By road
~145 km from Jaipur, ~15 km from Ajmer
North India · Rajasthan
Pushkar, Rajasthan
A holy lake ringed by ghats and camels · ~145 km from Jaipur, ~15 km from Ajmer
Getting there
By rail
Ajmer Junction, ~11-15 km
By air
Kishangarh Airport, ~50 km; Jaipur International (~130-150 km) has far more flight options
Best time to visit
October to March; November for the Camel Fair
Don't miss
Brahma Temple (one of very few)
Pushkar Lake ghats
Savitri Temple hill
Things to do
Camel Fair (Nov)
Ghat aarti evenings
Café-hopping
Desert sunset rides
Where to eat
What to pack
Modest wear for ghats, slip-off sandals, small change for offerings
A quieter corner
Savitri temple ropeway at dawn, the lake glowing below
Before you go
A sacred lake town; the Pushkar Fair (Kartik Purnima, Oct-Nov) combines the camel fair with the holiest bathing days. The town is vegetarian and alcohol-free by rule.
About Pushkar
- Lakeside
Where it is
Pushkar is a small pilgrimage town in the Ajmer district of Rajasthan, set around a sacred lake in a valley of the Aravalli hills and separated from the city of Ajmer by the Nag Pahar ridge.
History
Hindu tradition holds that the lake formed where the god Brahma dropped a lotus, and Pushkar is one of the oldest pilgrimage towns in India. Many of its temples were damaged during the Mughal period and rebuilt later, and royal families from across India built ghats around the lake.
People
Pushkar's residents speak Hindi and Rajasthani, and priestly families guide the pilgrims who come to bathe in the lake. During the autumn fair, herders come from across Rajasthan to trade camels, horses and cattle.
Known for
- Pushkar Lake and its 52 ghats
- The Brahma Temple
- The Pushkar Camel Fair
- Savitri Temple on Ratnagiri hill
- Rose gardens and rose products
Did you know?
Legend holds that Brahma's consort Savitri, angered that he completed a ritual with another wife, cursed him to be worshipped only at Pushkar, which is why temples to Brahma are so rare.
Shrines and sites
- Brahma Temple
- Pushkar Lake and its 52 ghats
- Savitri Temple
- Varaha Temple
Traditions
- Hindu
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.