A small sleepy town in the heart of Rajasthan, Pushkar gets its worldwide acclaim for two reasons - Asia's largest camel fair is held here annually. The second reason is 'The Brahma temple'. According to Hindu mythology The creator of the universe Lord - Brahma (The Hindu God) has only worshiped at Pushkar because of the one and only temple is located here.

Life here revolves around the temples, ghats (wide steps leading to the waters edge) sorrounding the famous pushkar lake and the vibrant bazaars/markets. Apart from the temples, the streets of Pushkar are a delight in themselves. Quaint winding roads that are lined with small shops selling everything from religious articles to objects d'art, the markets of Pushkar are a veritable treasure trove of collectibles. Silverware, embroidered and batik material, leather shoes and purses and all manner of handmade paper books, diaries, albums all covered with old silk are the must buys from here.

The Religious Centre

The ancient city of Pushkar, situated just 11 miles from Ajmer, is one of the main Hindu pilgrimage sites as it is home to the only Brahma temple in the world. The description of pilgrimage places in the Tirtha-Yatra (Piligrim journey) section of India's great epic, the Mahabharata, suggests a grand tour of the entire country. The pilgrimage begins in Pushkar, sacred to the god Brahma, and continues in a rambling clockwise direction throughout the subcontinent, ending in Prayaga (Allahabad). Though it is as important as other pilgrimage cities like Haridwar, Varanasi, Tirupati etc., Pushkar does not have the same exposure, except during the famous cattle fair.

Pushkar is a quaint little town, which time seems to have forgotten. The focus point is a lake surrounded on all sides by 52 ghats (wide steps leading to the waters edge). The town has over 400 temples of which the famous ones are the Brahma Temple, the Rangji Temple (with a decidedly South India flavor) and the Savitri Temple, built atop a hill. The other important temples are those dedicated to Mahadev, Badri Narayan, Gayatri and Varaha.

When visiting Pushkar a visit to the Brahma temple and the lake is a must. At the lake, you can witness various prayer ceremonies and the holy bath by the pilgrim who come from all over India. The priests at Pushkar are supposed to maintain the genealogical records of all Hindu families and many pilgrims come to visit their priest and get their "records" updated. You can watch the traditional Aarti being performed in the evening. At sunset, you can watch the lights of the temples around the lake come on one after another accompanied by Shlokas sung melodiously by priests at the different temples.

A visit to the Savtri temple should be undertaken by those ready for a steep uphill walk. Though once at the top, the view of Pushkar Lake and surrounding landscape is simply magical.

On request a special day time Aarti service with a short prayer ceremony or an evening Diya Arti Service (with small floating candles) can be organized.

The Fair

This peaceful town comes alive every year during the month of Kartik - (October & November), when thousands of people and hundreds of thousands of cattle converge here for the now famous Pushkar Camel fair. During this week long fair, camels are bought, sold, beautified, raced and paraded. Being attended predominantly by villagers and tribal folk, Pushkar becomes a showcase for Rajasthan. Traditional artifacts, jewelry (mainly silver), beautiful tie-n-dye fabrics and leather goods, are all available here in the numerous stalls that dot the entire town. The evenings have their own charm, filled with soulful ballads, performances of some of the most captivating Rajasthani dances, puppet shows and plays; entertainment abounds. All this is accompanied by sumptuous local delicacies.

Once the trading is complete, at the end of the fair, numerous camel, horse and bullock-cart races are held, which are great crowd pullers. The fairly trade driven fair culminates in a religious festival where thousands of people from across India, come to pay homage to Lord Brahma and take a dip in the holy Pushkar Lake. The beautiful 'Deepan' ceremony rounds off the celebrations when millions of tiny candles are set afloat the serene lake.

A visit to Pushkar even apart from the fair is recommended. Though basically a religious place, the overtones here are peaceful. Walks through this quaint ancient town are replete with surprises and the tiny shops store treasures that you could purchase at a bargain for family and friends back home. The best of course are the sunrises and sunsets over the lake, which are magical.