Pushkar

Pushkar
Pushkar, Ajmer district, Rajasthan aerial view
Pushkar, Ajmer district, Rajasthan aerial view
Nickname: 
Tirthraj Pushkar तीर्थराज पुष्कर
Pushkar is located in Rajasthan
Pushkar
Pushkar
Location in Rajasthan, India
Pushkar is located in India
Pushkar
Pushkar
Pushkar (India)
Coordinates: 26°29′16″N 74°33′21″E / 26.487652°N 74.555922°E / 26.487652; 74.555922
Country India
StateRajasthan
DistrictAjmer
Elevation
510 m (1,670 ft)
Population
 (2011)
 • Total
21,626[1]
Languages
 • OfficialHindi, Rajasthani
Time zoneUTC+5:30 (IST)

Pushkar is a temple town near Ajmer City and headquarters of Pushkar tehsil in the Ajmer district in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is situated about 10 km (6.2 mi) northwest of Ajmer and about 150 kilometres (93 mi) southwest of Jaipur.[1] It is a pilgrimage site for Hindus and Sikhs. Pushkar has many temples. Most of the temples and ghats in Pushkar are from the 18th century and later, because many temples were destroyed during Muslim conquests in the area.[1][2] Subsequently, the destroyed temples were rebuilt. The most famous among Pushkar temples is the red spired Brahma Temple. It is considered a sacred city by the Hindus particularly in Shaktism,[1][3] and meat and eggs consumption are forbidden in the city as are alcohol and drugs.[4] Pushkar is located on the shore of Pushkar Lake, which has many ghats where pilgrims bathe.[3] Pushkar is also significant for its Gurdwaras for Guru Nanak and Guru Gobind Singh. One of the bathing ghats is called Gobind ghat built by the Sikhs in the memory of Guru Gobind Singh.[5]

Pushkar is famous for its annual fair (Pushkar Camel Fair) featuring a trading fete of cattle, horses and camels.[1] It is held over seven days in autumn marking Kartika Purnima according to the Hindu calendar (Kartik (month), October or November). It attracts nearly 200,000 people.[3] In 1998, Pushkar hosted about 1 million domestic (95%) and international tourists over the year.[6]

Pushkar town is famous for its lake known as Pushkar Lake. The lake has 52 ghats. About 400 blue-colored temples surround the holy lake. It makes the atmosphere more spiritual and divine as one can listen to magical chants from temples.[7]

  1. ^ a b c d e Pushkar, Encyclopaedia Britannica
  2. ^ "Al-Hind: The Slavic Kings and the Islamic conquest, 11th-13th centuries", Page. 326
  3. ^ a b c Cite error: The named reference Lochtefeld2002p539 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ David Abram (2003). The Rough Guide to India. Rough Guides. p. 192. ISBN 9781843530893.
  5. ^ Gurmukh Singh (2009), Pushkar, Encyclopedia of Sikhism, Editor in Chief: Harbans Singh, Punjab University
  6. ^ David L. Gladstone (2013). From Pilgrimage to Package Tour: Travel and Tourism in the Third World. Routledge. pp. 183–184. ISBN 978-1-136-07874-3.
  7. ^ jaanekyadikhjaaye.com, jaanekyadikhjaaye (30 January 2024). "Pushkar - The Timeless Beauty Of Rajasthan". Jaane Kya Dikh Jaaye. Retrieved 3 August 2024.