Location of Brahma Temple Pushkar, History of Brahma Temple Pushkar, Architecture of Brahma Temple Pushkar, Visiting hours in Brahma Temple Pushkar.
Location of Brahma Temple Pushkar:
The Brahma Temple Pushkar is an ancient Temple. It is situated at a distance of 11 Km Northwest of Ajmer City in the sacred town Pushkar, District Ajmer, Rajasthan. This is the only existing Temple dedicated to Lord Brahma, the creator of the Universe according to Hinduism. The Brahma Temple Pushkar is regarded as one of the ten most religious places in the World.
History of Brahma Temple Pushkar:
The Brahma Temple Pushkar is the only one of its kind in the World. The original Temple is believed to be more than 2000 years old, the evidence points to its having existed during the 4th Century B.C. It is believed to have been built by Great Sage Vishwamitra after the performance of Yajna by Lord Brahma on the spot selected by Lord Brahma himself. It was renovated by Adi Shankaracharaya in the 8th Century A.D. The present Shrine was renovated in the 14th Century A.D. by Maharaja Jawat Raj of Ratlam.
According to Padma Purana, Lord Brahma killed demon Vajranabha with his weapon, the Lotus flower, in order to save the Universe. The petals of Lotus flower fell at three places, thus, creating three Lakes : The First Pushkar – the largest one where the first Lotus petal fell, the Middle Pushkar – is 3 Km from this place where a Hanuman Temple and a 200 years old Banyan tree are situated and the Youngest Pushkar – is 6 Km from here where a Krishna Temple is situated. Lord Brahma named the place as Pushkar because lotus Flower (known as Pushp in Hindi) fell from his holy hand (known as Kar in Hindi).
Thereafter, Lord Brahma decided to perform a Yajna at the First Pushkar Lake which was attended by all the Gods and Goddesses. In order to save the Yajna from the demons, he created hills around the Pushkar Lake – the Ratnagiri in the South, the Nilgiri in the North, the Sanchoora in the West and the Suryagiri in the East and positioned Gods as guards there. However, his wife Goddess Savitri (also known as Saraswati) who was waiting for Goddesses Lakshmi, Parvati and Indrani could not reach the place in time. So Lord Brahma asked Lord Indra to find a girl for him to wed to complete the Yajna. Lord Indra found a milkmaid who was purified by passing her through the body of a Cow. The Girl was named Gayatri.
Lord Brahma married Gayatri, who then completed the Yajna by sitting beside him and making offering to the sacrificial fire. When Goddess Savitri arrived and saw Gayatri sitting next to Lord Brahma, she cursed Lord Brahma by saying that you would be worshiped at Pushkar only. She also cursed Lord Indra to lose all battles very easily, Lord Agni to be all-destructive, all the priests to be poor and Lord Vishnu to take birth as human and suffer separation from his wife. But Gayatri, who had got powers from Yajna, reduced the effects of the curses given by the Goddess Savitri. Then Goddess Savitri went to the top of the Ratnagiri hill and converted herself into a Stream known as the ‘holy Savitri Jharna’ and a Temple is built there.
Architecture of Brahma Temple Pushkar:
The Brahma Temple Pushkar is built of stone slabs and blocks joined together with molten lead. It lies on a raised platform with a flight of marble steps leading up to an arched gateway which leads to a pillared hall known as Mandapa and then to the Sanctum Sanctorum. A beautiful carved silver turtle sits on the floor facing the Sanctum Sanctorum. The marble floor around the silver turtle is embedded with hundreds of silver coins, with donors name engraved on them. The life-sized marble idol of Lord Brahma having four faces and four arms and seated in a cross-legged posture is installed in the Sanctum Sanctorum. Lord Brahma is seen riding his mount, the Hansa and holds an Akshamala, a Book, the Kusha grass and a Water Pot in his hands.
The idol of Gayatri is installed to the left and that of Goddess Savitri is installed to the right. The marble floor and the walls of the Temple are also inlaid with silver coins offered by the devotees. The Temple walls are also decorated with the images of Peacock, the mount of Goddess Savitri. The images of Lord Vishnu, Dwarpalas and a gilded Garuda, the mount of Lord Vishnu are also seen inside the Temple. There is a Hansa motif located at the main entry gate. The red spire of the Temple is 210 m in height.
The pilgrims first take a bath at the holy Pushkar Lake located adjacent to the Temple and then pay homage at the Brahma Temple Pushkar. A religious Festival is held here in the honour of Lord Brahma on the full moon night of the month of Kartik (October/November) once in a year. On the same day the famous Pushkar Camel Fair is also held near the Temple.
Visiting Hours in Brahma Temple Pushkar:
The Brahma Temple Pushkar remains open on all days from 6.30 A.M. to 1.30 P.M. and 3.00 P.M. to 8.30 P.M. during Winters and 6.00 A.M. to 1.30 P.M. and 3.00 P.M. to 9.00 P.M. during Summers.
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