Mysticism of Nature and Culture

International Holy Town Pushkar - Surrounded by hills from three sides and a place with sand dunes and lake is the mysticism of international holy town Pushkar. Pushkar is famous for cattle fair, for religion, culture and mysticism as well as for spirituality. For last odd 20 years I am covering international cattle fair and every time I feel that this place teach me new thing every time. But the most important aspect I appreciate about the Pushkar is that this Hindu abode is not attached with any superstition. The mysticism of this place is not superstition or following strict and blind fold rituals but providing culture and peace and that is the reason Pushkar is the attraction for tourists worldwide. Mysticism usually used as something related to spiritual or religion but here I am using mysticism as something that give solace.  

I helped editing a coffee table book ‘Pushkar- the Hindu abode’ my friend and former chief engineer Sunil Singhal researched for long 7 years about the mysticism of Pushkar and I got the chance to know this place more closely. Whenever I went to Pushkar, I feel this place as new and enthusiastic and provide fresh perspective of life. This is because, I feel, of natural beauty and cultural diversity of this place.

 

The mythology of this place narrates that Lord Brahma- the creator of this universe who initiated the creation came here to help seers to save from demons. There is also a description of using atomic weapons to destroy demons and make seers live peacefully. There is also a description of River Saraswati which is now not on surface- flowing from this town but no scientifically evidence yet came out.  The description of River Saraswati is given in the Rig Veda. On full moon of the month of Kartika (Hindu calendar) comes in October or November every year, thousands and thousands of devotee come to get dip in the Pushkar Lake to get rid of their bad deeds.

 

Religiously, Pushkar is an abode for hundreds of communities who worship this place and also disperse the ash after funeral in the holy Lake. Interestingly there is no superstition or hard core ritual of this place. Devotees can move inside the only Brahma Temple in world and worship according to their way and come out. But for performing rituals for  ancestors at Pushkar Lake then priests perform such poojas, but still this place is safe and above any rigidity.

 

The cultural significance of Pushkar is the cattle fair during the Kartika month and at that time hundreds of camel, horse, and even cow and buffaloes gathered on sand dunes and roaring of camel draw every soul to this place. Tourists feel fascinated and even roaming whole day provide energy to anyone. The local administration also conducts some games and shows of camel and horses and that adds charm to the delight of the event. Mostly tourists from such countries where camel is rare get full money back with such an intrinsic beauty of camel moving on sand dunes. With cattle at one place there are shops of handicraft, clothes and ornaments of cattle, colourful beats and threats and villagers shopping for their cattle give a glimpse of antique and primeval life of Hindus. 

The cattle fair is important because it comes when farmers harvest their crops of Kharif and get money from it and that is the time for shopping and that is the time to fix marriages of their grown up children and that is the time to purchase new cattle and that is the time to get to gather with relatives.

 

Socially, Hindus are very much social and follow relations in first, second and even third blood line and community is so much important that their panchayats (community body) decides every issue related to dogmas, rituals and even dispute within family. During my reporting, I have seen that judicial courts are not important for many communities but their Panchayat is supreme for them. 

Every community have their temple of their own deity in Pushkar and every community meet during Pushkar fair and decide about their laws. This is the time when marriages are fixed, name to new born is given and homage is paid to dead ones and meeting with relatives is done and shopping for their households are made.

 

Diversity, the most important part of Pushkar fair when tourists from western countries in jeans and t- shirts and rural women in veils walk on same road. The smiling faces, happiness and atmosphere make people crazy. On the safe roads of Pushkar this is the show of fusion of western and oriental culture at same place. Everywhere there is ocean of human and that ocean is so colorful that it looks like a garden with variety of flowers. 

Giggling of rural woman with half turned veil and laughing of a foreign woman tourists- both wishing each other, pride of feminism universal- that they are the one who are keeping the presence of human race and humanity.

 

For anthropologists, Pushkar is an important place because a group called Nagas and Aghoris also gathered here to perform some rituals on the ghats of Pushkar Lake. I tried to cover that part but interestingly these people do not talk or reveal any theory or rituals. They come in group, attend the mob dipping on full moon do some rituals, meditation and went away without getting noticed. This is fascinating because in cold night near lake they burn fire and recite something. There should be research on the origin of these groups which is found in every part of India and they are practising some rituals from hundreds and hundreds of year. One should understand the reasoning of such groups to understand their culture and rituals.  

 

One can not only perceive the beauty of the place of Pushkar but also can feel as soon as the hills started and there is a range of Naga hill- part of Aravillis and there in the foothill the Pushkar town appears like a bowl and lake in the middle but sand dunes started on the other part of town. The intrinsic beauty of Pushkar is the real mysticism that attracts every soul on this earth. 

Pushkar Lake