in search of the shiva temple

PUSHKAR - 18th October 2011

Hired bicycles with Julien and Lilly (would later wish we'd forked out a bit more to get motorbikes) and headed out of Pushkar to try and find the Shiva temple. Julien, as previously mentioned, is very interested in natural wildlife and so brought along his equipment with him to collect more samples whilst out in the countryside. Lilly always just stands back and watches with a smile every time he traipses off into the bushes to find his next specimen. I can tell she has spent many a trip following him pursue his passion and is well accustomed to him frequently stopping to careful study the ground or crevices between rocks for some tiny beetle. They have been going out for about five years I think after meeting during university and after spending the whole day with them, have found that they are lovely people.

The journey by bike was slow and laborious at times but the countryside threw up some fantastic views  and when we got a hill to coast down it was a great, if brief, respite from the hard cycling on those ancient bikes. After finding the temple we stopped under this large ficus tree to rest and enjoy the cool shade. Our peace did not last long however as a family of monkeys who lived in its branches were not happy that we were sat under their tree, shrieking followed and we decided to move on before we got some 'planet of the apes' scrap on our hands. We sat by a well for awhile and then out of the bush walks these two odd looking strangers who are probably the most classically hippy looking couple I've ever seen. Cristina from Spain and Martin from Switzerland had been travelling for about 18months, they carried a tent and stove and got around by hitchhiking and as living is so cheap in India anyways had managed to last an incredibly long time. The well we had been sitting by had two sets of steps which led down to the bottom which contained surprisingly clear water. The well was home to a wealth of different fish, crabs and beetles (to Juliens great enthusiasm). Christina who was friendly (but a little mad) decided to jump in so before I know it shes leapt headfirst into the well. I edged down to the bottom of the well and dangled my feet into the water which contained these amazing little fish which swarmed round my feet picking away at the dead skin. I've seen the same kind of thing in London where you put your feet into some grotty tank and pay a tenner for ten  minutes and here I was getting the real deal!

On the ride back to Pushkar stopped by a small family's house by the side of the road and shared a cup of chai with this old man who introduced himself as Dhosi Baba. He spoke very good English and told us how he liked to speak to all the travelers who passed by. He must have been in his seventies and was a spiritual man. Baba's are essentially travelling holy men who give up all worldly posessions and this guy had spent the last 40 years travelling from city to city. Local people would give him a place to stay and feed him before he moved onto the next town. He loved to smoke hash and the whole time he was talking to us he had a big old spliff drooping out of his mouth. He asked us where we were from and upon telling him that I was British he told me that back in the late 60's he had met George Harrison from the Beatles, George had stayed with him for awhile, playing his guitar and talking with him for several days.

After getting back to town had one final meal with Julien and Lilly. I had tried to ask my driver if they could come with me but he was having none of it. We were getting on pretty well and seeing as they were heading to Jaisalmer next we arranged to meet in the city's fort a few days later. They are getting an overnight bus straight there whereas I am due to make a stop in Jodhpur for one night. Hopefully we will bump into each other again.

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