The Holy city of Pushkar in Rajasthan, India  hosts the amazing Camel ( plus cattle and Horse) Fair annually in the month of November( Kartik in Hindi) .
It culminates with the first Full Moon ( Kartik Poornima) after Diwali ( festival of Lights) .
Built around a lake  which is revered , Pushkar is inseparable from mythology and folklore. See the featured image with the Bael tree in the foreground and the auspicious lake surrounded by temples and ghats.
The bael tree with its football sized fruits ( the bael) is similarly entwined with Mythology and Legends.
This gorgeous Bael  tree was photographed in the courtyard of a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva in Pushkar.
The Bael ( Hindi) Tree,  Golden Apple ( English) , Wood apple  ( English), Aegle marmelos ( Scientific) is Native to the  Indian Sub Continent.
The trifoliate leaves or Bael Patra are symbolic of the Hindu Trinity, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. There are hundreds of legends and you can discover them as you travel across India.
The three lobed leaves are offered to Lord Shiva and placed face downwards .
There are numerous legends about the origins of the Beal
( Bilva) Tree one of which traces the tree to the Goddess of Wealth, Lakshmi.
The fruit is large and almost the size of a football. It has a soft  pulpy centre from which a delicious juice is extracted.
The Juice or Sherbet ( Hindi) Â has numerous health benefits and mention of the same is found in ancient scriptures dating back to 2000 BC.
Wood Apple or Bael.
The Bilva, Bael, Wood Apple  Tree is a natural Pharmacy and has numerous curative properies for ailments from cholera , asthama and diabetes. (http://www.speakingtree.in/allslides/10-amazing-health-benefits-of-bilva-leaves)
Be spellbound and enchanted by this magical tree.Look out for it on your travels .
Now that is a beautiful tree! Thanks for sharing 😃
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Glad you liked the tree.
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What a beautiful tree, like a magical one… I haven’t known of course. Thank you dear Mukul, how rich your country, there are a lot of things that I don’t know. Have a nice day, love, nia
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Thank you for your lovely comments.
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Out here in Jaipur one can find many shops selling bel shake, in summer season. and it’s quite tasty too! I also did a blog post on bel fruit some time back.. Sharing the link
https://jaipurthrumylens.wordpress.com/2015/05/14/aegle-marmelos-bel-tree/
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thank you for sharing the information. Bel sherbet is had throughout North India and is supposed to be a good antidote to the hot summer winds.
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True! Out here the bel shake is more popular and since it’s a shake, milk is added to it. Over last five -seven years, the price of bel has more than doubled. The best ones are the one with slight yellow color and with a sweet smell emanating from it. Although found widely across the state, some claim that the one originating from benaras are the best!
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Interesting Benaras, is also home to Lord Shiva and one of the 12 Jyotirlingas.
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beautiful post!
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