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Jagatpita Brahma Temple, Pushkar
Brahma · Pushkar, Rajasthan
॥ ॐ ब्रह्मणे नमः ॥
The Brahma Temple at Pushkar is the most important temple of Brahma, the creator, in the world — one of very few anywhere dedicated to the first of the Hindu trinity. Set beside the sacred Pushkar lake, its red spire and silver turtle floor mark the spot where, by legend, Brahma performed a great fire-sacrifice, and pilgrims come from across India to the rare shrine of the creator-god.
The temple of the creator
Though Brahma is one of the three great gods, temples to him are exceedingly rare, and the Pushkar shrine is the foremost of the few. Tradition holds that Brahma performed a yagna, a fire-sacrifice, at Pushkar to consecrate the lake that sprang from a lotus he let fall, and the temple marks that hallowed place, the creator worshipped here as Jagatpita, the father of the world.
The red spire and the swan
The temple is crowned by a distinctive red spire and bears the hamsa, the swan that is Brahma’s mount, as its emblem, with a marble floor inlaid with silver coins and a silver turtle marking the centre. The four-faced image of Brahma sits in the sanctum, attended by his consort, in a shrine rebuilt in the 14th century on far older foundations.
Pushkar and its fair
Pushkar, set around its holy lake in the desert near Ajmer, is one of the most sacred pilgrimage towns of India, and the Brahma temple is its heart. The great Pushkar Fair at Kartik Purnima — a vast gathering of pilgrims, cattle and traders — fills the town, when bathing in the lake and worship at the Brahma temple reach their height.
How to reach the temple
- By road: the temple is in Pushkar town, beside the lake, about 11 km from Ajmer.
- By train: Ajmer is the nearest major railhead.
- By air: Jaipur airport is about 145 km away.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the Pushkar Brahma Temple important?
It is the most important temple of Brahma, the creator, in the world — one of very few anywhere dedicated to the first of the Hindu trinity, set beside the sacred Pushkar lake.
What is the legend of the temple?
Tradition holds that Brahma performed a fire-sacrifice at Pushkar to consecrate the lake that sprang from a lotus he let fall, and the temple marks that hallowed place.
What are the temple’s distinctive features?
It has a red spire and the hamsa (swan) emblem of Brahma, a four-faced image of the god in the sanctum, and a marble floor inlaid with silver coins and a silver turtle.
When was the temple built?
The present temple was rebuilt in the 14th century on far older foundations.
What is the Pushkar Fair?
It is the great fair at Kartik Purnima — a vast gathering of pilgrims, cattle and traders — when bathing in the lake and worship at the Brahma temple reach their height.
How do I reach the temple?
It is in Pushkar beside the lake, about 11 km from Ajmer, the nearest major railhead; Jaipur airport is about 145 km away.
॥ जय जगत्पिता ब्रह्मा ॥ • Bhaktiras.net Temple Guide
| Deity | Brahma (Jagatpita, the creator) |
| Significance | Foremost Brahma temple in the world |
| Special | Red spire; hamsa emblem; silver turtle floor |
| Setting | Beside the sacred Pushkar lake |
| Rebuilt | 14th century |
| Main Festival | Pushkar Fair (Kartik Purnima) |