Pushkar City Guide

Location:	Rajasthan, India
Significance:	Hindu Pilgrimage City of Rajasthan
STD Code:	0145
Best Season:	October To February
Language:	Hindi, Rajasthani, English
Distance From Ajmer:	13 Km
Distance From Jaipur:	140Km
Distance From New Delhi:	390 Km

Pushkar is one of the most famous Hindu pilgrimage sites and it is said that a dip in the sacred lake of Pushkar is akin to the visits to the four main Hindu shrines known as 'Chaar Dhaam'. The charming lake of Pushkar is surrounded by hills on three sides and sand dunes on the fourth and presents an ideal site for the religious and cattle fair, which is held every year in the month of October or November. Pushkar alone has more than 400 temples and is said to be the only place with a temple dedicated to Lord Brahma, one of the most important member of the Holy Trinity of Hindus who is known as 'The Creator').

According to Hindu mythology, all the gods visit Pushkar for five days in a year to bless the devout and absolve them of their sins. There are many legends associated to the origin of Pushkar and Pushkar Fair but they have one thing in common. They are all associated with Lord Brahma. A visit to pushkar Fair is an experience of a lifetime and is certainly not worth a miss.

CLIMATE
Pushkar has an extreme desert climate, which has hot, scorching days and cold nights in summers while the winters are pleasanter and the temperature ranges around 10ºC. The rainfall is scanty.

HOW TO REACH

By Air: Jaipur is the nearest airport to Pushkar, which in turn has daily flights to and from Delhi and Mumbai. It is also well connected with Udaipur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Ahmedabad, Aurangabad and Calcutta. The airport is not more than 20 km from the city centre.

By Train: The nearest railway station to Pushkar is Ajmer. Ajmer has a good network of trains that connect it to Delhi, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Ahmedabad, Mumbai and other major cities of the country. You can catch Shatabdi Express from New Delhi for Ajmer.

By Road: Pushkar is well linked to Ajmer by roads, which in turn is connected to the major cities of Rajasthan, Delhi and Mumbai.

WHERE TO EAT
Pushkar is studded with a number of eateries and its air is filled with an aroma of their mouth-watering delicacies. There are quite a lot of rooftop and garden restaurants where you can leisurely enjoy a good meal. For non-vegetarians and alcohol-lovers, Pushkar may prove a big challenge as not only meat and alcohol, even eggs are not allowed in this one of the most important Hindu pilgrimage place. Buffet meals are quite popular here.

FAIRS AND FESTIVALS
Pushkar Fair is held in the month of Kartik that usually falls in October or November. One of the most sought-after fair in Rajasthan, a lot of tourists come to Pushkar Fair on pilgrimage as well as to see the display of a mystifying array of items. With the picturesque sand dunes as its backdrop, the camel fair and camel, horse and donkey races are the featured events of the fair. People indulge themselves in body tattooing as the villagers from distant places come here to trade their wares. The fair is a gala occasion full of music and dance, fun and frolic, echoing songs in the desert land and colorful costumes of the performers. There is a tourist village designed to complement the natural beauty of the site, arranged in blocks of tents that have unique identity and are named after the famous Rajasthani dances.

One can shop for textiles printed in Ajmer and Jodhpur, bead necklaces of Nagaur, woollen blankets of Merta, brassware of Jodhpur and Jaipur, saddles, ropes, and many others assorted household items. Cultural shows, competitions and exhibitions are organized and movies are shown to enliven the event. One can also savor the songs and poems and bards that recite tales of valor, romance and heroism of bygone days.

Pushkar Fair is held in the month of Kartik that usually falls in October or November. One of the most sought-after fair in Rajasthan, a lot of tourists come to Pushkar Fair on pilgrimage as well as to see the display of a mystifying array of items. With the picturesque sand dunes as its backdrop, the camel fair and camel, horse and donkey races are the featured events of the fair. People indulge themselves in body tattooing as the villagers from distant places come here to trade their wares. The fair is a gala occasion full of music and dance, fun and frolic, echoing songs in the desert land and colorful costumes of the performers. There is a tourist village designed to complement the natural beauty of the site, arranged in blocks of tents that have unique identity and are named after the famous Rajasthani dances.

One can shop for textiles printed in Ajmer and Jodhpur, bead necklaces of Nagaur, woollen blankets of Merta, brassware of Jodhpur and Jaipur, saddles, ropes, and many others assorted household items. Cultural shows, competitions and exhibitions are organized and movies are shown to enliven the event. One can also savor the songs and poems and bards that recite tales of valor, romance and heroism of bygone days.

SHOPPING ATTRACTIONS
The main market of Pushkar has narrow lanes intertwined into each other lined with a variety of noteworthy small shops that have silver and beaded jewellery, bangles, broidered fabrics, camel covers, leather goods, bed and cushion covers, brass utensils and Rajasthani puppets on their display. Fusion music and books are also available for people who are interested. The main shopping spots are Baza Bazar, Sarafa Bazar and Kedalganj Bazar.

One can also find some good deals during the fair where a large number of traders come to sell their wares. Some of the popular buys are bead necklaces of Nagaur, Merta's woollen blankets, printed textiles of Ajmer and Jodhpur and the traditional brassware of Jodhpur and Jaipur.

WHAT TO WEAR
In summers, light cotton clothes are advisable while you will need light woolen clothes in winter.