Pushkar Camel Fair is a must-see festival for tourist visiting Rajasthan, India. The Pushkar Camel Fair also known as Pushkar Fair or Pushkar Mela, started mainly as a cattle trade fair, where people brought their cattle, Camels, and Horses for trading in the market. About a Century-Old, Pushkar fair has developed from a cattle trade fair to a grand spectacle of vibrant colors and cultural heritage of Rajasthan. Its scale has been increasing year after year which attracts tourist from all over the world.
The Pushkar Mela is organized in the holy city of Pushkar which starts from the month of Kartik (acc. to Hindu Lunar Calendar) and ends at Holy Kartik Purnima. This Fair begins in between October and November. Pushkar Camel Fair is one of the main tourist attraction for international tourists to visit the state of Rajasthan during this season. The Pushkar Camel Fair starts in a colder season which attracts over 200,000 visitors per year.
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
Cattle Trading
The Pushkar fair is synonymous to the cattle fair. So there are camels, horses, cows, and 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.
Rajasthan is all about royalty, culture, color, camel and celebration. Rajasthan is also famous for mesmerising lakes, dessert, historical places & forts. A Rajasthan festival includes interesting rituals,ethnicity, tradition festivals and celebrations. Numerous fairs and festivals are celebrated in Rajasthan. All the fairs and festivals feature display of the state’s legacy, colorful artifacts, lip- smacking delicacies, traditional Rajasthani attires, folk songs, folk dance and various interesting competitions. fairs and festivals in Rajasthan offer a chance to travellers to have a glimpse into the art, culture, customs and history of the state. Some of the popular Rajasthan fairs and festivals are Camel Festival, Desert Festival, Pushkar Fair and Urs Fair. Other festivals include Gangaur Festival, Diwali Festival, Kite Festival, Teej, Marwar Festival, Summer Festival. Travel to Rajasthan and participate in the jubilant activities.