Incredible India
7 Things to Do in Pushkar, the Rajasthani Lake Town Built Around a Single Sacred Ghat
A small town in Rajasthan's Ajmer district, Pushkar is built almost entirely around its sacred lake and its rare temple to Brahma, with the surrounding desert never far away.
Sep 23, 2026 · BigTravel.in
Pushkar, a small town in Rajasthan's Ajmer district, sits around a lake considered sacred in Hindu tradition, ringed by more than 50 ghats and several hundred temples. It is smaller and quieter than Rajasthan's palace cities, but its combination of pilgrimage site, desert-edge town and long-running camel fair gives it a distinct character of its own. Here are seven things to do, each with a direct map link.
1. Pushkar Lake and its ghats
The lake is the town's centre in every sense, its 52 ghats used for ritual bathing and evening aarti ceremonies; walking the perimeter path at dusk, as lamps are lit along the water's edge, is the town's defining experience.
2. Brahma Temple
One of very few temples in India dedicated to Brahma, this marble-and-stone temple dates in its current form to the 14th century and remains Pushkar's most important pilgrimage site, drawing visitors well beyond the town itself.
3. Savitri Temple hilltop
Reached by a cable car or a steep uphill walk, the hilltop Savitri Temple looks straight down over the lake and town, and is the best vantage point for seeing how tightly Pushkar is built around its water.
4. Pushkar Bazaar
The main market street running from the lake, lined with stalls selling silver jewellery, textiles and leather goods, is also where much of the town's small guesthouse and café scene has grown up around the pilgrim trade.
5. Pushkar Camel Fair grounds
Held each year around the Kartik Purnima full moon, usually in November, the camel fair is one of the largest livestock fairs in the world; even outside fair season, its open grounds on the town's edge are worth a visit for the scale of the site alone.
6. Desert dune sunset ride
The Thar Desert's edge lies just outside town, and a short camel or jeep ride out to the dunes for sunset is one of the most common half-day trips arranged from Pushkar's guesthouses.
7. Rangji Temple
Built in the 19th century, Rangji Temple mixes South Indian Dravidian architecture with Rajput and Mughal elements, an unusual style combination for the region and a contrast to Pushkar's older, plainer temples.
Traveller tips
- Ajmer, 15 kilometres away, has the nearest railway station; Jaipur's airport, around 2.5 hours by road, is the nearest air link.
- Pushkar is officially vegetarian and alcohol-free within the town limits, in keeping with its religious significance.
- Modest dress is expected around the ghats and temples; footwear is removed before entering temple precincts.
- Accommodation and prices rise sharply during the camel fair; book well ahead if visiting for that period.
Where this is
Pushkar, Rajasthan