Top things to do in Pushkar

From the moment I arrived in Pushkar, it felt unlike anywhere else I had visited in Rajasthan. Pushkar felt different. It somehow felt like a glimpse of what Varanasi would be like.

Surprisingly, despite being one of the holiest cities in the world, Pushkar felt even more laid-back. The colorful streets are busy, the crowd in the queue outside Brahma Temple is wildly enthusiastic, and the food lovers crowd the street food joints. I still found Pushkar to be relaxing in its way, without a moment of dullness.

Now being back in my hometown Mumbai, I realize there are a few places in Pushkar that I feel nostalgic about the most. I call them the glorious highlights of Pushkar. I have listed those top things to do in Pushkar below so you know what you do not have to miss when you visit tirtha-raj (king of pilgrim sites).

1. Darshan at the Brahma temple

Legend of Brahma Temple

As per Hindu Vedas, Lord Brahma once tried to kill the demon named Vajranabh with his lotus. In this process, the lotus petals of Brahma fell on earth at three places that resulted in creating three lakes, Jyestha (major), Madhya (middle), and Kanishth (small) lake. As these lakes were carved out of lotus leaf, thus the place is named Pushpa (flower) and eventually to Pushkar.

Darshan

There are over 500 temples in Pushkar. It will take days to visit each one of them. Nevertheless, start your journey from the Brahma Temple. Most people would associate it with the only Brahma Temple present in the world. Though I have discovered many more Brahma temples, it is true that they are rare and not found very often. Pushkar is where the legend of Brahma continues to live.

Brahma temple is located on a high plinth and boasts of its marvelous marble architecture. Steps lead to the main entrance of the temple built in a typical Rajasthani architecture with Chhatris. There is a small mandapa with pillars painted in bright blue and a Garbhagriha with its Shikhara painted in bright orange.

Four faced Brahma

There is a four-faced idol of Brahma, with one of Gayatri Devi (his wife) on his left. The four faces of Brahma, represent four Vedas, the four Yugas, and four directions. You can see the face from three sides i.e. three faces. A mirror is there behind the statue, and you need to tilt yourself a little to see the fourth face in the mirror.

Good to know: Traditionally, when you visit Pushkar, you take a dip in the holy lake, visit the Brahma temple and then visit other temples.

Good to know: On Kartik Purnima, the full moon night of the Hindu Lunar month of Kartik (October-November), a religious festival is held in Brahma’s honor. Thousands of pilgrims come to bathe in the holy Pushkar Lake.

Good to know:  You cannot take cameras and mobile phones inside the temple. You need to deposit everything in the locker room. The roadside vendors might approach you to keep things with them. But, go to the official locker room only. These vendors might be serving the devotees with good intent by securing their valuables. However, it is always a good idea to go to legit places while traveling.

2. Evening Aarti at Brahma Ghat

That is one of the not-to-miss experiences in Pushkar. Before the sunset, people in hundreds assemble at Brahma ghat, surrounding the holy Pushkar lake. Just when the sun starts to set, the priest starts chanting the aarti (facing towards the lake), with a large fire lamp, and other aarti ingredients like rose petals, incense sticks, in his hands. As the chanting continues, along with the sound of ringing bells, the whole ambiance feels energetic. The atmosphere filled with the fragrance of incense sticks feels divine.

You can attend aarti at any of the ghats, but I loved the evening aarti at Brahma ghat.

Good to know: Beware of the scam at Pushkar lake

Irrespective of how informed are you about the scams that take place at Pushkar lake, you will not even realize when you become a part of it. The “commercial priests” placed across the popular ghats like Brahma ghat, Varaha ghat, etc. insists you be a part of a small pooja that they claim is free of charge. 

After that, they ask you to donate money (ranging from INR1100 to INR51000) at the donation counter upstairs. Do not even think to escape from there by saying that you will donate because they would accompany you to the donation counter, and stand with you there until you take out your wallet. And if you say a straight no now, the scammers sometimes even shout at you and threaten you saying that the god will curse you.

Read the tips to avoid Pushkar Scam.

3. Sunset at Savitri Devi Temple

Legend of Savitri temple

Continuing the legend of the Brahma temple, Lord Brahma decided to perform a Yagna to cleanse himself after killing the demon. The Yagna required the presence of Savitri, his wife. But, she got late for it. Since the holy time of doing the Yagna was passing by, Lord Brahma had to marry Gayatri, a Gurjar girl (cow shepherd), who then became the second wife of Brahma. However, when Savitri finally arrived at the scene, she got furious to see Gayatri at her place. Savitri cursed Brahma that the devotees would worship him only in Pushkar. She went to the hilltop in anger, where a temple (Savitri temple) dedicated to her was constructed.

Good to know: The aarti is performed first in the Savitri temple and then the Brahma temple.

Darshan

You can spot the Savitri Temple from any of the ghats at Pushkar Lake. The temple overlooks the entire holy city of Pushkar and the surrounding hills, which makes it a good spot to indulge in desert photography. You can either choose to hike up the stairs that would talk about 30 minutes or go up there through ropeway by a cable car.

Irrespective of what mode you choose, just make sure that you are at the temple a little before the sunset. Because if you don’t, you are gonna miss a view that you rarely get to soak in. Watching the sunset at Savitri temple is one of the top things to do in Pushkar.

Good to know: You will meet a lot of monkeys on the way up there. Avoid carrying eatables. The monkeys are notorious and often snatch food items from the visitors.

Good to know: You need to remove your footwear before entering the temple. In case you are concerned about their safety, keep them inside a tea shop there. You just need to do them a small favor by buying a cup of tea.

4. Giving the delectable street food a shot

If you have not had street food in Pushkar, your visit to the sacred city is not complete. The holy city, apart from being the home of Lord Brahma, is also a food lover’s paradise. It is impossible to resist the aroma of food that is present in nearly every lane. Food hopping is one of the top things to do in Pushkar.

Pushkar is vegetarian and egg-free. The town also offers many vegan food options.

Read more – Must try street food in Pushkar

5. Indulging in shopping in the Pushkar Market

Did you know that Pushkar is one of the best shopping places in entire northern India? Although the city is best known for leather goods and rose products, you can things starting from silver articles to handicraft items. Each of them portrays the culture and the tradition of the colorful state of Rajasthan.

While the different lanes in Pushkar have different names according to the items sold there (sarafa Bazar – clothes, kedarganj – handicrafts, etc.), it does not make a difference. Eventually, you would want to get lost in the colorful lanes of Pushkar. Take it easy, the city is small.

Must-buy – wrap around skirts, rose water, rose sherbet, jutti (a type of footwear), bag, and silver jewelry.

6. Chill at Jaipur Ghat in the evening – one of the top things to do in Pushkar during winters

The city of Pushkar is settled around the holy Pushkar lake (in a round shape, if I may say so). So, from any ghat of the lake, you can see the whole city around you. However, the sunset and night time at the Jaipur ghat is worth experiencing. You can go sit at the sunset cafe there and watch the brilliantly red and orange sunset there.

Moreover, Nagara (a type of musical instrument) lessons often take place at the Jaipur ghat, where you participate as well. Consider yourself the lucky one if you get to experience the winter + sunset + Nagara lessons (all at the same time) in Pushkar. Oh! It would be a different space you will be in.

Good to know: The food at the sunset cafe sucks. The safest bet is to order a sandwich. Nevertheless, the restaurant is comfortable to sit and relax by the ghat.

7. Spend time watching and feeding the Swans by the Pushkar lake

It is not like I watched the Swans for the first time. But sitting by the lake and watching them playing amidst the reflection of the houses and mountains in the lake is one thing I loved. You can feed the playful swans food too. I sat there while waiting for the evening aarti at Brahma ghat.

You will need to figure out which ghat you need to visit to see the swans close. Just go to any ghat and see around for the swans. Since all the 52 ghats interconnect to each other, you just need to walk towards the ghat where you would find the swans the closest.

Good to know: Pushkar lake is considered holy. You need to remove your footwear while visiting any of the ghats just like you would do in temples.

8. Old Rangji Temple

The beautiful temple is dedicated to one of the incarnations of Vishnu, Rangji, and is a major attraction for south Indian pilgrims. The attractive temple is a result of a beautiful blend of Mughal and Rajput styles of architecture. The large pyramidal tower over the entrance gate gives a hint of south Indian architecture as well.

Good to know: The temple does not allow the entry of foreigners inside the temple.

Pushkar Travel Guide

How to reach Pushkar

Air

Kishangarh Airport is the nearest airport (45 km) to Pushkar. The airport is connected to major cities like Hyderabad, Delhi, and Mumbai.

Rail

Ajmer is the nearest railway station (11 km) that is well-linked with Pushkar through taxis and buses. And Ajmer itself is well connected with major cities across India.

Road

The beautiful city is well connected with major cities of the country such as Delhi, Jaipur, Jodhpur, and Bikaner, which are situated at a distance of 400 KM, 140 KM, 220 KM, and 320 KM respectively.

Best time to visit Pushkar

If you want to witness Pushkar in its full swing, choose the month of October. It is the time when Pushkar holds the world’s largest camel. Another good month to visit is March/April, during Holi, the festival of colors. The Pushkar Holi festival is insanely fun.

Winters (November-March), in general, is the best time to visit the holy city of Pushkar and avoid the desert heat.

Two days would be ideal to cover major attractions in Pushkar. 

Conclusion

These were the highlights of my Pushkar trip that still triggers feelings of nostalgia inside me. I hope you found this Pushkar travel guide helpful.

Once you visit Pushkar, this holy city of Brahma stays with you forever.

Please join my mailing list (at the bottom of the page), and stay tuned for more stories. You can follow @bulbulonthewing on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram to get regular updates.