Rajasthan
Pushkar
A holy lake town, twinned with the Ajmer Sharif dargah
Photo: Pinakpani (CC BY 4.0), via Wikimedia Commons
Overview
About Pushkar
Pushkar sits around a sacred lake said to have formed where a lotus fell from Brahma’s hand, and is home to one of the very few Brahma temples in the world. It draws a genuinely dual audience: pilgrims visiting the lake’s 52 ghats and the nearby Ajmer Sharif Dargah (one of India’s most important Sufi shrines), and independent travelers drawn to its relaxed, boutique-cafe atmosphere.
A day or two is enough for the lake, temple and bazaar; add a half-day for Ajmer’s dargah, 15km away.
- Pushkar Lake’s 52 ghats at sunrise or sunset
- The Brahma Temple, one of the world’s only temples dedicated to the creator god
- Ajmer Sharif Dargah, the shrine of Sufi saint Moinuddin Chishti
- Pushkar’s bazaar of silver jewelry, textiles and rooftop cafes
- The Pushkar Camel Fair, if your dates align (Oct/Nov)
Top attractions
What to see in Pushkar
Pushkar Lake
A sacred lake ringed by 52 bathing ghats, central to the town’s pilgrimage identity.
Brahma Temple
One of the very few temples in the world dedicated to Brahma, dating in its current form to the 14th century.
Ajmer Sharif Dargah
The tomb-shrine of Sufi saint Moinuddin Chishti, drawing pilgrims of all faiths.
Ana Sagar Lake
An artificial lake in Ajmer with a marble-pavilioned promenade, built by the Mughals.
Things to do
Experiences in Pushkar
Sunrise walk around the ghats
Pushkar’s lake is at its most peaceful early, before the day’s pilgrim and tourist traffic builds.
Visit Ajmer Sharif Dargah
Dress modestly and consider a local guide to explain the shrine’s Sufi traditions respectfully.
Browse Pushkar’s bazaar
Known for silver jewelry, mirror-work textiles and a strong backpacker-cafe scene.
When to go
Best time to visit
October to March; the Pushkar Camel Fair (Kartik Purnima, usually Oct/Nov) is the single best time to combine culture with the town’s biggest annual event.
Getting around
Transportation
Ajmer, 15km away, is the nearest rail junction, well connected to Jaipur (2 hours) and Delhi. There is no airport in Pushkar itself; the nearest is Jaipur, roughly 2.5 hours by road.
Where to eat
Restaurants in Pushkar
Multi-cuisine, rooftop
Sixth Sense
One of Pushkar’s best-known rooftop restaurants with lake and hill views.
Eating
Food guide
Pushkar is entirely vegetarian and alcohol-free within the town limits out of respect for its pilgrimage status — expect excellent thalis and a strong traveler-cafe food scene (Israeli and Italian options are common).
Practical
Travel tips
Remove shoes and dress modestly at both the Brahma Temple and Ajmer Sharif Dargah. Photography is restricted in parts of both.
Questions
Pushkar: common questions
Yes, the temple welcomes visitors of all faiths, though modest dress and respectful conduct are expected, and some inner areas may be reserved for worship only.
No — Pushkar is officially vegetarian and dry out of respect for its status as a pilgrimage town. Nearby Ajmer has more relaxed rules.
It falls around Kartik Purnima, typically late October or November, and draws traders, pilgrims and travelers for camel trading, competitions and a mela atmosphere.
Plan my trip
Planning a trip to Pushkar?
Tell us your dates and who is travelling. We reply with an itemized plan you can change.