Pushkar Walla

A unique gathering for artist, a gem in the desert.

prepatation days : 22-23 February 2011
date of the gathering : 24-28 February 2011
Location : Om Hotel near new Rahnji Temple
Pushkar, Rajastan, India

Iam traveling here in India at the moment, attending in the INJUCO (Indian Juggling Convention) in Arambol, Goa. I wrote an article about it,
and i will write a report from the event soon. Here i met with one of my Irish friend Eimhin, who had the idea and the courage to organize an exceptional gathering in the beautiful sacred city of Pushkar, what is a little treasure chest.

Rajastan is a desert land in north west India. The most colorful and interesting part for me. This place is the origin of the traveler gypsies, the land of the camels, beautiful ancient cities, thousands of musicians, snake chanters, like it comes out from the fairy-tales of the 1001 nights.
Pushkar is one of the oldest cities of India. The date of its actual founding is not known, but legend associates Lord Brahma with its creation.
According to legend, Brahma was in search of a place for Mahayagna and he found this place suitable.After a long time, Brahma came to known that a demon, Vajranash, was killing people here so the Lord intoned a mantra on a lotus flower and killed the demon.During this process the parts of flower fell on three places which were later known as Jyaistha, Madhya and Kanistha Pushkar. Here you can find the only Brahma temple in the world. Since hounders of years the holy lake became a pilgrimage for the hindu devotees.

The main idea of the gathering is the participation. Leave the solid idea about performer and audience. It is a not-for-profit gathering for
creative people to share and create together. There is no charge for the event, but visitors are welcome to donate. Donations will be divided between local artists and an NGO (Non Govermental Organisation) who run a school for poor children in Pushkar. (We will meet these children during a children's workshop section in the course of events.)

Om hotel is a family business run by the Deepak Sharma. (www.hotelompushkar.net) He is an open minded Indian person with a French wife. They travel around the world and are sensitive to progressive social action. The hotel is work together with the event not just by the business way but also according to the ideology of the festival itself.

There is a courtyard with a grass what will be filled with music and place to practice. At the 3 large balconies will happen the workshops.  The hotel has an own Hanuman temple, a swimming pool, two turtles and a white rabbit jumping around. From the balconies you can enjoy the sunset and the landscape of Pushkar with many beautiful temples. The hotel located in the center, 2 minutes by walk from the holy lake.

One aspect of the festival is to unify the local and the visiting artist, In the context of the free collaboration. Pushkar Walla will host of variety of workshops, like dance, music, percussion,  juggling, fire arts. As an open organization we welcomes workshop leaders from all fields.

The workshops from local artists include of dance from the Kawbelia gyipsy dancers, percussion from Lal family who are the family of Rajastani Nagara Masters, who drums for the sunset ceremonies since hundreds of years on the gaths of the lake. During the festival there will be available consultation services of an ayurvedic doctor Satish Srinivassan from Kerala. Satish specializes in a passed lineage of the original Vedic practices of herbal treatment, massage, dara and panchakarma treatments.

"If we let go of things as they are they can become what they might be"
Come, share, create, accept, change,act...

 
You can find more info here:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/event.php?eid=186006321418910