Jagatpita Brahma temple, a remarkably few existing temples dedicated to the Hindu creator Lord Brahma in India, remained the most prominent among them. It is said that sage Vishwamitra built the Jagatpita Brahma temple after Brahma’s Yagna (ritual). And Lord Brahma chose the location himself. The Jagatpita Brahma temple has architecture dates back to the 14th century. Yet, in the 8th century, Hindu philosopher Adi Shankara Charya renovated the Jagatpita Brahma temple.
The current medieval structure dates to the King of Ratlam, who made additions and repairs, though the original Jagatpita Brahma temple design is kept back. It is constructed of marble and rock slabs, with a distinct red pinnacle (shikhara) and a Hamsa bird motif. The Idol of our-headed Brahma and his consort Gayatri (goddess of milk) is positioned in the temple sanctum. And an ancient Shivalinga is in its basement. Pushkar is said to hold more than 500 temples, which were destroyed during Aurangzeb’s rule (1658–1707) but were rebuilt subsequently. And the Jagatpita Brahma temple was one of them. After offering our prayers and attending the Aarti, we went towards the Bazaar.
I was hungry after the long & hectic rituals, and it was 9.30 am. Hence our young Pandit suggested Lakshmi Misthan Bhandar, near Gau Ghat, famous for its Puri Sabzi and tasty Lassi. Thus, we made our way to the shop and hell, what a long queue. I had to wait for a good 10 mins before I was able to place my order. But trust me, the wait was worth it, as the taste & quality of food was excellent. I had a sumptuous breakfast at the cost of Rs 60 per person. The young Pandit even suggested trying Malpua of Pushkar from the Halwai Gali near Gau Ghat; I left it for the evening desert.
Walking through the lanes, we worked our way to Varaha temple. Varaha temple is supposed as one of the eight Swayambhu Kshetra of Vishnu, where the presiding deity is believed to have manifested in its own. It is an ancient temple in Pushkar, with the Idol of Varaha & mother called Pudareegavalli.
Varaha means Boar, an incarnation of God Vishnu listed as third in the Dashavatara, the ten principal avatars of Vishnu. It is linked with the legend of lifting the Earth (personified as the goddess Bhudevi) out of the cosmic ocean. The origin of Varaha is found in the Vedas- which is described initially as a form of Prajapati (equates to Brahma) but developed into the avatar of Vishnu in later Hindu scriptures. Even the Ayodhya Kanda refers to Varaha retaining his connection to Prajapati-Brahma.
But in a cosmogonic myth, Brahma appears in the early universe full of water and takes the shape of a boar lifting the Earth from the waters; creation begins with Brahma and his progeny. On the other hand, Yuddha Kanda praises Rama (Vishnu avatar) as “the single-tusked boar”, which is understood as an allusion to Varaha and links Varaha with Vishnu. As per the legend demon, Hiranyaksha stole the Earth and hid her in the primordial waters. Hence Vishnu appeared as Varaha to rescue her, slewing the devil and recast the Earth from the cosmic sea. He lifted her on his tusks and restored Bhudevi to her place in the universe. Thus this associates the presence of Vishnu in place of Brahma worship.
The temple was built in 1130-1150 AD, during Anaji Chauhan’s rule, though the Ghaznavid army demolished it. The Hada Chatrasal of Bundi reconstructed the temple but again ruined it during Aurangzeb’s reign. In 1727 the temple was constructed by Raja Sawai Jai Singh II of Jaipur and later renovated in 1806 by Gokul Chand Parikh, a Scindia minister. The temple architecture is typical of Haveli, with massive pillars, a gateway, chhatris and hanging caves. The carvings are intricate, with life-size statues of Drawapalaks and gold-styled posts depicting Garuda. We sat at the Varaha Ghat for a while & then started with the 7km traditional Parikrama.
Post our Parikrama, we headed for lunch. Pushkar is a place to enjoy the sin of gluttony, as it’s the melting point of traditional and international cuisine. I have yet to cross a city in Rajasthan that offers a Pushkar platter. Hence I headed to a falafel wrap shop. Despite being a pure vegetarian, food has not taken a backseat in Pushkar. After Hampi, Pushkar is another place where I had good wood burn Pizza and Falafel rolls.
These wrap sellers are top-rated on the Varha ghat. The food in Pushkar is delicious, fresh, authentic, and cheap. But before heading to my next destination, my mom needed a cup of tea, so we opted for the street tea vendor. The tea was made using a lot of ginger and less milk and was delicious. You can find this stall near the Main Market Square of Pushkar.
The remnant of the day was drawing closer, and I was at peace. I understood that spirituality is a brave search for the Truth about existence and belief and letting go of emotional rift.
My next destination of spirituality was Gurudwara Sahib, Pushkar Raj. Gurudwara Singh Sabha was previously a lodge; hence I decided to dig into the significance of its presence in Pushkar. Upon entering the Gurudwara, covering my head with a scarf, the first thing that struck my ear was the Gurmukhi chants -“Ik Oankaar Satnaam Kartaa Purakh Nirbhau Nirvair Akaal Moorat Agoonee Saibhan Gur Prasaad”. It means One supreme Creator- God, where Truth and eternal is the name, being creative, Without Fear, Without Enmity, Timeless and deathless Form. And not affected by the circle of life and death – unborn, Self-Existent.
He can be actualized by the grace of the faithful and eternal Guru who can enlighten us. As per their scriptures, Guru Nanak and Guru Gobind Sikh have spent time in Pushkar. It is believed that Guru Gobind Singh spent many months here when he was ousted from Anandpur by Mughal ruler Aurangzeb during the early 18th C. In that respect is a ghat dedicated to Guru Gobind Singh – The Gobind Ghat on Pushkar Lake.
I was back at the Brahma Ghat for evening Aarti, one of my favourite memories. The Ghat was beckoning with spirituality, bells’ sound, the high flames of Aarti, verses of chants, and rose petals all around. The Aarti song makes your soul travel to a cosmic world, and you feel connected. During the Aarti, I realized our soul usually knows what to do to heal itself; the challenge is to silence the mind. After the Aarti, I sat down on the Ghat steps, watching people floating lit lamps on the lake water offering their payers.
Bells rang on all the ghats simultaneously, with hymns said in the chorus, which reminded me of lines spoken by Stephen Richards- “When you connect to silence within you, that’s when you can make sense of the disturbance going around you”. I understood my prayers for my father and ancestors were accepted & they are freed now from the cycle of life & death. With a calm and relaxed mind, I walked towards the Bazaar, which was brightly lit, crowded and lively. Many shops lining the street have various things to catch your attention, from embroidered clothes, leather bags, handicrafts, costume jewellery, and so on. But I suggest you go for rose Itar, Gulkand & some fragrant incense. You can bargain, but be respectful.
Since it’s a rose state, most of the roses or its products are exported, as it’s the manufacturing hub. It was almost 9 pm, time for dinner, and we were exhausted. I opted for a Rajasthani thali -a complete meal with dal, Rotis, and a few vegetables. The veg thali at the Karni Maa restaurant in Pushkar is traditional and the best.
I woke up late the following day. After a quick bath & steaming cup of tea, I left for Paap Mokshini temple or Gayatri Shaktipeth. We hired an auto to reach the temple via an unpaved trail. The road was bumpy, but I could see the cultivation of roses and seasoned cauliflower veggie on both sides. Gayatri Shaktipeth is located on Gayathri hills providing a panoramic sight of the holy town. This temple is devoted to Goddess Sakthi, & is among the 51 Shaktipeths. It is a seat where Goddess Sati’s two Manivedikas – wrists fell and is known as Manivedika Shaktipeth. And the Idol, installed later in the temple, is called Gayatri Devi.
There are two idols here, one is of Devi Sati, and another is of Gayatri Mata. Bhairav, here is the Sarvananda (the one who gets everyone happy). There are also idols of Ganesh & Kali on the temple premises. This temple is considered the romantic place for Gayatri Mantra Sadhana. It is sad to discover that this temple remains relatively unknown despite being situated amidst a significant pilgrimage centre Pushkar. The spirituality and tranquillity of this place will stick with you. My mom did her worship with all rituals and offered her prayers.
I had time before I bid farewell to Pushkar; hence, I made my way to Varaha Ghat as I was required to visit the Old Rangji temple. It’s a 19th-century construction dedicated to Rangji, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. The architecture caught my attention, and it’s an amalgamation of multiple styles, where southern Indian architecture is prominent with painted Gopuram. The synagogue is not prominently visible as its located in the bustling marketplace; thus, the landmark would be beside street-side wrap vendors. Some other quite popular activity is camel rides or safaris. I did not opt for any, as I owned a delightful experience in Jaisalmer. But you will see many operators offering camel safari in Pushkar.
Travelling back to the Ajmer railway station, I realized that the spiritual journey is private & highly personal. It cannot be organized or regulated; one needs to pursue their inner Truth. Since no one can escape Karma, two seemingly disconnected events can be Karmically linked. I understood it while sitting on the Ghats of Pushkar lake. After all, Karma works on a spiritual level, which may manifest itself.
How to reach:
By Air :
Jaipur is the nearest airport to Pushkar, 140 kilometres away. This airport is well connected to major metros. Upon reaching, you can hire a cab for Pushkar.
By Rail:
Ajmer railways station is the nearest to Pushkar, its 30min drive from Ajmer. The Ajmer railhead is well connected with major cities of the country. You can hire a Cab, Auto or Buse to reach Pushkar.
By Road:
Buses from Delhi & Jaipur to Ajmer and Pushkar are readily available. The Rajasthan State Road Transport Corporation runs deluxe and semi-deluxe buses (air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned) connecting Ajmer to nearby cities and then transporting you to Pushkar for a nominal fare.