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For a devout Hindu Pushkar is a very important pilgrim centre, for
one visit to this holy place in a lifetime is highly prescribed.
Brahma forms the great Hindu trilogy of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva,
each symbolising the lifecycle of birth, preservation and
destruction. Brahma the creator is depicted as of four bearded heads
and four hands each holding a book of Vedas (knowledge). His vehicle
is the swan and his consort is Savitri. According to the legend
Pushkar means a pond created by flower, was formed when Brahma
dropped a lotus flower on the earth to determine a place for his
yagna, a holy sacrifice. The story goes that Brahma wanted to
perform the yagna at the most auspicious time but his consort
Savitri whose presence at the yagna was vital for its performance
kept him waiting. Irritated by this Brahma married Gayatri, a
milkmaid and installed her instead. Savitri on seeing someone else
in her place was infuriated and cursed Brahma that he would be
forgotten by people on earth and never worshiped. She relented on
pleas from other Gods that he could only be worshiped in Pushkar,
hence there are no Brahma Temples elsewhere.
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