Pushkar Rajasthan

Pushkar - The Pilgrimage Centre

Pushkar is a town of the state of Rajasthan, just 11 Kms from Ajmer and 132 Kms from Jaipur. The Nag Pahar (the snake mountain) forms a natural boundary between Ajmer and Pushkar. Pushkar lies on the edge of the desert, along the picturesque Pushkar Lake. The town is an important pilgrimage and tourists destination as it houses the14th century temple of Brahma. In addition other important temples are Savitri Temple, Mahadeva Temple, Rangji Temple, and Varaha Temple. A Pilgrimage centre from time immemorial Pushkar gets a legacy of timeless architectural heritage. Pushkar provides an ambiance of peace and spirituality that attracts the visitors again and again.

Brahma Temple & Pushkar Lake

The temple is only temple of the god Brahma in the world. The temple has a life-size four-armed idol of Lord Brahma. According to Hindu mythology Lord Brahma is the creator of the world. Pushkar Lake is the site of annual holy bath on Kartik Purnima. The entire lake is surrounded by around 500 temples, 52 palaces and 52 ghats. The Pushkar Lake also has a mythological significance, as according to Hindus, Lord Brahma was on his way to search a suitable place to perform a Yagna (a fire sacrifice), a lotus fell from his hand and water sprouted from that place. Pushkar was one of the place where Lord Brahma performed Yagna.

Ghats

The holy lake has 52 ghats and pilgrim take a ritual dip in the lake especially during the festival. If one wants to take the dip he has to remove his shoes. The smoking and photography is not allowed here.

Attractions in Pushkar

Pushkar Fair Pushkar Fair The famous Pushkar Fair held evey year, during the full day of Kartik Purnima, usually around October- November. Thousands of devotees throng the Pushkar lake to take a holy dip. The huge and colourful Cattle fair also held during this time. Pushkar fair is renowned for it's Camel trading, Camel racing and other interesting activities. Dance, music and colourful shops in the fair attracts every one. The mouth-watery traditional delicacies of Pushkar are also on sale in the shop. The culture events including the puppet shows are also organized here.

Pushkar Bazaar The main bazaar of Pushkar is has several small shops along the narrow lanes. It is the good place to buy silver and beaded jewellery, embroidered fabrics, bed and cushion covers. In addition Rajasthani puppets and fusion music are also good buys. The shops here have an excellent collection of second hand novels in various language.

Savitri Temple Dedicated to Savitri, the wife of Brahma, the temple is situated on the top of the Ratnagiri Hill. Inside the temple there is a beautiful idol of Goddess Savitri.

EXCURSIONS

Kuchaman The place famous for its fort takes one to the charm of a bygone era. One can view the life story of Meera Bai in miniature paintings inside the Meera Mahal. Another attraction is Lok Dev Temple which was built by Ranjit Singh to honour the sacrifices of the masses. Other attractions include the Meena Bazzar and the China Pole.

Kishangarh Kishangarh was the royal state ruled by Rathores. The Kishangarh fort houses the miniature paintings style called as Kishangarh Art. The Phool Mahal (Flower Palace) inside the fort is now operational as hotel.

Ajmer

Located just 11 Kms from Pushkar, Ajmer is a major city in the north Rajastha. The Dargah of the 13th century Sufi Saint Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Hasan Chisti is major attraction here. Other attractions in Ajmer include Anna Sagar Lake, the Nasiyan Temple, and the Arhai Din ka Jhonpra.

Reaching Pushkar

By Air : Pushkar has not its own airport, nearest airport is Jaipur (132 Kms). Jaipur is well connected to all the major cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Jodhpur, Udaipur.

By Rail : Ajmer is the nearest Railway Station from Ajmer. Ajmer is connected to all major cities of India. There are daily trains from Delhi to Ajmer.

By Bus : The Pushkar town is 11 Kms from Ajmer Bus Stand. The comfortable deluxe & air conditioned buses of Rajasthan Roadways run from Jaipur. From Jaipur there are buses to Ajmer in every 15 minutes.

Local Transport : Pushkar is a small town so there are no auto-rickshaw in the town centre. One can explore the town on foot.

Accommodation in Pushkar

The town has no many hotels, the famous hotel is Pushkar Palace (Heritage) which provides the accommodation faciltiy. Ajmer can be the ideal base to visit Pushkar as the city is dotted with several hotels.