Pushkar – A Divine Visit

Pushkar is a town in the Ajmer district in the state of Rajasthan, India. It is one of the five sacred dhams, i.e. pilgrimage sites for devout Hindus. It is often called "Tirth Raj", the king of pilgrimage sites. Pushkar is one of the oldest cities of India. It lies on the Shore of Pushkar Lake. Pushkar is also a popular destination for domestic and foreign tourists.

Pushkar has many temples. Some of them are ancient and some newly rebuilt. The most famous among all is the Brahma Temple built during the 14th century AD. The Sri Sawai Bhoj Temple, Jagat Pita Shri Brahma temple, Varaha temple, Apteshwar Mahadev temple, Savitri temple, Temple of Rangji, Man Mahal, Gurudwara Singh Sabha and Varah Temple are some of the important temples of Pusskar.

The Varah temple is dedicated to God Vishnu. It is one of the most visited temples in Pushkar city. Jagatpita Brahma Mandir is one of very few existing temples dedicated to the Hindu creator-god Brahma in India and remains the most prominent among them. The temple is believed to be over two thousand years old. The temple is mainly built of marble and stone stabs and is an architectural marvel.

The most important attraction of Pushkar is the Pushkar Lake which is considered sacred. Pushkar has become a place of Hindu pilgrimage because of this holy lake. According to legend, this lake was consecrated to Lord Brahma, the creator of the universe when a lotus dropped from his hand into the vale and a lake emerged in that place.

Pushkar is also famous for its renowned annual Pushkar Camel Fair. The Pushkar fair continues for five merry days .This fair time is the busiest time for them, as this is one of the largest cattle fairs in the country. Animals, including over fifty thousand camels, are brought from miles around to be traded and sold.

Camels at the Pushkar fair are decorated with great care. They wear jewellery of silver and beads. There are silver bells and bangles around their ankles that jangle when they walk. An interesting ritual is the piercing of a camel's nose.

Tourists can explore the rugged terrain of the Great Indian Desert of Thar by riding on camels. The camel safaris in Pushkar will take tourists to small villages where they can witness crop harvesting.

The nearest airport from Pushkar is Sanganer Airport at Jaipur. There are buses and taxis from Jaipur to Ajmer, Indore and Nagda. The nearest railway station from Pushkar is Ajmer.