Day 24 - Pushkar

It probably comes as no suprise to anyone that I did not manage to get up at 5am this morning to climb a huge hill. Instead I had a lie in, washed some clothes, ate masses of muesli and fruit salad for lunch and have spend most of the day pottering round the town and bumping into people laden down with purchases. I have been quite restrained - and have only bought a few little things (no need to sell the house yet ma - well within my daily budget).

The funny indian doctor popped in to the hostel today to see one of the delhi-belly guys, so I managed to grab him for a quick look at my bites. There is no such thing as prescription in India, everything can be bought over the counter - and the doctor just suggested antibiotic tablets. Hannah and I looked at each other then said "just creme, thankyou", so the doctor is bringing me some cream later on - all sorted for next to no price. And my poor nose - it looks as if I've been in a brawl! To be honest - i'll take a bruised nose and blisters over Delhi belly any day. I am slowly getting more exerimental in my food choices - today I risked a fresh smoothy from a juicebar - yum.

I will spend the rest of the day pottering around, trying to not spend all of my money! I may go to the Brahma temple, as it is the only one, and Brahma, the creator, is one of the three main hindu gods along with Vishnu, the preserver,and Shiva, the destroyer.

On a further note - I have discovered why it is the only one in the world: Apparently Brahma went down to the lake in Pushkar one morning for his puja (morning prayers). His wife attended puja with him every morning, but this particular morning she was running late. After waiting for her for a while, Brahma get very angry and married someone else (like you do) and took puja with his new wife instead. About an hour later his original wife turned up, she had been inadvertantly delayed. When she found Brahma with his new wife she was very annoyed and cursed her husband "you will only ever be worshipped here, in Pushkar" then went off to live a life of solitude in the mountains.
So now Brahma has no temples but the one here, and is not worshipped anywhere in the world but Pushkar. That's a true story :-)