Brahma Temple is located in Pushkar, Rajasthan. It is nestled in the Pushkar valley which lies beyond Nagaparvat and the Anasagar Lake. This is the only temple in India dedicated to Lord Brahma the creator of the universe. Brahma is one of the Holy Trinity in Hinduism, sharing the honour with Vishnu and Shiva. The temple which was built in the 14th century is situated on a high platform near the famous Pushkar Lake. It the most revered shrine of the city and attracts thousands of pilgrims every year.
Brahma Temple - Legends
Pushkar is regarded as a holy place as it was here that Lord Brahma, together with all the gods and goddesses performed a ‘Yagna’ at the lake. According to legends, Brahma’s wife Savitri was not present at the Yagna and Brahma desperate to perform a Holy Yajnya at Pushkar decided to marry a local girl, Gayatri. Savitri the consort of Brahma was displeased by Brahma’s act and cursed that he would never be worshipped only in Pushkar and not anywhere else. Due to the reason, this is the only known temple in the world, where Lord Brahma is worshipped.
Legends have it that the Pushkar Lake appeared when a lotus flower fell from the hands of Lord Brahma in this valley. Mythology also states that Lord Brahma killed the demon Vajra Nabha by striking him with his weapon, a lotus flower. The impact of the strike caused the petals to fall in three places. One among the three places was Pushkar where a lake sprung up.
About Brahma Temple
The temple is constructed of marble, in southern style and stands on a high podium. A silver turtle is set on the floor facing the Sanctum-Sanctorum or Garbhagriha. Hundreds of silver coins can be seen around the turtle on the black and white chequered tiles floor. Coins studded in the floor and walls are placed by devotees to commemorate the births and deaths of their loved ones. Peacocks adorn the temple walls as they are supposed to be the vehicle of Lord Brahma's consort Saraswati. Brahma here is shown in a life-size form with four hands and four faces, facing four different directions. The image of Brahmaji in Pushkar is in a seated Palthi position. A small image of the Goddess Gayatri can be seen on the left of Lord Brahma and that of Goddess Savitri can be seen on his right side. The temple also comprises of an image of Lord Vishnu, life sized dwarpals (door men) and Garuda pillars. A Hans or goose spans the gateway to the temple which is crowned with a red spire. From the temple, there is a silver door that leads down to a small cave. This small cave comprises a temple of Lord Shiva.
This temple is thronged by people in large numbers during the time of Pushkar Fair. This is one of the famous fairs in the country. It is held during karthik purnima in the months of October-November. Thousands of devotees come here to take a holy dip in the Pushkar Lake and seek the blessings of Lord Brahma.
Pushkar is the town of shrines with 400 different and unique temples. Apart from the Brahma temple there are several other temples in Pushkar like Savitri Temple, Rangji Temple, Warah Temple, Apteshwar Temple etc.
Savitri Temple
Savitri temple is dedicated to Goddess Savitri, the consort of Brahma. The temple is situated on the top of the Ratnagiri Hill behind the Brahma Temple. One can get a panoramic view of the Pushkar Lake and the surroundings from here.
Varaha Temple
The Varaha temple dedicated to lord Vishnu enshrines an image of lord Vishnu in the incarnation of wild boar. This ancient temple is believed to be constructed by King Anaji Chauhan (1123-1150). The temple was originally built in 12th century and like many others was destroyed by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. It was reconstructed by Sawai Jai Singh II of Jaipur. As per legends Vishnu descended on earth in the incarnation of varaha (wild boar) to kill the demon Hirnayaksh and liberate the world from his atrocities.
Mahadeva Temple
Mahadeva temple houses a five-faced statue of Mahadeva which is made entirely of white marble. The temple was built during the 19th century.
Old Rangji or Old Rangnath Temple
Rangji temple is known for its gracious south Indian style of architecture. The temple houses a huge image of Lord Vishnu. It has a high rising 'Gopuram' typical of south Indian temples. Rangji temple dates back to 1823 and was built by Seth Puran Mal Ganeriwal of Hyderabad.
Ramavaikunth Temple
Ramavaikunth Temple was built in the 1920's and has beautifully sculpted images of nearly 361 different deities. This is an intricately carved temple and has high stone spires atop pagodas in the South India temple architectural style.
Apteshwar Temple
Apteshwar temple was constructed in the 12th century and is dedicated to Lord Shiva. The temple is known for its magnificent architecture and enshrines a Shiv Ling which is installed in the main hall.
Gayatri Temple
Goddess Gayatri is the consort of Lord Brahma and is said to have sat by Brahma’s side in Savitri’s absence while he performed the yajna at Pushkar. Goddess Gayatri was said to have been an untouchable. Legend says that to purify her she was put into the mouth of a cow and taken out from the other end. Gayatri Temple in Pushkar is located by the side of the holy pond atop a hill.
How to reach Pushkar
The nearest airport to Pushkar is Jaipur which is 131 km away. Ajmer is the nearest railway station to Pushkar which is about 11 km away. This railhead is on the Broad Gauge line and is connected to all major Indian cities like Jaipur, Delhi, Udaipur, Ahmedabad etc. Pushkar has two bus stands--The Marwar bus stand which has buses to Delhi, Jodhpur and Bikaner while the Ajmer bus stand is located 11 km away and offers bus services to Ajmer and Jaipur.