According to the Padma (Lotus) Purana , PUSHKAR , 15km northwest of Ajmer, 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. In fact, it's hard to think of anywhere else in India, apart from perhaps Manali, Kovalam and the resorts of Goa, that has been so thoroughly transformed by mass tourism over the past decade. The main bazaar, which only fifteen years ago comprised a string of stalls selling traditional puja paraphernalia, is now a kilometre-long line of shops crammed with hippy trinkets, full-moon-party fluoro outfits, jewellery and fusion CDs, while the streetside cafés churn out banana pancakes and mind-blowing bhang lassis for a clientele clad in gaudy Glastonbury gear. Arriving from less budget-traveller-oriented parts of the country, this may come as a welcome break, but if you've travelled here hoping for a taste of the east, the ravers and relentless didgeridoo music can be a stark disappointment.

That said, Pushkar has not been entirely spoilt. Wander away from the bazaar to the more tranquil fringes of the lake, or into the surrounding hills, and the magical atmosphere that attracted travellers here in the first place survives undiminished. At sunset, with the sound of temple bells and drums drifting across the water, this can still feel like one of the most exotic places on earth