Kashmir was my travel plan for July, and yes it was travel where backpacking with two girls gave me good experience of how to travel solo, how to avoid be aware of surroundings, etc. So after a break from travel for months the itch to travel has already happened. The next destination I chose is Pushkar – which is one city in India that everybody is cognizant of and wishes to visit someday. This sacred city of Hindus, is only 10 km from the city of Ajmer in Rajasthan. The city of Pushkar is comfortably settled between hills from tri-directions and the magnificent golden desert form the remaining. Though the climatic variations border the extreme ranges as is the true for any desert the always city is abuzz with activities (Festivals, Fairs, Safaris, pilgrimages etc.) throughout the year.
This “Adi Tirtha” finds a revered mention in the epics of Ramayana and Mahabharat. Lord Bramha is supposed to have killed the asura Vajra Nabha with lotus flower. The asura was destroyed by the contact, and petals fell at three places. Brahma dropped a lotus flower on the earth – so say the epics – and Pushkar floated to the surface.
One of those places is Pushkar, where a lake was formed. Brahma performed sacrifice on a Kartik Purnima (full moon day in the Hindu Kartik month), sanctifying it. Rows of sacred ghats front a mystically magnetic lake, where hundreds of milky-coloured temples and weather-touched domes sit beneath a shifting, pale grey sky.
After booking my flights tickets through Goibibo .com and Indigo directly, I set my journey as solo woman traveler on 22nd Nov to Jaipur. My travel plan is to visit he Pushkar Fair, or Pushkar ka Mela, which is the annual five-day camel and livestock fair, held in the town of Pushkar . It is one of the world’s largest camel fairs, and apart from buying and selling of livestock it has become an important tourist attraction and its highpoints are the “matka phod“, “longest moustache”, and “bridal competition” are the main draws for this fair which attracts thousands of tourists. The festival concludes on the full moon of the Hindu lunar month of Kartika, which falls in October or November. Drawing in 50,000 camels and 200,000 people, the fair is ostensibly a time when Rajasthani farmers gather to buy and sell their camels, cattle and horses – most of the trading, however, is completed in the days leading up to the fair.
The next visit after festival is a holy bath in the lake at Pushkar and worship at Brahma temple (one of the very few Brahma temples in the world) is held in very high regards.. Legends claim that, at one time, the shores of the Pushkar Lake were hosting 500 temples and 52 palaces (for numerous kings).
Apart of from religious places, Pushkar has also insinuated itself to many for its wonderful shopping centers offering various fabrics, books, Handicraft goods, traditional and fusion music etc. Words of caution though not for me as being vegetarian ; avoid consumption of meat and meat products and alcohol within 5 km of Pushkar.
Pushkar Lake is a sacred lake of the Hindus. The Pushkar Lake finds mention on coins as early as the 4th century BC. 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, especially around Kartik Poornima(October–November) when the Pushkar Fair is held. A dip in the sacred lake is believed to cleanse sins and cure skin diseases.
Places to be seen in this trip:
1.Pushakr Lake
2. Aptaeshwar Temple
3. Brahma’s Temple
4. Rangji Temple
5. Merta
6.Pushkar Cattle Fair
Here is the tentative map of my travel, https://maps.google.co.in/maps/ms?msid=210043318736060096277.0004cbe0b07134020bb17&msa=0&ll=22.958393,74.333496&spn=13.247988,26.784668
Incase anybody wants to join reading travel plan, please letme know….being solo traveller dun mind company!
References and credits:
photokatha 
Rajasthan is among the richest states in the country as far as the field of arts and crafts is concerned. Stone, clay, leather, wood, ivory, lac, glass, brass, silver, gold and textiles are given the most brilliant forms.Puskar is most popular city of Rajasthan for fair. Thousands of travelers came to Rajasthan to enjoy puskar fair events.
Thanks
Hey,
Thanks very much for leaving comment on the Pushkar Festival. Yes Im hoping a,lot from the Festival.. Lets see..How it goes. Have you been there before..SHare your blog or experience.
Rutavi
Try to visit Kudki – Birth place of Meerabai.
Kudki and Merta is not too far and if possible visit Sambar Lake. Best Wishes !
Hi Tushar,
Would definitely will try to visit this places. But since there only for two days..Looks difficult to go there for short time..But Lets See.
Regards
Rutavi Mehta