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The one thing that an year of excruciating battle with depression left behind along with the memories of me and my brain yelling at each other to quit, was a drastic drop in confidence. I built a shell around myself that would only let the voices come in, “why don’t you answer the calls” and “It’s all in your head”. The shell certainly didn’t have any room for people. Result- I socially cock-blocked myself and after months of finally recovering from the mentally exhausting phase, I was still unable to restore my social graces. And a year back, just when I thought that I need to explore more, it was Holi and no better time to travel to a small town in Rajasthan, Pushkar. 4 months after my last vacation, I finally decided to ditch my work and head out for an experience which I later realized will be intact in my heart forever. This time unlike every other Holi, it was going to be a leap into something that I’d heard about but never experienced, Holi in Pushkar- an event that hosts travelers from the globe. Deep sleep still had my eyelids clenched firmly together. The chattering of the rickshaw drivers and vendors selling cold drinks and samosas dropped on my ears creating ripples of euphoria. I looked outside my bus window and yes, it was my destination. The first view I laid my eyes upon while getting down from the bus was of the vendors selling vibrant colours and street food. As I stepped out of my bus, I was immediately, almost royally, treated by a bunch of auto-rickshaw drivers who were quite competitive about who was going to crack the deal with me. It isn’t tough to distinguish tourists in Rajasthan. The local people still dress in their native ethnic outfits. It is a desert state and as much the ancient royal history of Rajasthan is still alive in their historical forts, the natives carry the pride and prestige of the same, intact, in the knots of their turbans. I hired a rickshaw to my resort. It was already midnight, I crashed as soon as I saw my bed. The next two days were spent visiting the local market, shopping local handicrafts and textiles, going for a desert safari and visiting the only temple in the world dedicated to Lord Brahma. The most remarkable experience in these three days was attending evening prayer at the Varah Ghat. Hundreds of men and women gathered around the lake holding lit lamps in their hands and chanting the holy prayers while the reflection of their faiths on the water infused majestic healing. Amid all the exploration, there was something that didn’t change. On my arrival, I petted a dog that I found at the gate of the resort. He wagged and licked my hand for minutes. I fed him cookies and then I went to my room. I woke up next day to open my door to one of the most lovestruck mornings of my life. I found the same dog sitting outside my room. And in no time, he turned into a perfect travel partner, the one who doesn’t speak much, stays with you no matter where you go and loves you selflessly. This is exactly what my little wanderer did for the entire time I was there in town. Holi was a grand affair. Hundreds of people painted in colours from head to toe; trance parties in different parts of the town. I attended a few of them, made connections with people, some of which are still intact (thanks to instagram and facebook). However, nothing could replace the bond that I developed with the little dog in resort. It was finally my last hour in the town and one thing that felt like a boulder on my heart was saying goodbye to the dog. I traveled to regain my confidence, explore the unknown and talk to people with different mindsets. Little did I know that I will develop a bond greater than all the humanly bonds and miss it every hour of my daily life. It was difficult but isn’t it what life's all about? It goes on.