BRAHMA MANDIR
ONE OF THE TEN MOST RELIGIOUS PLACES IN THE WORLD
Jagatpita Brahma Mandir is a temple dedicated to the Hindu God of Creation, Lord Brahma and is located close to the sacred Pushkar Lake. The ancient structure is about 2000 years old, although the current structure dates to the 14th century. Pushkar has over 500 temples, some very old, but the Brahma temple is the most important among them. Legend has it that Brahma came down upon earth to perform a yajna and chose this site for his temple. In the 8th century, Hindu philosopher Adi Shankara devoted himself to renovating the temple, but the current structure is credited to Maharaja Jawat Raj of Ratlam, who repaired and slightly modified it. The inner sanctum of the temple is dedicated to Lord Brahma and his second wife, Gayatri. The temple is made of marble and stone stabs. Its red pinnacle (shikhara) can be seen from a distance and the temple has a distinct hamsa (bird) motif. On Kartik Poornima during Pushkar Fair, the town celebrates a festival dedicated to Brahma. Devout pilgrims visit the temple after bathing and cleansing themselves in the sacred Pushkar Lake. The Brahma temple has been recognised as one of the ten most religious places in the world and is considered to be one of the five sacred pilgrimage destinations for Hindus.
