When I Went On a Camel Safari

Last week, my parents and I went on a camel safari. One cannot imagine touring the royal state of Rajasthan and not undergoing the excitement of a camel safari. However, I learnt about the camels that they have wide, padded feet that did not sink into the sand. They had long eyelashes and special eyelids that protected their eyes from sand. They could also stay without water for several days.

We had come on a holiday to Pushkar. It is a pilgrim town, which is almost 12 kilometres away from Ajmer. We purchased tickets for an overnight camel safari and looked forward to a thrilling time. Soon the jingling sound of bells told us that our camels had arrived.

We hung our backpacks containing drinking water and a medical kit on the knobs of the saddles, strapped on to the backs of the camels. As we got ready to mount the camel, the camel caretaker advised us to lean back and mount. He asked us to pull back the reins if we wanted to make the camel stop. He told us to shout ‘juju’ to make the animal sit down.

Soon, we had left behind the streets and markets. We were approaching the neighbourhood. It took me a little while to get used to the shaking movement of the animal. However, after a while, I got so used to the rhythmic motion finding it quite comforting.

The rolling landscape of sand and shrub was awesomely beautiful. As the sun went below the horizon, the golden sand banks looked magical and divine. We stopped the camels and I captured the glorious scenes in my camera.

Our next destination was the village general store. We got refreshed with tea and some khari biscuits. We watched the farmers placing their animals in their enclosures. Women in their traditional clothes returned to their huts, balancing water pots from the common well. Soon, the joyful shouts of children, returning home from school filled the desert skies. Thus, I succeeded in seeing the authentic rural life.

At night, we were served dinner cooked over firewood. Some folk singers and dancers kept the visitors entertained with their musical and dance performances. We looked up the vast cover of stars that lit up the night sky.

The next day, we woke up to a beautiful dawn over the banks. After a good heavy breakfast, we once again mounted our camels and headed back for Pushkar. I carried precious memories and the loud echoes of the deserts.