Pushkar - the rose garden of Rajasthan

STATE - RAJASTHAN
   
DISTANCE - 14 KM From Ajmer, 140 KM From Jaipur, 390 KM From New Delhi.

 
CONNECTION
 
By Air : The nearest airport is the Jaipur Airport from where regular flights to Udaipur, Jodhpur, Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Aurangabad are available.

By Rail : The nearest railway station is Ajmer from where direct trains for Jaipur, Delhi, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Mumbai and destinations are available. The Shatabdi Express connects Ajmer with Delhi.

By Road : Pushkar is connected with Ajmer through road. Buses, taxis and jeeps are also available.
 
ABOUT PUSHKAR
 
Pushkar is situated 11km away in Northwest of Ajmer city of Rajasthan. It is one of the biggest sacred places for Hindus pilgrimage and is one of the most visited pilgrimage places in India. It is also called PUSHKAR DHAM. The origin ofPushakar is not known. According to the Padma ( Lotus) Purana, Pushkar city came into existence when lord Brahma- the creator of universe, dropped his lotus flower ( push-pa ) on the earth from his hand ( kar) to kill the demon. A lake sprang up at the place where the petal landed. This is the origin of the pushkar lake. The lake is believed to be the holiest in india

Pushkar a small township carries religious and worshipping traditions since ancient days. Pushkar has more than 500 temples including ( Jagat Pita Shri Brahma Temple) only temple of Lord Brahma ( Vishwa Rachiyta – creator of universe) in the universe where Brahma is being worshipped. There are 52 bathing ghats around the holy lake- these were constructed by various rulers of the Indian states.
 
PLACES OF INTERESTS & RELIGIOUS PLACES IN PUSHKAR
 
Brahma Temple : Brahma Temple is the only temple that is dedicated to Lord Brahma in India. Located near the Lake at Pushkar in Rajasthan, Brahma Temple receives many pilgrims to its doorsteps every year. Built in the 14th century, Brahma Temple commemorates Lord Brahma, who is considered as the creator of this Universe according to the Hinduism. Lord Brahma is one amongst the trinity of Hindu Gods, the other being Lord Shiva and Lord Vishnu. For the Hindus, Brahma Temple is an important pilgrim place. Raised on a high platform, the temple lies in the Pushkar valley that is known for its scenic beauty.

Pushkar Lake : The Pushkar Lake is surrounded by 52 flights of steps, called ghats, many having special legendary importance. Lord Vishnu is said to have appeared at the Varah Ghat in the form of a boar. Brahma took a bath here and performed Yajna at the Brahma Ghat, Accompanied by Vishnu and Mahadev. Guru Govind Singh chose this site for reciting the sacred Guru Granth Sahib. The ashes of Mahatma Gandhi were immersed at the Ghandhi Ghat, which was previously called Gau Ghat.

Floating Lamps (Deepdan) : It is customary to float lighted earthen lamps after placing them on pattals (plates made of leaves) on the waters of the lake. This creates a spectacular view in the evening when the sacred lake takes on a mystical tint sprinkled with twinkling spot of light. Aarti is offered at the Lake in the morning and evening.

Savitri Temple : This temple that is located at the top of the Ratnagiri Hill is dedicated to Savitri, the wife of Lord Brahma. The temple houses a magnificent statue of Goddess Savitri.

Rangji Temple : The Rangji Temple is dedicated to Vishnu, the Preserver of the Hindu Trinity. Built in the style of the South Indian temples, it houses two massive structures of dwarpalas (gatekeepers) in front of the main gate. The temple has an image of Garuda, the mount of lord Vishnu.

Roopangarh Fort : The Roopangarh Fort was constructed by King Roop Singh of Kishangarh in 1648 exclusively for defence. Originally a nine-turreted fort, new additions were continuously made to it in couse of time. The different styles of architecture can be distinctly observed in the fort. Kishangarh and Roopangarh are both situated at a distance of around 100 km from Jaipur.

Sambhar : Declared as a wetland of international importance, Sambhar Lake is a wonderful place to visit near Pushkar. Apart from being a place where horizons stretch to infinity, where water and sky merge in a shimmer of gauzy blue, the Sambhar Lake is also regarded as the bird watchers\’ paradise. The lake is home to about 140 species of birds, including land birds. Legend has it that Raja Yayati, a descendant of Lord Brahma, married Devyani, daughter of Shukracharya (the guru of demons) who lived by the lake.

Varah Temple : Being built in the 12th century, the Varah Temple was one of the many temples destroyed by Emperor Aurangzeb. It is said that he particularly detested the life-size image of Varah, the god with the head of a wild boar and the body of a man. Later in 1727, Raja Sawai Jai Singh of Jaipur reconstructed it. The temple has elegant carvings and sculptures, besides the richly ornamented image house.
 
WHEN TO GO PUSHKAR
 
Best time to visit here is from October to March
 
WEATHER FORECAST
 
Pushkar has a hot and sultry climate. Summers (March to June) are very hot and mercury level rises up to 40°C. Minimum summers temperature is 25°C. Winters (November to February ) are pleasant. During this season, temperature ranges with a maximum 22°C and minimum 8°C. Monsoons (July to September ) offer average rainfall and are very humid.
 
EVENTS AND FESTIVALS IN PUSHKAR
 
Pushkar Fair : The Pushkar Fair is the largest cattle fair in Asia and is held in the month of November during the Kartik Purnima (day of full moon in the Hindu lunar month of Kartik) when hundreds of thousands of pilgrims take a holy dip in the sacred Pushkar Lake. This spectacular event is worth witnessing when the cold November nights are lit up by the lurid campfires and the folk dance and music performances cast a magical spell!

Cattle Fair : The cattle fair is synonimous to the Pushkar fair. The villagers and the merchants meet at Pushkar and barter. The cattles are decorated in very colorful manner to attract the buyers and the tourists.

Cattle Competition : Various competitons involving cattle’s takes place during the festival. The famous camel race and the cattle race also takes place here. There is an interesting event to test the power of the camels. Many people sit on the back of the camel and the camels race. People fall from the back of the camels and the camel who carries the most number of people on the back is declared the winner. Other events like the Cattle fashion show, magic shows are also a part of this event.

Recreation : The culture of Rajasthan comes alive in Pushkar through the folk lores, music and dance performances. Cultural events, exhibitions and movies reflect the rich culture of Rajasthan.
 
FOOD AND RESTURANTS IN PUSHKAR
 
OM Siva Restaurant, Raju's Garden Restaurant, RS Restaurant, Rainbow, Krishna Restaurant, Moondance, Venus Restaurant.