| Uma and Vinod Wanchoo, who live in Pushkar, | | | | Pushkar. |
| Rajasthan, India who live in this corner of the world | | | | Ajmer is the rail head for Pushkar and four major |
| share their knowledge with Norm Goldman, Editor of | | | | trains cross this city coming from Delhi, Mumbai. More |
| and Today, Norm Goldman, Editor of is pleased to | | | | information about the trains can be found at: Indian |
| have as our guests Uma and Vinod Wanchoo, who | | | | Rails Online. |
| live in Pushkar, Rajasthan, India. | | | | It is easier to reach Pushkar by road from Delhi. The |
| Uma is a geography teacher in a well-known private | | | | distance between the two places is about 422 kms. |
| school in India and Vinod is in marketing. They are the | | | | Private and government buses ply between the two |
| owners of Wanchoo's Kamp Site and they are here | | | | places. AC coaches and deluxe buses for Jaipur are |
| today to tell us something about Pushkar, Rajasthan | | | | also available from Inter State Bus Terminius near |
| India. | | | | Kashmiri Gate and from Bikaner House near India |
| | | | Gate in Delhi. There is a bus for Ajmer every 15 |
| Good day Uma and Vinod and thank you for | | | | minutes from Jaipur and the same from Ajmer to |
| participating in our interview. | | | | Pushkar. The frequency of ordinary buses is more. |
| Norm: | | | | Car travel is faster as it takes about 6 to 7 hours |
| Could you tell our readers where is Pushkar, | | | | from Delhi to Pushkar. |
| Rajasthan, India, something about its people, climate | | | | Norm: |
| and tourist industry? | | | | What is there to do in and around Pushkar? |
| Uma and Vinod: | | | | Uma and Vinod: |
| Pushkar is located in Rajasthan, a state in the | | | | As Pushkar is a holy place, it has more than 365 big |
| western part of India. The place can be called a | | | | and small temples. The main ones are Brahma temple, |
| green belt in The Thar or The Great Indian Desert. It | | | | Old and New Rangji temple, Savitri temple, and Shiv |
| is surrounded by one of the oldest ranges in the | | | | temple. |
| world-The Arravallis. The nearest city, Ajmer, is 15 | | | | The mail street is a shopping paradise, from clothes |
| kms, well- known for the shrine of Muslim Sufi Saint | | | | to silver jewelry to antiques, incense sticks, local rose |
| Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti, Garib Nawaj. Ajmer is the | | | | water, and paintings. The Baijnath temple, Panch |
| most revered place for a Muslim after Mecca/Medina. | | | | Kund, sand dunes, camel safaris, camel cart rides, folk |
| It is considered as a holy place in India. The basis of | | | | music, application of herbal henna, and hiking on the |
| Indian religion is TRINITY, which stands for the | | | | surrounding hills are other options available. |
| Creator, BRAHMA, the Preserver, VISHNU, and the | | | | Ajmer has a ample to offer. The Shrine of the Muslim |
| Destroyer of Evil, SHIVA. | | | | Saint, Ana Sagar Lake, Bara Dari, Foy Sagar Lake, |
| The legend goes that a lotus flower fell from the | | | | Taragarh Fort, Mayo College, Jain Temple, and |
| hands of Lord Brahma and the holy lake of Pushkar | | | | Akbars Fort are some of the main attractions. |
| was created. In Sanskrit, the word PUSHP means a | | | | It is a lesser known fact that the foundation of the |
| FLOWER and KAR stands for HANDS hence, the | | | | British Empire was laid here. The British emissary, Sir |
| name Pushkar. | | | | Thomas Roe, from the court of James I, came to |
| It is the only place in the world that has a Brahma | | | | Ajmer to seek permission to start the East India |
| Temple. It is believed that Lord Brahma selected | | | | Company from the then Emperor Jehangir, who |
| Pushkar for a religious ceremony called a Yagya. He | | | | resided here. 30 kms from Ajmer is Tilonia, where |
| was waiting for Savitri, his wife, to join him. The | | | | there is a Social Welfare Research Centre, started by |
| auspicious time for the ceremony was ticking by and | | | | an NGO called as The Barefoot College. |
| his wife did not appear. So, Lord Brahma married a | | | | Norm: |
| local girl to perform the Yagya. Seeing this, Savitri got | | | | If you had to choose six of the most romantic |
| furious and cursed her husband that he would not be | | | | venues in and around Pushkar, which ones would you |
| worshipped anywhere else, but here. The holy lake | | | | choose and why? |
| also attracts many a devout Hindus, who believe that | | | | Uma and Vinod: |
| taking a dip in the holy lake would cleanse them of all | | | | ***BAIJNATH TEMPLE: A quiet place hidden in a hilly |
| sins. After someone dies, the ashes of the person | | | | area with a small spring flowing close by. |
| can also be immersed in the holy lake, per Hindu rites. | | | | ***DESERT LANDMARK: After sunset the sand |
| Being a desert, the summer months of May and June | | | | dunes are cool and compelling. Especially on a full |
| are very hot. During the day, the temperatures can | | | | moon night, it is a sight to behold. |
| soar up to 45-48ºC, but dust storms in | | | | ***PUSHKAR LAKE: In the evening, the view of |
| between help break the monotony of dry heat. The | | | | sunset on the lake and the bells ringing from the |
| nights are generally cool here. July to September is | | | | surroundings temples leave you spellbound. |
| the monsoon or rainy season. October is hot and | | | | ***PRITHVI RAJ SMARAK: In Ajmer, this serene |
| humid. November to February is the winter season. | | | | garden on a hilltop gives an excellent view of the city |
| The sun is always strong during the day and the | | | | on one side and the Arravalli hills on the other. |
| nights are cold. The temperature may go down to | | | | ***BARA DARI: These marble embankments on the |
| about 6-7ºC. March is slightly pleasant but by | | | | Ana Sagar Lake remind you of the glory of the |
| April the heat starts setting in. | | | | Moghul Emperors who lived here in the past. A walk |
| The population of Pushkar is largely Hindu, with a | | | | along the embankments, just looking at the ripples in |
| handful of Muslims. Majority of the population belongs | | | | the water or a boat ride is pure joy. |
| to the PANDA community, which performs religious | | | | ***HAPPY VALLEY: A beautiful valley hidden among |
| ceremonies and rites. A number of them have | | | | the hills and trees. A lively place to be in as the name |
| changed their profession and taken up different | | | | suggests. |
| trade. New hotels and various shops have opened | | | | Norm: |
| job opportunities for people living here. By and large | | | | How safe is it to travel around Pushkar? |
| the people are warm, friendly, and helpful. | | | | Uma and Vinod: |
| The tourism industry in Pushkar has increased by | | | | It is fairly safe to travel around Pushkar. There have |
| leaps and bounds. It is on the world map due to the | | | | been a few unpleasant incidents, but they are not |
| CAMEL FAIR, which takes place during the month of | | | | the norm. One has to be careful and understand the |
| November for 10 days. People coming from far and | | | | culture of the country. In small towns there is still |
| wide carry on trading of camels and other animals. | | | | segregation between the two sexes. Fair skin always |
| The main day of the Fair coincides with the full moon | | | | attracts attention, unknowingly. It is necessary to |
| day of Kartik month (approximately November). The | | | | wear clothes that cover you well, especially young |
| dates change every year as the Indian calendar | | | | single girls. A cordial distance should be maintained |
| follows the lunar cycle. On the main day called the | | | | from the male members of the society and to not |
| Brahm Mahurat, or auspicious time, a large number of | | | | be gullible. It is sometimes a challenge for a person |
| devout Hindus takes a dip in the holy lake early | | | | from the West. Pushkar is certainly not Goa, a beach |
| morning. | | | | resort. It is a holy place and certain social norms have |
| Norm: | | | | to be taken into consideration. At times things have |
| How did you become interested in owning a camp | | | | gone out of proportion due to media publicity, but |
| site? How long have you owned your site and where | | | | we can assure you that Rajasthan is by far the |
| exactly is it located? | | | | safest state in north India. |
| Uma and Vinod: | | | | Norm: |
| It is a story of gradual development and one thing | | | | Could you tell our readers what to expect in the way |
| leading to another. We bought the farm in January, | | | | of lodging and dining in and around Pushkar? How |
| 1998. In 2000, we constructed a farm house, as we | | | | expensive is it? |
| are both fond of cooking and socializing. Eventually, | | | | Uma and Vinod: |
| we started organizing day picnics for local schools and | | | | There are hotels that suit every budget. The range is |
| farm parties for families in 2002. | | | | from $3 in a rented room with hardly any facilities to |
| A swimming pool and changing rooms were added in | | | | a good hotel, which can cost anywhere around |
| 2003, and as we were encouraged by the response | | | | $25-30. The expensive ones can cost around $40-50. |
| we received and pitched tents in 2004. | | | | The rates for the winter months and the Pushkar |
| Presently, we have 4 large tents that accommodate | | | | Fair are different for each hotel. |
| double beds, and come attached with W/C. There | | | | The food served in Pushkar is only vegetarian and no |
| are also 3 tents of single occupancy, without W/C. | | | | liquor is allowed. Popular dining areas are Sunset |
| The showers and bathrooms are located nearby. We | | | | Café, Honey n Spice, and many a shops on the |
| open the place from September to March (depending | | | | main market street that offer multi cuisine menus. |
| on the weather). Also, we are now living on the farm. | | | | Most places are not very expensive-a sumptuous |
| Our Kampsite is 3 kms from Pushkar, in a village | | | | meal can be bought for around $3 and it can go up |
| called Bagolai on Dev Nagar Road. We provide | | | | to $15 in an expensive restaurant. These are all |
| transportation for our guests from Ajmer, as well as | | | | approximate rates and only a few hotels and eateries |
| from the Pushkar Bus Stand. It is the only tented | | | | are mentioned. |
| accommodation for nearly 7 months in a year. Our | | | | Norm: |
| tariff includes breakfast and to and fro transport to | | | | When is the best time to visit your area? |
| Pushkar, but the other meals can be requested in | | | | Uma and Vinod: |
| advance and paid separately. Our specialty is | | | | The best time to visit Pushkar is from October to |
| authentic Kashmiri cuisine. Our tariff is very | | | | March. |
| reasonable: $15 dollars per person, per day, and $35 | | | | Norm: |
| during the Pushkar Fair. What our guests have most | | | | Is there anything else you care to comment on that |
| appreciated about our place is the peace and quiet at | | | | we have not covered? |
| the end of an active day spent in Pushkar or Ajmer. | | | | Uma and Vinod. |
| Norm: | | | | We would like to add here that India is not the land |
| How does one travel to Pushkar from Europe or | | | | of snake charmers, godmen, so called spritualists or |
| North America? | | | | sadhus. They do exist, but more importantly, India is |
| Uma and Vinod: | | | | an emerging techno savvy nation that is very rooted |
| Regular international flights come to Mumbai and Delhi, | | | | to traditions. We believe in the sayings, which |
| which are close to Pushkar. Reaching Pushkar from | | | | translated literally means one should be polite to all as |
| both these cities is relatively easy and comfortable. | | | | you never know in which form God will appear |
| Train is the cheapest means of transport. | | | | before you and guests are incarnation of God. |
| The nearest airport is at Jaipur, about 148 kms. Taxis | | | | Check out OUR WEBSITE for more information. |
| are available to reach Pushkar directly, or one can | | | | Thanks once again for sharing your knowledge about |
| take a bus from Sindhi Camp Bus Stand for Ajmer | | | | Pushkar. |