PUSHKAR

 

• Place Introduction

Pushkar is a city in Rajasthan, India, located in the Ajmer district. It’s around 10 Km from Ajmer and 150 kilometers from Jaipur. It’s a popular pilgrimage for both Hindus and Sikhs. There are numerous temples in Pushkar.

The Brahma Temple, Made by, is the most famous of the Pushkar temples. Hindus see it as a sacred city. Consumption of meat and eggs is prohibited in the city.

Location and Climate:

Delhi to Pushkar is around 415 Km and is well connected with roads via Gurgaon -Jaipur-Ajmer. It’s a great place to visit. This city has a lot to offer for everyone. From a senior citizen to a small kid, everyone loves this city. Overall vibes in this city are very positive.

 

• How to reach:

I would say Pushkar is close to Delhi NCR so reaching there is not a fight. Also since the roads are very good so its best suitable for a road trip from Delhi.

Jaipur and Ajmer are on the way so if you plan accordingly you can cover these locations on the way. Now let me share all the various options as to how to reach there.

So the distance from Gurgaon is 376 km typically a 6 hour 30 min or roundabout 7 hr drive from Gurgaon…

• Pushkar by flight:

The nearest airport from Pushkar will be in Jaipur which is around 150 km Jaipur is connected to all major cities of India. After reaching Jaipur we are can a taxi or bus and reach Pushkar. Jaipur is connected to direct flights from Delhi, Mumbai, and Banglore and you can plan your travel accordingly. from Jaipur, it roughly takes 3 hr drive to reach Pushkar

• Pushkar by Train:

Pushkar doesn’t have a railway station but since it’s very close to Ajmer around 11 km it solves the purpose. Ajmer is connected to major cities in Rajasthan and also connected to other parts of India. There are almost 30+ trains from Delhi to Ajmer. You can choose accordingly. From Ajmer Railway station it’s only a drive of about 40 min and the distance is around 14 km and you can reach there. Since you have to cross-city so it takes about 35-40 min.

• Pushkar by road:

From Delhi, the overall distance is around 400 Km and it’s a smooth drive of around 8 hours and you can reach Pushkar easily. The road is perfectly fine and you will not find any potholes here. Below is the route that we took.

 

Delhi -Gurgaon- Jaipur-Kishangarh-Ajmer-Pushkar

 

 

Best time to visit:

Ideally being in Rajasthan I would say the best time to visit Pushkar is anytime between Nov to March. You can visit around the year but rest months would be much hotter and long-distance and going on will be a bit difficult. In winter the weather is pleasant and you can sit and enjoy the day while sitting outside.

Where to stay

Pushkar is a very small town of says not more than 5-6 Km in Diameter. But even after that, you will find n number of options o stay here. Premium properties like Bhanwar Singh Palace and Pratap Mahal are super luxury and stay options like Zostel and are very economical.

So it’s you have to decide how deep your pocket is how much are you willing to Spend.

Apart from hotels, there are many homestay options also available there. Some of the best ones which could figure out are:

Dia Homestay: 0145 277 2585
shannusranchinn.com or call 9660316139 total 9 rooms
Zostel

 

• What to eat and where to Eat

Below are some of the restaurants where you must try when you are in Pushkar:

Pushkar Restaurant: Simple and great food to eat here. This place is known for Indian cuisine so you must go here if you want to try authentic Indian cuisines

Radheyji Restaurant: Daal baati and Masala Dosa is their specialty

Ganga Laffa & Falafel Restaurant:A small place but must try for Falafel.You will be surprised to find so much variety in Falafel here.

What to buy

Shopping is one of the most exciting activities to do in Pushkar. Do you know that the marketplaces in Pushkar are pretty vibrant and joyful all year? So much color at one place is very difficult to find. Since it’s a small town and the weather is clear colors as more brighter. (as compared to Delhi NCR which is full of air pollution). Below is the list of things which you should buy or at least look at when you are in Pushkar

Leather Goods: Kashmiri leather products can be found here. Belts, purses, bags, and other leather items are popular purchases. In Pushkar, both genuine and fake leather products are widely available. Before you invest your money in leather, be sure you understand how to tell the difference between real and fake leather. Look wise it’s great and that’s all that matters.

Garments: Pushkar is the place to go if you’re seeking hippie-inspired clothing with an ethnic twist. All kinds of clothes, from bandanas to shirts, can be found here.

Rose Products: One of Pushkar’s most important exports is rose. If you are traveling for an extended period of time, it is possible to buy a rose. Rose-based products, on the other hand, can be purchased here for long-term usage. Rose oil, perfumes, essential oils, gulkand, sherbet, rose water, cosmetics, and other goods are available. You think of rose and they have made a product out of it.

Handicraft Items: Pushkar is well-known for its handicrafts made of wood, stone, enamel, ivory, and other materials. There are also various pottery objects, paintings, and other stuff available. Handicraft-based fashion items, such as purses and accessories, are also available. The most common handcraft things to buy in Pushkar are handmade paper, fragrance oil, and incense sticks.

Silver Articles: Silver is widely available in Pushkar. Many silver and silver-based souvenir, accessories, and décor products are available, ranging from antique objects and jewelry to current goods. You avoid buying phony things, make sure to shop from reputable stores.

•  Where to Buy In Pushkar:
  • • •  Pushkar Fair 

If you visit during the Pushkar Fair, you won’t have to worry about buying. The fairgrounds are the greatest spot to buy souvenirs such as textiles, accessories, leather goods, and other stuff. This event takes place only once a year. The Pushkar Fair is unique in that it occurs just once a year, which is one of the reasons why it is such a popular event. A large number of Pushkar tourists never miss the opportunity to shop at this fair. This fair sells many Rajasthani traditional things such as little souvenirs, embroidered costumes, colorful dazzling bangles, jewelry, footwear, leather items, and much more. In 2021 it was organized in Nov month. In 2022 the dates are OCTOBER 31 – NOVEMBER 9, 2022.

•   Sadar Bazaar

This huge market, located in the heart of the city, spans one kilometer and is entirely comprised of stores. This market is located on Pushkar Lake’s northern shore. Souvenirs, leather goods, apparel, and jewelry can all be found here. Pushkar’s Sadar Bazaar is another popular shopping destination.

• Kedalganj Bazaar:

This market is well-known for its handicrafts. You’ll find products such as home decor, accessories, miniature statues, pottery, and more. In this market, you may also find small paintings.

In Pushkar, this bazaar is well-known for selling high-quality handicrafts. Some of the most astonishing and appealing items for home design may be found here. This market also sells a variety of other Rajasthani necessities. So, if you’re looking for something unique for your home or otherwise, there’s no better place to go than this market.

•  Sarafa Bazaar

This is Pushkar’s cloth market. Ethnic clothing, accessories, textile materials, leather pieces, and other items can be found here. In this sector, you can get both low-cost imitations and high-quality products. It is one of the region’s most vibrant and colorful markets.

Sarafa Bazaar in Pushkar is the only bazaar in Pushkar that can provide you with all of the significant and high-quality enticing things of Pushkar in one location. This marketplace houses all of the stores where you can purchase clothing, accessories, footwear, ethnic wear, and other items. The bustling atmosphere, as well as the reasonable prices in the shops, will entice you to visit the bazaar for shopping.

•   Baza Bazaar

This is where you may find handicrafts, apparel, household items, leather goods, jewelry, and other unusual treasures. This is a one-stop store for all types of shoppers.

• Activities:

• Camping In Puskar

There are lots of options for Camping in Pushkar. you can pitch your tent or you can book a stay in Camps. Since this place is not too big and there are not loads of things to do here so you can always club Camping with things like desert Safari or camel Safari or Jeep Safari. The best time for Camping will be Oct to Feb when winters are there as in summer these places become too hot.

If you ask me the best time would be around the Pushkar festival as at that time the overall town becomes very lively.

• Visits ghats of Pushkar:

There are in total 52 Ghats in Pushkar. All these ghats are around the lake. This lake was constructed in around the 12^th century but no one clearly knows who this is. Ghats were destroyed and built again many times in the Mughal period. Credit goes to Rajput rulers again and again who focused on building this again and again.

Out of 52 Ghats 2 ghats are very popular knowns The Brahma Ghat is close Brahma temple and the second one is Gau Ghat. This Ghat became popular because the ashes of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawahar Lal Nehru, and Lal Bahadur Shastri were put here into the lake here.

• Pushkar Mela

The Pushkar Festival (also known as the Pushkar Camel Fair) or Pushkar Mela is an annual five-day camel and animal fair held in the town of Pushkar between the months of October and November. It is one of the largest cattle fairs in the world. It has evolved into a major tourist destination in addition to animals buying and selling. The primary attraction for this fair, which attracts thousands of tourists, is competitions such as the Matka phod,’ ‘longest mustache,’ and ‘bridal competition.’ The festival has included an exhibition football match between the local Pushkar Club and a squad of foreign tourists in recent years.It mostly happens in Oct-Nov and is there for 5 days.

It started with a camel fair but now it’s a major tourist attraction for everyone.

It’s a perfect combination of stay, experience, activities, and culture.

• Brahma temple:

Brahma Temple is a Hindu religious attraction in Pushkar, Rajasthan, India, dedicated to Brahma, the Lord who brought about the creation of everything. It also includes ascetic saints supervising and regulating the worship of one of his wives, Gayatri. It said that Brahma ji did puja on the banks of this lake which is called Brahma Sarovar and is nearby only.

When you reach Brahma temple you can see the entire city of Pushkar developed around this temple.

Entry and exit are free for all. You are not allowed to click any photographs inside the temple and it’s a strict rule there. So if you are planning the same please don’t do so.

Temple is open from Sunrise to sunset.

 

• Pushkar International Balloon Festival

This is the 1-lifetime experience that you can feel in Pushkar. It happens mostly in the Pushkar fair.

It’s a 1-hour ride in you will be flying all over Pushkar at the same.

They have mostly 2-time slots for the same. Either you can choose 5 Am or 16:30 in the evening.

The approximate cost of the same is around INR 12000 per person

They will pick you from the hotel and will drop you at Hotel after the completion of the trip.

• Camel Safari

If you are in Rajashthan and you have not done Camel Safari then you have missed some fun.

There are different types of format and timing for the same.

If you are there when Pushkar Fair happens give it a try.

There are different companies who are getting this arranged. Rajputana Cabs is one such company.

They have made various combinations of same like Camel Safari, Camel Safari with dance & dinner, Camel safari with night camp stay

• Savitri Temple:

The Savitri temple in Pushkar is situated on the Ratnagiri hill, a major Hindu pilgrimage site. This temple is made for Goddess Savitri. Climbing to the top of the hill is difficult. The idols of Lord Brahma’s two wives, Savitri and Gayatri, may be found in this temple.

Visitors can either hike to the temple gates or ride in the cable cars that transport guests to the temple. The ropeway ride is a lot of fun, and from there you can get a great perspective of Pushkar. Many devotees, however, choose to climb the 1000 stairs that lead to the shrine, which they regard to be an important part of the pilgrimage.

It is also said that sunrise and view from the temple is worth going all the way.

• Handicrafts Shopping

Although it’s a small place the moment you see shops in Pushkar, you will change your shopping preference. Everything in all these shops is very colorful and bright.

• Pushkar Cafes:

Since there are lots of tourists coming to Pushkar there are some very good cafes there. Below are some of the most popular ones:

Pink Floyd Café
Funky Monkey Café
Café lake view
The Laughing Budha café
Desert Rose Café
Honey and Spice
Hugs and Mugs Café
Honey Dew Cafe

• Visit Gurudwara Sahib Pushkar
  

Every time I visit a Gurudwara it gives me a very positive feeling and everything slows down. Gurudwara Sahib Pushakr was made in remembrance of Guru Nanak ji and Guru Gobind Singh Ji visit in 1509 and 1706 respectively. It is open 24 hours a day and it is situated just opposite Indian Overseas Bank.