Indian Temple 02: The Brahma Temple, Pushkar

BY- JAYA CHOUDHARY

Brahma Temple is a Hindu religious attraction in Pushkar, Rajasthan, India, dedicated to Brahma, the Lord who brought about the creation of everything. It also has religious saints supervising and regulating the devotion of one of his wives, Gayatri. It features beautiful architecture, featuring a reddish pinnacle with a bird emblem associated with ancient mythology and femininity.

The temple is associated with legends of Lord Brahma defeating a monster that tortured innocent humans. It is physically close to the sacred Pushkar Lake, which is a popular pilgrimage site where worshippers take a sin-purging plunge. There are further mountains nearby, as well as other palaces, forts, and lakes, all of which contribute to a fantastic visitor experience. Interestingly, Pushkar is a unique mixture of two words: 'Push' and 'Kar.' While 'Push' means 'flower' and 'Kar' means 'hand,' Pushkar refers to the Lotus flower dropping from Lord Brahma's hand.

The history of the temple

According to the Hindu text Padma Purana, Lord Brahma once encountered a monster named Vajranabha who was murdering and torturing people. The Lord, seeing such heinousness, slayed the demon with a lotus flower. Some petals from the lotus flower dropped to the ground in three locations while doing so. This culminated in the formation of three sacred lakes known as the Jyestha Pushkar, Madhya Pushkar, and Kanishta Pushkar in modern times.

Pushkar is a unique mixture of two words: 'Push' and 'Kar.' Wikimedia commons

When the Lord came to earth later, he began the preparations for a yagna in the Jyestha Pushkar Lake. Lord Brahma built a chain of hills around him so that he could perform the yagna without being disturbed by the demons. However, his wife Savitri was unable to attend the Yajna, causing the procedures to be disrupted.

Lord Brahma then begged that Lord Indra provide him a suitable spouse to finish the Yajna. Savitri came to the site when a Gujar's daughter, Gayatri, was eventually assigned to sit next to Brahma as his bride. Savitri cursed Brahma, saying that the Lord would never be worshipped by anybody. She eventually reduced the curse and permitted his worship in Pushkar only. This made Pushkar's Brahma temple the most important site to worship the Lord.

The architecture of the temple

The temple's stunning beauty is a brilliant example of Rajasthani architecture. The Brahma temple, which is situated on a high platform, is accessible by a series of stairs. These steps will bring you to the pillared canopies that adorn the entrance gate archway. The pillared entrance leads to the outdoor hall and subsequently the Sanctum Sanctorum, which houses Lord Brahma's idol. The spire, which represents a swan or geese and Brahma's mount, is a distinctive element of this temple's construction.

The temple, which is situated on a high platform, is accessible by a series of stairs.Wikimedia commons

Brahma's idol has four faces and four hands, each of which holds a lotus, Kush grass, kamandal, and books. Adi Shankara defied this Brahma idol in garbhagriha in 718 AD. The icon portrays Brahma seated with his legs crossed in the aspect of universe creation (the Vishvakarma form). The chaumurti is the name given to the center picture (four-faced idol). The Akshamala (rosary), Pustaka (book), Kurka (kusha grass), and Kamandalu are held in the four arms. Brahma is also seen riding the hamsa which is his mount.

How to reach Pushkar

Pushkar, in the state of Rajasthan, is 14 kilometers from Ajmer. To get to this pilgrimage city, one can take one of the following routes:

By Air: Pushkar does not have its own airport. If you choose to go by air, the Sanganer airport near Jaipur is the most convenient stopover. The airport has excellent connections to India's major cities, including New Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata. Pushkar is 142 kilometers from Jaipur, which may be reached by bus or rented taxi/cab.

By Rail: Taking the train is the most convenient way to get to Pushkar. There is no railway station in Pushkar. However, there is a train link between Ajmer and Pushkar, which is only 15 kilometers distant. Ajmer railway station has regular trains from Rajasthan's and India's main towns.

By Car: If you're traveling by road, the major roads and national highways that go to Rajasthan are your best bet. Pushkar is well connected to Delhi, Jaipur, Jodhpur, and Bikaner via road.

Timings of the temple:

6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (winters)

6:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. (summers)

Aarti Sandhya (40 minutes after sunset)

Aarti Ratri Shayan (5 hours after sunset)

Aarti Mangala (2 hours before sunrise)