Pushkar
Pushkar is a town in the Ajmer district in the Indian State of Rajasthan. It is one of the five sacred sacred dhams (pilgrimage sites) for devout Hindus. It is one of the oldest cities in India and lies on the shore of the Pushkar Lake. Pushkar has many temples. The most famous among them is the Brahma Temple built in the 14th century. Pushkar was totally vegetarian and alcohol free.
On our way to Pushkar from Jojawar, we stopped at a Sas-Bahu Temple.
We checked into our hotel, the New Park Inn and it was lovely!
We walked around the village to see the sights
Pushkar Lake is surrounded by 52 bathing ghats (a series of steps leading to the lake), where pilgrims throng in large numbers to take a sacred bath. A dip in the sacred lake is believed to cleanse sins and cure skin diseases. Over 500 Hindu temples are situated around the lake precincts.
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Early the next morning, many of us in the group, arose before dawn and rode in Tuk Tuks to the base of the Ratnagiri hill which is 750ft in elevation. We climbed it to see the sunrise. What was I thinking? It is stenuous and hard! It is home to the Savitri Temple which houses the goddess, Savitri, the first wife of Brahma. I was the next to last person in the group to make it to the top...those darn twenty year olds!!! It was beautiful! The sunrise was spectacular and well worth the thigh killing exercise.
Savitri Temple
We had company on top of the hill!
We had chai to watch the sunrise!
Students on their way to school
Making scissors
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We shopped the amazing vendors in Pushkar (best shopping) and in the evening we went for a sunset camel ride! Yes, KK rode a camel!
Held each November at the time of the Kartik Purnima full moon, Pushkar Camel Fair is on of India's most highly-rated travel experiences, a spectacle on an epic scale, attracting more than 11,000 camels, horses and cattle and visited by over 400,000 people over a period of 14 days.
I loved Barb's parasol!
Camel carts for those who didn't want to ride the beasts!
Beautiful silhouette in the fading sun
My camel...they walk so proud!
We were adorned in sari's...Adi and KK!
Dancers
Fire entertainers
Magician (he was awesome)
Wow! Full schedule and two nights in Pushkar! What a truly amazing experience!
We walked around the village to see the sights
We ate dinner at a rooftop restaurant (very big in India) and we were told that Pushkar was alcohol free....but when Barb and Duncan asked if they had beer....
this is what they got!!! Covered in foil!
Early the next morning, many of us in the group, arose before dawn and rode in Tuk Tuks to the base of the Ratnagiri hill which is 750ft in elevation. We climbed it to see the sunrise. What was I thinking? It is stenuous and hard! It is home to the Savitri Temple which houses the goddess, Savitri, the first wife of Brahma. I was the next to last person in the group to make it to the top...those darn twenty year olds!!! It was beautiful! The sunrise was spectacular and well worth the thigh killing exercise.
Savitri Temple
On the way back to the hotel, some street scenes:
Playing a board game
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We shopped the amazing vendors in Pushkar (best shopping) and in the evening we went for a sunset camel ride! Yes, KK rode a camel!
Wow! Full schedule and two nights in Pushkar! What a truly amazing experience!
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