Pushkar Camel Fair

You go to market to but groceries, cloths, and etc. Have you ever been to a market to buy a camel? That place is India is called Pushkar, where during the annual camel fair you get to see camel trading.

Pushkar is believed to be the only city in world to have a Brahma temple, however there are more. The town is essentially based around the Pushkar lake, which boasts of 52 ghats. Most of the times this city remains quiet, with only tourists being Israelis or people extending there trip from Ajmer (another blessed city).

This city comes to  life during camel fair, where only two creatures you see in abundance are camels and foreign tourists with big cameras. This is one of the fairs which still conducts as per Indian traditions. Camell sellers and buyers come from far off places. For instance, one seller had to walk six days from his village to be in Pushkar. These people are very helpful and close to earth due to hardship in their own lives. They are also overwhelmed by the fact so many visitors come to see them.
This place is a good market for cloth paintings, small handicraft sculptures and obviously camels.

You have lot of places to eat and rest. Just look for areas near the lake, opt for lake view if you plan to stay. If you are carrying tents, you can pitch them at mela grounds and enjoy neighborhood of camel herders and sellers. There are few people who cater to demand of horses. The government during the fair arranges for cultural programs spread over a week.

But if you really want to enjoy the actual fairs without the tourists, visit 2-3 days prior to official fair dates as that's when actual camel trading takes place.

 

2 Es of society

I was born and brought up with 2 E boons of modern society. Education and electricity. If we can stop corruption, many like us will be able to enjoy these two boons too.  

things to know before you visit India

In recent times I have noticed that we get many foreign visitors to India. Some for backpacking some on business trips or on student exchange programs. Even being an Indian, I have been into cultural shock many times when I travel to different parts of India. So I thought to summarize some of the basic good to know facts if you are planning to visit India. But as advised if in India, be open to ideas and do not generalise.

·         Body Parts  In India body parts have different meanings and hierarchy. Feet and left hand are considered to be dirty. So if you are visiting any religious site or even in homes, it’s always better to remove your shoes and cover your head unless asked against it. Do not eat or give/receive money with your left hand.

·         Dress Modestly Even though kamasutra was written in India, Indians have this notion that white skin people are sexually active than black/brown skin. So it’s better to dress modestly covering your body parts and not revealing specially if you are travelling to rural areas or religious sites.

·         Public display of affection like kissing and hugging is strict NO-NO.

·         Being hounded and cheated  Unfortunately begging and touts have become business for many. Especially in major railway/bus stations, tourist and religious sites. Foreigners are generally considered cash rich, so be ready to be hounded by beggars and cheated. Know the actual rates through your friend or local acquaintances. If you feel you are being harassed or cheated approach police. (Though might be of help always)

·         Be ready for stares Common people in India consider foreigners to be some sort of celebrity. So be ready for those stares on public transport, roads, or most of the places you visit. Also you be might be asked umpteen times for a photograph to be taken with common people.

Above stated information shouldn’t deter you from visiting India, because it is one of the countries where you will also be overwhelmed by the hospitality and your sense being tested for different kind of views, smell and taste.

why save nature?

In today’s world, lot of talk is going around for saving nature. I also thought why do I need to save nature? Then I became selfish and thought that if we don’t have what we have today for years to come, the life which I see around me now will not be sustainable. Then I will not be able to photograph and not do the only thing that gives me peace. You will ask why suddenly this blog post. I was photographing flowers on my roof after a morning rain, and I noticed that due to sun, roof floor was clean dry; however there were still water droplets, smiling and sparkling on flowers and plants. This simple scene made me realise, how plants, trees and nature are important for sustenance and survival of living things on earth. Today you have become selfish and are destroying ecology around you. I don’t ask you to change your attitude. I still ask you to be selfish, be selfish for your coming generations. Take small steps to make sure you contribute rather than destroying, and let your future generation enjoy the same environment you are enjoying today.

So this is my inspiration for saving nature. What’s yours??

Water droplet on flower-

Crumpled Life

We are all born with one thing, and that is life. Rest all are either inherited or earned. But sometimes we take this freebie for granted. We forget the fact that what precious gift we got as life.

So be happy, help others, spread knowledge and don’t let others to turn your life into crumpled life.

Lord of the ring or ring of the lord?

Hi, my name is ring. No I am not the ring from ‘ring ring ringa ’ of Slumdog Millionaire. I was born out of human need to create art and vesting authority on non-living objects. It is believed that I and most of my cousins of our ornament family were created for purpose of show off. Sometimes we were created as per needs of the tribe we represent, with initial designs reflecting patterns of nature. Later on with advent of computers and auto designing creativity and price both have reached high ends. Earlier most of the work on us was done with human touch and feelings.

We rings have also been kind of representation of authority in non-living objects, which no other single community in our ornament world enjoy, our only competitor and winner being crown. In most cultures, Kings passed on the ring to next king. In many places, especially in Indian societies, mother in law passes on rings to eldest daughter in law, symbolising transfer of authority in managing homes. Rings also work as negotiators and a seal of deal in marriages, where rings are exchanged.

So what’s your story on rings?

Thumb rings, with inscription of ‘Om mani padme hum’ in Tibetan script

"Thus the six syllables, om mani padme hum, mean that in dependence on the practice of a path which is an indivisible union of method and wisdom, you can transform your impure body, speech, and mind into the pure exalted body, speech, and mind of a Buddha[...]"

-- H.H. Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama, "Om Mani Padme Hum

made for each other

Heer-Ranjha, Laila-Majnu, and their likes are said to be made for each other. Tajmahal, a man’s greatest erection for a woman also was born out of love. But this was bygone era where polygamy provided men and women both to enjoy with options.

Modern society imposed monogamy in most of the cultures and people still found a legal way of polygamy, marriage-divorce-remarriage. Still if you look at modern society, you will not find a single instance of love on display. You can find 10 best examples of kidnapping, cons, terrorism, hacking but not a single example of love.

Though if you ask most of the people, they will tell you love is not lost. Ask a politician, he will tell you how he loves corruption and scam, but not country. Ask a teacher, who will tell you much he loves discipline and curriculum, but not students. Ask a cricketer, who will tell you how much he loves advertisements and T-20, but not test matches. Ask developed nations, who will say how much they love modernisation, industrialisation and profits, but hates nature and obviously developing nations.

Is this the kind of world we would like to live in, where everybody says that they want love and peace, but not work towards it?

As John Lennon said- “If everyone would have demanded for peace instead of a television set, we would have got it”.

So please demand what is rightfully yours without infringing on rights of others.

Love in the eyes of a lovely couple. (Thanks to my friend who permitted to upload this photograph of his with his wife)

At work

One of the inventions of human being is work. You work for somebody else, you work for yourself, or do not work at all (toughest of all). What ever we are doing as work, each one of us think that we have the toughest job in world. However during my travels, I have seen people working equally hard to earn a livelihood. So do not demean yours or others work.

Here is a collection of images of people at work

Delhi – Past, present and future in one city

Mother – “Why don’t you come back and live in your hometown”?

Son – “I love Delhi and living alone”

This conversation from the movie Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara sums up my reason for living in the city too.

My first impression of the city was of a modern metropolis, latest cars, wide roads, swanky airport and a good sense of traffic rules. However living in the city for three years now, I know this is the city where past, present and future co-exist. Here you will find place of worship for all religion, cow and BMW fighting for space on road, horse cart competing with metro. If you are thinking of 2/3 day tour of the city, you will be in missing a lot of action here.

So if you are in the city, how do you experience past, present and future?

Your tour should start with Mehrauli Archaelogical Park (separate post to follow later) and a visit to nearby Qutub complex, garden of five senses is in vicinity too. Then hop on to ruins of Tughlaqabad fort. For a taste of mughal era, must visit places will be Red Fort, Jama Masjid and Kotla Feroz Shah fort in Old Delhi, Humayun’s Tomb and a stroll through streets of Chandni Chowk. If you are a foodie and love meat, don’t forget to indulge yourself in restaurants near Jama Masjid area and near Jamia Milia University in south Delhi.

If religion is your interest, then places to visit will be Akhshardham Temple, Birla Temple, Jama Masjid, Bahai Temple (popularly known as Lotus Temple) and there is also a Buddhist temple in East of Kailash near Sapna theatre.

Want to hang out in a cool place in evening, Try India Gate.

Ok! You haven’t spent enough money in the city and want to go shopping, Connaught Place, Lajpat Nagar central market and Sarojini Nagar Market should be your destination. If you have confidence on your bargaining skills then definitely try the Chor Market near Delhi gate which happens only on Sundays.

Did somebody said I am missing on the glitzy Delhi, Try out the malls, recommended – Select City Walk in Saket and if you want to stretch a little more, drive down to Gurgaon where landscape has only man made construction with no signs of nature.

You might think that you have known Delhi by reading this post, then you are a genius, because I don’t have the audacity to justify 500 years of history in 500 word post.

So what are you waiting for, get a Metro Railway Card and let me hear your experiences.

                                          Wild Buffalo, Delhi Zoo

                                            Rhinoceros, Delhi Zoo

                                          Isa Khan Tomb

                                           Gate, Humayun's Tomb

                                                        Evening, Humayun's Tomb

                                           Sky, Humayun's Tomb

                                          View from minar, Jama Masjid

                                           Humayun's Tomb

                                          Jama Masjid

                                                        Jama Masjid

                                                         Window, Humayun's Tomb

                                                       Tree, Lotus temple

                                           Evening in delhi

 

                                                        Door, Humayun's Tomb

                                          Methods of restoration, Humayun's Tomb

                                                       Sir jo tera chakraye

                                          Lotus temple

                                          Within Humayun's Tomb

                                          Qutub Complex

                                        Purana Qila

                                                        More of Qutub Complex

                                                       Qutub Minar

                                                        India Gate