ABU’S SUMMER FESTIVAL

 Gracias congregate at  Nakki Lake on Budh Purnima.

Gracias congregate at Nakki Lake

Gracias congregate at Nakki Lake

 Gracias congregate at  Nakki Lake on Budh Purnima

Today the Summer Festival in Abu has commenced, and so has a longstanding traditional event, the annual mass arrival of the Gracias onto Nakki Lake at Budh Purnima. It’s an auspicious day for the Buddhist and the Hindu worshiper at large. The annual influx of the Gracias with their eye-catching attire, bright bold coloured traditional dresses and flashing jewellery is associated with the very essence and extraordinary world of, outstanding grandeur. Nothing on this good earth can ever change the destination of these folks from visiting the mythical Nakki Lake at every Budh Purnima. It’s like a moth being drawn to the flame; mingling with these extraordinary folks today at the lake sent a pang of envy through my very being. My human-inspired notions of what life is all about came crashing down like a bolt of lightning; this is what life is all about, one needs to be willing to let go and live life to the hilt like these simple tribal folks. I marvel at their zest for fun and frolic, to reach here some of them have trudged barefooted all the way up the mountain from their respective villages a distance of over 30 or more kilometres

This year the summer festival is slated to be an extraordinary event, a lot of planning by the town authorities has gone into it, and the venues for different events are scheduled at vantage points all around Abu. Dusk will usher in either a play or discourses at different venues slated for these events. We advise tourists to pay heed to the announcements made by the authorities what events are slated and at what venue. I’m sure those fortunate tourists who happened to be present at the lake today will go away with some fond memories of these Rajasthani folks.