| Sri Brahma Temple Pushkar |
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| One of the sacred towns for the Hindus, Pushkar is at a distance of 11 kms from Ajmer. Pushkar is regarded as Adi Tiratha in the great Hindu epics of Mahabharat and Ramayana. Pushkar lies on the shore of Pushkar Lake and has five principal temples, many smaller temples and 52 ghats where pilgrims descend to the lake to bathe in the sacred waters. One of the primary temples is the 14th century temple dedicated to Brahma. Other temples of Brahma include those at Besakih in Bali, Bithoor in Uttar Pradesh, India, village Asotra near Balotra city of Barmer district in Rajasthan and Prambanan in Indonesia. |
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| According to the hindu mythology Brahma's children were killed by the demon Vajra Nabha, Brahma in destroyed Vajra Nabha with a lotus flower. And the petals of the lotus fell at three places, one of them is Pushkar, a lake came into existence. On Kartik Purnima (the full moon day of the Kartik month), Brahma is supposed to have performed sacrifice at this lake. Salvation is attained by taking a dip in the waters of Pushkar and worship at Brahma temple. To observe the ritual on kartik Purnima, thousands flock to Pushkar. |
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Pushkar an important pilgrimage site has very ancient temples some of them were destroyed by Aurangzeb, a Mogul ruler and subsequently rebuilt. In the world, the most famous is the Brahma Temple, said to be the only temple dedicated to deity. Temple with the Marble steps leading up stands on a high plinth. On the floor a silver turtle is set facing Girbha-griha. Hundreds of silver coins with donors’ names are embedded around the turtle. The vehicle of Lord Brahma's consort Saraswati peacocks adorns the temple walls.
The natural environment of Pushkar and the sacred lake has become increasingly degraded in the last few decades. The problems stem mainly from overdevelopment of tourist facilities and the deforestation of the surrounding area. |
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