Three in one

We were told that the journey from Jodhpur to Jaipur via Pushkar and Ajmer was long. So after a wholesome breakfast we settled in the air-conditioned bus comfortably. The merciless sun almost roasted me through the curtainless window. Still a new countryside ride prompted me to ignore the heat. Some twists and turns did divert the sun from its target. Since a wayfarer suggested the driver to take a shortcut that would save him about thirty kms. we were driven through narrow dusty roads that were not equipped to accommodate a huge bus. A discussion was mooted to ward off the boredom of the journey. The topic was demonitisation that left thousands of Indians clueless. The microphone meant for the tour guide was utilized for the discussion. The long queues outside the banks and ATMs throughout the country from 10   ^th November spoke volumes of frustration and anger of millions of people who were hardly aware of the meaning of black money. The party men were hilariously singing  varying tunes in praise of one man who routed the promise made by the Governor of RBI. They were almost blinded by the hero worship for which our country is notorious. Those who were immediately in need of their hard earned and saved cash in the bank were running from pillar to post. They did not know how to pay the rent, hospital bills, plan marriages, pay the children’s school and college fees, buy gifts for friends and meet the funeral commitments. A few highbrows pretended to defer their expenses to a later day. Well, the discussions were quite interesting. Two youngsters who were fortunately employed in the IT sector innocently proclaimed that they were least affected by this overnight policy change. In fact they did not mind the inconvenience caused because they always carried their debit cards along and managed to sail by. Do they know what is happening around them? Are they worried about the vast multitude whose contribution might be the dark shadow behind their cosy life? Around 1.20 pm we reached Pushkar, a small temple town full of  tourists and merchandise. Pushkar is home to the only temple dedicated to Lord Brahma in the whole world. Hindus consider a journey to Pushkar to be the ultimate pilgrimage that must be undertaken to attain salvation. Since the temple would close its doors for lunch break at 1.30 we hurried along its narrow crowded streets to discover the hidden temple. We went around the maze like temple and gathered at the bank of a huge lake which attracted many to pay homage to the dear departed.  The lake is surrounded by 52 bathing ghats and over 400 temples and is truly a magnificent sight to behold. Some priests fleeced the superstitious tourists telling them various legendry tales. Some of them were seen carrying trays full of flowers, articulating Sanskrit slokas, joining a small procession down to the water, and emptying their trays, hearts and purses. The short ride from Pushkar to Ajmer was mesmerizing. The road was wide going zig-zag beside a hill. All of a sudden when we took a sharp curve, Ajmer came alive down below 500 meters amidst lakes and landscape.