Pushkar Fair

The Pushkar Fair, also known as the Pushkar Camel Fair, or Pushkar Mela, is a colorful and vibrant display of unique exhibitions, exciting competitions and fascinating events. Extending to seven days, this annual camel and livestock fair, held in the town of Pushkar between the months of November, draws a large number of crowds. Besides, this fair is renowned for being one of the world’s largest cattle fairs.

Month : November
Duration : 5 days
Timings : All day
Location : In and around Pushkar
Highlights : Matka Phod, Longest Moustache, Bridal Competition, Camel Race and Aerobics are the main attractions of this fair. During this fair, foreigners can also take part in a cricket match with the local people.

The Pushkar Fair begins on Kartik Shukla Ekadashi, which falls in the month of October-November and goes on for five long days till Kartik Purnima. The fair is synonymous to a cattle fair, as mass trading of cattle, such as camels, horses, cows, goats, and sheep, take place during these five days. After the selling and purchasing of popular breeds, parading of the well bred and decked up cattle take place. Although various animals are traded, camels rule the roost. The camels are washed spanky clean and adorned with various cloths to form interesting patterns. Stalls selling jewelry and other finery for camels are set up. Silver bells and bangles around their hoofs jingle when they walk past the golden sand dunes. A ritual involves piercing the camel's nose. With over 25,000 camels exchanged, the Pushkar Fair is arguably the world's largest camel fair.
Camel Fair Another striking feature of the Pushkar Fair is the camel competition. Beautifully decorated camels parade while competing in a beauty contest and the best bedecked camel wins the prize. In one of the competition, large numbers of people are made to sit on the camel's back. The camel now lopes across the sand and throws its riders off its back, amidst cheers and jeers from thousands of spectators. The camel which succeeds in accommodating the maximum number of people on its back, wins the competition. Though spectators take pleasure in the festivity and fervor, it is the animal that enjoys the most. The camels are seen preening before the crowd, seeming to enjoy every bit of attention that they receive during these five days.