PUSHKAR

Pushkar (Moods of A Desert town) by Ennala Praveen.

"Pushkar" is derived from the merger of "push" and "kar"."Push" or "pushp" means "flower" and "kar" means "hand".

Pushkar lies seven miles from Ajmer in Rajasthan, on the outskirts of Great Indian Desert, a harsh, hostile and merciless land of creeping sands, shifting dunes, erratic weather and hot winds. Its people are in complete contrast to the land they live in, with Pushkar in November forming a showcase for their spirit, their battle for survival against terrible odds.

To some, Pushkar offers archaeological treasures inconspicuously tucked away in its myriad cobbled streets. Sprinkled around the lake are about four hundred temples of great antiquity, including only Brahma temple in the world. Over the centuries, people from different walks of life like kings, sages and the wealthier class have built these temples for worship. Some are on the plains while others stand gloriously on hilltops. Fifty two Ghats encircle the lake to facilitate pilgrims wanting to spiritually cleanse themselves and imbibe its curative properties.

In the words of Ennala Praveen,"The sun beating down on the desrt awakens the camels at dawn. The desert is crowed with camel traders. A lot of haggling takes place, but this adds to the spirit of the fair. As the tempo of business slows down, the proud oweners of a newly acquired camel visit the stalls in search of

Rajasthani handmade saddles, long strings of beads and embroidred saddle-straps. The camels are almost as well dressed as the women.... At other times, Pushkar surprised me with its quiet surroundings, vast desert and comforting breeze. It presented a different view of itself at every turn."