Nov

The Pull of Pushkar

by Meredith Mullins on November 22, 2016

Camel cart at the Pushkar Camel Fair in Rajasthan, India, a place for travel adventures in the desert. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

The Pushkar Camel Fair
© Meredith Mullins

Travel Adventures in Rajasthan

The naïve traveler might say that if you’ve seen one camel fair, you’ve seen them all.

Not true.

Those looking for real travel adventures know that there is no such thing as too many camel fairs, especially when it comes to one of the largest camel fairs in the world. The Pushkar ka Mela is different.

Livestock food sellers at the Pushkar Camel Fair in Rajasthan, India, a place for travel adventures. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

A bounty of color
© Meredith Mullins

The annual Pushkar festival in Rajasthan, India, is the ultimate blend of camels, dust, color, cattle, horses, music, smoke and spice, camel bling, acrobats, more dust, snake charmers, dancers, temple bells, more camels, carnival rides, competitions, and endless market stalls.

The mela has the added layer, however, of also being a sacred pilgrimage site.

Camp at the Pushkar Camel Fair in Rajasthan, India, a place for travel adventures. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

The dusty camps of the camel traders
© Meredith Mullins

Entering an Ancient and Timeless Land

Tales of Pushkar are legendary. The name alone has the magic of another era—the land of the ancient Silk Road, when the wandering trade routes brought multiple civilizations together.

For me, making the journey to Pushkar for last week’s mela transported heart and mind quickly into another world—primitive and exotic.

More than 50,000 camels arrive in this small town each autumn for trade and show, timed with the October/November full moon.

Camel trader with camels at sunset in Pushkar, Rajasthan, India, a place for travel adventures. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

Pushkar camels strutting their stuff at sunset
© Meredith Mullins

More than 300,000 visitors—villagers, desert dwellers, westerners, pilgrims, and sadhus (Hindu ascetics)—come to Pushkar for the festival. They walk for days from remote corners of the desert, ride their animals, or squeeze themselves into overcrowded vehicles to reach their destination.

Truck full of travelers to Pushkar in Rajasthan, India, a place for travel adventures. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

The more the merrier . . . on to Pushkar.
© Meredith Mullins

The flow of people into town is almost as interesting as the festival itself. You can feel the excitement building as these disparate currents converge.

The Sacred Lake

The lake at the center of the city was said to have been formed in the 4^th century B.C. (or even earlier) in this barren region when a lotus flower petal fell from the hand of Lord Brahma, the god of creation.

Pushkar lake in Rajasthan, India, a place for travel adventures. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

The sacred Pushkar lake, surrounded by temples and pilgrims paying homage to this holy site.
© Meredith Mullins

This legendary event makes the lake not only a miracle in religious lore but also a sacred destination for devout Hindus. They come to pray at any of the 500 temples (including one of the few temples in India dedicated solely to Brahma). And they come to purify themselves in the sacred waters.

According to Hindu tradition, bathing in the holy lake during the full moon (called the Kartik Poornima) washes away all sins. And for the men who can’t make it, if their wife bathes, the purification extends to them as well.

Weaving Faith and Trade Together

For nearly two weeks, faith and trading come together in one lively festival. The fair begins with the livestock trading. The tents and evening fires of the traders reach into the edges of the desert.

At night, you hear the murmur of the camps and the low moans of the camels as the dust of the day settles and the cold air moves in from the Aravalli hills.

Camel with colorful decorations at the Pushkar Camel Fair in Rajasthan, India, a place for travel adventures. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

Camel haute couture
© Meredith Mullins

By day, the camels show off their haute camel couture. Woven and beaded saddles and jackets, necklaces that seem to go on forever (well-suited for those long camel necks), and the traditional red nose ball that makes them look even more comical than they already do.

Camel at watering hole at the Pushkar Camel Fair in Rajasthan, India, a place for travel adventures. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

The traditional red nose ball (kept dry at the ole watering hole)
© Meredith Mullins

These bizarre divas are reminiscent of Star Wars creatures, with a dash of dinosaur and giraffe. As you wander through the maze of humps, you quickly come to realize that these exotic characters are averse to doing anything that isn’t their own idea (or anything that isn’t related to chewing).

As the livestock fair gains momentum, the pilgrims begin to flow into town. Their earthtone clothes, with highlights of orange and yellow bring life to the dusty brown of the fair. And their steady, silent gazes penetrate deeply, linking soul to soul.

Hindu pilgrims at the Pushkar Lake in Rajasthan, India, during the travel adventures of the Pushkar Camel Fair. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

Hindu pilgrims walking to the sacred Pushkar Lake for morning prayer and bathing
© Meredith Mullins

The pilgrims gather around the lake every morning to bathe and pray, as the carnival noise rises in the distance. Their joy at being at this sacred site rivals the fairground fun, in a different way.

Camel Races, Turban Tying, and Mustaches (Oh My!)

Amidst the sacred atmosphere, the fairgrounds offer a variety of events—camel races, cricket matches, and the turban tying and mustache competitions.

Four entrants in the Pushkar Camel Fair mustache competition in Rajasthan, India, a place for travel adventures. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

Hopeful mustache competition contenders
© Meredith Mullins

It’s hard not to be drawn in by the mustache competition. The staches look elegant and dignified and then the unfurling begins. Guinness World Records, here we come.

Indian man with long mustache at the Pushkar Camel Fair in Rajasthan, India, a place for travel adventures. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

A mustache victory
© Meredith Mullins

“Oh, I See” Moments: Too Many To Count

The sensory stimulation of the Pushkar mela is overwhelming . . . not to mention the pressure of trying to decide which camel to take home.

More importantly, the spiritual feeling from the pilgrims seems to bring the world a bit closer together.

Three Hindu pilgrims at Pushkar Lake in Rajasthan, India, a place for travel adventures. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

Pilgrim blessings
© Meredith Mullins

The daytime desert heat and dust is brutal. After a few days, it was time to move on to the more travel adventures.

I was disappointed to miss the pilgrims’ mass bathing, which takes place at the end of the festival during the full moon. I can only imagine the visual and spiritual impact of thousands of pilgrims swimming in the lake, lit only by moonlight.

I was, however, filled with the beauty of the desert—the sounds and smells of an ancient time and the joy of a festival where faith and community prevail.

And I know I will return . . . because I did not yet select my camel.

Comment on this post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here.

Meredith Mullins 12 Comments

Adventure Travel/India

Oct

Photographing Amazing Places on Earth

by Meredith Mullins on October 18, 2016

Ocean wave over lighthouse in North Portugal, one of the amazing places in the world to photograph. (Image © John North/iStock.)

A collision of forces (North Portugal)
© John North/iStock

Lighthouses: A Magnet for the Collision of Nature’s Forces

Some of the most amazing places on earth are at its edges. Drama is inevitable at these gateways to the vast beyond.

Collisions of nature’s forces are expected—at the polar tips and rugged coastlines, at the intersection of earth, sea, and sky.

These are the same places that made the early explorers afraid of the treacherous, cavernous ledges—at the edge of the flat world—as the curves of the earth disappeared from their view.

And it is here—in these natural theaters—that productions are anything but ordinary.

A lighthouse showing one of the amazing places on earth for photography. (Image © Logboom/iStock.)

The calm before the storms
© Logoboom/iStock

The Stalwart Lighthouse

Many of these battles of the forces cast the lighthouse as the lead character.

These beacons, by their very purpose, sit on the cusp of land and sea, dotting the outlines of the continents with their steadfast blazes of light.

Sometimes the lighthouses even go outside the edges, perched on isolated tiny rock islands, as if becoming a part of the sea themselves.

They stand strong and sturdy, lighting the way to safe harbor. And they offer good fuel for powerful photographs of humanmade architecture withstanding the forces of nature—especially when the surf is up.

Giant wave over Douro River lighthouse, one of the amazing places on earth to photograph. (Image © Zaharias Pereira de Mata/iStock.)

Storm waves at entry of the Douro River in Portugal
© Zacarias Pereira de Mata/iStock

There are lighthouses that are mentioned often for their history, style, and setting, such as the Tower of Hercules in northwestern Spain, the Hook Head Lighthouse in Ireland, and Les Eclaireurs Lighthouse “at the end of the world” in Argentina (just east of the southernmost city in the world).

Tower of Hercules, a lighthouse in Spain, one of the most amazing places on earth to photograph. (Image © Hapaks/iStock.)

The Tower of Hercules Lighthouse in Spain
© Hapaks/iStock

There are lighthouses that are famous for the westerly storms that lash them with vicious wind and waves, such those in Portugal, western France, and England.

Waves crushing against a lighthouse barrier at Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England, one of the most amazing places on earth to photograph. (Image cg Design Pics/Thinkstock.)

Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England
© Design Pics/Thinkstock

But in the past year, it is the Porthcawl Lighthouse that has drawn worldwide attention, especially with a voracious internet audience.

And Then There Was Porthcawl

The Porthcawl Lighthouse on the south coast of Wales does not make any of the Top Lighthouses in the World lists, but those list makers haven’t taken into account the brutal storm winds and gargantuan waves that sweep in from the west through the Bristol Channel.

Giant wave over Porthcawl lighthouse, one of the amazing places on earth to photograph. (Image © D.W. Ryan/iStock.)

A storm at Porthcawl Lighthouse in Wales
© D.W. Ryan/iStock

All of the elements—the formation of the jetty, the slope of the barrier wall, the winds, the tides, and the movement of the sea—come together a few rare times a year to create towering walls of water.

It’s a good thing the lighthouse is made of cast iron or it would be crushed by the force of these raging mountains.

Photographer storm addicts, like American tornado chasers in the Midwest, check the weather during storm season to make sure they are at the right place at the right time, camera in hand. And photography gods willing, the sea begins to explode.

Waves hitting the barrier at the Porthcawl lighthouse in Wales, one of the most amazing places on earth to photograph. (Image © Steven Garrington.)

An explosion of sea at Porthcawl
© Steven Garrington

On any given storm day, the pack of photographers at Porthcawl is like a press corps huddle, although the sound of the clicking shutters is muffled by the roar of the wind and sea.

Each artist adventurer is hoping for the one original climactic moment of impact, when sea and structure collide, or dance passionately around each other with frenzied energy.

Although there have been many great photographs of Porthcawl, a single member of the wave-inspired photo corps emerged as a celebrity in his own right this year.

Waves threatening Porthcawl lighthouse, with light rays in the background, one of the most amazing places on earth to photograph. (Image © Steven Garrington.)

The ultimate Porthcawl Lighthouse photograph, winning 2nd in Flickr’s 2015 contest
© Steven Garrington

Wales native, Steven Garrington, posted his Porthcawl image from a 2014 storm on his Flickr site, and tens of thousands of views later, he was awarded the second most liked image on Flickr for 2015. (He was out-liked by a shot of the launch of Elon Musk’s SpaceX rocket.)

This honor blasted his story through the blogosphere and art community.

He is humble about his new internet fame. He admits in a BBC interview that he is self-taught and still learning from all the helpful comments on his Flickr site.

He shot his first Porthcawl storm in 2008 and then again in 2014 and 2015. The 2014 image was not posted until 18 months after the storm. Steve likes to let his images settle in for a while.

Waves threatening Porthcawl lighthouse, one of the most amazing places on earth to photography. (Image © Steven Garrington.)

The call of Porthcawl
© Steven Garrington

He appreciates the attention on Flickr (he now has more than 110,000 followers), but also admits he doesn’t always agree with the images selected as most popular. In fact, there’s an image of Porthcawl he likes better than the one that got all the 2015 attention.

Hand-like wave threatening the Porthcawl lighthouse, showing one of the most amazing places on earth to photograph. (Image © Steven Garrington.)

Another Porthcawl favorite
© Steven Garrington

Storm Tips

While Steve may or may not shoot another Porthcawl storm, he offered these tips to BBC Arts for photographing storm events.

Carry a plastic bag to stuff your camera into when the spray comes your way.
Wait for the light. It’s not just about giant waves. Photography’s heartbeat is light.
Know the conditions (where are the waves breaking, is the tide coming in or going out, is the weather getting worse?)
Have an escape plan when that wave two or three times larger than you can possibly imagine breaks over the jetty.
Don’t go alone; have a buddy looking out for you. Take turns shooting.

And we add: Don’t ever turn your back on the sea.

Waves to the right of Porthcawl lighthouse in Wales, one of the most amazing places on earth to photograph. (Image © Steven Garrington.)

The elements align at Porthcawl
© Steven Garrington

Oh, I See: 1 + 1 = 3 in the World of Lighthouses

When there are dramatic moments in nature at the most amazing places on earth, the power of this confluence is exponential.

The “Oh, I see” moments become gasps at the sheer beauty and force of nature.

When a talented photographer captures the moment of impact, when the waves leap over every barrier in sight and hang suspended defying every law of gravity, the power is felt to the very core.

And all of us lucky viewers are, quite simply, awestruck.

See the power of nature in action in this Porthcawl video.

Tips courtesy of Steven Garrington and BBC Arts (Get Creative).

Comment on this post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here.

Meredith Mullins 4 Comments

Adventure Travel/The World's Photography/Wales

Oct

Twode to a Changing Culture

by Meredith Mullins on October 3, 2016

Emoji emotion
© Tigatelu/iStock

The Language of Social Media

Who says a story can’t be told in 140-character tweets? Here’s a tweeted ode (a twode?) to a changing culture . . .

GAS. “Greetings and salutations” (or is it “Got a second?”) It could go either way. #AreYouConfused?

The language of social media is a universe of its own—a rapidly changing organism.

It’s a dialect of abbreviations, acronyms, emojis, emoticons, and haiku-like prose.

cat texting, showing the language of social media and changing cultures. (Image © Leo Kostik/iStock.)

I am not a maestro of text or tweet. #FullDisclosure

The internet is rife with cats and pudgy-fingered babies who can compose more dexterously and faster than I can.

I text with one finger, one hand. #TextWhileNoOneIsWatching

Those smartphone keys are tiny. #OKforDonaldTrumpHands

Interior Of Coffee Shop With Customers Using Digital Devices, showing the language of social media and cultural changes. (Image © Monkey Business Images/iStock.)

Millennials seem to have been born with inherent talent in this arena #SocialMediaEvolution

The new device-oriented generation also has an umbilical cord to the internet. #StepAwayfromthePhoneandSeetheWorld

A smartphone is almost always in hand. Eyes down. Thumbs ablaze. Missing nothing in the text world. Missing many things elsewhere.

A dangerously distracting language. #PleaseBeCareful

No one should text and drive. There are laws. But it’s also dangerous to ride a bike or walk while texting.

Businessman on bicycle texting, showing the language of social media and cultural changes. (Image © Shironosov/iStock.)

To address the scourge of mobile phone addicts, a few countries have set up experimental pedestrian texting lanes in city streets.

In theory, the texters then walk at their own risk and regular walkers have obstacle-free paths.

Textwalkers rarely find these lanes, however, because they’re too busy texting. #Oxymoron

Text walking lane showing the language of social media and cultural change. (Image © Stefano Visigor/iStock.)

The social media language is diverse and dynamic—across generations and across cultures. GAC

It’s challenging to understand the phrases that become just abbreviations in texting. 2M2H IOMH IWAWO

Once an abbreviation or acronym becomes too popular (e.g., when parents start using it), it is destined to change. #LOL

Even punctuation is changing. Periods are disappearing because they are no longer needed.

It’s obvious when an instant message has ended. It’s over. The end. Period. (Er . . . I mean . . . no period) Send.

According to a NY Times Article, when a period is used in a text, it means something different. It is a point of emphasis. #PunctuationWeapon.

OK. or Fine. rather than OK or Fine means Enough. Stop. Alrightalready. I have no more to say. It implies annoyance. #Snark

iPhone with text message, showing the language of social media and changing culture. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

Perhaps to balance the demise of the period, overpunctuation has emerged for dramatic effect, as in “I had fun!!!!!!!!!!”

Visual additions now pepper texts and chats. Emoticons and emojis heighten the emotional impact of a message.

Emoticons are a creative use of type to show a facial expression. For example, a show of happiness: :) or :-) or (ˆ_ˆ)

The expressions can vary across cultures.

Western emoticons are usually read with head tilted to the side. Asian emoticons are read horizontally: Winking face: ;) or (ˆ_~)

Emoticons for happy face, showing the language of social media and cultural changes. (Image © OIC.)

Emojis originated in Japan, where the word translates to pictographs.

They come in a range of emotions and tones and can usually be added through a special character set on the device.

emojis on iPhone, showing the language of social media and changing culture. (Image © Meredith Mullins.)

Since the language of social media has become a common one, I know I have to adjust to the new brevity of thought.

Yes, it’s difficult to bare one’s soul or wax poetic in a 140-character tweet or a text message that’s read in 5 seconds.

The challenge is to grab attention, to inspire, to stimulate, to provoke . . . to connect in this new world of text and tweet.

OIC. Oh, I see. It can be done. But I don’t want to forget how beautiful the other world can be.

Emoticon with smart phone, showing the language of social media and cultural change. (Image © Yayayoyo/iStock.)

Inspired by Jennifer Egan’s “Black Box,” fiction in tweets, originally published in the New Yorker.

An acronym key:

GAC: Get a clue
2M2H: Too much to handle
IOMH: In over my head
IWAWO: I want a way out
LOL: Laughing out loud OR Lots of love

Comment on this post below, or inspire insight with your own OIC Moment here.

Meredith Mullins Comments

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Author Archives: Meredith Mullins

The Pull of Pushkar

Travel Adventures in Rajasthan

Entering an Ancient and Timeless Land

The Sacred Lake

Weaving Faith and Trade Together

Camel Races, Turban Tying, and Mustaches (Oh My!)

“Oh, I See” Moments: Too Many To Count

Photographing Amazing Places on Earth

Lighthouses: A Magnet for the Collision of Nature’s Forces

The Stalwart Lighthouse

And Then There Was Porthcawl

Storm Tips

Oh, I See: 1 + 1 = 3 in the World of Lighthouses

Twode to a Changing Culture

The Language of Social Media

Who says a story can’t be told in 140-character tweets? Here’s a tweeted ode (a twode?) to a changing culture . . .