Dhamma Pushkar

(Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pushkar)

Pushkar is a town in the state of Rajasthan in India. Pushkar means born due to a flower. Hindus believe that the gods released a swan with a lotus in its beak and let it fall on earth where Brahma would perform a grand yagna. The place where the lotus fell was called Pushkar. It is situated at 14 km North West from Ajmer and is one of the five sacred dhams (pilgrimage sites for devout Hindus.) It is often called “Tirth Raj” – the king of pilgrimage sites – and has in recent years become a popular destination for foreign tourists.

Pushkar is one of the oldest cities of India. The date of its actual origin is not known but legend associates Lord Brahma with its creation. It is mentioned that Brahma performed penance here for 60,000 years to have glimpse of Radha and Krishna (Hindy dieties).

Pushkar boasts of temples though not many can be considered very old since many were destroyed by Aurangzeb, a Mogul ruler and subsequently rebuilt. The most famous among all is the Brahma Temple, said to be the only temple in the world dedicated to this deity.

Pushkar lies on the shore of Pushkar Lake. It has five principal temples, many smaller temples and 52 ghats where pilgrims descend to the lake to bathe in the sacred waters. One of the primary temples is the 14th century temple dedicated to Brahma, the Hindu god of creation. Very few temples to Lord Brahma exist anywhere in the world. Other temples of Brahma include those at Besakih in Bali, Bithoor in Uttar Pradesh, India, village Asotra near Balotra city of Barmer district in Rajasthan and Prambanan in Indonesia.

Pushkar is also famous for its annual Pushkar Camel Fair.