Pushkar

With more than 500 temples, Pushkar is one of Hinduism's holiest sites and an interesting place to visit even when the famous camel fair is isn't being held. In its narrow traffic-free main bazaar, sadhus, tribals, hippies, and five-legged cattle (such birth deformities are considered lucky) vie for space, while shops selling implements of the ascetic lifestyle rub shoulders with the Pink Floyd café and other such establishments selling porridge and pancakes to backpackers. Although goods from all over Rajasthan find their way to the bazaar, no alcohol or meat can be sold anywhere in Pushkar because of its religious significane.

Pushkar's religious significance derives from the Vedic text, Padma Purana, which describes how the town was created. Lord Brahma, Creator of the Universe, was looking for a place to perform the yajna—a holy ritual that involves placing offerings into a sacrificial fire for Agni, the fire god—that would signify the beginning of the human age. He dropped a lotus from his hand and Pushkar was the place it struck the ground.