The word 'Pushkar' means lotus flower, which is said to be the seat of Brahma, one of the Hindu holy trinity worshipped as the creator of this world. Over the years, Pushkar has become one of the most sought after travel destinations for solo travellers.
After a brief research about the place, I decided to take this trip during the Makar Sankranti festival. I took an overnight bus to Ajmer, which dropped me off the highway. I took an auto to the nearest bus stop and caught a state transport bus to the Land of Brahma. The bus ride from Ajmer to Pushkar is hardly 30 minutes and the view along the route is scenic enough (if you manage to find the perfect seat).
Pushkar has a lot of cheap hostels for solo travellers as well as groups, because of the huge influx of tourists coming to the place from all around the world. I had booked a bed at Zostel, and reached there by 9 AM on a Friday morning. After a light breakfast, I headed off to see the much talked about Pushkar Town and the Pushkar Lake. Pushkar Lake is surrounded by 52 bathing ghats (a series of steps leading to the lake), where pilgrims throng in large numbers to take a sacred bath. The history of the lake dates back to the 4th century but according to legendary tales it talks about a king of the 9th Century. Around Kartik Poornima (October–November) the legendary Pushkar Fair is held here. It is a must visit for all those lost souls planning to visit the pilgrimage site.
I spent a leisurely afternoon exploring the ghats and having lunch at a serene place called Funky Monkey, which is located right in the middle of the market.
As I came back to the hostel in the evening, I was informed about a small trek to the nearby mountain top, organised by Zostel for the tourists. We took an auto ride through the dried canals, to the foot of the mountain and trekked our way upwards, through a dried waterfall. After 4 km and 2 hours, we reached the summit and the view was spectacular. After having absorbed the splendid view of Pushkar in that spectacularly setting sun, we made our way back to the Hostel. Meanwhile, I had made some friends with a group I was travelling with and we decided to have dinner at the famous 'La Pizzeria'. Pushkar is a vegetarian paradise, and La Pizzeria is the Crown Jewel. They serve some amazing Pizzas and we couldn't get enough of it.
The next morning, all I did was laze around the town and do nothing other than listening to the birds, talking to the locals and trying those amazing falafels in the Pushkar Market. I was told that Israelis were the first ones to discover Pushkar as a tourist place and there have been a steady out-pour of Israeli Tourists in to the place over the years. Restaurants even have menus displayed in Israeli and locals have somewhat adopted Israeli cuisine as a staple diet. I also visited the famous cafes such as the Pink Floyd Cafe, which I feel is overly hyped. i feel there were better options if you're ready to explore.
Pushkar has a lot of scenic destinations nearby which can be covered on rented bikes. It is a good option to rent a bike and visit the nearby temples.
The morning of the last day of my trip, I visited the Brahma Temple - one of the few existing temples of the Hindu God. It was a truly mesmerising experience, visiting one of the oldest temples with devotees all around me, seeking the blessings of the creator.
That afternoon, I packed my bags and caught a bus to Ajmer. It was time to come back to the life I had left behind; the life of hustle and busy schedules. Caught a train from Ajmer to Jaipur which takes about 3 hours run time. I headed to the Jaipur Airport and flew to the city of dreams, for picking up the life I had left behind.
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