Pushkar is a holy town in Rajasthan bordering the Thar Desert.

It has many temples but is most known for its Brahma (God of creation) temple. Constructed during the 14th century, it is one of the few existing temples of Lord Brahma and that is a major reason that this town sees pilgrims all the year round.

The temple is located close to the Pushkar Lake which has as many as fifty ghats for the pilgrims to take the sacred bath.

I stayed close to the lake with a perfect view of the city.

The town was all lit up during the evening with its radiance reflected in the lake.

Rajasthan is known for its fairs and festivals. The Pushkar Fair, Rajasthan is an annual weeklong event, one of the biggest in India and a cultural livestock fete adding to the huge footfall during the year.

After spending the night in Pushkar, I left for Ajmer, another pilgrimage site for the Muslim community of India.

An incredible facet of India’s diversity is the existence of different religions so close to each other.

Home to the famous Sufi shrine, Ajmer Sharif Dargah, the heritage city of Ajmer is surrounded by the Aravalli mountain range and witnesses a huge footfall of devotees throughout the year.

As I said before, India is home to many religious communities co-existing since long. Another such example is right next to the city of Ajmer.

Standing tall on the NH-8 at the outskirts of Ajmer, the strikingly remarkable Jain temple is a piece of architecture you shouldn’t miss.

Its imposing structure and marble work throughout add manifold to its beauty. The temple has twenty-three other smaller temples displaying a beautiful pattern right up on the hill above……

……. which showed me where to head next!

The temples up on the hilltop can be reached through the road with a few serpentine curves.

I wrapped the things up in Rajasthan at Nareli with a heart wishful to return soon.

Nitty-gritty,

• Safe for solo female travelers.
• The weather remained hot (traveled during mid-January); I never unpacked my woolen and had to shop for clothes.
• In most places, the accommodations were reasonably priced offering a decent stay.
• There are buses that ply from Ajmer to Pushkar and vice-versa at regular intervals. However, to visit Nareli, the buses are not that frequent. I hired a private vehicle to travel to Nareli.
• I could finish the entire trip to Rajasthan (Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Khudi, Jodhpur, Osian, Ajmer, Pushkar & Nareli) in nine days and 17k (300 USD).