If you’re looking for places to visit in Pushkar head to the Camel Fair in October/November for the best entertainment in town.
Of all the places to visit in Pushkar, nothing is more spectacular than the Pushkar camel fair that takes place in the Hindu lunar calendar month of Kartik (October/November). During this period the town is jam-packed with tribal people from all over Rajasthan, pilgrims from all over India, and filmmakers and tourists from all over the world. The central focus of the fair is the camels and other livestock which arrive from all over Rajasthan and across the Thar Desert. It’s best to arrive a few days before the official start to witness the trading of these animals.
There are a few Pushkar tourist places that are worth visiting. The main market area is where most of the action takes place. Groups of Indian women promenade the streets, the clashing colours of their saris all flowing together. The town is highly commercialised to the hippy western tourist so expect shops selling everything from banana pancakes to hippy-chic tie-dye and didgeridoos. Other Pushkar attractions worth visiting are Pushkar Lake and the several temples that surround the lake, of which the main one is the Brahma Temple.
Pushkar has changed drastically in recent years by the year-round presence of large numbers of foreigners originally drawn by the Pushkar Fair. To get away from the hustle and bustle, one of the things to do in Pushkar is to take a stroll around the lake that uncovers a very holy site: ghats dotted with shrines to the elephant-god Ganesh; little alcoves filled with candles, flowers and burning incense; here and there a wild-haired, spindly sadhu sits in repose by a tiny charcoal fire. A short trek up to the Savitri Temple (3 km along a sandy track and jagged stone steps cut into the mountain) allows the traveller to swap village activity for open swathes of valley and fringes of desert beyond. From on high, the views are pretty with houses crowding the lake’s edges.
Pushkar is not to everybody’s taste as there is a high hassle factor from cash-seeking ubiquitous Brahmin ‘priests’ requesting a donation receipt for the ‘Pushkar Passport’ (a red string tied around the wrist as part of a puja/blessing). Be careful of puja scams while in this town especially at the lake.
Below is a list of popular places to visit in Pushkar.
1. Pushkar Fair
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The Pushkar Fair is a the largest and most colouful livestock fair in India. People come from far and wide to trade camels and other livestock or to perform religious rituals for the festival of Kartik Purnima (Full Moon). For a week, camel-cart races, parades and other cultural events are organised which are full of fun and gaiety. As a tourist, the Fair is the perfect time to see Pushkar at its best.
See our Pushkar Fair article for more information.
2. Pushkar Lake at Sunset
[singlepic id=2648 w=720 h=560 float=center]There is no better place to watch the sun set in Pushkar than at Folla Sui Ghat, in front of Sunset Cafe. While we sat on the steps of the ghat sipping our juice, there is an option of sitting on the porch of Sunset Cafe with a drink in hand. Either way, the sound of the drum beats in the background, and the view of the sunset in front of you, will lift your soul to a new level.
See our Pushkar Lake at Sunset article for more information.
3. Pushkar Temple
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The Pushkar temple is a major pilgrim site especially during the Hindu festival, Kartik Purnima (Full Moon), and is worth a visit while in town. In addition to the Pushkar temple, we also saw a beautiful Sikh gurudwara and a South Indian temple during our walking tour in Pushkar, as well as an interesting market along Main Market Road.
See our Pushkar Temple article for more information.
4. Pushkar Lake: Puja Scams
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Pushkar Lake is a great place to watch the pilgrims perform their rituals, and enjoy the atmosphere and vistas over the lake. However, be aware of the scams that are operated by so-called ‘Brahmin priests’ who lure you into their web to perform puja offerings and then demand ludicrous sums of money from you. As long as you firmly say “No” and stand your ground, you will enjoy Pushkar as much as we did.
See our Pushkar Lake Puja Scams article for more information.
Tell us what you think. What attractions are you planning to see in Pushkar? If you’ve been here before, what places did you visit? Please share with us your experiences.
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