Pushkar Tour

FactFile
» Location from major metros : Delhi ( 395 km)

» Known for : Pushkar is known for the Brahma temple, Pushkar lake and the cattle fair.

» Climate and the best time to visit : Pushkar has an extreme climate with high climatic variations between the seasons. Summers have hot days though the nights can be cold. Temperature remains in the range of 10ºC in the winters. There is not much of rain in Pushkar even during the monsoon. The best time to visit the place is between the months of September to March.


The city
Pushkar is an important religious place for Hindus and is located in Rajasthan. This small city is known for Pushkar Fair (the mass trading of camels), the Lord Brahma Temple, a picturesque lake and camel fair. The city is located at a distance of just 11 kms from Ajmer, an important city of Rajasthan. Pushkar houses as many as 400 temples and 52 ghats, which includes the only temple int he country that is dedicated to Lord Brahma. People from all over the country visit the city of Pushkar to visit the Brahma temple and to become the part ofthwe cattle fair held every year.

Attractions in the city
» Brahma Temple : This is the most revered shrine in Pushkar, which happens t be the only temple devoted to The Lord Brahma, worshipped as the Creator of the Universe in the known Hindu Trinity. According to legend, Brahma performed a Yagya here when a lotus fell from his hands here and resulted in the formation of the Pushkar lake.

» Varah Temple : The Varah Temple is devoted to the Lord Vishnu, the preserver in the Hindu Trinity of Gods. The temple is houses an image of Vishnu in his fifth incarnation of wild boar and was built by the King Anaji Chauhan (1123-1150) and is equal in importance to the more well known, Brahma Temple. As per the legend, the Lord Vishnu came to earth to kill the demon Hirnayaksh who had stolen the Vedas and then took the shape of Varah (wild boar) and killed the demon thereby liberating the world from his atrocities.

» Savitri Temple : This temple is devoted to the Godess Savitri, one of Brahma's wives, and is located on the highest hill above the Pushkar town. One can climb a long series of steps to reach the shrine which offers a panoramic view of the Pushkar Lake and surrounding sand dunes.

» Pushkar Lake : The sacred Pushkar Lake is said to have been created by the falling of lotus from the hand of Lord Brahma, the creator of the universe. It is believed to be as old as the creation. The lake is one of the most holy spots in the town, and it is said that a single dip in the waters of lake on Kartika Poornima is same as performing yagnas for several hundred years. This enigmatic lake has fifty-two bathing ghats, built around it. The water around each ghat is supposed to have special powers. The Naga Kund is considered to give fertility, Roop Tirth bestows beauty and charm, the water of Kapil Vyapi Kund is said to have powers to cure leprosy and a dip in the Mrikand Muni Kund gives the blessing of wisdom. The Pushkar lake is encompassed by hills on three sides and desert on the other side. It is said that the cave of Saint Agasthya was located on the snake mountain here. Itis also believed that Kalidasa, the great poet of the ancient times, chose this place as his locale for his Sanskrit drama, Shakuntalam.

Other places to visit
» Kishangarh : Kishangarh, a princely state ruled by the Rathores is located on National Highway 8. Mamong the attraction here are the Kishangarh fort and the miniature paintings style known as Kishangarh Art. Phool Mahal or Flower Palace, now converted into a hotel is the main attraction inside the fort. Kishangarh is also known its rich storehouse of marbles.

» Roopangarh : Roopangarh was built by King Roop Singh of Kishangarh in 1648. Originally a nine-turreted fort, new additions were continuously made to in the coming years. Difference in the architectural styles can be easily observed in the fort.

» Ajmer : Ajmer, an important city in the North Rajasthan is situated just 11 km from Pushkar. The Dargah or tomb of the 13th century Sufi Saint Hazrat Khwaja Moinuddin Hasan Chisti is the most popular attraction int he city . Among the other attractions are the Anna Sagar Lake, the Nasiyan Temple, and the Arhai Din ka Jhonpra.

» Sambhar Lake : Sambhar Lake which has been declared a wetland of international importance is a great place for excursion. It is a place where horizons stretch to infinity and water and sky merge to present an alluring view. The lake is also an ideal place for the bird watchers and houses approximately 140 species of avifauna


How to reach
» By Air : Jaipur is the nearest airport at a distance of 145 km. There are regular flights to Delhi, Mumbai, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Ahmedabad, and Aurangabad from this airport.

» By Rail : Nearest railway station is Ajmer ( 11 km)with direct trains for Jaipur, Delhi, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, and other major destinations in the region. There are faster trains like Shatabdi Express who connect the Ajmer with Delhi.

» By Road : Pushkar is connected to Ajmer by road, which is around 14 km away. Distances from Pushkar to the major cities in Rajasthan and India are Delhi 403 km, Jaipur 145 km, Udaipur 289 km, Mumbai 285, Agra 377, Jodhpur 214, and Chennai 1992. There are fairly well developed roads which facilitate the movement from Pushkar the various cities