Pushkar TRAVEL

Pushkar is situated 14 km northwest of Ajmer, Rajasthan and is one of the five sacred pilgrimage site for devout Hindus. It is often called Tirth Raj - the king of pilgrimage sites - and has in recent years become a popular destination for foreign tourists. Pushkar is one of the oldest cities of India. The legend about the Creator God, Bramha describes the creation of this lake. When the demon Vajra Nabha killed Brahma's children, he in turn struck him with his weapon, a lotus flower. Vajra Nabha died with the impact, and the petals of the lotus fell at three places. One of them is Pushkar, where a lake sprung into being. It is mentioned that Brahma performed penance here for 60,000 years to have a glimpse of Vishnu. Pushkar has many temples. Most of the temples are not very old because many temples were destroyed during Muslim conquests in the area. Subsequently, the destroyed temples were rebuilt. The most famous among all is the Brahma Temple built during the 14th century. The Pushkar lake has 52 ghats where pilgrims descend to the lake to bathe in the sacred waters. Pushkar is also famous for its annual fair (Pushkar Camel Fair) held in Novemeber month. The natural environment of Pushkar and the sacred lake has become increasingly degraded in the last few decades. The problems stem mainly from over-development of tourist facilities and the deforestation of the surrounding area Best time to visit Pushkar- The best time to visit Pushkar is during October-November when the world- famous Pushkar Fair is held.