Pushkar Fair is the world’s largest camel fair held in the holy town of Pushkar in Rajasthan. A spotlight of one’s holiday in Rajasthan, the Camel festival hosts around 50,000 camels in this magnificent event which are sold, decorated, shaved and raced. From a mere 14,000 to a massive 200,000! This is how the population of Pushkar swells during the Pushkar Camel Fair.

Pushkar Camel Fair is an occasion for villagers from far and near to gather together and enjoys a welcome break from their harsh life of the arid desert. The village women dress in their best colorful clothes and finery for this five-day Camel festival. It is an occasion for Hindu pilgrims to converge for a holy dip in the sacred Pushkar Lake to “wash away the sins of a lifetime” and pay obeisance at the only Brahma temple in the world.

Pushkar Fair  Introduction

Also known as Pushkar ka Mela, Pushkar Fair, is the world’s largest camel fair held in the holy town of Pushkar in Rajasthan. Pushkar Fair is undoubtedly the world’s largest camel fair and it also makes it world’s largest cattle fair in general. Competitions such as the “Matka Phod”, “moustache”, and “bridal competition” are the main attractions of this fair which attract thousands of tourists. A spotlight of one’s holiday in Rajasthan, the festival hosts around 50,000 camels which are sold, decorated, shaved and raced. From a mere 14,000 to a massive 200,000! This is how the population of Pushkar swells during the Pushkar Fair.

Pushkar Fair  History & Legends

Puskar has has the only temple of Lord Brahma in the country. Rajasthan Tour Planner says that Lord Brahma was on his way to search for a suitable place to perform a ‘Yagna’ (a fire sacrifice) while contemplating, a lotus fell from his hand on the earth and water sprouted from that place. One of them was Pushkar where Lord Brahma performed “Yagna”. Worship of Brahma was considered highly important at the end of the first millennium BC. The holy lake has 52 ghats and pilgrim taking a ritual dip in the lake is a common sight. Although a serene town, Pushkar bustles with life during the joyous celebration held on Kartik Purnima. Every year thousands of devotees throng the lake around the full moon day of Kartik Purnima in October-November to take a holy dip in the lake. Huge and colourful cattle fair “The Pushkar Fair“, is also held during this time. Pushkar fair is well-known for it’s camel trading and other attractive activities.

Pushkar Fair Cultural Significance

Umpteen number of traders gather here and and set up shops. These traders sell a lot of products like woolen blankets of Merta, bead necklaces of Nagaur, textiles printed in Ajmer and Jodhpur, brassware of Jodhpur and Jaipur etc. Saddles, ropes, and assorted household items are also on sale. Cultural shows and exhibitions are also organized in this fair to enliven the event. Movies are shown, competitions are arranged, bards and poets recite and sing tales of valour and heroism of bygone days. Animal races and other competitions also add the attraction.

Pushkar Fair Programme

The Pushkar Fair is no less than an encyclopedia on the tradition and culture of the state of Rajasthan. It is the event when a better population of the state can be found at one place and at one time. It seems as if the whole state has come alive at Pushkar to stand witness to its pulsating cultural heritage. Villagers gather from all around the state to enjoy and make merry, breaking all the barriers of hectic schedules of their lives. Colourful sights at the fair can touch and move even the sternest heart. Hindu pilgrims can be seen flocking the place to take a holy dip in the Pushkar Lake, washing away all the sins of the past. Devotees and worshippers can be seen surrendering themselves at the only Brahma Temple.

Pushkar Fair Date 2024