{"id":10457,"date":"2017-11-10T16:08:04","date_gmt":"2017-11-10T21:38:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/?p=10457"},"modified":"2019-12-05T19:03:29","modified_gmt":"2019-12-05T19:03:29","slug":"portraits-stories-of-interesting-people-i-met-in-pushkar-fair-rajasthan-incredible-india","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/portraits-stories-of-interesting-people-i-met-in-pushkar-fair-rajasthan-incredible-india\/","title":{"rendered":"PORTRAITS &#038; STORIES OF INTERESTING PEOPLE I MET IN PUSHKAR FAIR, RAJASTHAN. INCREDIBLE INDIA!"},"content":{"rendered":"<div>\n<div class=\"\">\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_55 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-662be0d64d5ba\"><span class=\"\"><span style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-662be0d64d5ba\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/portraits-stories-of-interesting-people-i-met-in-pushkar-fair-rajasthan-incredible-india\/#PORTRAITS_STORIES_OF_INTERESTING_PEOPLE_I_MET_IN_PUSHKAR_FAIR_RAJASTHAN_INCREDIBLE_INDIA\" title=\"PORTRAITS &amp; STORIES OF INTERESTING PEOPLE I MET IN PUSHKAR FAIR, RAJASTHAN. INCREDIBLE INDIA!\">PORTRAITS &amp; STORIES OF INTERESTING PEOPLE I MET IN PUSHKAR FAIR, RAJASTHAN. INCREDIBLE INDIA!<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/portraits-stories-of-interesting-people-i-met-in-pushkar-fair-rajasthan-incredible-india\/#THE_BUS_RIDE_TO_HELL\" title=\"THE BUS RIDE TO HELL\">THE BUS RIDE TO HELL<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2'><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/portraits-stories-of-interesting-people-i-met-in-pushkar-fair-rajasthan-incredible-india\/#WHEN_THE_LOCALS_THOUGHT_I_AM_AN_NRI_%E2%80%93_NON_RESIDENT_INDIAN\" title=\"WHEN THE LOCALS THOUGHT I AM AN NRI &#8211; NON RESIDENT INDIAN!\">WHEN THE LOCALS THOUGHT I AM AN NRI &#8211; NON RESIDENT INDIAN!<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/portraits-stories-of-interesting-people-i-met-in-pushkar-fair-rajasthan-incredible-india\/#THE_FRENCH_GENTLEMAN_WHO_THOUGHT_I_WAS_A_CONMAN_DUH\" title=\"THE FRENCH GENTLEMAN WHO THOUGHT I WAS A CONMAN! DUH!\">THE FRENCH GENTLEMAN WHO THOUGHT I WAS A CONMAN! DUH!<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/portraits-stories-of-interesting-people-i-met-in-pushkar-fair-rajasthan-incredible-india\/#Pls_subscribefollowlike\" title=\"Pls subscribe\/follow\/like:\">Pls subscribe\/follow\/like:<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"_1mf _1mj\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"PORTRAITS_STORIES_OF_INTERESTING_PEOPLE_I_MET_IN_PUSHKAR_FAIR_RAJASTHAN_INCREDIBLE_INDIA\"><\/span><span style=\"color:#ff6600;\">PORTRAITS &amp; STORIES OF INTERESTING PEOPLE I MET IN PUSHKAR FAIR, RAJASTHAN. INCREDIBLE INDIA!<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div><em>This blog is a part of my series on the Pushkar fair of Rajasthan in Incredible India. I <a href=\"http:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/2017\/05\/01\/why-i-hate-the-glamorization-snobbery-of-solo-traveling\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">traveled solo in shoestring budget<\/a> to Pushkar fair. Check out all my blogs in the series which apart from many interesting aspects of Pushkar fair, lists down information like \u2013 <strong>Best time to go<\/strong> to Pushkar, <strong>Best things to eat<\/strong> in Pushkar Fair, <strong>How to reach<\/strong> Pushkar Fair, <strong>Offbeat things to do<\/strong> in Pushkar etc. This blog is about the stories and portraits of <strong>interesting people I met<\/strong> in Pushkar fair, Rajasthan. Incredible India!<br \/>\n<\/em><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"_1mf _1mj\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10434\" src=\"http:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/img_3659.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_3659\" width=\"922\" height=\"614\"><\/p>\n<p>Local Rajasthani women. Pushkar Fair, Rajasthan, Incredible India!<\/p>\n<p><span>Nothing goes waste in resource deficient Rajasthan. At many places, I saw women making <strong>balls of Camel dung.<\/strong> On inquiring, one of them replied to me that on drying it will be used as a fuel for <a href=\"http:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/2016\/08\/31\/pink-teasamovar-and-other-secrets-in-search-of-vegetarian-food-in-lucknow-during-ramadan\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">cooking<\/a>. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"\">\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"\">\n<div><em>Pics above: Women making balls from camel dung. It will be used as fuel. Pushkar Fair, Rajasthan, Incredible India!<\/em><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"_1mf _1mj\"><span><strong>Al Gore<\/strong> will be one happy man! Thanks to India still holding close to its chest , its traditions, its need based habit of recycling and an <strong>old world <a href=\"http:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/2016\/05\/07\/corbett-iris-spa-and-resort-they-show-corbett-beyond-tigers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">eco friendly<\/a> lifestyle<\/strong> (stemming out mainly from pragmatic reasons), we do unintentionally help in bringing down our carbon footprint on Earth.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<figure id=\"attachment_10438\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10438\" style=\"width: 922px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10438\" src=\"http:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/img_3752.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_3752\" width=\"922\" height=\"614\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-10438\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Local girls looking at a European woman dressed as an Indian bride. Check her pictures in my other blogs on Pushkar. Link is below. Pushkar Fair, Rajasthan, Incredible India!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"\">\n<h1 class=\"_1mf _1mj\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"THE_BUS_RIDE_TO_HELL\"><\/span><span style=\"color:#ff6600;\">THE BUS RIDE TO HELL<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"\">\n<div class=\"_1mf _1mj\"><span>There is another very unique way in which we bring down our <strong>carbon foot print,<\/strong> which is by stuffing any available <a href=\"http:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/2016\/12\/16\/travel-gone-wrong-when-i-was-stranded-in-pitch-dark-in-rural-india\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">public transport<\/a> till it is overflowing with hands, legs and more! I had made up my mind to take a <strong>bus<\/strong> to <strong>Ajmer<\/strong> to see the city in the day and return by evening. But as soon as I reached the bus stand of Pushkar at around 1 p.m., I almost fainted on seeing over loaded buses, people fighting to get in and in the process kicking, shouting abusing. I even saw a <strong>man stuff his 10 year old daughter<\/strong> from the window of the bus so that she can reserve a seat for the family while people were still fighting on the main door of the bus. <\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<figure id=\"attachment_10447\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10447\" style=\"width: 922px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10447\" src=\"http:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/img_4003.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_4003\" width=\"922\" height=\"614\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-10447\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The bus ride to Ajmer from Pushkar was hell. Pushkar Fair, Rajasthan, Incredible India!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_10446\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10446\" style=\"width: 922px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10446\" src=\"http:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/img_4000.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_4000\" width=\"922\" height=\"614\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-10446\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Notice the girl being stuffed in the window. The bus ride to Ajmer from Pushkar. Pushkar Fair, Rajasthan, Incredible India!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"\">\n<div class=\"_1mf _1mj\"><span>&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"\">\n<div class=\"_1mf _1mj\"><span>CONVERSATIONS WITH STRANGERS<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"\">\n<div class=\"_1mf _1mj\"><span>&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"\">\n<div class=\"_1mf _1mj\"><span>I saw two <a href=\"http:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/2017\/07\/02\/mygrationstory-of-a-filipino-living-in-dubai\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">foreigners<\/a>, a lady and a gent, looking dazed and confused and trying in vain to board the bus. Unlike them I knew<strong> I will not be able to board the bus<\/strong> so I didn\u2019t even try. Meanwhile, the bus started and whizzed off in a jiffy (with people dangling from its door, windows, rear ladder, rooftop, the works!) <\/span><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<figure id=\"attachment_10456\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10456\" style=\"width: 614px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10456\" src=\"http:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/img_5151.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_5151\" width=\"614\" height=\"922\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-10456\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Local women watching foreigners play Indian games like <em>kabaddi.<\/em> Pushkar Fair, Rajasthan, Incredible India!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"_1mf _1mj\"><span>No one seemed to care if their kin or family are left behind. As I waited for another bus to arrive (My strategy: <strong>To be ready to climb the moving bus<\/strong> and grab the seat even before the bus halts.), a man approached me offering the 11 kilometer ride to Ajmer for Rs.100\/- in a Maruti Van. <\/span><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<figure id=\"attachment_10445\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10445\" style=\"width: 650px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10445\" src=\"http:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/img_3999.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_3999\" width=\"650\" height=\"614\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-10445\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Local women smoking <em>beedi<\/em> at the Pushkar bus stand. Smoking amongst women is not a taboo in rural India. Pushkar Fair, Rajasthan, Incredible India!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"_1mf _1mj\"><span>I readily agreed even if it costed me 10 times (The bus ride comes at Rs.10\/-) as I was short of time. As I sat in the van, I could not help but smile on seeing that the two foreigners I mentioned earlier were also sitting in it. <\/span><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<figure id=\"attachment_10453\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10453\" style=\"width: 614px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10453\" src=\"http:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/img_5269.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_5269\" width=\"614\" height=\"922\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-10453\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The local woman who doubled up as a model for me. Pushkar Fair, Rajasthan, Incredible India!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"_1mf _1mj\"><span>The target market of the van operator was bang on. One of the <a href=\"http:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/2016\/10\/12\/3135\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">European<\/a> passengers was a lady who belonged to <strong>Switzerland<\/strong>. She was cribbing how she got separated from her friend who was sitting in the \u2018CHAOS BUS\u2019 that just left.<\/span><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<figure id=\"attachment_10452\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10452\" style=\"width: 614px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-full wp-image-10452 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/img_5204.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_5204\" width=\"614\" height=\"922\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-10452\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Locals in the stadium. Pushkar Fair, Rajasthan, Incredible India!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"_1mf _1mj\"><span> Sadly they were not carrying any cellphones so she could not even call her friend. She had <strong>come to India to volunteer in an NGO<\/strong> and on weekends explore the state of Rajasthan and NCR (<a href=\"http:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/2016\/03\/20\/rediscovering-chandni-chowk-beyond-the-obvious\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">National Capital Region<\/a>). <\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<figure id=\"attachment_10439\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10439\" style=\"width: 614px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10439\" src=\"http:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/img_3760.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_3760\" width=\"614\" height=\"922\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-10439\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A <em>sadhu<\/em> (Holy man) in the stadium. Pushkar Fair, Rajasthan, Incredible India!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"\">\n<div class=\"_1mf _1mj\"><span>She liked the Pushkar fair in part but despised the <a href=\"http:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/2016\/11\/08\/north-goa-your-quick-easy-guide-in-to-the-heart-of-indias-party-capital-plus-an-itinerary\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">touristy <\/a>aspect of it. I couldn\u2019t help but agree. She also pitied the fact that how it had transformed into a giant money making machine from Pushkar fair\u2019s earlier days. <\/span><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<figure id=\"attachment_10440\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10440\" style=\"width: 922px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10440\" src=\"http:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/img_3772.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_3772\" width=\"922\" height=\"614\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-10440\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Local women passing through makeshift shops. Pushkar Fair, Rajasthan, Incredible India!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"_1mf _1mj\"><span>There were 2 more co-pasengers, one of them also belonged to Switzerland (No connection with the lady) and the other was a Spanish. Thanks to the<strong> poor English of the Spanish gentleman,<\/strong> it was not easy communicating with him. I switched to the Swiss tourists. <\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"\">\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"_1mf _1mj\">\n<figure id=\"attachment_10437\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10437\" style=\"width: 922px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10437\" src=\"http:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/img_3744.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_3744\" width=\"922\" height=\"614\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-10437\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Local musicians in the stadium. Pushkar Fair, Rajasthan, Incredible India!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2 class=\"_1mf _1mj\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"WHEN_THE_LOCALS_THOUGHT_I_AM_AN_NRI_%E2%80%93_NON_RESIDENT_INDIAN\"><\/span><span style=\"color:#ff6600;\">WHEN THE LOCALS THOUGHT I AM AN NRI &#8211; NON RESIDENT INDIAN!<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"\">\n<div class=\"_1mf _1mj\"><span>After a unforgettable and <strong>soulful trip to Ajmer,<\/strong> I was back in Pushkar by early evening to claim my 12.5 kg <strong>backpack<\/strong> from the hotel room. While on my way back, a local Ajmeri boy who was sitting behind me in a group in the bus to Pushkar (Yes, I got an <strong>EMPTY bus to Pushkar<\/strong> while returning, woo-hoo!!!!!) came and sat right next to me. <\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<figure id=\"attachment_10436\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10436\" style=\"width: 922px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10436\" src=\"http:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/img_3690.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_3690\" width=\"922\" height=\"546\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-10436\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Locals watching <em>madari<\/em> and snake charmer shows. Pushkar Fair, Rajasthan, Incredible India!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"\">\n<div class=\"_1mf _1mj\"><span>He must be in his early 20s and started talking in English,\u201dWhich Country?\u201d<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"\">\n<div class=\"_1mf _1mj\"><span>&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"\">\n<div class=\"_1mf _1mj\"><span>\u201cIndia!\u201d, me surprised <\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"\">\n<div class=\"_1mf _1mj\"><span>&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"\">\n<div class=\"_1mf _1mj\"><span>\u201cNRI???\u201d<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"\">\n<div class=\"_1mf _1mj\"><span>&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"\">\n<div class=\"_1mf _1mj\"><span><strong>\u201cNo Pure Indian!\u201d<\/strong> (Whoa! Who am I? Some breed of dog?), I smile here at his naivet\u00e9 and immature over confident body language.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<figure id=\"attachment_10444\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10444\" style=\"width: 614px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10444\" src=\"http:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/img_3989.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_3989\" width=\"614\" height=\"922\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-10444\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A local selling fruits. Pushkar Fair, Rajasthan, Incredible India!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"\">\n<div class=\"_1mf _1mj\"><span>I know why he thought so. I blame my backpack, my expensive <strong>camera<\/strong> with a protruding and intimidating looking lens ta-da!<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<figure id=\"attachment_10449\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10449\" style=\"width: 922px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10449\" src=\"http:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/img_4229.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_4229\" width=\"922\" height=\"614\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-10449\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Night shot of swings and rides. Pushkar Fair, Rajasthan, Incredible India!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"\">\n<div class=\"_1mf _1mj\"><span>Every time I would try to speak in chaste <strong>Hindi<\/strong>, even putting a fake Delhi accent to sound more local, he would stand his ground in English. In him I saw the aspiring <a href=\"http:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/2016\/12\/19\/mygration-story-what-is-this-young-delhi-girl-doing-in-the-remote-village-of-madhya-pradesh\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Indian youth<\/a>. <\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<figure id=\"attachment_10448\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10448\" style=\"width: 614px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-full wp-image-10448 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/img_4220.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_4220\" width=\"614\" height=\"922\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-10448\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Swings and rides. Pushkar Fair, Rajasthan, Incredible India!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"\">\n<div class=\"_1mf _1mj\"><span>English for them is a ticket to good fortunes. He talked of how he planned to do M.B.A and <strong>go to foreign<\/strong> for better career prospects. He reminded me of my early 20s. After talking to his heart\u2019s content , he went back to his group of friends and I was getting the feeling that they had a bet involving me. Something on the lines of \u201cTalk to this man (In English?) and we <a href=\"http:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/2017\/11\/01\/10-reasons-to-buy-forex-with-nafex\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">pay you in dollars<\/a>, eh!\u201d I can say so as I heard them talking about me , <em>\u201cAise hi aaya hai, ghoomne aaya hai. India se hi hai!\u201d<\/em> (He hails from India and is here as a tourist!) More smiles!<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"\">\n<h2 class=\"_1mf _1mj\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"THE_FRENCH_GENTLEMAN_WHO_THOUGHT_I_WAS_A_CONMAN_DUH\"><\/span><span style=\"color:#ff6600;\">THE FRENCH GENTLEMAN WHO THOUGHT I WAS A CONMAN! DUH!<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"\">\n<div class=\"_1mf _1mj\"><span>While exiting the stadium, I approached some people to click my picture. One of the drawbacks of <a href=\"http:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/2017\/05\/07\/11-practical-reasons-why-i-love-solo-traveling-across-india-part-2\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">traveling solo<\/a> is that I hardly have any of my pictures from my solo trips. Not that I care much, eh! Most were intimidated to see my huge DSLR camera and refused. Some who did click did a BAD job of it. That\u2019s the problem of being a <a href=\"http:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/2017\/05\/04\/10-practical-reasons-why-i-love-solo-traveling-across-india-part-1\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">solo traveler. <\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<figure id=\"attachment_10455\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10455\" style=\"width: 922px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10455\" src=\"http:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/img_5383.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_5383\" width=\"922\" height=\"614\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-10455\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">My only picture from this solo budget trip. Clicked by a French. Pushkar Fair, Rajasthan, Incredible India!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"\">\n<div class=\"_1mf _1mj\"><span>You struggle to get yourself clicked. Frustrated, I approached an elderly French man who was with 4 other French people. He didn\u2019t understand a word which I said in chaste English. Initially, he thought that I want to take his picture and <strong>his skeptical expressions<\/strong> told me that he thought that I wanted money from him (Thanks to all the nuisance by local hawkers and vendors.) <\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<figure id=\"attachment_10454\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10454\" style=\"width: 922px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10454\" src=\"http:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/img_5273.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_5273\" width=\"922\" height=\"614\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-10454\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A local who doubled up as a model for me. Pushkar Fair, Rajasthan, Incredible India!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"\">\n<div class=\"_1mf _1mj\"><span>Sign language came to rescue and he finally clicked a good picture of me. When I said, \u201cThank You!\u201d, <strong>he looked confused maybe thinking<\/strong> , \u201cSee, I always knew t, he wants money from me!\u201d <\/span><\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<figure id=\"attachment_10451\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10451\" style=\"width: 922px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10451\" src=\"http:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/img_5161.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_5161\" width=\"922\" height=\"614\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-10451\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Camel traders chatting over <em>beedis.<\/em> Pushkar Fair, Rajasthan, Incredible India!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"_1mf _1mj\"><span>Unfortunately, none of the people accompanying him understood it either. I didn\u2019t know how to say Thank You in sign language. So, I put my palm on my heart and again said \u2018Thank you\u2019 but to know avail. Then a bolt of lightening struck me and in my mentos moment (<em>Jo dimaag ki batti jala de!<\/em>) I asked, \u201cWhich country? W-H-I-C-H C-O-U-N-T-R-Y?\u201dThankfully, he understood the meaning of country and replied, \u201c<strong>France<\/strong>.\u201d. <\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div>\n<figure id=\"attachment_10435\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10435\" style=\"width: 713px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10435\" src=\"http:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/img_3666.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_3666\" width=\"713\" height=\"614\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-10435\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A baby on a road carpeted with fragrant marigold flowers. Pushkar Fair, Rajasthan, Incredible India!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"\">\n<div class=\"_1mf _1mj\"><span>Relieved, I put the education I received in my <strong>Hotel Management Institute<\/strong> (IHM Lucknow) and said, palm again resting on my heart,<strong> &#8220;Merci!&#8221;<\/strong> (Thank You in French). It was the first time the group smiled and I got rid of being perceived as a conman out to loot foreigners of their riches. Phew! What a relief! No wonder that was my only picture in this 3 day and I didn\u2019t have the heart and energy to ask someone else to take another picture of mine. But at times I do wonder how come people in European nations such as <strong>France , Spain, Italy<\/strong> are so bad with English in spite of living so close to England. I have seen some 10 years old from <strong>Mumbai\u2019s famous slums<\/strong> speak fluent English.<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"_1mf _1mj\"><span>&nbsp;<\/span><\/div>\n<div>\n<figure id=\"attachment_10441\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10441\" style=\"width: 614px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\" size-full wp-image-10441 aligncenter\" src=\"http:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/img_3825.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_3825\" width=\"614\" height=\"894\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-10441\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Of musicians and pots! Pushkar Fair, Rajasthan, Incredible India!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div>\n<div class=\"\">\n<div class=\"_1mf _1mj\">\n<div>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><span style=\"color:#ff9900;\"><em><strong>Spread the love, share this blog<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><span style=\"color:#008000;\"><strong>Got any question\/comments, ask in the comment section below so that it can benefit other readers.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><span style=\"color:#ff0000;\">Email me for collaboration: 21abhinav21@gmail.com<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><em><strong>Be a part of my journey on social media. The travel content I create there is different from this blog.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\">\n<h2 style=\"text-align:center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Pls_subscribefollowlike\"><\/span><span style=\"color:#ff9900;\"><strong>Pls subscribe\/follow\/like:<\/strong><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<div style=\"text-align:center;\">\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UC8K8pGNVByDAfy7kNKl7mAA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">You Tube<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/asoulwindow\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Twitter<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/asoulwindow\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Instagram<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/A-Soul-Window-Travel-Blog-by-Abhinav-Singh-322014484524692\/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Facebook<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_10450\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10450\" style=\"width: 922px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-10450\" src=\"http:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/img_5158.jpg\" alt=\"IMG_5158\" width=\"922\" height=\"614\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-10450\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Local men at the stadium. Pushkar Fair, Rajasthan, Incredible India!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p style=\"text-align:center;\"><span style=\"color:#ff9900;\"><em>WARNING : COPYRIGHT TO ALL THE TEXT SHARED HERE REMAINS WITH ME. YOU CAN NOT JUST LIFT THE CONTENT AND USE IT WITHOUT MY PERMISSION. STRICT LEGAL ACTION WILL BE TAKEN IF CONTENT IS STOLEN. YES, I AM SERIOUS.<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>PORTRAITS &amp; STORIES OF INTERESTING PEOPLE I MET IN PUSHKAR FAIR, RAJASTHAN. INCREDIBLE INDIA! This blog is a part of my series on the Pushkar fair of Rajasthan in Incredible India. I traveled solo in shoestring budget to Pushkar fair. Check out all my blogs in the series which apart from many interesting aspects of &hellip;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"> <a class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/portraits-stories-of-interesting-people-i-met-in-pushkar-fair-rajasthan-incredible-india\/\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">PORTRAITS &#038; STORIES OF INTERESTING PEOPLE I MET IN PUSHKAR FAIR, RAJASTHAN. INCREDIBLE INDIA!<\/span> Read More &raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[47,51],"tags":[96,110,127,394,917,921,1233,2174,2207,2208,2209,2212,2252,2761],"modified_by":"asoulwindow","uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"asoulwindow","author_link":"https:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/author\/abhinav2111\/"},"uagb_comment_info":36,"uagb_excerpt":"PORTRAITS &amp; STORIES OF INTERESTING PEOPLE I MET IN PUSHKAR FAIR, RAJASTHAN. INCREDIBLE INDIA! This blog is a part of my series on the Pushkar fair of Rajasthan in Incredible India. I traveled solo in shoestring budget to Pushkar fair. Check out all my blogs in the series which apart from many interesting aspects of&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10457"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10457"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10457\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14644,"href":"https:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10457\/revisions\/14644"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10457"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10457"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/asoulwindow.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10457"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}