Published on
Oct 23, 2026, 08:54 IST
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Pushkar’s luxury isn’t palaces. It’s space, stillness, and a day with nothing in it, finds Shweta Vepa Vyas
The most luxurious thing I did in Pushkar was have a cup of tea by the ghats.
I hadn’t planned it. I’d visited the Savitri Temple by cable car earlier that morning, done a long tour of the Brahma Temple complex, and still had an hour before lunch. It was early September, and the rain the previous week had left the weather pleasant. So, I decided to hang around by the ghats, chai in hand. Nobody was selling me anything. Nobody needed me to move. In most places (and itineraries), that kind of empty hour has to be arranged. Here it just turned up.
Image: Shutterstock
For years, Pushkar was a one-night stopover on the Rajasthan circuit. I remember a sleepy town from a touch-and-go during a drive from Jaipur to Ajmer years ago. Mind you, it hasn’t changed much – save for the few luxury properties that have come up in recent times. But that, perhaps, is the point. Pushkar didn’t change. We changed and our cities changed and that’s why I found myself appreciating the town this time around. The idea is to stay on, preferably without a plan, and see where the day takes you.
In This Article
Space
Image: Shweta Vepa Vyas
The first thing you’ll notice about Pushkar is the space. Situated in the lap of the Aravallis, the valley and the hills beyond seem to stretch endlessly. At The Westin Pushkar Resort & Spa, where I’d checked in the night before, the hills formed a panoramic backdrop. At the highest point in the property, you can look as far as the eye can see in some directions, without so much as a hut in sight. For a city girl, this expansive countryside is no less dramatic.
From the Savitri Temple, situated on the hills, the view is even more striking. The lake lies below, the town spreads around it, and the hills stretch into the distance. From up here, Pushkar seems almost miniature in comparison to the vast landscape. This setting is central to the town’s appeal.
It is a different kind of luxury from the grandeur of Rajasthan’s palaces. There is no need for an elaborate itinerary; sometimes, the view is enough.
Stillness
Image: Shweta Vepa Vyas
Pushkar’s spiritual life gives it a slower rhythm. The Brahma Temple complex and the nearby Ajmer Sharif Dargah, about 15 kilometres away, offer glimpses of the region’s deep-rooted faith. But you don’t have to be on a pilgrimage to appreciate the town’s meditative atmosphere. A walk around the lake, the sound of temple bells or a few unhurried minutes by the ghats are reminders that you don’t always need to be doing something to enjoy a place.
Flavours
Image: ShutterstockWhat better way to get to know a place than through its food? Pushkar, certainly doesn’t disappoint on that front. At the hotel, we sampled a traditional Rajasthani thali, a generous spread of regional specialities that included gatte ki sabzi, ker sangri, dal baati churma, panchmel dal, papad ki sabzi, bajre ki roti and missi roti along with assorted chutneys and pickles and generous servings of ghee. Malpua with rabri made for a fittingly-indulgent finish. The elaborate high tea had a local flavour too, with an assortment of Rajasthani farsan adding a savoury note to the spread. A stroll through Pushkar’s market offers its own culinary discoveries. Make sure you leave room for gulab jal, gulkand and rose oil, some of the region’s best-known products, in your bag.
Time
Image: Shweta Vepa Vyas
Slow travel is as much about resisting the urge to fill every hour as it is about longer stays and fewer destinations. In Pushkar, that might mean a leisurely afternoon, or letting a walk take its own course.
There is a certain old-world quality to Pushkar that we seem to have lost touch with in our city lives. Travellers today are looking for a complete experience that brings together good food, nature, mindfulness and the opportunity to slow down. That is perhaps the point of staying rather than simply stopping over. You have time to revisit a favourite spot, linger over a meal, or do absolutely nothing for an hour. The experience is no longer a checklist of sights; it becomes a feeling for the place itself.
Unhurried
Image: Shweta Vepa Vyas
Pushkar might not yet be at the top of Rajasthan itineraries but it offers something unique with its spiritual character, open countryside and old-world charm. Truly, the beauty of the place lies in the little moments that aren’t a part of the plan.
On my last morning, I returned to the same step at the ghats for a final cup of Rajwadi chai.
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