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Hi!!
Again another busy few days, we've just arrived in a very foggy Agra... home of the Taj Mahal. Visability isn't good- boo!! So we're going to chance it & hope that it clears up by tomorrow, we were up again at 4.30 today so that we could catch our cramped, smelly train!! So quite content on having a day of chilling, as theres not much else here to see & we've all agreed that we've seen enough forts to last us a life time (although the ones we have seen have been spectacular, but I actually know more Indian history than my own!!!)
After Udaipur we travelled to Pushkar by train also, it was a 6 hour journey, but thankfully, I think because we're getting up so early they go very quickly... haven't quite mastered sleeping with my legs round by my neck, so I've just people watched with my time instead.
We arrived on time, so far we've been really lucky with our journeys & the public transport... mind you we've got two over night train rides left, so hopefully haven't spoken too soon. We had to jump into taxis that took as over 'snake moutain' & into Pushkar that houses the only 'Brahma' temple in the world! I'll explain as I'm sure it means nothing to you... didn't to me either but obviously now quite interested in their religion & how it works!!! (& I have a quite a story to tell & believe me it all has relivance!!!)...
Pushkar is a very sacred place to the Hindu people, they believe that 'brahma', their god of power, & one of three of the most influentional gods in their religion, visited this place & from a lotus flower, lakes were full & people had water (in a nutshell). To this day people still visit here & bathe in the lakes... blessings are also done where you submit a flower to the lake & chant for the happiness & well-being for your family.
It is such a sacred place that no meat, alcohol or any intoxications are allowed. We were asked to abide by these rules & repect their culture & beliefs. So little did we think that we would be so outwardly ripped off- begin another experience of India & the reference to the sacred lakes!!!
It was so obvious to us after we'd been ripped off, but the scam flowed so well, & definately had a captive audience in me!!! As we left the hotel, a lone guy on a motorbike stopped & tried to give us a rose, at first i declined asking 'just how much is it gonna cost me' nothing in India is free & even the smallest of gestures they want tipping. He seemed a little shocked & proceeded to tell us that today was a holiday, which we already knew as it was the kite festival (everyone in India young & old flew kites to celebrate a new moon within the Hindu calendar) so we thought it true that they would also do ceremony at the lakes.
We took the roses & proceeded on our way... we carried the 'beacon' to the centre of the town, where stood a preist (obviously he knew we had brought into the idea of blessing our families, as we had the roses in our hands) & quickly tried to usher us off to the ceremony where it would be finishing in 5 minutes. Ha! We were quite wise to the fact that we'd go there in our own time - 'Thankyou!!' We were quite headstrong on that fact but as we slowly made our way down to the lake, we quickly got split up.
Then came the end & most important part of the scam... we did such a lovely ceremony & as we sat down, I'm pretty certain all of us still asked if this would cost us lots. The guy I had taking me through the ceremony, took over & we went through & all blessed all of my family... which was lovely & 'right up my street'. We were asked to pledge some money to help the preists & the sacred lakes, we had to repeat after his chanting & he tried to get me to pledge 2000 ruprees. I stopped him & lowered it to 1500 rupees, after we'd all got together (there were 4 of us) I'd been done the most!!!! they'd all realised what was happening & me believing it was something special & privileged, I got carried away & got totally ripped off.
Two of the girls were very persistant, went to the police & got the money back... mum was quite happyish to give her money, I was still sulking that I'd been that stupid & that they'd ruined what could have been a lovely experience!!
It was a shame really because we had to respect their culture & beliefs, yet they totally disrespected us... Not fair!!
The day got better after we got our money & I decided to pledge a much more resonable amount. Lorna & I hiked up a small mountain to get a great view of pushkar & to have a bit of healthy exercise!!
We had another early start with our bus ride to Jaipur, it was an uncomfortable ride but thankfully was only for 4 hours. Again we had a very close call on the roads, they really don't have any rules & haven't quite got the grasp of a round about... cars come in every direction!!
Jaipur was ok, but I think after our experience at Pushkar, we all felt a little let down & I think maybe we carried that with us to this place. We found the beggers to be very pushy & at one point the children began to pinch some of the people in our group, again a shame because you then don't want to give them anything. The behaviour of a small group of children then makes up your mind about the rest of them in that situation... quite wrong I'm sure but thats how we all felt.
We did watch a bollywod movie, which was good fun... no english subtitles but could generally get a jist... we had Perry on call as well! The movie was a little far fetched for our tastes but again a great experience & we all decided we now have a new heart throb- ha!!
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