India is known for its cultural diversity with people of different religions coexisting side by side in complete harmony. However, a major chunk of the Indian population consists of Hindus and as a result the landscape is dotted with places of Hindu pilgrimage. Rajasthan is one such colorful state of India, that is has a number of pilgrimage places and here Pushkar is a location which is held sacred by the Hindus. Home to atleast five hundred temples and over fifty ghats, Pushkar holds special place in the heart of every devout Hindu. In recent times, many foreign tourists are also making it a point to visit this place in order to get a view of the indescribable natural beauty and get a sneak peak into Hindu mythology.



According to Hindu mythology, Lord Brahma, who is the creator of the universe, had dropped petals of the lotus flower from his hand; three lakes were created in the desert land. The largest of the three lakes is the Pushkar Lake, which is revered by the Hindu devotees. Many temples have been built around this lake and the various ghats connect the temples to the water. The most important Pushkar temple is one dedicated to Lord Brahma. The importance of this Pushkar temple lies in the fact that it is the only temple in India where Lord Brahma is worshipped. It is also due to this reason that the Pushkar temple ranks high on the list of must visit places for a tourist in Rajasthan.

The Pushkar temple is an aesthetic pleasure even to the visitor who may not visit temples merely out of devotion. The temple can easily be identified by its red spire and the sculpture of a swan, which was the preferred animal of Lord Brahma. The temple has been built with marbles and is decorated with silver coins. A silver turtle decorates the floor of the temple, adding further artistic attraction to the place. It is also believed that Lord Brahma had held a sacred ceremony (yagya) along with many other gods and goddesses. In order to maintain the sanctity and purity of this place, it is forbidden to consume meat and alcohol when one is in Pushkar. When in Pushkar, one is bound to be affected by the complete peace that engulfs your soul in this small town of Pushkar.

Besides the Pushkar temple many other attractions dot the place. Some of the other important temples in Pushkar are the Savitri temple dedicated to Lord Brahma's first wife, the Rangji temple which has been built in the South Indian architectural style and the Varaha temple which is dedicated to Lord Vishnu in his incarnation the form of a boar. Although Pushkar is an ancient pilgrimage site, many of the old architecture was destroyed by Aurangzeb and have been rebuilt later. However, one can still be transported back in time when he or she visits the sacred soil of Pushkar for a pilgrimage or even for a vacation.