Ajmer : The recent showers have worked magic on Pushkar Lake, which had become a dry bed due to scanty rainfall. Water level in the lake is currently around 18 feet, the highest in the past two decades. Not surprisingly, the lake is now attracting a large number of people - both pilgrims and tourists.

For the past one month, water has been flowing continuously into the lake from the feeders of Makrada and Savitri hills. Even the tourists are enjoying their stay as the entire surroundings have turned green this monsoon. The district received 904 mm rainfall in the last two months.

"People are delighted and sit for hours near the channel, enjoying the flow of water into the lake," said Bhikam Purohit, a local priest. According to Rajender Sharma, purohit of the famous Brahma temple, the pilgrims, in particular, are happy as they get to perform the rituals at the lake. "For the last two years, there were only temporary tanks provided by the administration. Now the lake is full of water and the pilgrims are enjoying a dip and performing their puja," he said.

The crowd has also increased in sravan and pilgrims are coming from Jodhpur, Jaipur, Kota and other parts of the state to collect the water for their local temples. "The water is holy for us as it comes from the hilly regions and contains ayurvedic qualities," said Purshottam Gupta, a pilgrim from Nagaur.

According to sources, a number of tourists, mostly from Israel, Germany, England and Canada, have descended over the last one month. "Most of them have come down after they heard that the rain has changed the environment here," said Ravinder Kaushik, a hotel owner in Pushkar. "What I am enjoying is the lake view and it gives immense joy to me and my friend," said Peter from Germany. "The place is nice and what is important is the peace," he said.

According to tourism officials, the season for foreign tourists starts in October. This year, the number of foreign tourists coming for the cattle fair may go up to 50,000 or 60,000. "At present, nearly 6,000 foreign tourists are in Pushkar," said an official. Several of them enjoy the long rides in greener Pushkar. "This time Pushkar looks different to that of two years ago. The air is cool and what is important is the water in the lake," said an Israeli tourist.