India 2 - Pushkar, Rajasthan

3rd Feb - I left early morning to start my 2 weeks touring Rajasthan to catch the 7hr train to Ajmer and got a taxi to Pushkar. This a place where Brahma created a lake and the only place with a temple dedicated to Brahma (plus two hill temples dedicated to his two wives) there are something like 500 temples around the lake. The ashes of Gandhi, Neheru and Shri Lai Bahadur Shstri were sprinkled into the lake and Brahma himself is said to have worshipped here.

The town is surrounded by troops of large monkeys and overrun with cows. I’m staying at the Niwaas Palace overlooking the lake, which is very spacious and grand and I am pretty sure I am the only guest! The town below is alive with fake hippies who, according to the manager, (we had chai and chat while I waited for the taxi driver to come back with the phone I dropped in his cab) come here to hang out and grow their hair long and then tidy themselves up as soon as they go home. Tonight the sound of music, chanting and loud drum beating is floating up to my palace… I’ll go and experience it tomorrow after a good rest.

About the weather - it is nice and warm during the day, very cold at night... naturally I forgot to bring socks and can't find any anywhere!

Sitting here typing my blog, I started with Krishna, Ram music blaring outside which has not turned into Bob Marley... get the picture?