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Pushkar is came into existence when Lord Brahma, the
Creator, dropped his lotus flower (pushpa) to earth
from his hand (kar) to kill a demon. At the three
spots where the petals landed, water magically appeared in
the midst of the desert to form three small blue lakes,
and it was on the banks of the largest of these that
Brahma subsequently convened a gathering of some 900,000
celestial beings - the entire Hindu pantheon. surrounded
by whitewashed temples and bathing ghats, the lake is
today revered as one of India's most sacred sites : Pushkaraj
Maharaj, literally "Pushkar King of Kings".
During the auspicious full-moon phase of October/ November
(the anniversary of the gods' mass meeting, or yagya),
its waters are believed to cleanse the soul of all
impurities, drawing pilgrims from all over the country.
Alongside this annual religious festival, Rajasthani
villagers also buy and sell livestock at what has become
the largest camel market (unt mela) in the
world, when more than 200,000 dealers, tourists and
traders fill the dunes to the west of the lake.
The legendary colour of the camel mela, combined
with the beautiful desert scenery and heady religious
atmosphere of the temples and ghats have inevitably
made Pushkar a prime tourist destination.
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