Pushkar Camel Fair

Excitement, gaiety and a keen sense of competition fill the air as the long journey to Pushkar begins. The only temple dedicated to Lord Brahma (the creator) is located at Pushkar. The Pushkar lake is surrounded by 52 flights of steps called ghats.Legend has it that Lord Vishnu appeared at the Varah ghat in the form of a boar. Brahma took a bath here and performed yagna at the Brahma Ghat accompanied by Vishnu & Mahadev. The ashes of Mahatma Gandhi (Father of the Nation) were immersed at the Gandhi ghat.is among the five principal places of Hindu pilgrimage. People consider the water of the Pushkar lake to be very sacred and the ritual of taking dips in the holy water IS believed to bestow salvation. It I s customary to float lighted eastern lamps ed on pattals (plates made of leaves) on the waters of lake.This creales a spectacular view when the sacred lake takes on a mystical tint sprankled with twinkling spots of light

In conjunction with he religious fair, a cattle fair is also organised. The ancient town of Pushkar is transformed into a spectacular fair ground. The fair grounds reverberate with festivity and woman folk shop for bangles, clothes, utensils, sundry household items & leather goods. The highlight of the Pushkar fair is the trading in camels. The camel, horse & donkey races are events that draw huge attendance.Body tatooing is yet another favourite activity. Come dusk, and the rich strains of haunting music are carried across the desert sands as the merrymaking continues deep into the night.

The well-known and marked with largest participation of all the festivals of Rajasthan, Pushkar is an important pilgrimage as well as the venue of a mammoth cattle fair. Bazaars, auctions, music and sports are highlight of this event. It also offers some of the most exquisite handcrafted items of Rajasthan that are sure to entice you. The festival is well organized with enough arrangement for accommodation in the tents. The famous Pushkar Fair is a great tourist attraction. People from around the globe come to the ancient religious town of Pushkar which is transformed into a spectacular fair ground in the month of Kartik. People bathe, worship and delight in the dazzling wares of roadside stalls. Camels are bought, sold, beautified, raced and parade. Most unusual are the small groups of men and women seen busy tattooing their hands and other parts of the body. The fair is predominantly a rural gathering.

Villagers come from different parts of the state and bring their cattle with them. On spectacular sanddunes camel, horse and bullock races are great crowd pullers. All roads lead to the lake, which is flooded with pilgrims. The movement of the crowd is like a tide of colour with currents of crimson, yellow and turquoise.Evenings at the Pushkar Fair have their own charm. The silent night is pierced by calls of camels. Ballads are sung by actors in passionate tones. Folk dramas, skits and folk dance are organised for the entertainment of the tourists. The heritage campst puts up a luxury tents during the fair. The camp site is self sufficient and specially designed to complement the natural beauty of the site.
In 2023, the Pushkar Fair dates are November 20 – NOVEMBER 28.

November 23 – November 25: Cattle Fair.
This is when all the activities with camels and other cattle will take place - the cattle trading, camel races, as well as various shows and competitions etc.
The best days are going to be the Nov 15th - Nov 19nd: Cultural Fair. This is when all the government sponsored cultural activities will take place. There will be folk dance shows, music performances, and other similar activities. Please bear in mind that you will get to experience (much more comfortably) similar performances at a number of the hotels we use during your exploration of India. Most agency's take you to the Fair on these dates despite the fact that most of the cattle and villagers have already left Pushkar.

» Stalls and Shopping
During the Pushkar Fair the numerous make shift stalls offer a variety of items for the cattle and humans. For cattle there are items ranging from saddles, saddle-straps and beads to strings of cowries. With so many women around at the Pushkar Fair can the jewellery and the garment stalls be far! Check out the colorfully clad women buying silver ornaments, bead necklaces from Nagaur and garments of patchwork, printed textiles from Ajmer and tie 'n' die. That is not the end of fashion at the Pushkar Fair; there are beautiful body tattoos that you can get made as per your choice!

» Recreation
The colorful culture of Rajasthan comes alive in the form of the folklores, music and dance performances besides the captivating turbans of the men. The bards and the poets enchant the audiences with the tales of gallantry. Cultural shows, exhibitions and movies add to the fun at the Pushkar Fair. Other Must Visits in Pushkar

Nov 12th : The Holy Day of the Fair. This is when the pilgrims and other devout Hindu's will take a dip in the lake at Pushkar.

» Cattle Trading
The Pushkar fair is synonymous to the cattle fair. So there are camels, horses, cows, goats, and sheep; all decked up to be sold and purchased. The proud cattle owners throng Pushkar, traveling across the golden sands of the various places in Rajasthan. There is bargaining, presence of several popular breeds and the parading of the well bred, highly decorated cattle. As is believed about Pushkar Fair is the world’s largest camel fair.

» Competitions
Talking about Pushkar Fair the most striking feature is the cattle competition. Imagine the entire limelight on beautifully decorated cattle when they race their ways into the audiences’ heart or the manner in which they play musical chairs. The Pushkar Fair watches the best-bedecked camel in parade winning the beauty contest. But the most hilarious competition of all makes large numbers of people sit on the camels back and usually fall down! Of course! The camel that accommodates the maximum number of people on its back wins the competition.

The Pushkar Fair is India's greatest tribal gathering, featuring performances by musicians and dancers from Thar Desert. Pushkar in Rajasthan is usually crowded with visitors during its Pushkar Fair and every November, it gets even more crowded, with thousands of people- cattle traders, shopkeepers, merchants, dancers, musicians and artisans among them- congregating at Pushkar for a five-day long event which holds the distinction of being India's largest cattle fair. The fair is a memorable one with cocktail of sights, smells and sounds. For the space of five days, Pushkar's narrow lanes are the scene for hectic trade and barter, for merrymaking and rejoicing- and despite the fact that the increasing commercialisation of the Mela has made it a whole lot more touristy than before, it continues to be a delightful experience. This is by far and away the best time to visit Pushkar, and what with the fair draws a huge number of visitors from across the globe.

Events during Pushkar Fair
Camel race contest is usually the first event during Pushkar fair. The camels are decorated in finery and are raced to reach the finishing line before the music stops (something like musical chairs). Vying for the first prize the camel is judged upon its speed its equipment and ornaments, its capacity to interpret and carry out its masters' commands are the criteria of selection.
How can we forget to mention the well-known longest moustache, matka phod and bridal competition that attract thousands of tourists all over the world.

List of Pushkar Fair Events:
Camel Race
Gorband - Camel Decoration
Camel and Horse Dance
Kabbadi Match (Local v/s Visitors)
Cultural Programmes
Turban Tying and Tilak Competition
Pushkar for Pilgrims

Home to India's only temple dedicated to Brahma, during the Pushkar fair this temple town of Pushkar receives heavy tourist influx as pilgrims come to attend the festival and bathe in the holy waters of Pushkar's lake and be released of their sins. The two days around full moon are considered to be the most auspicious time of the year for bathing in this lake.

Fun Activities at Pushkar
Get yourself inked in Pushkar as there are many places that offer to do body tattoos. You can also get body piercing or simply enjoy the camel rides and local delicacies at the Pushkar fair.
If you are not keen on doing any of the above try to enjoy this spectacle fair by standing in the hot air balloon.