The Beauty Around Us

 It's Saturday morning. The sun had just peeked out from the mist covered mountains casting a soft orange glow over the pure white temples and the holy lake. The sun rays slowly warming up all the devotees bathing in the waters where part of Mahatma Ghandi's ashes were scattered after his death. The priests are already wandering through the ghats, the steps leading into the holy water, offering health, wealth, happiness, prosperity and good karma to those willing to donate money for his services. The gypsy women with their plethora of face jewelry and colorful saris are washing themselves modestly to the side, separate from the men. The morning prayers are starting to echo from different temples surrounding the lake, creating a distorted yet surprisingly beautiful melody.
Just outside of there, the streets are slowly waking up, with only food and drink vendors already hard at work. Young local boys are pedaling down the street in all directions delivering milk and fresh herbs to the local residents shops. I get a few "Namaste!" greetings as I slowly make my way down the main street in the center of Pushkar. I respond but continue moving on to my first destination; the juice guy. I get a fresh glass of orange juice followed by a mango pineapple mix. This leaves me seventy rupees poorer which is about one dollar seventy cents, American. While I sit and enjoy my juice, the boy who made my juice asks me the customary questions; what is your name? Which country are you from? Is it your first time here? Are you married? I answer all of them and when my answer to the last question is no, he immediately asks, "Why not?". This isn't the first time that happens. I've actually gotten used to it and just smile and shrug my shoulders as an answer to why I am not married. When I am done, I decide to wander down a street which I haven't walked down before. I find more clothing shops, incense, swords, jewelery, and chai. I also walk by one cow that has an extra leg growing out of its butt with a baba next to it asking for money because he believes that his cow is holy. He thinks everyone else should feel the same way. I continue past the strange phenomenon and encounter another cow that also has an extra leg, except this one has it on its neck. Strange.
At the end of the road I find a dusty road and the beginning of a desert across from it in the distance. I find myself a comfortable rock to sit on and get out my camera to record everything that is going on around me. Camels adorned with jewelery and bright fabric, walking by with their owners, gypsy women standing around in their bright colored saris. Pigs, cows, donkeys and camels living together in peace, eating food leftovers and plastic on the side of the road.
After taking some pictures and simply people watching, I cross the road and sit down for a chai for five rupees. The man making it is lovely and after serving me the boiling hot chai in a small glass, walks back to his sofa and continues playing with his two small sons.

As I am sipping on my tea, a man walks over carrying a small woven straw basket and asks if I want to take a picture of the cobra living inside that basket. I politely refuse but continue watching him. He opens the lid of the basket and up comes a beautifully graceful cobra, slowly swaying side to side as it rises about a foot out of the basket. I tell the snake charmer I'll buy him a chai for a picture of the snake. He agrees and calls the snake which immediately obeys and starts its hypnotizing dance. After snapping a few pictures and talking with the men for a few minutes, I walk back down the road towards the center. The sun has come up a little higher and the heat is already starting to weigh me down. The day has begun.
I'd say it was a very good start to a day. India never fails to surprise me.