Pushkar, the holy place, which means the king of sacred and pilgrim places, is located in the Ajmer region of Rajasthan. It is one of the ancient and beautiful pilgrim sites among the 5 dhams of Hindus. Lord Brahma’s seat in a lotus flower in Indian culture. That is why Pushkar is one of the most famous places which have a temple of Lord Brahma
Pushkar is also famous for its lake, which is known as Pushkar Lake and Pushkar Sarovar. The lake has 52 ghats. 400 blue-coloured temples surround the holy lake. It makes the atmosphere more spiritual and peaceful as one can hear a magical slogan from temples.
Pushkar is one of the most famous places, not just for Indian devotees and tourists but also for international tourists. In other words, the calmness, spirituality, and heritage of the town are a crowd-puller.
History of Pushkar
The story behind the beginning of Pushkar is very interesting. It started from the time when the creator of the universe, Lord Brahma, wanted to do a maha yagna, for which he needed a sacred place. While he was searching, he came to know about VajraNabh, a demon who was killing innocent people. Lord Brahma sent a lotus flower blessed with powerful mantras to kill the rakshasa.
The three petals fell from the flower at that time. A petal landed on a place, and it got named Pushkar. That is why people consider Pushkar Lake a holy lake. After that, when Brahma ji was performing his yajna, his wife Savitri was absent. As a result, he had to marry another girl from the Gurjar community named Gayatri to complete the yajna.
When his wife, Savitri, got this information, she got furious. She implored her husband, Brahma ji, to be honored only in Pushkar throughout the whole world. That is why Pushkar is popular for having the only temple to worship Lord Brahma. The Gurjar community, also known as Bhopas, supplies the minister (of religion) present in the temple.
Pushkar lake
- Significance of Pushkar Lake
Pushkar Lake is one of the holiest lakes in the history of Hinduism. Every year, Pushkar Lake is a blessed water of the holy lake where thousands of devotees come and take a dip in the lake, especially on Kartik Poornima. Legends say that the sacred lake washes away their bad karma. Furthermore, the temples of Lord Krishna and Lord Hanuman are located around the lake, providing positive and peaceful energies.
- Ghats around the lake
There are around 52 ghats around the lake. But some of the most visited ghats where devotees reach are “Gwalior Ghat, Yag Ghat, Varaha Ghat, Gau Ghat, Jaipur Ghat, Karni Ghat, Dadhich Ghat, Saptarishi Ghat, and Kota Ghat”. Authorities consider all these ghats around the lake as “monuments of national importance.”
The royal families of Rajasthan restored the lake and ghats. The time to visit the lake is between 9 AM and 6 PM every day.
- Activities to do
You can enjoy the camel rides near Pushkar Lake to witness the beauty of the Aravali hills. Visitors and international tourists also love to hang out at the best spots in Pushkar, like the Brahma temple and Pushkar Palace, and also Man Mahal, which represent the rich Rajasthani culture and a glimpse of Rajput rulers in a very beautiful way.
- The best time to visit
November through March are perfect months for a fun trip to Pushkar, Rajasthan. The weather is also just right. Moreover, you can also enjoy the famous camel fair festival during Kartik Poornima along with festivities.
Man Mahal
Raja Ram Singh constructed the grand mansion, which serves as the guest house and is one of the most visited spots in Pushkar. Man Mahal is famous for its Rajasthani architectural style, which represents the royal period.
Set up near Pushkar Lake, the palace’s beauty is heightened as it provides a stirring view of the tabernacles, too. However, the mahal is converted into a hotel known as RTDC (Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation) Hotel Sarovar, but it still has its Rajasthani beauty.
After that, the hotel provides multiple facilities like camel cart rides, camping, and a visit to the Pushkar fair, lake, and temple,s along with enjoyable services like a restaurant, spa, and bar.
The Pushkar Mela
The annual Pushkar mela is the charm of Pushkar. They organize the mela every year for almost 5-7 days between October and November. The camel and livestock fair is one of the most enjoyable places for visitors in Pushkar. Many competitions like the “longest mustache”, “matka phod” challenge, “bridal competition”, and cricket matches between local players and foreign tourists are very fun to watch.
There are many fascinating experiences one can witness at Pushkar Mela. For example, the beauty and rich culture of Rajasthan, camel trading, old-style camping, entertaining, and unique competition, and many more.
The mela ends with the maha aarti or pooja on Pushkar Lake. Later on, the climax happens with fireworks on the high-level bridge.
The camel safari
One of the most popular activities, the camel safari, is the top attraction for tourists. One of the largest camel fairs in the world, where more than 50,000 animals come together and perform. But the most famous is the camel safari and horse rides. There are a lot of nomadic tribes living near that area. During the safari, one can walk through the Thar desert, which gives a glance at the homely villages of Rajasthan.
There are two packages of camel safari adventure. One is for 1 hour, and the second is the multi-day package. You can do a half-day or full-day camel safari. If a person chooses a multi-day package, then they will have the experience of staying in a tent in the middle of the desert. Folk music and folk dance will make the evenings even more beautiful. Moreover, A night under the twinkling stars and a morning with a pleasing sunrise will make any person fall in love with the town ten times more.
The best time to go for a camel safari is between September and March. It is extremely hot, so winter is better for this experience. The camel safari starts between 5 am to 7 am.
Wind up
Pushkar, known as “The Rose Garden of Rajasthan,” is one of the most beautiful towns filled with rich culture and heritage. The town might be a bit small in area, but its calmness and charm are at their peak. In addition, the place has a large variety of mouth-watering vegetarian food. Those who say veg food doesn’t have variety should come to Pushkar.
A few famous dishes of Rajasthan that a food lover must try are dal baati choorrma, aloo puri and kachori, malai lassi, malpua, and falafel.
One can visit Pushkar by :
- By road: One can book a cab from Delhi to Pushkar to visit comfortably. The other way to reach Pushkar by road is to take a bus.
- By air: Jaipur airport is the nearest airport to Pushkar. The other airports are Delhi, Kolkata, and Mumbai.
- By train: The train is the fastest way to reach Pushkar. You can book a train ticket to Ajmer and then book a cab from Ajmer. Compared to other modes of transport, it is also budget-friendly.
The colorful festival is not just famous among the locals but also among foreigners. Also, the men rip each other’s shirts and play with colors with full fun. So, now when are you planning to have this lifetime experience of spirituality with a lot of enjoyment? I hope so soon.
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