January 4, 2013 | 2 Comments

Just Another Hippie Town: Pushkar Lake

In a new and continuing series of ‘Just another…’, I introduce you to the town of Pushkar in Rajasthan, Inida. Pushkar is a small and touristy ville 200 km from Jaipur. It’s famous for it’s laid back feel, vegan menu options, the holy Pushkar lake, and yoga studios. It does not connect to the railroad, so you either have to take a bus from Jaipur or train from Jaipur to Ajmer and then a bus here. This city is your stereotypical hippy enclave with dread lock toting ‘locals’, drum circles (I am speculating), and free love (again speculating). The city boasts a lake at it’s core with various bahts (local baths) surrounding it. This are ‘in use’ bahts and you will see locals cleaning themselves in the holy and not even close to pure waters. The city affords a brilliant sunset (best seen from Om Shiva restaurant) or steps leading to the bhat on the east bank of the lake.

TIP: You will be harassed upon entering until you get your ‘Pushkar passport’. This is a little red and yellow string you receive after paying appropriate respect to the town. Locals will give you some flowers and ask you to thrown them into the Pushkar lake, they will say a prayer and put the string on your hand. You then get to donate to Brahma, Ganesh or whomever they say. Donate 50 rs and be on your way or harassment will continue ( and I mean continue) until you have done it.
facebook Just Another Hippie Town: Pushkar Laketwitter Just Another Hippie Town: Pushkar Lakegoogle plus Just Another Hippie Town: Pushkar Lakereddit Just Another Hippie Town: Pushkar Lakepinterest Just Another Hippie Town: Pushkar Lakelinkedin Just Another Hippie Town: Pushkar Lakemail Just Another Hippie Town: Pushkar Lakeby icon Just Another Hippie Town: Pushkar Lake

Tags:

2 Responses to “Just Another Hippie Town: Pushkar Lake”

  1. Audrey | That Backpacker
    January 5, 2013 at 8:46 pm #

    The place looks charming – so different from the bustling chaos I experienced in Mumbai. ;) I really want to revisit India and explore more of the country. I feel my two weeks there were hardly enough!

  2. Sarah
    January 9, 2013 at 8:23 pm #

    I definitely embraced the ‘hippie enclave’ while in Pushkar. Spending hours sitting outside that one fruit juice stand, speculating the impact of “travelers” and “tourists,” doing yoga on the roof of my hostel.

    If I didn’t get swarmed by bedbugs, I probably would still be there now!

Leave a Reply