Located on the edge of the wilderness and bordered by beautiful knolls on all the 3 sides, Pushkar is a calm and laid-back urban. For Hindus, Pushkar is a holy town. This sacred town is located 11 kilometers to the north-west of Ajmer city, Rajasthan. The charisma of this weary, lakeside arrangement of Pushkar enthralled a great Indian lyricist, Kalidas. So, this place got a place in one of his classics, the ‘Abhigyan Sakuntalam’. Being a vital place of worship for Hindus, Pushkar is prominent for its lake. The two famous Hindu epics known as the Ramayana and Mahabharat make allusions to this sacred city that is considered as the “Adi Tiratha”.
History of Pushkar City
Surprising facts suggest that Pushkar city existed in 4th century B.C. itself. Also, a lake in an unfriendly atmosphere of a barren region and is nothing but wonder. The fable about the creating God, Bramha indicates the conception of the Pushkar lake. Since an evil person “Vajra Nabha” took the life of Lord Brahma's children, Brahma consecutively smacked the demon with his bludgeon, a lotus flower. As a result, the fiend ‘Vajra Nabha’ deceased due to that collision, and the lotus petals fell at 3 different places. One petal of the flower fell in Pushkar, where a lake bounced into a life form. Lord Brahma is believed to have done a ‘Yagna’ (ritual sacrifice) at this Pushkar lake on the auspicious day “Kartik Purnima” which is the full-moon day of the Kartik month to make this place sacred. Since Pushkar was blessed by Brahma, this city owns a temple that is dedicated to Lord Brahma (the solitary temple for Brahma in the earth). It is believed that a bathe in the holy waters of Pushkar Lake and reverence to Lord Brahma at his temple guarantee rescue. Hence, thousands of people assemble at Pushkar Lake to view the ceremony on the “Kartik Purnima” day or on any of the 4 days prior to the event.
Famous temples in Pushkar
Pushkar city is well-known for its charming places in addition to the 400 historically significant temples. Some of the most popular temples to visit are:
Brahma Temple: The most eminent temple in Pushkar city is the Lord Brahma Temple that is believed to be the solitary temple in the world devoted to this creator god. The temple possesses a lot of spiritual beliefs and is noteworthy in the spirit and mind of people who belong to the Hindu religion. The famous Brahma temple has stairs, coins, and marble floors. The marble floors of this temple are beautifully designed.
Varah Temple: Varah Temple was initially built in the 12th century. Similar to many other temples, this temple was also attacked by a narrow-minded Mughal ruler, Aurangzeb who was displeased by the gigantic statue of Lord Varah (the deity with the body of a male and the head of the pig). Later, the temple was rebuilt by a Jaipur King “BY Raja Sawai Jai Singh II” in the year 1727. Varah temple has an appealing and opulently decorated icon house.
Mahadeva Temple: Mahadeva Temple at Pushkar is a gorgeous temple that was built in the 19th century. This temple was proudly illustrated by a British voyager of the olden times. He told that “Out of all the Pushkar temples, Mahadeva temple is definitely the most amazing temple for the sophistication of the temple’s architecture and the nature of its embellishments”. Also, this temple is remarkable for the idol of Mahadeva made out of white marbles with 5 faces and its customary bunched of hair.
Savitri Temple: A one-hour trekking (early in the morning) to reach the “top of the hill” Savitri Temple that is positioned opposite the Pushkar lake is the best time to visit this temple. The temple’s view in the early morning is simply superb.
Tourist Attractions in Pushkar
Participate in Religious ceremonies
Pushkar Lake: Pushkar Lake is one of the crucial attractions of Pushkar city and is very significant among Hindus. This lake was believed to be created by Lord Brahma. The lake is bounded by 52 fortresses, 52 ghats, and 500 temples. Pushkar lake should be definitely visited during the Karthik Purnima celebration which is conducted in the month of November annually. The festival is very well recognized as the popular “Pushkar fair”.
Man Mahal: The Man Mahal was built by “Raja Man Singh” of Amer city, Rajasthan. He built this small fortress for his own stay during his trip to Pushkar and Ajmer down the banks of Pushkar lake. At present, it serves as a tourist cottage that is administered by the department of Rajasthan tourism. The Pushkar palace located in close proximity to the palace is now turned into a legacy hotel.
Pushkar Fair/ Kartik Mela or Cattle Fair
An annual fascinating event usually organized in the month of November. Thousands of Camels are brought, decorated and traded.
A huge cattle fair that happens in the months of October & November in the region of the Pushkar lake is also illustrious. The Pushkar Fair is generally called the “Cattle fair”. This fair has caught the attention of thousands of people from different parts of the country who arrive at this palace to do business and to gaze at the Cart & Camel races. Stacking of the camel is a very admired happening in which a camel is made to sit while numerous riders climb up onto the Camel happily and go for a fun ride. Every year, at the time of Kartik Purnima, approximately 200,000 people gather to Pushkar to watch this unique Camel Fair.
Ways of transportation to Reach Pushkar
By Air: There is no separate airport for Pushkar city. However, the adjoining airport might be found in the city of Jaipur which is 132 kilometers away from the city center.
By Train: The neighboring railway station is in Ajmer town. Ajmer city is well-connected to all primary cities of India. One can find regular trains that connect Delhi and Ajmer.
By Bus: Pushkar city is 11 km away from the Ajmer bus stand. There are good roadways that connect Jaipur and Ajmer. So, one can spot connectivity from Ajmer city to Jaipur easily.
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