Fabled pilgrimage town and backpacker mecca
According to local lore, in the same way that Brahma sprung up from a lotus, so too did Pushkar - thus, it's no surprise that Pushkar is a major Hindu pilgrimage town, featuring one of the few Brahma temples in the world. Devotees also converge on Pushkar's sacred lake, said to be consecrated by Brahma himself. Ringed with no less than 52 bathing ghats, its waters shimmer with a serenity that seems a world away from the backpacker hordes nearby.
Perhaps the first travelers were lured to Pushkar by the immensely popular camel fair held yearly in November, or perhaps they went on to tell of the mystical solemnity of its lake, but today Pushkar is one of the main stops on India's backpacker circuit. Banana pancakes and baba pants are as prevalent as pilgrims and ghats, and at times, there is an uneasy coexistence between the two. Remember to dress appropriately and to be respectful when taking pictures of pilgrims, otherwise you'll just be alienating yourself from the culture you wish to admire.
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