Diwali in Pushkar

We decided to extend our stay in Pushkar because its such a magical, fascinating place and because we have not heard too many people say great things about Jaipur, other than it being big and noisy (though it is pink and has an old city that is meant to be amazing), so we reckon a day and night in Jaipur will be enough.

Last night we had these delicious felafels cooked on the spot by the short man in the photo with freshly baked naan bread. We sat outside on little plastic chairs on the main bazaar road as tourists and locals filed past. We also managed to get in a game of backgammon while we waited.

Afterwards, I had my haircut and beard trimmed by the local barber across the street, a very energetic, lanky guy with these amazing long fingers who told me his caste is "barber" and that there are five generations of barbers before him. I never knew there were castes relating to professions. He also gave Larna an amazing neck and head massage (this guy offered about a million services including henna, waxing etc). His philosophy was: "You don't like, you don't pay". We liked and we paid. He had a book thick with recommendations from satisfied customers and said he had 20 more such books going back through the years.

So we are in Pushkar for Diwali. Not much has happened so far, other than people letting off booming fire-crackers since early this morning and everyone greeting us with a "Happy Diwali". I think it will all take off when night falls and the lights are on. For the most part we have enjoyed our strolls around the town and lake. We have managed to find some quiet spots to look out over the water, while listening to singing and chanting coming from somewhere in the town. There have been people bathing in the "holy" water, though you would not catch me pouring the brown water over myself, holy or not. There is a marvelous panorama of white and blue temples all the way around the lake, though it is also in a state of disrepair with some of the ghats (the steps leading down to the water) nothing more than a pile of rubble.

Our time in India is rapidly drawing to a close. Only a week left. We are already thinking about when we can return...

Some more pics below of enchanting Pushkar (taken by Larna):