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| About Pushkar |
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| Every November,
the sleepy little township of Pushkar
in Rajasthan, India comes alive with
a riot of colors and a frenzied burst
of activity. The occasion: PUSHKAR FAIR.
Very few, if at all any, fairs in the
world can match the liveliness of Pushkar.
Most people associate the Pushkar Fair
with the world's largest camel fair.
But it is much more than that. It is
an occasion for villagers from far and
near to gather together and enjoy a
welcome break from their harsh life
of the arid desert. And enjoy they do!
In dazzling style and colors. It is
an occasion for Hindu pilgrims to converge
for a holy dip in the sacred Pushkar
Lake to "wash away the sins of
a lifetime" and pay obeisance at
the ONLY Brahma temple in the world.
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| LOCATION |
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| The small and beautiful town
of Pushkar is set in a valley just about 14
km off Ajmer in the north Indian state of
Rajasthan. Surrounded by hills on three sides
and sand dunes on the other, Pushkar forms
a fascinating location and a befitting backdrop
for the annual religious and cattle fair which
is globally famous and attracts thousands
of visitors from all parts of the world. |
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| CLIMATE |
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| Pushkar has an extreme climate.
The maximum temperature during the summers
can go up to 40-45°C while in the winters
it can be below 10°C. There is not much
rain during the monsoon. The best season to
visit this place is in the winters (October
to March). |
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| IMPORTANCE |
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| Pushkar is among the five dhams
or pilgrimages that are held in high esteem
by Hindus, the others being Badrinath, Puri,
Rameswaram, and Dwarka. It is said that in
battle lord Brahma killed the demon Vajra
Nabh with a lotus flower, whose petals floated
down to earth and landed in three places in
and around Pushkar where lakes sprang up.
According to legends, Pushkar Lake was surrounded
by 500 temples and 52 palaces (several rajas
and maharajas maintained palaces here for
pilgrimage) at one point. The Brahma temple
is the most important temple here and is,
in fact, the only Brahma temple of India.
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| How To Reach Pushkar |
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Pushkar is a sacred town for
the Hindus, situated 11 kms. (7 miles) to
the North-West of Ajmer.
By Air:- Jaipur, the nearest airport
is 138 kms. (86 miles).
By Rail:- Ajmer is connected to Delhi,
Agra, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Udaipur, Abu Road
and Jodhpur by regular trains. Two of the
best trains of the Indian Railways, Pink City
Express and Shatabdi Express connect Ajmer
to Delhi and Jaipur.
By Road:- A dense network of bus service
operates from Ajmer to key destinations around.
Distances from important tourist centres are:
- Jaipur: 138 kms. (86 miles), Delhi: 392
kms. (244 miles), Ahmedabad: 526 kms. (327
miles), Jaisalmer: 490 kms. (304 miles), Bikaner:
233 kms. (145 miles). |
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