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Pushkar is one of the oldest cities in India. Located to the northwest of Ajmer, the tranquil city of Pushkar is a favoured destination for thousands of tourists and devotees flocking to Rajasthan. Situated at a height of 510 metres, Pushkar is surrounded by hillocks on three sides. The ‘Nag Pahar’, literally meaning Snake Mountain forms a natural border between Ajmer and Pushkar.
It's set on Pushkar Lake, a sacred Hindu site with 52 ghats (stone staircases) where pilgrims bathe. The town has hundreds of temples, including 14th-century Jagatpita Brahma Mandir, dedicated to the god of creation, which has a distinctive red spire and walls inlaid with pilgrims’ silver coins.
Pushkar is a town in the Ajmer district in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is situated 14 km (8.7 mi) northwest of Ajmer at an average elevation of 510 m (1,670 ft) and is one of the five sacred dhams for devout Hindus. According to Hindu theology, the pond at the Katas Raj Temples near Choa Saidan Shah in Chakwal District of Pakistan has a theological association with Shiva; it was formed by the tears of Lord Shiva which he is believed to have shed after the death of his wife, Sati. The story goes that when Sati died, Shiva cried so much and for so long, that his tears created two holy ponds – one at Pushkara in Ajmer in India and the other at Ketaksha, which literally means raining eyes, in Sanskrit. It is from this name that the word Katas is derived. It is often called "Tirth Raj" – the king of pilgrimage sites – and has in recent years become a popular destination for foreign tourists.Pushkar is one of the oldest existing cities of India. It lies on the shore of Pushkar Lake. The date of its actual origin is not known, but legend associates Brahma with its creation.
Pushkar has many temples. Most of the temples are not very old because many temples were destroyed during Muslim conquests in the area.Subsequently, the destroyed temples were rebuilt. The most famous among all is the Brahma Temple built during the 14th century CE. Very few temples to Lord Brahma exist anywhere in the world. Other temples of Brahma include Bithoor in Uttar Pradesh, India; Khedbrahma in Gujarat, India; village Asotra near Balotra city of Barmer district in Rajasthan; Uttamar Kovil (one of the Divya Desams) near Srirangam, Tamil Nadu; Carambolim near Valpoi in Goa, Mother Temple of Besakih in Bali, Indonesia; and Prambanan in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The Pushkar lake has 52 ghats where pilgrims descend to the lake to bathe in the sacred waters.Pushkar is also famous for its annual fair (Pushkar Camel Fair) held in October to November for a period of seven days .
Pushkar is one of the most ancient cities of India. Located in Rajasthan’s Ajmer district in midst of Aravali range, Pushkar is often called tirtha-raj, which literally means the king of pilgrim sites. It is also among the five pilgrim sites or dhams for people following Hinduism. There are several temples in Pushkar and the most famous temple is the Brahma temple, which is one of the few temples dedicated to Brahma in the world. Pushkar is also famous for the Pushkar Lake, which has 52 ghats. Pilgrims from across the country visit the lake to take a dip in its holy water. The sacred Pushkar Lake resounds with the chants and hymns from the 400 blue colored temples located on its banks. Pushkar is also called ‘the rose garden of Rajasthan’, because of the flower farming in and around the city. These flowers are exported across the world. Surrounded by hills, Pushkar is a popular destination among the devotees and tourists alike. In the recent years, Pushkar has become one of the most famous tourist destinations among Indian as well as international tourists.
History
In Sanskrit, Pushkar means blue lotus flower. Pushkar has an interesting history. According to legends, Brahma found Purshkar to be ideal for his Mahayagna. Soon he found out about Vajranash, a demon, who was killing people of the town. Brahma killed the demon by chanting a mantra on a lotus flower. Few parts of the lotus fell on three sites in Pushkar and these places were later called Jyaistha, Madhya and Kanishtha Pushkar. To protect Pushkar from demons, a yagna was performed by Brahma. For performing the yagna, Brahma’s consort, Savitri, was required. However, she was not present there and Brahma married a girl called Gayatri from Gurjar community to complete his yagna. Enraged by the news of Brahma’s wedding, Savitri cursed that people would worship Brahma only in Pushkar. The Pushkar temple still has a Gurjar priests known as Bhopas. The town was under the Rajputana Agency in 1901 and had 3,831 residents.
According to legend, Brahma was in search of a place for Mahayagna and he found this place suitable. After a long time, Brahma came to known that a demon, Vajranash, was killing people here so the Lord intoned a mantra on a lotus flower and killed the demon. During this process the parts of flower fell on three places which were later known as Jyaistha, Madhya and Kanistha Pushkar. After this Brahma performed a yagna to protect this place from demons. The consort of Brahma, Savitri, were needed to offer Ahuti for the yagna but she was not there that time so Gayatri, a Gurjar girl, was married to brahma and performned yagna. This act made first wife of Brahma, Savitri, angry and she cursed Brahma saying that he would be worshiped in Pushkar only.
There are still priests from the Gurjar community in Pushkar temple, known as Bhopas.It is also the venue of the annual Pushkar Camel Fair.In 1901, the town was part of the Rajputana Agency had a population of 3,831.
| state |
Rajasthan,India |
| Country |
India |
| Area |
510 m (1,670 ft) |
| Languages spoken |
Marwadi,Rajasthani,Hindi,English |
| Currency |
Ruppee |