Pushkar

Pushkar is a holy city built around a lake that is said to have been created when flower petals fell from the hand of the god "Brahma the Creator".  Hindus have three parts to their god: Brahma the creator, Vishnu the sustainer of life and Shiva the destroyer.  The temple to Brahma here is a very important shrine.  We checked our shoes and camera and took our rose petals in to make an offering.  Oddly, smart phones are allowed so I got some pictures.

Our guide walked us through the bazaar in the center of town where all kinds of crafts and other items are sold.  Bangles, leather goods, scarves, fabric and food.  We saw some American looking "20somethings" with serious dreadlocks in the bazaar and asked our guide about them.  They call them "hippies" here.  Duh. He explained they live in the mountains and "smoke".

Stands like the one below have machines that crush sugar cane.  They add water and lime for a local version of a lemonade stand.

It was a special holiday today during which you aren't supposed to use fire.  So the chai shops are closed and the sweet shops put rose petals around their stoves to show that they are observing the rules. As you can see, the oven is right on the street.

The most important attraction of Pushkar are the ghats, steps that extend down to the water so that pilgrims can go down and bathe in the lake, washing away their sins and saying prayers for their family members. We deposited the remainder of the rose petals that we got at the Brahma Temple and said prayers for all of you. 

This is the same type of ritual bathing that you have probably seen performed at Varanasi on the Ganges river, although there are no cremations here in this enclosed, spring-fed lake.  The main temple there is to Shiva The Destroyer so cremations are appropriate there.

If you pay extra, a guru will accompany you down to the water and say mantras with you.  We love you all but decided not to pay extra here (see future blog about Rankapur for a different experience).

Our hotel at Pushkar was out in the country, very peaceful and a great pool.  The gardens were beautiful and Eva posed with the gardener in her "work clothes".