Introduction
The State of Rajasthan is one of the largest States and leading tourist destinations of India. There are many places to visit which describe the uniqueness of the State. But we can commonly find two things in State and even in India, the first one is historical Places, and the second is religious places.
Not all historical places are religious, but most of the time, Religious sites are historical. The city of Pushkar is one among them, which is historically religious. It tops the chart when it comes to the most famous Religious places in Rajasthan. But what makes this city a divine destination? Well, the answer is a world-famous Brahma Temple and the Lake of Pushkar. Pushkar Lake is one of the most sacred lakes in India. There are many myths, historical facts, and religious beliefs attached to the lake. So let us explore it with true faith.
About The Pushkar Lake
Pushkar Lake is one of the earliest lakes of Rajasthan and even India. It has successfully gained a prominent position in the list of most visited pilgrimage sites in the country. It is also registered in the list of top 10 famous pilgrimage spots of Hindus in India and stands at the 1st position in Rajasthan.
It is believed that the Lake was nothing but a droplet from Lord Brahma’s lotus, whose temple is also situated nearby the Lake, known as Brahma Temple. Therefore, there is a spiritual relation between both of them. That is the reason behind its sacredness. The sanctity of the Lake attracts hundreds of thousands of devotees to visit even every day and take a holy dip or bath in the water to attain salvation.
Devotees also believe in the fact that Lake’s water has the power, which helps us get rid of all sorts of skin diseases. A story revolves around belief. It is a story of a ninth-century Rajput king, Leukodeallrma marks on his hand astonishingly vanished away as soon as he dropped his hand into the lake to quench his thirst. Since then, people have started taking a holy dip to get rid of skin problems as well.
Favorable temperature and other things like enchanting sounds of chants and hymns from more than 500 encircled temples. And an outstanding view of the sparkling Lake, which shines with thousands of earthen lamps in the evening, especially during the Aarti after the complete sunset, creates a pure and pious aura, which attracts many tourists to show the Lake’s beauty, which makes it a bustling place of activities. You will love to see the evening form of Pushkar Lake and the surrounding region.
The entire city of Pushkar is called the Rose garden of Rajasthan because of flower farming. The Lake is amidst the Aravalli range of hills. It has encircled by over 500 blue colored temples. The natural and spiritual beauty of the lake makes it a major tourist destination in India, which attracts foreign and domestic tourists in almost equal numbers.
Pushkar Ghat
Another popular thing at Pushkar Lake is Pushkar Ghat. Ghats are nothing but a series of multiple steps that lead to the lake. There are fifty-two (52) ghats integral to the lake which surround it. Even the ghats also hold a great religious significance. Therefore, these are filled with plenty of pilgrims every time. You can find devotees indulged in various activities at Ghats, such as taking a sacred bath, performing religious rituals and rites for peace and prosperity, ancestor worship, Brahmin Pandits chanting mantras, and ghats also facilitate the Parikrama (Circumambulation) that are performed by pilgrims. Parikrama is a common practice in Hinduism.
Though all the ghats are significantly important and are commonly used to take a sacred bath, some of them are the most divine. Each of them is prestigious because of mythological and spiritual connections. And these are dedicated to some eminent persons, personalities, places, and sacred animals. Varah ghat, Jaipur ghat, Gau (cow) ghat, are some of them. Every ghat and temples are linked to the divine lake of Pushkar.
Significance of Pushkar Lake
The Pushkar lake is one of the most Prominent historical and holy sites in the Ajmer district of Rajasthan. It is a pilgrimage center of followers of Hinduism we can find whose mention in the Hindu scriptures. One of the Hindu scriptures, Padma Purana, says that the Lake was formed by Lord Brahma’s lotus flower petals.
It is also known as Tirtha-Raaj Pushkar, which means a supreme sacred Lake among the five most Sacred lakes in India. Namely, Bindu Sarovar, Mansarovar, Pampa Sarovar, Narayan Sarovar, and Pushkar Sarovar (According to Hindu Theology). In order to attain Salvation and cleansing sins, devotees take a Dip and Bath in the holy water of the Lake, especially during Kartik Poornima, which is considered most auspicious.
History
Pushkar Lake is one of the oldest lakes in India. It boasts the glorious history of Indian culture and religion. It perfectly reflects the ancient and modern Indian societal values. The lake finds mention in ancient and medieval historical and religious sources. Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Purana, and other sacred Hindu scriptures are some Ancient Indian sources, which mention the Pushkar Lake. For example - The Padma Purana says the lake was formed by Lord Brahma’s lotus petals.
Multiple myths revolve around its formation. However, some studies by Archaeologists provide some concrete evidence. The study claims Lake’s existence even in the 4th century BC.
Other than that, some inscriptions found at Sanchi describe its existence in the 2nd century BC. The Mughal period was the worst period for the lake. Its importance was downgraded during Mughal due to some adverse administrative policies. But soon after the decline of Mughal, it re-emerged with its glorious past and became a famous pilgrimage site. Later on, Britishers also contributed to its improvement.
Location
The Pushkar Lake is in the Pushkar city of Ajmer District of Rajasthan, India. It is surrounded by the majestic mountains of Aravalli. Pushkar city has also developed around it. There is a big bustling market that surrounds the lake where you can shop for some Traditional Indian Artifacts, for which the entire market is known and famous. These are the first choice of every tourist in Pushkar.
The city of Pushkar provides all facilities with its limited marketplace. Therefore, it would be very easy for you to find some famous hotels to stay in and restaurants to taste some famous foods of Pushkar.
Other famous places near Pushkar Lake
Geographically, Pushkar is a small city, therefore, you can also visit other famous places near Pushkar Lake, which are must-visit places in Pushkar. These places comprised of:
Brahma Temple - This is one of the oldest temples in India, specially dedicated to the creator god Brahma. This temple is the only temple of Lord Brahma in the world. The Pushkar lake and Brahma temple are sacredly connected and situated nearby.
Savitri Temple - A perfect example of matriarchy. This temple is dedicated to the goddess Savitri. It is also a pilgrimage site that is visited by many pilgrims combined with Pushkar Lake and Brahma Temple. It is on the top of the hill. You can enjoy a thrilling experience on its journey.
Gurudwara Sahib - the glamorous and glorious structure of peace and a symbol of equality, stands on the holy land of Pushkar since the 18th century in commemoration of the Sikh guru, Guru Gobind Singh.
The best thing is that you can reach without spending much time and money. You can cover the distance just by walking.
How to reach
By Bus - Pushkar is just 15 - 16 KM away from Ajmer. You can easily reach Pushkar Lake either by hiring a taxi or getting a bus from the Ajmer bus stand.
By Air - get a bus from Jaipur Airport directly to Pushkar.
By Rail - Ajmer bus stand and Railway station both are near to each other. So, either you hire a taxi from the Railway station or get a bus from the bus stand by reaching there. Up to you.
The Best time to visit Pushkar Lake
The best time to visit Pushkar Lake is in winter, which starts from October onwards and comes to an end in March. The beginning of winter indicates the beginning of the festive season in India. During the festivals, you can make the most of it, and your trip to Pushkar will be worth it. You can also get to witness the multiple colors of Pushkar, which represent colorful India.
Do not miss a very famous festival organized during the Kartik Poornima (a full moon night) falls in the month of October-November. According to Hindu theology, taking a sacred bath in the holy water of the lake on this day considered the most auspicious.
Therefore, devotees from very far and wide visit there to take a holy dip and get rid of their sins and skin problems (it is believed). But that is very interesting to see the people’s faith, which gives them strength for bathing in freezing water at such a cold temperature.
This day also marks the Pushkar Fair, which is also called the Camel fair. It is a multi-day festival. On the six to seven days before the auspicious day of Kartik Poornima, the entire city of Pushkar transformed into a bustling place of multiple activities. You can enjoy camel riding, which is one of the popular things to do at the Pushkar Fair.
