It was vacation time and I wanted to take a much needed break from my office work. Without any hesitation I decided on the place. It was the same place which I promised to my wife that I will take her there in April 2007. And that place is called Pushkar - the Hindu Holy & Sacred place near Ajmer, Rajasthan.
During our summer Holidays in my school days, I used to visit Pushkar almost every year. My grandpa used to live there and we used to have lots of fun. It’s a changed place now, I should say spoiled , but the aroma of Hinduism and the holiness still remains the same. The same feeling that I used to get 10 to 12 years before is still very young and strong.
I have tried to categorize them below
Pushkar is situated at 13 kms from Ajmer. As you enter the town, an arch depicting Hindu
welcomes you. It’s a good sight to start our journey.
Transport: There are many govt buses with a freq of 10 minutes from Ajmer Rly Station. The last bus is at around 9 PM. There are private jeeps available at rent between Rs.15/- to Rs.30/- per person. Ajmer is ~140 kms from Jaipur and can be reached by train / Bus / taxis. Taxis charge you around 1500 to 2000. Train takes 2.45 hrs and buses take a little more. You can also take the Shatabti Express from Delhi to Ajmer if you come via Delhi.
History: It is believed that this was the place where a lotus fell from the heavens for Brahma to perform Yagna. According to Wikipedia, this place has got references in the Ramayana. So this is a very ancient city and it’s a real surprise that the Hindu tradition still rules despite being ruled by the British directly [source: https://rajasthantravelguide.com/city/tourist_places/pushkar/index.html]
*Places of Visit
The Brahma Temple: *There is only one Brahma temple in the world and it is situated in Pushkar. It is one of the most holy temples of the Hindus and god you got to be there to experience that feeling. Lots of devotees across the country / border throng through this temple to have a glimpse and blessing of Lord Brahma. There are small inner caves inside this temple where you have Lingams of Lord Shiva.
The Gayathri & Savithri Temples: Both these goddesses are beleived to be spouses of Lord Brahma and both of temples are situated on the hills on either side of the Brahma temple. It is believed that Lord Brahma married Gayathri Devi since Savithri was late to come down to earth to perform yagna along with him.Savithri got angry on Brahma and climbed the Hill and remained there. It’s also risky to climb these hill temples after 6 PM and you are not normally allowed to do so.
The Rama Vaikuntanath Temple [Old & New]: The new temple is built on Dravidian Architecture and is a delight to see. I had the privilege of waking up on the sight of this temple when even I was here. It’s a beautiful temple covered with beach sand. Everyday morning you can see lots of peacocks and pigeons on the sand. The aarthi song played in this temple is very good for your ears and mind. Foreigners are not allowed to visit this temple.
The old temple was built in the 19th Century. During my last visit a couple of days before, I found a sculpture dated in the 1880’s informing that Europeans are not allowed inside. These two temples follow strict Agama rules and all the pujaris are from down south.
There are many temples in almost every street of this town.
The Pushkar Raj: This is the very holy lake of Pushkar. This is the place where Lord Brahma is believed to have performed the Yagna. A wide spread lake which of late is getting a little degraded, but not its holiness. When you go for a Parikrama [holy walk around Pushkar] you have to cross this lake, and during the point when you are on the lake, you have to remove your shoes and take them in your hands. A dip in this lake is believed to be very holy. Everyday it’s a beautiful sight to watch the Aarthi performed to this magnificent Lake at around 6 in the evening.
Gomukh: I visited this place when I was a child. In one of the places in Pushkar, there is a cow mouthed structure through which water flows non stop. It’s said that no body could find the origin of water that falls through.
The Pushkar Mela: The cattle and Camel fair called the Mela in local language has been announced as an international fair by the Rajasthan government. This year it has just started yesterday and goes on for around a week. Its gala time and people enjoy the mela. Puppet shows, local dances and all sorts of festival activities make up this fair a true colorful festival. During this time, lots of devotees throng the lake to have a holy bath in the Pushkar raj as it’s considered sacred.
Climate: During summer the climate is very hot. You just cannot walk on the sand. It goes around 45 deg. When we want to play cricket, we normally go after 4.00 PM and continue playing till 7.30 where the sun will still stay on. In winter, [Starting Mid September till Mid Jan], it’s an extremely cold climate. It’s a typical desert. You just cannot go without winter clothing on.
Lodging: There are many restaurants of all classes available in Pushkar from the normal petty shops to the big hotels. There are also some roof top garden restaurants as well. This being a very holy place, only vegetarian food is served.
Local Transport: There are no autos available. However the entire Parikrama takes anywhere between 45 to 60 minutes based on your walking speed. You normally don’t require any kind of local transport. But wood carts are available for the aged and weak people to be carried, if reqd.
Local People:The local people are very aggressive but helpful too. They make sure that the holiness and sacredness of the city is not sacrificed for any reason. While being friendly to the foreigner, they also make sure that the tradition is preserved. You would be surprised to see some of the local people speak many foreign languages. This is because this place is visited by many foreigners. And true to the word secular India, this predominantly Hindu town also has a mosque and a gurudwara.
And yes, just in case if you are looking for ATMs, there is only one available, just opposite the Brahma temple. So make sure you have enough cash.
Of late, this place is getting degraded by increasing number of tourists, but something in my heart tells me that this place will remain to what it is known for, the Holiness, spirituality and sacredness for many more years to come.
Just walking through the streets of Pushkar when I went for the parikrama last week, I couldn’t resist the feeling of warmth and peacefulness in my mind. And a walk around the Pushkar raj definitely makes you feel great, because you are in one of those places which are one of the considered one of the most sacred. That aroma, the sounds of the aarathi across the temple and that local touch across all shops gives you a pleasant feeling and a true holiday mood which is also sacred as a bonus.
I am sure you too will get the same feeling whenever you are here.
Bolo Pushkar raj Maharaj ki Jai!!