Pushkar is built around a lake Hindus hold to have formed where a lotus fell from Brahma's hand, ringed by fifty-two ghatsGhatA flight of steps leading down to a river or tank, used for bathing, worship and cremation.Read in the glossary and several hundred temples. It is one of very few places anywhere with a temple to Brahma himself, who is otherwise almost never worshipped directly.
The town is strictly observant in a way that surprises people: vegetarian throughout, no alcohol, no meat, and shoes off well before the water. That discipline is also what makes it restful — a small, walkable, low-rise town after the scale of Jaipur or Jodhpur.
Once a year the Pushkar Fair fills the dunes outside with tens of thousands of camels, horses and traders, and the town becomes something else entirely. It is extraordinary, and it needs booking a long way out.
Signature Experiences
- ◆Guided walk of the sacred lake and its fifty-two ghats
- ◆The Brahma Temple — among the very few dedicated to him anywhere
- ◆Sunset ceremony at the ghats
Optional, By Arrangement
- ◆Camel safari into the dunes outside town
- ◆The Pushkar Fair, if your dates align
- ◆Savitri Temple at dawn, up the hill above the lake
Where We Place Our Guests
- The Westin Pushkar Resort & Spa
The Table
- Sattvic vegetarian thali by the lake
- Rooftop dinner over the ghats
- Malpua and street-sweet tasting
Curator's Advisory
Strictly vegetarian and alcohol-free within the town — plan dining accordingly, and remove shoes before approaching the ghats. The Pushkar Fair falls in October or November and needs booking six to nine months ahead; outside it, a night is enough.
In & Around Pushkar
Pushkar sits within our Rajasthan region guide.
Journeys Through Pushkar
The Journal
Related Reading
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