The town, which boasts of the only temple devoted to the Hindu god of creation Lord Brahma, holds perennial attraction for devout Hindus, who flock there in October-November for a dip in the holy lake to free themselves from the cycle of life and death. For the foreign tourist, the town's serene setting, its narrow lanes lined with shops, rooftops restaurants, kaliedoscopic fairs combined with its colourful but simple people proves simply irresistible.

OTHER ATTRACTIONS
Pushkar Fair: Pushkar is the venue of world famous cattle fair, also known as Camel Fair, which is normally held in October-November and attracts people from all over Rajasthan as well as tourists in tens of thousands. The fair coincides with the annual pilgrimage to the town. Besides trade in camels, horses, elephants and cattle and other livestock, a number of games, circus and other entertainment shows are also organised during the fair.

Brahma Temple: This is the only existing temple dedicated to Lord Brahma and was built in the 14th century, standing on a high plinth with marble steps leading up to it. A beautiful carved silver turtle sits on the floor facing the sanctum sanctorum. The marble floor around the silver turtle is embedded with hundreds of silver coins, with donors names engraved on them.

Old Rangji Temple: Lord Rangji is an incarnation of lord Vishnu. This temple, built in 1823 by Seth Puran Mal Ganeriwal of Hyderabad, combines three distinct styles of architecture, namely the south Indian or the Dravidian style, Rajput and Mughal styles.

Pushkar Lake: According to mythology, Lord Brahma created this lake, which is considered to be as old as the creation itself. Furthermore, it is believed that a dip in the lake on Kartika Poornima is equivalent to performing yagnas or religious sacrifice for several hundred years. There are 52 bathing ghats or platforms built around the lake and each of these are supposed to have special powers. The Naga Kund is believed to give fertility, Roop Tirth beauty and charm, Kapil Vyapi Kund helps in curing leprosy while Mrikand Muni Kund grants the boon of wisdom.

Savitri Temple: This temple dedicated to Lord Brahma's first wife Savitri is located on the hill behind the Brahma temple and is reached by climbing a series of steps. It commands a panoramic view of the beautiful lake and the picturesque surrounding of the villages.

Saraswati Temple: This temple is dedicated to Brahma's wife Saraswati, the goddess of all knowledge arts, sciences, crafts and skills; of all the creative impulse, the source of music, beauty and eloquence. Pushkar is also a pilgrimage for artists, writers and others involved in creative pursuits, who come to the town to seek the blessings of Brahma and Saraswati.

Camel Safari: Extremely popular with tourists, camel safaris are a splendid way of taking in the sights and experiencing the rugged beauty of the desert.

Kishangarh: Located 27 km from Ajmer, this industrial town was founded by Kishan Singh, a Rathore prince. It was the seat of one of the finest schools of miniature paintings in the 18th century that peaked under the patronage of Savant Singh, who later became a hermit. It is said that Savant Singh modeled as Krishna while his mistress nicknamed Bani Thani modelled as Radha. Paintings of Bani Thani are very famous. This school of art lasted only a few decades. Today, the artists still create duplicates of the work.

Tilonia: This small town located 25 km from Kishangarh is home to the famous Barefoot college, which began in 1972 with the conviction that solutions to rural problems lie within the community. The college, officially known as Social Work and Research Centre, addresses problems of drinking water, girl education, health and sanitation, rural unemployment, income generation, electricity and power, as well as social awareness and the conservation of ecological systems in rural communities.

Courtesy: India Digest

TOURIST INFORMATION

How to reach
By Air: Nearest airport is at Jaipur, about 150 km away.
By Rail: Main railhead is Ajmer, about 14 km away.
By Road: Well-connected by road from Jaipur and other important cities.

Climate
Winter: Maximum temperature is 22 degrees Celsius, minimum is 8 degrees Celsius.
Summer: Maximum temperature is 45 degrees Celsius; minimum is 25 degrees

Best time to visit: Between October and March.

Where to stay: Pushkar Palace, Pushkar Resort, RTDC Hotel Sarovar, Hotel Oasis

For more on India tourism, visit:

www.rajasthantourism.gov.in
www.hcilondon.net / www.tourindia.com
www.tourismofindia.com

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