My railroad journey in Rajasthan continues:
I have been in Pushkar since November 19.
Pushkar is the first truly touristy place on my way in Rajasthan. This means, before coming here, I had rarely met people who had tricky commercial intentions towards me. I suspected Pushkar was different. I was even thinking of skipping it, but for purely logistical reasons, I couldn't. Fortunately.
There are scammers in Pushkar, but itโs not a big problem
I'll say right away that I really like the town, although what I had read on WikiTravel turned out to be true. I'll quote shortly to give you an idea:
Remember most of these so called Holy Men are nothing of the sort, be firm but polite and decline their invitation to pray for your family
Some tour guides work together with the scammers to intimidate you and frequently follow you around the town after you visit the lake to get more money
ignore the women holding babies and the kids who approach you saying "no money, no money, just buy milk"
Sounds intriguing, lol? I experienced all these attempts on the very first day.
A lady with an infant rushed to me, exclaiming, "No money - milk!", with the intonation of the worst ever actress. I abruptly answered "No milk", and walked past without slowing down. They tried a couple of times more and then realized I was a "no" guy and forgot me, lol.
There were also men who gave me flower petals and insisted that I go to the lake. One of them followed me quite a while to reappear and show me the way in the right direction (to "a holy man" who offers a commission for bringing him naive foreigners).
Each time, I was firm and returned petals to make them leave me alone.
Pushy cheaters with bad vibes, but they also stopped hassling me soon, as Pushkar is small and they just remembered me as a "no" guy.
As for the rest...
Pushkar is a cozy old town, a place to have rest from all the troubles of India.
Firstly, traffic is very low in the old town - no noise, no traffic dust, no pollution; and, as a result, the streets are pedestrian-friendly. Ghats - those stairs around the lake - are another walking space where you don't have to instantly care about rushing bikes and tuk-tuks.
Secondly, kids and young men don't follow you with "photo" or "selfie" requests - locals are used to foreigners.
Great goods supply (including an amazing department store). Food vendors normally don't cheat from my experience.
Cheap accommodation and affordable food are available in Pushkar (can be different on religious holidays and the camel fair).
Nature isn't far - at least two route to have a hike up rocky hills.
And Ajmer is nearby if you want to explore a biggish Indian city.
Many reasons for a long stay in Pushkar!
The look of Pushkar
Pushkar is a small town located around a sacred lake, a holy place for Hindus.
The whole place works for this mission, offering hotels, restaurants, and courses for pilgrims and the curious.
Stairs lead to the water - that's where pilgrims bathe in the early morning.
It's a great pleasure to walk around the lake and watch people
and birds.
The main street looks really touristy.
However, they have many local and handmade goods there so it's not without a good drop of authenticity:
Traditional factory-made affordable jewelry as well as handmade one, minerals, collectibles, and all sorts of clothes.
Tourism in Pushkar isn't only about foreigners - many Indians come to this holy town as pilgrims - on religious holidays, there are crowds of believers here. That's why the place doesn't feel fake despite being densely filled with hotels and restaurants.
But, of course, foreigners bring much money to the town
and that adds an international flavor to Pushkar.
It's not only street art and coffee shops but also services for foreigners:
And among these letters and pix targeted at Westerners, there is a tiny lovely authentic detail, let's zoom in:
So many such inspiring details in Indian streets!
There are a lot of langurs in Pushkar! They are everywhere, including Main Street.
Yes, they get some treats here, but this doesn't make them behave like macaques, lol.
The latter, macaques, are also present by the way. I even had a chance to meet one in the guesthouse I am staying, and had to make her go back to the rooftop before a disaster happened.
Another usual animal in Pushkar:
Camels are plentiful here on the streets - camel-driven carts are common entertainment in Pushkar.
That's how I see Pushkar after several days here. More posts about this beautiful town are coming, stay tuned! ๐
The photos were taken with a Nikkor 50mm f/1.8G and a Nikkor 70-300mm on a full-frame DSLR Nikon D750 in November 2025, in Pushkar, Rajasthan, India.
This post has been shared on Reddit by @x-rain through the HivePosh initiative.
Lovely photos again, @x-rain! It's getting better and better. Yes, scammers are everywhere, and you can encounter all types of them. Youโre wise enough not to be persuaded, wonโt be as lucky as me, as I get easily scammed and only notice it when itโs all done, haha.
I would probably spend a lot of time in the handmade goods alley just looking and appreciating how everything is made. There are always these amazing animals around. That kid by the gate with the camel is holding something and showing it to you, you probably noticed.
This actually made me really laugh! lol
:) I am the tough one. Mister Face Scanner, Mister "No", lol. But it's also because of the experience: years in touristy and half-touristy places.
Not really. I visited dozens of cities in different countries (mostly Asia) - most places don't have scammers who target foreign travelers. It's the same in India: I didn't meet scammers in Churu, Bikaner, and even Jodhpur during this trip. As for begging: I was 6 days in Churu City, and only one person asked me for money. In Pushkar (where I am now), people ask every day in one way or another.
No doubt :) I pass by but I spent some time at a street vendor selling collectibles and bought a coin:
The source: my own snap
Lol, Iโd probably go home with empty pockets! But Iโm getting better, as most of the time, I can recognise scammers. A few months ago, I decided to buy a puppy online (a chocolate Labrador) and was so excited to have it delivered. Then the guy asked for money again for the travel crate and other things, thatโs when I realised I was being scammed. Lol.
Thatโs good to know! I tend to get a bit too sceptical after a few scams Iโve experienced. And nice coin you got there!
Another impressive delight of cityscape and street photography, and this time my favorite is this magical postcard!
๐๐๐
!discovery
!PIZZA
Unexpected choice, lol! Thank you!! Have a nice day, Jesus!
Street vendors, temple bells, monkeys overhead and camels wandering through town, not many places pull that combo off. Makes an ordinary walk way more interesting
Yes, many things in one and near each other, love it. ๐
You have a knack with a camera. Photos are amazing especially "Man on bench with jumper around head"
Thank you, @blanchy!
Good choice! I also like curious street scenes and characters.
Oh scammers are everywhere like this, there are those gifting you stuff and then after asking for an offer...
That street with shops seems si chaotic! Camels, unexpected to see them there
The least chaotic street on my way in India 2025, lol. Getting morally prepared to return to real India - more challenging but actually more exciting.
nicely captured the vibes of pushkar fair. if you are planing to visit jaisalmer let me know because i will be there till 7th Dec from 30th Nov.
Thank you! Not Pushkar fair, just Pushkar town. Not planning Jaisalmer, I am going to Bundi after Pushkar.
Ok, have a safe journey
fantastic shots, you have brought this place to life,
Thank you! ๐๐ฅ
I missed out on a trip many years ago to the Pushkar camel fair, bit of a bummer for me
I decided to skip it - prices for accommodation were above 12$ on booking com. I plan 8-9$ a day for a room and food together. No doubt, they also had fees and high prices here and there.
I guess it is the same the world over, cash in on visitors whenever you can
Yes, pure economy - nothing to be bitter about. But it's also a mental issue - skipping a famous destination (or an event) is difficult even for me, a guy who lived in Asia for at least 6 years altogether and visited enough famous waterfalls and temples lol. For example, I didn't go to Jaisalmer as I just assumed the experience wouldn't be completely positive to me (despite it's a cute sandstone town and private rooms from $3). But it was hard to say "no", it was a pain despite the fact that Rajasthan is full of everything any traveler would dream about - no matter what direction you go.
By the way, I visited Ajmer - 40 minutes by bus. Real India - super overcrowded, noisy, polluted, adorable, lol. Pushkar and Ajmer are a super combo as a result. Pushkar is totally peaceful place to rest from the Indian urban hell in cheap hotels, lol, while Ajmer is a place to go for madness. Some cool attractions there, either.
Have you visited Varanasi to witness the cremations and the evening ceremonies? That tbh is one place I shall never forget.
The waga gate ceremony was good too, saw it from the Indian side a few years back. Am off to Pakistan in April, will get to see it from their side at last. Probably wont be as theatrical
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