Veg Out!

We take our first non-local bus to Pushkar ... it is nice! Head out through terraine that resembles California chaparelle with the addition of camels, goat herds and black faced monkeys with fuzzy tan bangs and long tails. We pass through the city of Ajmer and continue over the Snake Mountain to Pushkar. Pushkar lake sits at the center of this small town surrounded by bathing ghats and temples. Being a holy city eggs, meat, tobacco and alcohol are forbidden (as in many of the cities we have visited). This city is full of sadhus (spiritual seekers) with dreads and ash crusted faces who wander about asking for donations. One small main street winds through the town. Cows lounge in the sun (all very gentle and enjoy a good pat or scratch), people sit out on the street drinking chai (tea) and vendors seem just as happy to sit and have a conversation with you as to sell you anything. The city is very traveller friendly and many people stay for long periods (maybe too long by their appearance). We were sucked in by the easy atmosphere and stayed 3 nights. During the days we chatted with friendly shopkeepers, peeked at the main Hindu temple, treked up to a hill overlooking the town, met fellow travelers, joked with beggar children and explored the ghats.

We had a bit of a run in with a brahman man, wearing leather shoes and a gold watch, at a bathing ghat. He called me an animal and an insult to Hinduism because we didn't want to by a flower from him to throw in the water as an offering. We explained that our karma comes from the lives we live and that it was more respectful for us to not place the flower in the water because it didn't have a meaning to us and we would be simply going through the action. He continued to call us animals and said we would have low rebirth because of our actions. I asked what kind of karma his actions were generating and if Hinduism doesn't teach tolerance of other's beliefs (probably a touchy subject fiven the Hindu-Muslim tensions and violence). He showed us the white string worn around the neck that signifies he is born brahman and therefore holy ... while he continued to berate us. We smiled and walked away. We met many local people in the town who think these guys are scam artists who are cashing in on their caste. One struggling brahman store keeper said he would never do what they do, although it is open to him, because he feels it is better to struggle honestly for rewards in the next life than to live ones life falsely.

In the evenings we would eat at the Om Shiva Buffet Restaurant (excellent and less than $1 for all you can eat), drink chai, listen to the bombastic bands playing at the temples and watch the monkeys do aerial acrobatics from rooftop to rooftop. One evening Chris actually ran into a monkey as he was coming up the stairs ... and the monkey coming down. As he rounded the corner Chris thought it was a waiter. The monkey 'freaked out' and went flying over the railing. I don't know who was more frightened!