Puṣkar

Lake of Brahmā · near Ajmer, Rajasthan

Puṣkar is a lake town in the Aravalli hills, famous for one of the very few temples in India dedicated to Brahmā, the creator. The sacred lake is ringed by dozens of ghats where pilgrims bathe and perform rites for their ancestors. On a hill above the lake stands the temple of Sāvitrī.

The Puṣkar fair around Kārtika Pūrṇimā (October–November) combines holy bathing with a famous camel and cattle fair. The town is vegetarian and alcohol-free by tradition. October to March is the best season.

Tradition says Brahmā, seeking a place for a great sacrifice, dropped a lotus (puṣkara) from his hand, and where it fell the lake appeared. When his consort Sāvitrī was late for the ritual, Brahmā performed it with another wife, Gāyatrī. Sāvitrī, hurt, is said to have decreed that Brahmā would be worshipped in few places — one traditional explanation of why his temples are rare.

Rajasthan · Brahmā temple · Kārtika Pūrṇimā · Puṣkar fair

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