PUSHKAR

Pushkar

GENERAL INFORMATION
Area : 16.34 sq. km.
Population : 11,506
Altitude : 486 meters above sea level
Best Season : October to March
Languages : Hindi and English



The palace was built about 400 years ago by the maharajah of Kishangarh on the edge of the lake Pushkar. The Pushkar palace offers a spectacular panorama of the 400 temples, banks, sand dunes and the Aravalli hills. The colorful religious ceremonies conducted on the Ghats of the lake, and other lively activities going on can be viewed from the palace. Well equipped to cater to all types of guests, Pushkar palace is an ideal place to stay especially during the famous Pushkar fair. Other events available at the palace are jeep, horse and camel safaris which can be arranged on request

The picturesque Pushkar is set in a valley just about 14 km off Ajmer in the north Indian state of Rajasthan. Surrounded by hills on three sides and sand dunes on the other, Pushkar forms a fascinating location and a befitting backdrop for the annual religious and cattle fair.

Places to see
Brahma Temple : The Brahma temple is an important pilgrim centre for the Hindus. It is nestled in the Pushkar valley which lies beyond Nagaparvat and the Anasagar lake. This place, full of natural beauty, holds a special place in the hearts of Indian for it is believed that Lord Brahma, together with all the gods and goddesses, performed a Yagya here. Legends also has it that the ancient lake Sarovar had appeared miraculously, when a lotus fell from the hands of Lord Brahma and dropped into this valley.Brahma Temple The most famous temple in Pushkar, this is the only temple dedicated to Lord Brahma (the creator of the universe according to Hindu mythology) in the entire country. You can identify it by its red spire and by the image of a hans(the goose considered sacred to Lord Brahma).This temple built with marble is decorated with silver coins and there is a silver turtle on the floor of the temple.

Savitri Temple: The temple is dedicated to Savitri, the wife of Lord Brahma and located on the top of the Ratnagiri Hill. According to the legends when Lord Brahma performed a Yagna (holy fire devoted to gods) along with Gayatri, a local milkmaid, furious Savitri cursed her husband that he would never be worshipped anywhere except in Pushkar and that too only once a year. Savitri left for the Ratnagiri Hill after cursing her husband and immolated herself there. There is beautiful statue of Goddess Savitri inside the temple

Varah Temple : Originally built in the 12th century, Varah Temple was, like many others, destroyed by the bigoted Emperor Aurangzeb (who , it is said , was particularly upset by the huge idol here of Varah, the god with the body of a man and the head of the boar.) Reconstructed BY Raja Sawai Jai Singh II of Jaipur in 1727, the temple has an interesting and richly ornamented image house.

Mahadeva Temple : A beautiful temple built in the 19th century .It was described by a British traveler of the time as "by far the most remarkable, for the elegance of its structure and the nature of its ornaments, of all the temples Pushkar boasts of" . It is also noteworthy for its white marble Mahadeva image, with its five Faces.

Lake Pichola : The picturesque lake that entranced Maharaja Udai Singh. It was later enlarged by the founder. The lake is surrounded by hills palaces temples bathing ghats and embankments. Two island palaces Jag Mandir and Jag Niwas(Lake Palace) on the lake are of breathtaking magnificence

Pushkar lake : It is surrounded by hills on three sides and desert on the other side. The cave of Saint Agasthya was located on the snake mountain here. There is one belief that Kalidasa, the Indian counterpart of Shakespeare, had this place as his locale for his Sanskrit drama, Shakuntalam. According to a legend, the lake was formed when Lord Brahma wanted to perform a yagna here. A temple dedicated to him can be seen here.

Pushkar - Climate :
Pushkar has an extreme climate with high climatic variations between the seasons. Summers have hot days though the nights can be cold. Temperature remains in the range of 10ºC in the winters. There is not much of rain in Pushkar even during the monsoon. The best time to visit the place is in the winters and (September to March)

Year :	Dates :
2005:	November 12 - 15, 2005.
2006:	November 2 - 5, 2006.
2007:	November 21 - 24, 2007.
2008:	November 10 - 13, 2008.
2009:	October 30 - November 02, 2009.
2010:	November 18 - 21, 2010.