Pushkar TraveL Information

14-km from Ajmer, Pushkar is legendary among travellers looking for new experiences. It offers much more than most weekend getaways can hope to pack in: temples, ghats, street bazaars, caf?s, and of course, desert safaris. As a religious site, Pushkar practically sells itself: it is home to one of the two Brahma temples in the country. The region is a labyrinth of 500-odd temples, 52 ghats and palaces clustered around a holy lake.
According to legend, the lake sprang up at the spot where a lotus fell from Lord Brahma`s hands-and has curative properties. Religious site notwithstanding, Pushkar is an artsy hippie region peopled with sadhus, hippies and pilgrims. On the one hand, it attracts the flower child. On the other, it is a sanctified spot characterized by temples and ghats. Whether you detoxify in a heritage hotel, take part in religious rituals, study temple architecture, or simply do touristy things like shopping, eating out and camel safaris, Pushkar has much to draw you in.
For the uninitiated, it has been on the hippie circuit for years is easily available in this vegetarian and alcohol-free town! The town is very small and as someone put it, “you could pretty much cover it in about an hour”. Pushkar has all requisite distractions; visitors can purchase florescent shirts, a set of drums, paintings, books, trance and reggae CDs, religious paraphernalia, silver jewellery, sequinned and embroidered sandals, blankets, and handmade weapons; try multicuisine delicacies at caf?s littering the marketplace; and party at night-long desert raves. More surprises awaited in the form of Salvador Dali! Emporiums in Sadar Bazaar either hawk paintings, wall hangings, diaries and T-shirts of his works or inspired thereby.
If Rajasthan is a land of diversity, Jaipur is its most sublime expression. The seduction`s easily explained. Jaipur is a city of vivid and unforgettable images: Jal Mahal [a palace in the midst of Man Sagar lake], ochre-pink buildings, camels standing astride a Mercedes Benz at traffic lights, theatres showing  films in a busy marketplace[!], artisans engaging in block printing, gem cutting, and puppet making.
The staggering maze of old-world palaces and forts-the city`s archaeological treasures-are for many the sole reason for traveling to Jaipur. I began my odyssey at a vantage point in the city-Amer fort, Jaipur`s grand icon and showpiece. A centre of royal pomp under the reign of Raja Man Singh, Amer was initially a palace complex within the original fort, which is today known as Jaigarh fort. Connected with Amer through fortified passages, Jaigarh fort is renowned for the world`s biggest cannon on wheels, Jai Ban.
By 10 a.m., the tourists are out on the streets, battling crowds and traffic as they wind their way from palaces and baroque buildings to the ruins of antiquity. Indeed, Jaipur often appears to have two populations: one of locals and another of visitors. The old city is a fascinating place to wander around, with its quaint bazaars [there`s a market that only sells bangles!], artisans` digs, and the Hawa Mahal [it is part of the City Palace and has 953 windows]. During the winters especially, it plays host to a horde of sightseers who converge on it with guidebooks and cameras in hand. To all-Americans, Europeans, Indians-Jaipur extends a warm welcome … wining, dining, and entertaining them in its inimitable fashion. The traffic, unfortunately, is worse than ever.