We left Pushkar Tuesday afternoon and made our way to Ajmer. It took about 45 minutes. Today we were going to get a tour of a very famous Muslim shrine called the Dargab. Getting there was easy, but once we left the car and we walked to meet the guide and hop in a rickshaw, this was a very overwhelming experience. The ride through the back alleys which intertwined us between homes and store fronts was not more than 6 feet wide. On either side of the walk way, which was shared by people and motor vehicles was a sewage draining system that took the water form the hills down somewhere. There was no grate or anything preventing a wheel to slip in there. Once we arrived at the gate of the Dargab, we needed to cover our legs and hair with he scarfs they provided, and we left behind our shoes (paid someone to watch them). No cameras were allowed, so capturing this chaos was not possible. Men and women needed to enter through different doors, still with our tour guide, we followed him through some beautiful art work and sculptures. The ground was marble, and very slippery from the rain. We made it to the shrine of Khwaja, and we were rushed to spot where a man was waiting with a green scarf. He threw it over our heads, said a prayer, and we then we rushed back out. This was not an easy task. Trying to make your way through the crowds of people was completed by a forceful push.
We made it back to our sandals, and headed back down to the car. Trying to beat the rain, as the clouds moved in quickly. We did not...the rain came quickly, and so did the water down the drainage paths. Rickshaw versus water - we made it to our car. Then right as Neil and I stepped out we were being told to not step over a bench or on the sand barrier that was built to protect a store front. Looking up the hill the water was pouring down the road, and soon right through our legs. This was not the cleanest of water, but the streets up the hill sure looked a lot cleaner.
We made it back to our sandals, and headed back down to the car. Trying to beat the rain, as the clouds moved in quickly. We did not...the rain came quickly, and so did the water down the drainage paths. Rickshaw versus water - we made it to our car. Then right as Neil and I stepped out we were being told to not step over a bench or on the sand barrier that was built to protect a store front. Looking up the hill the water was pouring down the road, and soon right through our legs. This was not the cleanest of water, but the streets up the hill sure looked a lot cleaner.