Pushkar

Pushkar Lake and its ghats

According to legend, the lake formed where Brahma dropped a lotus flower, which gave the town its name. Hindu scriptures call the lake 'Tirtha Raj', the king of pilgrimage sites. It is roughly semicircular, about 8–10 metres deep and, according to Rajasthan Tourism, surrounded by 52 bathing ghats and more than 400 temples. The evening aarti, a prayer ceremony with lamps and bells at the ghats, is the moment to be by the water.

Temples

• Brahma Temple — the town's best-known shrine, built of marble and decorated with silver coins, and recognisable by its red spire and the image of a swan, which is sacred to Brahma. Rajasthan Tourism describes it as the only temple in the world dedicated to Brahma.
• Savitri Temple — on a hill behind the Brahma Temple, reached by a long flight of steps or a ropeway, with wide views over the lake and town.
• Rangji Temple — a temple to Vishnu that mixes South Indian, Rajput and Mughal styles, with a tall South Indian-style gateway tower.

The Pushkar Fair

The Pushkar Fair is an annual camel and livestock fair held between October and November, when the town fills with traders, pilgrims and visitors. Its dates follow the Hindu calendar and change each year; check official announcements and book early if you plan to visit then.

Desert camps and camel safaris

Pushkar sits at the edge of the desert, and camping is popular here: many campsites are near the fair grounds. Rajasthan Tourism suggests October to February as the best time to camp, before the summer heat. Camel safaris head out through villages and finish at sunset on the dunes. Agree what a camp stay or safari includes, and for how long, before you book.

Food and pace

As a temple town, Pushkar serves only vegetarian food, from kachoris, samosas and malpua at street stalls to the cafés along the ghats. Its quiet lanes make an easy break between bigger cities, and many visitors combine it with nearby Ajmer or with Jaipur.