Rose fields and a gulkand workshop
Pushkar is known for its fragrant pink roses, grown on farms around the town and sold to temples, to the Ajmer Sharif dargah and to makers of rose water, attar and gulkand. Petals are picked at dawn, before the heat takes the scent, and carried in sacks to market by mid-morning.
With a guide, you visit a farm in the early morning and join the pickers in the rows. Then you see the petals turned into gulkand, a sweet preserve of rose petals and sugar left to mature in the sun, and into rose water by simple distillation. You can taste each and buy directly from the makers.
Flowering varies with the season and the year, and peak picking does not cover the whole winter. We check with the farms before planning the morning. If the roses are not in bloom, we visit a workshop and a market instead. The outing fits well before a late breakfast and the temple walk.
Questions travellers ask
Good to know
When do roses bloom in Pushkar
Pushkar's roses bloom in more than one flush through the cooler months, with peaks that vary year to year. Picking takes place at dawn, before the heat takes the scent, and the petals reach temples, the Ajmer Sharif dargah and rose water makers by mid-morning. If the roses are not in bloom, we visit a workshop and the market instead. We confirm with farms before your visit; check current status before you travel.
What is gulkand
A sweet preserve made from rose petals and sugar, traditionally left to mature in the sun for several weeks. It is eaten as a cooling digestive, added to paan and used in desserts. Pushkar's gulkand is well known across Rajasthan.
Can I buy rose products in Pushkar
Yes. Rose water, gulkand, rose syrup and attar are sold in the bazaar and directly from small workshops. Buying from makers gives better quality and prices. On our rose field morning you see petals turned into gulkand and rose water, and you can taste each before you buy. Small bottles of attar travel well. Check customs rules at home for food products.
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