Pushkar

"On the 1st instant we went to Pokur, or, as it is more classically called, Pooshkur; a place as highly venerated by the Hindoos as Ajmeer is by the Moosulmans…The town, which is not large, is situated on the shore of a most romantic Pokur, or lake, from which it takes its name. Its sanctity is derived from a Jug, or sacred entertainment which Brimha there made, in the Sut-joog (or golden age), for all the Deotas. His wife Savitree, instigated by Narud, one of the sons of Brimha, refused to assist at this Jug, and retired to the top of a high hill, about a mile from the lake, where she has now a temple, which is visited by all the pilgrims who have strength and perseverance enough to climb so high, a labour which, from the description made of it to me, is fully equivalent to the reward of bowing at the shrine of the goddess. It is at Pokur alone that an image of Brimha, at least one of any celebrity, is to be seen: his temple is close to the margin of the lake, small, plain, and evidently very ancient. The image, which is about the size of a man, has four faces, and is in a sitting posture, cross-legged, but neither it not the apartment in which it is placed is distinguished by any kind of ornament. The largest temple at Pokur is one dedicated to Barajee, the third Uotar, or incarnation of Vishnoo. The building, as it now stands, presents only the small remains of the ancient temple, which was overthrown by the bigoted zeal of the Emperor Aurungzeb, and is said to have been one hundred and fifty feet in height and covered with the finest specimens of Hindoo sculpture. The old walls, to the heights of about twenty feet, were left entire, and have been covered in, to form the present temple, by Raja Jue Singh, Siwue of Jypoor."

"The next, in point of sanctity and consequence, to this temple is one sacred to Vishnoo, under the name of Budrinath, but in which there is nothing remarkable to be seen. These four temples are of very ancient structure, and are held in particular veneration; but besides them, there are innumerable others, of more modern date, erected to every god of the Hindoo calendar. Among these is one dedicated to Muhadeo, which is by far the most remarkable, both for the size and elegance of its structure, and the nature of its ornaments, of all the temples that Pooshkur boasts of. It was built by Anajee Seendhiya, the grandfather of the present Muha Raj. The image, and the altar on which it is placed, are of fine white marble, highly polished, and executed in a style superior to anything of the kind I have seen in India. The idol is Punj-mookhee, or five faced, each face crowned with the Jutta, or matted hair of the Uteets, and exhibiting that harsh and obscene expression which is the characteristic of the Indian, as well as the Roman, Priapus. The image in question together with its Urg,ha or altar, is precisely what one would expect to see in a temple of ancient Rome dedicated to that deity. A large building erected by Madoojee Seendhiya next attracted our notice. It contains images of Bawanee, Muha Deo, and some others of the Hindoo deities, all of white marble, but executed in a manner very inferior to the one I have just described. The interior apartment is surrounded by a range of piazzas, also of marble, designed for the accommodation of the numerous Bueragees, or mendicants, who make pilgrimages to Pooshkur; and for whose support the revenues of ten small villages in the district were allotted by the illustrious founder. Into all these temples we were freely admitted, except that of Barajee, where the Purohit, or priest, who attended us intimated it would be proper to go barefooted: as we were in boots we contended ourselves with observing everything from the door-way… Purohits are Brahmuns who attend at all celebrated Teeruts, or places of religious resort, to point out the most sacred spots, and to read the necessary prayers, &c. to the pilgrims, whose names, families and places of abode they enter carefully into a register, and receive some trifle as a compensation for their trouble. The pilgrims besides offer money, according to their means, at each of the temples they visit, and the Ghats where they bathe. With those who can afford such an expense, it is common to make the Purohit a present of a cow, with her horns tipped with silver, her hoofs plated with the same metal, and covered by a silken J,hool, or coverlet…"

"Pushkar is a place highly venerated by the Hindus, as Ajmer is by the Mussalmans. The town is situated on the shores of a romantic Pohkar or lake, from which it takes its name. It is at Pushkar alone that the image of Brahma, at least of any celebrity, is to be seen; his temple is close to the margin of the lake — small, plain and evidently very ancient. The image which is about the size of a man, has four faces and is in a sitting posture, cross-legged. The temple of Varahji, as it now stands, presents only the small remains of the ancient temple which was overthrown by the bigoted zeal of Aurangzeb, and is said to have been 150 feet in height and covered with the finest specimens ot Hindu sculpture. The old walls to the height of about 20 feet were left entire, and have been covered in, to form the present temple, by Raja Jai Singh, Sawai of Jaipur."

"Of the modern temples the one dedicated to Mahadeva is by far the most remarkable, both for the size and elegance of its structure and nature of its ornaments, of all the temples, that Pushkar boasts of. It was built by Anaji Sindhia, the grand- father of the present Maharaja (Daulat Rao). The image and the altar, on which it is placed, are of fine white marble highly polished, and executed in a style superior to anything of the kind I have seen in India..."

"They need only to go to the shores of the lake thrice blessed, named Pushkara, where every pilgrim who bathes during the full moon time of the month of Krhktika (October-November) attains to the highest sanctity, without other effort. There the sceptics would see with their own eyes the site where was built the pyre of Rohita, and also the waters visited by Lakshmi in days of yore. They might even have seen the blue lotuses, if most of these had not since been changed, thanks to a new transformation decreed by the Gods, into sacred crocodiles which no one has the right to disturb. It is this transformation which gives to nine out of every ten pilgrims who plunge into the waters of the lake, the opportunity of entering into Nirvana almost immediately, and also causes the holy crocodiles to be the most bulky of their kind."

"On the 7th azar I went to see and shoot on the tank of Pushkar, which is one of the established praying-places of the Hindus, with regard to the perfection of which they give (excellent) accounts that are incredible to any intelligence, and which is situated at a distance of three kos from Ajmir. For two or three days I shot waterfowl on that tank, and returned to Ajmir. Old and new temples which, in the language of the infidels, they call Deohara are to be seen around this tank. Among them Rana Shankar, who is the uncle of the rebel Amar, and in my kingdom is among the high nobles, had built a Deohara of great magnificence, on which 100,000 rupees had been spent. I went to see that temple. I found a form cut out of black stone, which from the neck above was in the shape of a pig's head, and the rest of the body was like that of a man. The worthless religion of the Hindus is this, that once on a time for some particular object the Supreme Ruler thought it necessary to show himself in this shape; on this account they hold it dear and worship it. I ordered them to break that hideous form and throw it into the tank. After looking at this building there appeared a white dome on the top of a hill, to which men were coming from all quarters. When I asked about this they said that a Jogi lived there, and when the simpletons come to see him he places in their hands a handful of flour, which they put into their mouths and imitate the cry of an animal which these fools have at some time injured, in order that by this act their sins may be blotted out. I ordered them to break down that place and turn the Jogi out of it, as well as to destroy the form of an idol there was in the dome"

"Visnu - my dwelling place Puskara has been overcome with terror of the matangas [Turks]. The place where I myself performed the final ablutions after the great sacrifice of world creation, the mleccha army now uses to refresh themselves after their violent destruction of temples and brahman settlements."