PUSHKAR THE HIDDEN GEM OF RAJASTHAN. — AADI BABA
Pushkar is one of my all-time favorite places to visit in Rajasthan. It’s peaceful vibes and friendly locals are the things that make me come back for more.
I instantly fall for places that have a good feeling and make me feel relaxed and Pushkar ticked all the boxes on that front and feels completely safe to roam around the city locals usually greets you with namaste and sometimes “shalom” (as many Israeli tourists visit the city) with a smile
Pushkar is the ultimate escape from India’s fast-paced, hectic cities. I won’t say it’s totally chilled: it’s still India so But it’s certainly no Delhi or Jaipur. Here you’ll find peaceful cafes, fresh veggie food, and serene lakeside views. If you need a break from India’s madness, you can’t do better than Pushkar.
PUSHKAR INTRO
Pushkar is a place of deep spirituality and a rich cultural identity. It’s the peaceful solace in India, that remains just undiscovered enough. it is equally popular with tourists and even more so with pilgrims, as the lake the town is built around is said to have been formed by the Lord Brahma himself when he dropped a lotus flower to the ground.
This makes a wonderful place to experience authentic Hindu culture, and see how to worship ceremonies take place. Pushkar is famous for many things including its temples, desert landscapes, rose exports, and hippy activities.
HOW TO REACH PUSHKAR
Pushkar is tucked away in the Rajasthani hills and the easiest way to reach it is to pull into the city of Ajmer.
You can catch a train to Ajmer straight from Delhi or Jaipur via the Shatabdi express trains which run daily. It leaves around 6 am from Delhi station and arrives at Ajmer city around 1 pm. From Jaipur, it’s an easy 3-hour journey to Ajmer via road.
You have to head up and over a mountain pass road to reach Pushkar. Booking a cab or renting self-driving cars is also a very good option if you are planning a road trip from Delhi or especially from Jaipur.
Why Is Pushkar Famous?
1. It’s home to temples not found elsewhere in India-” Brahma Temple ”
That’s right, you’ll get to see the only Brahma temple in the world here. It’s closely linked to the Pushkar lake as legend has it that during a battle with a demon, Brahma was using his weapon of a lotus flower. As he fought, petals fell and created the gorgeous lake!
The Jagatpita Brahma Mandir — shortened to Brahma Temple — is one of the very few temples anywhere in India that are dedicated to the God Brahma, and hence Pushkar plays such an integral role in the religious life of Hindus. The temple itself dates back to the 14th century and has since been a constant site of pilgrimage.
2. The Savitri temple trek is incredible
The Savitri Temple is another of the many great places to visit in Pushkar. The almost perfectly conical Ratnagiri Hill stands over the town of Pushkar, and atop this imposing natural feature is found the second most important temple, a dedication to Savitri, the wife of the Lord Brahman.
Its one of the most incredible sunrise trek I have been on to date in India is the Savitri temple hike. You can see the temple perched on top of a hill from all over the city and it’s just asking for you to climb it! Or you can take the cable car if you don’t want to hike the mountain.
3. Peaceful vibes at Pushkar Lake
The town wraps itself around a holy lake featuring 52 ghats (stairs) to the water with each of these ghats representing one of the Maharajas of Rajasthan. Every Maharaja ordered to build one of these ghats with a house to stay in when visiting.
The most famous ghat in Pushkar is Gau Ghat, also named as the Main Ghat. It is here where the ash of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri was scattered into the water of the holy lake.
Pushkar is one of the pilgrimage sites for those who practice the Hindu faith and is one of the cities that they should visit and offer blessings in their lifetime by taking bath in the lake and you can find many bathing ghats leading down from the banks.
4. You can get lost in the desert on a camel safari
Possible the best place in India to enjoy the Desert safari on the furry friendly camels. It runs all year round, including off-seasons.
If you want to watch this sunset in the camel, I would suggest getting one for 2 hours. Although beer is banned in the holy city, in the desert it’s completely fine! You’ll find these guys delivering beer on a scooter — perfect timing to watch the sun go down.
5. The infamous Bhang of Pushkar
Another reason why people visit Pushkar, India, is due to its hippy town vibes. The Hindu God, Shiva, is said to have enjoyed Cannabis (marijuana) and used it to cure his ailments. So as a way to worship him, some of the locals engage in smoking or ingesting “bhang”, a cannabis-infused drink and hash. And no matter which restaurant you go to, most of them will sell you, “ Special Lassi”, “Bhang Lassi”, and even edibles like bhang chocolate balls.
6. So many cool cafes
Pushkar is cafe heaven Some of my favorites were U-Turn Hotel, Laughing Buddha Cafe, Sonu Juice, and Sixth Sense Restaurant. As many of these places do attract tourists, prices are a little inflated. But when you can get a tasty meal and drink for 200 rupees, it’s just not bad, is it?
7. It hosts the annual Pushkar Camel Fair
The main draw of tourists is to attend the annual Mela, the famous Pushkar camel fair. Here, people from all over Rajasthan attend to sell Camels, horses, bulls, and trade all sorts of stuff.
For tourists like you and me, it’s photography gold and there is even a competition for ‘ Frame of the Fair ‘ which could bag you $5,000! You can do camel riding, get a birds-eye view via hot air balloon, or ride a Ferris wheel at the funfair. There are also horse races, camel races, and many more music and dance events taking place at what could well be one of the best festivals in India.
It is set to held from 22 of November to 30th of November In 2020
8. Endless temples to explore
Pushkar has over 500 Temples. I’m not sure the smaller ones can be visited by tourists as they’re hidden away on the outskirts or even on private properties. For those who are interested in visiting as many temples, its a must-visit place for them.
9. And Of course foood
If you are traveling in India food is among the top priorities you look for and want to try the best and the most delicious food that the destination has to offers and Pushkar has a lot to offers when it comes to trying new things some of the famous and must-try dishes are Falafel, Kachori, Malpua, Makhaniya Lassi and the famous Tea Stall across the whole town.
Best time to visit Pushkar
It is situated in the desert of Rajasthan and experiences intense heat throughout the year. The best time to visit is during the somewhat mild winter, which falls between November and March.
This is when the weather is coolest and rather pleasant. The rest of the year, you can expect it to be dry, dusty and hot, except during the short monsoon season.
All year round there are some great places to visit in Pushkar. If you are interested in seeing the cultural feast that is the Pushkar Mela / Pushkar Camel Festival, which is truly a unique part of the local heritage, then you will need to ensure you are in the region in November.
Make sure to book your accommodation and transport far in advance. The exact timing of the Pushkar Camel Fair varies from year to year, as it follows the Hindu calendar rather than the Western calendar.
Originally published at https://aadibaba.com on June 26, 2020.