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I was privileged to be a part of the Pushkar Camel Fair in the year 2016 after winning a travel contest on Tripoto. Skywaltz, the first licensed hot air balloon service in India conducts week-long Hot Air Balloon rides, twice a day at the Pushkar Camel Fair. I almost watched an entire concert by Prem Joshua at the Mela Ground under a starlit sky on a cold November night until I got too exhausted to sit for long as I had a really tiring day travelling from Bagdogra in West Bengal to Pushkar in Rajasthan covering the entire width of the country in just a day. Of course, I got exhausted Once I had done it all, braved the crowds, dismissed the noticeable stench of animal excreta everywhere, haggled to my heart’s desire, succeeded buying some really cool stuff and gotten food poisoned, I decided it was time to take a breather.

The winds gush past the waves and begin a swirl And how every crashing wave break the rocks with a twirl Thus begins the dance of drenched landscapes And how the sepia coloured world change their tints, tones and shades Dreams do come true and here I was in Goa welcomed by the dramatic play of the clouds, roaring waves and the torrential rains posing like my own Birthday choir. Looking at the restless sea kissed by the downpour and the oceanic dance of the waves made me realise how badly my soul craved to leave the shackles of everything familiar I had become too comfortable in. Goa felt like that, I had craved for the waves, the wet sand, the uncertainty and the fear of coming this far, halfway across the country.

Thus, Amritsar literally means ‘Lake of the nectar of immortality’.Colloquially also known as Ambarsar, this city in Punjab is most importantly known for the Golden Temple- one of the most revered holy shrines of the Sikhs in India. I had always been mesmerised by the beauty of Golden Temple in pictures and I desperately wanted to see this marvel laden in gold. I was strictly forbidden by the time I had for this trip but if you are in Amritsar, don’t forget to dive in deeper into the food scene here. If you have been fascinated by Punjab (like me), thanks to all the Hindi movies that have patronised this state in India, Amritsar could be your wholesome Punjab experience filled with spirituality, history, architecture, glittery bazaars, colourful turbans, beautiful women, amazing food, creamy lassi and the very Punjabi swag.