Holi is one of the craziest festivals in North India. It is the best occasion to experience joy together and fun playing with colours. Even though it is famous and celebrated differently, nothing can beat the Pushkar Holi. Not just Indians, but people across the world love Pushkar Holi and visit there to be a part of the madness, to be a part of the big celebration.

With the wish to capture the joyful expressions, travel photographer Harsh Bhanawat went on a solo trip to Pushkar this Holi. He is an engineering student and a passionate Portrait Photographer. His experience was similar yet different from his previous trip in 2019.

Come, let’s relive his experiences with him through this blog. 

Reaching Pushkar

So this year, Harsh was living in Bhilwara, which is very near to Pushkar, almost 150 kilometres. He took a bus to reach Ajmer and changed to another bus to travel from Ajmer to Pushkar. 

If you are travelling from Jaipur to Pushkar, follow the same pattern as the distance is almost the same. Catch a bus or train to reach Ajmer and then a bus to reach Pushkar. In both scenarios, you will reach there in 3 to 4 hours. Harsh started his journey around 1-2 pm and reached there by 6 pm. 

Holi Dahan

He reached Pushkar on the day of Holika Dahan. Before joining the celebration, he stopped by the famous Lake to witness a peaceful evening and the sunset view. Whenever you visit, do take a stroll at Pushkar Lake. It is also a holy place, where people visit to take a sacred bath.

The Holika Dahan starts around 8 pm and continues till 10 pm every year. However, Harsh was surprised to see a late-night musical event happening after the Holika Dahan this year. People danced and had a gala time chilling with some wine. 

After having a great time, Harsh stayed at his friend’s place for the night. 

Capturing the Holi Vibes

On the day of Holi, Pushkar is painted in colours from the early morning hours. You can see the excitement in people even at 6 – 7 am. Harsh woke up early in the morning, ready to capture amazing moments. However, this year, people started the colour play a little later, around 9 – 10 am since there was a late-night event a day before Holi.

When you truly feel happy, it reflects on your face, and Holi is one of those moments when you can rejoice from your heart. As a portrait photographer, Harsh loves capturing these facial expressions of people. 

‘I enjoy celebrating Holi with them; it is truly a different experience altogether,’ says Harsh.

We know how foreigners love coming to Pushkar to enjoy the festival of Holi, and Harsh tells us that he can see real expressions on their faces when he captures their candid pictures. Sometimes, he even asks them to do some poses with colours, and they are more than happy to do it. 

How to best Capture the Holi: Tips for Photographers

There is not a lot of crowd on the streets till 9 am in Pushkar, so you can easily capture the best shots. But the excitement reaches another level after 9-10 am, and the streets become crowded. So that’s not the ideal time for photography as it becomes difficult to move around.

As a street photographer, Harsh explains that it is important to have the right space to capture the candid moment and handle the camera because it can’t be recreated once it’s gone. Clicking photographs is difficult in a crowd, so utilise the early hours of Holi if you want to get the best shots.

Continuing the Pushkar Exploration

Besides enjoying the Holi, you can do a lot more at Pushkar. Visit the ghats, temples, and streets of Pushkar.

Harsh went to the Savitri Mata temple, specifically to enjoy the sunrise. You can see the whole town from there. It is also famous for the Karan Arjun movie shooting. He enjoyed the homemade food at his friend’s place. However, you can also enjoy good food even at the street shops and dhabas.

If you are travelling to Pushkar around November, plan to schedule your trip during the Pushkar fair, an annual camel fest with many exciting activities. Many photographers come here to capture the sight and add their storytelling angle to it.  Harsh also recommend you rent a bike and roam around the streets of Pushkar. Experience the Banaras vibes like him in the colourful streets of Pushkar. If you love capturing experimental pictures with your lens, it’s a beautiful place to visit. He believes in budget-travelling because ‘When you travel with comfort, you miss those moments you can only find out of your comfort zone.’

Budget

1. INR 400-500 per night for a bed in a dormitory.
2. INR 1500-2000 per night for a room in a guest house. 

Local Travel

1. Rent a bike

If you loved the insights from Harsh’s Pushkar trip, check out more stories and pictures at @sr_deep_burst. 

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