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Pushkar Fair

Pushkar Camel

Pushkar a sacred town of the Hindus is situated to the North-West of Ajmer. This sleepy, lakeside settlement captivates and charms all tourists. An extremely ancient town, it is said to have existed since the fourth century B.C. The presence of the Pushkar Lake in the inhospitable surroundings of the desert is no less than a miracle.

Pushkar boasts of its temple dedicated to Brahma, which is the only one of its kind in the world. Through out the year thousands of people come to pay obeisance at this temple and take a dip in the holy water of Pushkar to achieve salvation. The most auspicious time however is the month of Karthik Purnima.

This time also coincides with the Pushkar Camel Fair which is the largest in India and also the only one of its kind in the world. Thousands of villagers gather at Pushkar with their camel and cattle, for several days of livestock trading and horse dealing. This wheeling-dealing is a part of the religious festival and pilgrimage to this place.

This small town becomes a hub of cultural activity when devotees dressed in bright colours, musicians, acrobats, folk dancers, traders, comedians, sadhus and tourists reach Pushkar during the fair.

Hindu Chronology

According to the Hindu chronology, this fair takes place in the month of Kartika (October or November) beginning on ashtmi 8th day of Lunar Calendar and continues till full moon (Poornima). The camel and cattle trading dominate the first half of festival while the religious activities take center stage during the second half.

This small town comes alive as rows of make shift stalls display their enticing wares comprising of an entire range of objects of art to daily utility stuff. Vendors shout out aloud trying to outdo the others.

The unique things about this fair are the ornaments that are sold not only for women but also for cattle and camel. Small handicraft items are the best bargains for buying souvenirs.

The camel and horse races garner huge applauds amongst the crowds and even the camel judging competitions are quite popular with animal lovers. The evenings throb to the different folk dances and music of Rajasthan with live performances by ace dancers.

The Pushkar fair weaves its magic around the tourists making it a treasured lifetime experience for many. According to Lonely Planet, ‘it is truly a feast for the eyes’. This fair which has figured in many travel magazines, shows and events is ‘a must see’ for any visitor to India.