Window Seat | Mrinal Chatterjee | 4.2.24
Pushkar
Pushkar is one of
the oldest cities in India, which finds mention in the Ramayana, the
Mahabharata and the Puranas. Located to the northwest of Ajmer, it is situated
at the height of 510 metres, surrounded by hillocks on three sides. The ‘Nag
Pahar’ (literally Snake Mountain)forms a natural border between Ajmer and
Pushkar.
The city of Pushkar
is home to the very few temples dedicated to Lord Bramha. Hindus consider a
journey to Pushkar to be a ‘must do’ pilgrimage. Local pundits call it ‘tirtha
raj.
According to the
legends, Lord Bramha, creator of the universe dropped a lotus to the ground
leading to the immediate creation of a lake. He then named the place after the
flower, and thus the name, Pushkar.
Semi-circular
in shape and about 8-10 metres deep, Pushkar Lake is surrounded by 52 bathing
ghats and over 400 temples. The Bramha Temple is located about a km away from
the lake on a hillock. Built with marble and decorated with silver coins, this
temple can be identified by its red spire and the image of a swan (considered
sacred to Lord Brahma). The chaturmukhi
(four faced) idol of Lord Brahma is housed in the inner sanctum. A marble
statue of the sun god stands sentinel at the temple.
Puskar is also
a holy place for the Sikhs because of the Gurudwara Singh Sabha. Situated in
the eastern part of Pushkar, it was built in the beginning of the 19th century
to commemorate the visits of the first and the tenth gurus- Guru Nanak Dev and
Guru Govind Singhji .
Pushkar is
also known for its camel fair. Held each November at the time of the Kartik Purnima (full
moon), it is is one of
India's largest camel, horse and cattle fairs.
The city is home to a large number of artisans who create exquisite handicrafts
using traditional techniques. The handicrafts industry is a major contributor to the economy of
Pushkar. Some of the popular handicraft items made here include textiles,
pottery, and jewelry.
Sadhu
Meher
I met Sadhu Meher, veteran Odia cine
actor, director and producer at a special screening of Bhukha in Bhubaneswar in 1989.
I was a working journalist then. Sabyasachi Mahapatra, the Director of the film
introduced me to Sadhu
Meher. I instantly liked the person. He had no air of a star. Sadhu Meher passed away in Mumbai on 2
February 2024. He was 84.
He performed in both
Odia and Hindi films. He began his career in Hindi films with Bhuvan Shome (1968,
Dir. Mrinal Sen) He acted in several parallel cinema like Ankur, Manthan, Nisant,
Mrigaya and so on. Later he shifted his interest towards Odia films. He acted
in over 30 films and television serials and directed six films including a
Children’s film Babula.
Born in Manamunda,
Odisha in 1940, Sadhu Meher lived mostly in Mumbai.
He won National Film
Award for Ankur (1974). He was conferred Padma Sri in 2017.
Turban
People
all over the world wear headgears including turban- for different purposes-
climatic condition, identity, ceremonial, and so on.
I
found the most colourful turbans in Rajasthan. Wearing a colorful turban is the
ultimate fashion statement in Rajasthan. The men here have perfected the art of
turban (locally called safa or paaga or pagri) tying to the point where it's
practically a competitive sport. It is not an easy task, considering a safa or
pagri could be a piece of cloth averagely nine metres long, but some are
even longer. Each turban is a work
of art, a towering masterpiece that can put the Leaning Tower of Pisa to shame.
And there are different types of safa or pagdi.
You could often get to know the region, caste and religion of the man, through
the style of the turban worn.
Window
Seat 2023
I have been writing this weekly column for over a decade now. It
has become a part of my being- my stress booster, my creative genie, my
favourite past time.
For the last five years, I put together of the write-ups into an
anthology in e-book format and distribute it to whoever is interested to read
free of any charge. Every year I pick up a photograph of one young photographer
for the cover. This year, the cover photo is by Adarsh Singh a young student of
NIFT, Bhubaneswar.
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If you are interested to get a copy, write a request mail to
mrinalchatterjeeiimc@gmail.com
Tailpiece:
Doubt
Son: Dad, I have a doubt.
Dad: What's it, son?
Son: I learnt that Shri Ram attained
Godly status by listening to his father in Tretayug.
Dad: That's true, son.
Son: But then Prahlad became great by
not listening to his father* in Satyayug.
Dad: That is also true.
Son: So, dad, kindly enlighten me, should
I listen to you, or not?
Dad: My dear son, we are living in
Kalyug. It's good for both of us to listen to your mother to lead a peaceful and harmonious life.
++
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