
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The mention of ‘Ajmer’ always rings a bell, courtesy ‘Ajmer Sharif Dargah’, which is immensely popular in India and elsewhere. This 13th century sufi shrine houses the tomb of saint Moinuddin Chishti, also known as ‘Gharib Nawaz’ – Patron of the poor. The inner courtyard though beautiful, is always packed. The access to this place is narrow and crowded. The major turn off is the presence of touts and cons tailing you right from the street leading to the Dargah (asking you to keep your shoes secure with them) till the entry into the main courtyard (pretending to guide/pushing you to buy offerings/stealing valuables).
People from all faiths coming down here to feel the presence of the divine would really be able to experience it if the chaos is done away with.
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Though there are few other experiences for travellers in Ajmer, but we’ve left them for another time. For now it’s farewell time, an end to the other-worldly experience – a brush with the divine through prayers, dance, food and breathtaking landscapes.
We catch one final glimpse of the Ajmer city and Ana Sagar lake – the centrepiece of the city, dreaming of the experiences yet to unfold before us.
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Till we meet again!
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