Thanks Jean-Michel, so glad you like it!
The next part shouldn’t disappoint because today I’m taking you to Pushkar.
And really, you could say we’ve made another 180-degree turn because after the slightly Saint-Tropez vibe of Udaipur and its golden youth, here we are in a holy city with its devout pilgrims... and backpackers from all over the world 🤗.
And I can tell you that in terms of "extraordinariness," Pushkar is right at the top!
First of all, since ancient times, it’s been a holy city (on par with Varanasi, for example) because this is the only place where Brahma, considered the creator of the universe by Hindus, can be worshipped.
And don’t ask me why, but it’s also become a hotspot for hippies from all over the world 😄.
The result is a small town of 20,000 people, with a lake at its center and ghats bringing together all these folks... though not necessarily at the same time.
(The tranquility up front...)
At sunrise, families—three or four generations—come to immerse themselves in this sacred water.
So, a lot of things are forbidden on these steps: bare feet are absolutely mandatory, and taking photos is prohibited—it’s written in big letters everywhere.
Except it’s 2024, and when Camilla shows up, it’s a "photo frenzy" 😂!!
(and the underwear market behind 😂)
So, on the first morning, while Lulu’s still dreaming, I sit quietly by a basin.
Pretty quickly, three moms approach me for a photo.
They’d traveled four hours to get here, and once the shoot was over, they started undressing 😱.
And right next to me, topless, they bathed while chanting (uh 🤗, not happening, guys 🙅♂️).
And if you look around, you’ll see women topless all around the lake, even with tons of guys nearby.
And I can assure you, no, they’re not being harassed (forgive my little sarcastic nod to the media 🙄).
And here, everywhere and all the time, you see pilgrims feeding animals: dogs, pigeons, ducks, cows (never seen so many!), and even a sacred rat that has its own house overlooking the lake 😆.
The scenery is truly beautiful, filled with spirituality and, once again, so much joy because for them, being here is really a celebration.
(Yes, this photo is terrible, but those who’ve read *The Braid* will understand why this encounter touched me 😄)
On the other hand, we won’t be able to tell you about daytime Pushkar because we took a scooter ride to check out the surroundings 🛵.
But we’ll go back in the evening, along with a few Westerners, to listen to the djembes pounding in front of fire jugglers.
Well, we’re still pretty much the only "basic tourists" here—I’d rather call them the SPF: the "Sans Pays Fixes" (No Fixed Country), who aim to spend 3 months here, then 3 months there... which isn’t always easy with visas these days!
So, realistically, as fifty-something folks from Chalosse, we do stand out a bit, but as usual, we don’t care 😂.
We only spent 48 hours in this place, but you’ll still get a double dose because here, our karma really gave us a beautiful surprise gift from Mama India 🛵😄
