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PUSHKAR
Pushkar - The Holi city
“Abode of Lord Brahma”- Pushkar, Comfortably ensconced in the Aravali valley
at the foot of Nag Pahar, It is situated in the central Rajasthan 145 kms
from Jaipur. This little town that covers an area of 16.34 sq kms is
considered a holy place. According to a mythological story, the lotus flower
of Brahma fell from his hand at this place while he was on a lookout for a
place to perform a yagna on earth. It was after this that the place is
called Pushkar or the ‘Flower child’.Pushkar attracted the attention of the
Moghuls, the Scindias and later the British who brought this place under
their direct control (thereby making it the one of the places in Rajasthan
that was not a part of princely state). There are many attractions in store,
the most prominent being the ghats (52), temples (400 temples) and the
Pushkar fair. It is, infact said that for a genuine Hindu, a visit to
Pushkar is must to complete his pilgrimage.
SIGHTSEEING PUSHKAR:
A large accumulation of travel attractions, The most
important reason of Pushkar being on the international
travel map is Pushkar Fair. The fair is held every
year in the month of November during the Kartik
Purnima (day of full moon) when hundreds of thousands
of people take a holy dip in the sacred Pushkar Lake.
This is also an occasion to organize the largest camel
fair in the world. Pushkar is famous for its
picturesque sites as well as more than 400 temples.
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Pushkar Lake
It is another important attraction of Pushkar and it
has immense significance for the followers of
Hinduism. According to the legends, the lake was
dedicated to Lord Brahma after a lotus fell from his
hands and dropped into this picturesque valley. A lake
sprang up on the same spot latter on which is
considered holy. Removing shoes before approaching the
ghats, no smoking and restraining from photographing
bathing people is Important. The entire lake is
supposed to be surrounded by 500 temples, 52 palaces,
and 52 ghats. On the occasion of Kartik Purnima in
November every year, devotees take holy bath in the
lake and a fair is organized, known world over as the
Pushkar Fair. is the site of annual holy bath on
Kartik Purnima.
Brahma Temple
The most important of the temples is the Brahma Temple
(only temple of Lord Brahma, the creator, in the
world). The temple has a special position in Hindu
pantheons. There is life-size four-armed idol of Lord
Brahma - the creator in the vestibule. The temple has
marble floors and stairs and coins have been put by
the devotees to mark the birth or deaths of the loved
ones.
Savitri Temple
Other important temples are Savitri Temple, The temple
is dedicated to Savitri, the wife of Lord Brahma and
located on the top of the Ratnagiri Hill. According to
the legends when Lord Brahma performed a Yagna (holy
fire devoted to gods) along with Gayatri, a local
milkmaid, furious Savitri cursed her husband that he
would never be worshipped anywhere except in Pushkar
and that too only once a year. Savitri left for the
Ratnagiri Hill after cursing her husband and immolated
herself there. There is beautiful statue of Goddess
Savitri inside the temple.
Mahadeva Temple
This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva - The
Destroyer, with five faces. A Beautiful temple built
in the 19th century, it was described by a British
traveler of the time as "by far the most remarkable,
for the elegance of its structure and the nature of
its ornaments, of all the temples Pushkar boasts of."
It is known for the elegance of its structure and
ornamentation.
Rangji Temple
Dedicated to Lord Vishnu - the preserver and built in
the South Indian architectural style. Temple was built
in the 1920's and has beautifully sculpted images of
no less than 361 different deities. The ornate outer
gopuram over the entrance is said to have been built
by a team of masons specially brought here from south
India. There are two massive dwarpals (gatekeepers)
structure in front of the main gate and an image of
Garuda inside.
Varaha Temple
It was Originally built in the 12th century, Varah
Temple was, like many others, destroyed by the bigoted
Emperor Aurangzeb. Reconstructed by Raja Sawai Jai
Singh II of Jaipur in 1727, the temple has an
interesting and richly ornamented image house.
Pushkar Bazaar
A bustling bazaar, the Pushkar local market offers
tourist as well pilgrimage related products. A range
of souvenirs could be purchased including the
Rajasthani costumes, jewellery, embroidered fabrics,
decorative pieces and groovy accessories. The bazaar
becomes a hub of activity during the annual Pushkar
Fair.
Near by Spots from Pushkar-
Kuchaman, Kishangarh, Sambhar Lake and Roopangarh are
some of the better-known excursions from Pushkar.
Ajmer is one of the major cities of Rajasthan and
famous for annual urs celebrated here.
Kuchaman
Famous for its fort, a visit to Kuchaman takes you to
the magic of a bygone era. You can view the life of
Meera Bai in miniature paintings in the Meera Mahal.
In the Lok Dev Temple appreciate the beautiful
paintings of Lok Devatas such as Sant Tejaji, Sant
Gogaji, Sant Pabu Rathore, Baba Ram Dev, Sant Kesaria
Kanwarji, Sant Jamboji, Sant Ravi Das, Sant Kabir,
Guru Nanak and Khawaja Moinu-din-chisti. The temple
was built by Ranjit Singh to honor the sacrifices of
the masses. Other attractions in Kuchaman include the
Meena Bazaar (a bustling bazaar where merchants,
tradesmen and craftsmen used to put up their wares for
sale to the royalty) and the China Pole (with its
exceptional intricately painted interiors made by a
Chinese traveler narrating his experiences during his
travels in India).
Kishangarh
Kishangarh was a princely state ruled by the Rathores
and located on National Highway 8. Apart from its
fort, the Kishangarh is known for the miniature
paintings style known as Kishangarh Art. Phool Mahal
(Flower Palace), now converted into a hotel is the
main attraction inside the fort. Kishangarh is also
known its rich storehouse of marbles.
Roopangarh
Roopangarh was built by King Roop Singh of Kishangarh
in 1648. Originally a nine-turreted fort, new
additions were continuously made to in the coming
years. Difference in the architectural styles can be
easily observed in the fort.
Ajmer
Ajmer is a major city in the North Rajasthan and
located just 14 km from Pushkar. The most popular
attraction in the city is the Dargah or tomb of the
13th century Sufi Saint Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Hasan
Chisti. Other attractions are the Anna Sagar Lake, the
Nasiyan Temple, and the Arhai Din ka Jhonpra.
Sambhar Lake
Sambhar Lake is a declared wetland of international
importance and a wonderful place for excursion. It is
a place where horizons stretch to infinity and water
and sky merge in a shimmer of gauzy blue. The lake is
considered as the bird watchers paradise and home to
around 140 species of avifauna.
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