Rangji Temple, markets, cafes and more: Places to visit in Pushkar and Ajmer
Pushkar and Ajmer are twin cities located around half an hour of drive from each other. Pushkar with its Sarovar Lake which was supposedly created as per mythology when Lord Brahma dropped a Pushpa here (Lotus petals) while fighting a demon.
The landscape of Rajasthan is similar to an impeccable tapestry of unforgettable images, created by a master painter or the lines of an enchanting verse created by a bard of the soil. The beauty of this state is immeasurable. As the three hour smooth drive carries a traveller from the Jaipur International Airport to the green meadow of the Motisar village amidst acres and acres of the undulating green of The Westin Pushkar Resort & Spa, the divine bells of Pushkar starts ringing in his ears as the afternoon sun with its slanting rays gives away to a blissful evening. The Motisar village is located just a few km away from the Pushkar Brahma shrine as the road passes through some rare green seen in this part of the world. This village houses many travellers to Pushkar at beautiful properties like Marriott’s Westin.
Pushkar and Ajmer are twin cities located around half an hour of drive from each other. Pushkar with its Sarovar Lake which was supposedly created as per mythology when Lord Brahma dropped a Pushpa here (Lotus petals) while fighting a demon, and Ajmer with its Dargah of Khawaja Moinuddin Chishti which witnesses devotees visiting its premises belonging to many religions, are two places which give ample opportunities to tourists of all kinds to traverse its various grounds and bask in the pious fragrance of its environs. But Pushkar and Ajmer are more than just devotion, and definitely more than the famous Pushkar fair. Let us see now what we can explore in both these places:
1. One of the best things about Pushkar is to roam around in its main market in the evening with innumerable cafes and shopping all around giving it a vibrant colour and creating an effervescent atmosphere accentuated by the presence of different people here from various parts of India and the world. This market has got a hippie spirit in its positive sense and because it has the presence of so many shrines in its vicinity, the air here is of salvation rejuvenating people to attain a spiritual high.
2. Coming to Pushkar and not visiting the Sarovar or the Brahma Temple or the Savitri Mata Temple on top of a hill, is blasphemy. These three spots are a must visit in the itinerary of any traveller and the view of the Pushkar town, from the Savitri Mata Temple is just mind blowing. A lot of foreign tourists sit here for hours on end, to witness the landscape all around which looks mesmerizing from this hill top.
3. As the locals here would tell you, Pushkar has innumerable shrines of various sizes and importance and out of which, some are just not avoidable for their beauty and grace. One of them located close to the main market is the Varaha Temple, one of the oldest in this region. A mere look at this structure will tell you about its ancientness. Another is the beautiful Rangji Temple with its Dravidian architecture, also close to the main market. (Infact, there are two Rangji Temples here in this town – old and new).
4. A drive from Pushkar towards Ajmer and then after entering the city and keeping the beautiful and wide Anasagar Lake on the left hand side, one can drive further to the Hill Fort of Taragarh, reputed to be the oldest hill fort in this country. The drive to this place is almost akin to a drive in a hill station with wide vistas all around and the crumbling mighty walls of this fort with their battlements speak of some glorious days of yore.
5. The Ajmer Sharif Dargah of Khawaja Moinuddin Chishti, the 13th century scholar, ascetic and mystic, is a must visit place in Ajmer, needless to say. This shrine is visited by millions of devotees from all faiths and is a great place to witness the purity of thoughts and devotion. (The Oscar winning Music Director AR Rahman has paid a tribute to him in his song ‘Khwaja Mere Khwaja’ from the film ‘Jodhaa Akbar’). Other than this shrine, two other must visit places in Ajmer are the beautiful Soniji Ki Nasiyan – the Jain Temple and the historical Akbari Fort & Museum which is the very place where Emperor Jahangir issued a firman to the East India Company granting them some trading rights, thus making this fort a place of huge historical significance. Indeed, these twin cities have numerous interesting things to explore.