Everything you need to know about Pushkar Camel Fair

Celebrated around October- November every year, Pushkar Camel Fair is the major tourist attraction of the small town called Pushkar in Rajasthan. This town gets lively during the fair, which is an event filled with colors, dance and a lot of music. People from all over the world visit the holy city of Pushkar during this fair.

What is the Pushkar Camel Fair?

The Pushkar Camel Fair (Pushkar Fair or Pushkar Cattle Fair or Pushkar Mela) is an appealing fair held in the holy city of Pushkar in the culturally-rich Indian state of Rajasthan. Pushkar Fair started off as a cattle fair, where people brought their cattle, camels, horses for trading purpose during the Hindu lunar month of Kartik, which is observed around October or November. Known as the largest cattle fair in the world, Pushkar Mela has two aspects- livestock trading where thousands of camels, sheep, horses, cows are sold and bought and another one is its religious significance for the locals of Rajasthan. This annual multi-day event is also a host to various interesting competitions, cultural activities, and traditions. This fair must be attended if you wish to seek insights into the culture and heritage of Rajasthan.

When is Pushkar Camel Fair celebrated?

The Pushkar Cattle Fair is celebrated in around the months of October or November on the occasion of holy Kartik Purnima, depending on the Hindu lunar calendar. Pushkar Camel Fair 2019 will be celebrated from 4th to 12th November 2019.

How is Pushkar Camel Fair celebrated?

Most of the activities and celebrations of the fair take place at the beautifully decorated fairgrounds, which is a group of large arid land situated at the crossing of the Brahma Temple Road and the National Highway 89. As the name indicates, the major charm of the fair is the camel. They are dressed and decorated exquisitely with colorful saddles, jewelry, and other adornments and are displayed for sale. There are many activities organized in the fair in which camels participate and represent themselves as the most potent one, such as camel races, beauty pageants, camel shaving, camel dance, camel parades and so on.

Apart from the enthralling activities involving camel- the ship of the desert, Pushkar Mela features many other delights for entertaining people of nearby villages as well as other states and countries. Several cultural performances are arranged exhibiting the harmony prevalent between human beings and animals. Some of the most famous performances include music and folk dance performances, acts performed by magicians and snake charmers, fortune telling, acrobatics, etc. The carousel ride is another interesting aspect of the fair, without which a visit to Rajasthan is absolutely incomplete. The competitions like the longest mustache, tug-of-war, bridal competition, turban tying, tilak competition, matka phod, Matka race, and many others make the atmosphere festive. Tourists are also allowed to participate in these enthralling competitions and Indian sports competitions like cricket and kabaddi can also be enjoyed during the fair.

Which rituals are performed during Pushkar Camel Fair?

Not only Pushkar Fair is known for its festivities and camel trading but is also popular among Hindus as an important pilgrimage. Prior to the day of the full moon, the town gets chock full of pilgrims, who engage in religious ceremonies and bhajans occurring in various temples of the town. According to the Hindu mythology, the town was created by Lord Brahma (the creator), therefore the fair is seen as a festival dedicated to him. On the sacred full-moon night (Kartik Purnima), countless pilgrims take a holy dip in the waters of Pushkar Lake and it is believed to wash away all the sins. Pushkar Lake is located at the heart of the town, fringed by 52 bathing ghats. People also offer prayers to Lord Brahma in the 2000-years-old Brahma Temple existing in Pushkar. The event is concluded with an Aarti ceremony on the banks of Pushkar Lake.

What are the activities to do in Pushkar Camel Fair?

• There cannot be any other better way to experience the rolling sand dunes and the desert terrain than camel safari tour. The dunes look astonishing at the time of sunrise and sunset, therefore one must try camel safari during a visit to Pushkar.
• An aerial view of the fair can be really invigorating. If you also wish to feel like a free bird, then you must try hot air balloon ride in Pushkar Fair. Though this, you will be able to catch a glimpse of the bustling fair as well as its surrounding desert landscape. It is a one-of-its-kind experience.
• Exploring the desert region on a quad bike can be an exhilarating venture. You can avail this adventurous treat by any vendor of your choice and can have ultimate fun riding in the deserts.
• If you desire to sleep in an arid region under the sky full of stars, you must opt for camping in Pushkar. In the tented camps, you can also avail the comforts and luxuries according to your choice and can make your visit to Pushkar Fair a memorable one.
• Stroll around the far located beautiful areas by riding on horseback. During Pushkar Fair, you can come across a lot of vendors offering horse riding at the reasonable prices.
• If you happen to be a photography enthusiast, Pushkar Cattle Fair can be a true retreat for you. You can capture the views of adorned camels, women clad in traditional dresses, bustling bazaars and much more. The pictures taken by you will serve as a memory of your trip to Pushkar.
• You can also shop for apparels, jewelry, carpets, gypsy accessories, traditional footwear, beads, trinkets, etc. from the stalls set in Pushkar Mela.
• Feast your taste buds at Pushkar Cattle Fair by tasting local dishes like gatte ki sabzi, daal baathe, etc. In addition to this, you can also have food items of West and North India at the hotels and restaurants.

What are the tourist places to visit in Pushkar?

Pushkar is counted amongst the most-visited cities of Rajasthan. Apart from enjoying the world-famous Pushkar Camel Fair, there are many temples, lakes, etc. in Pushkar which are worth visiting for an unforgettable tour.

• Pushkar Lake: This is the major attraction of Pushkar for domestic as well as international tourists. Fenced by numerous temples and ghats, this lake is notable for its religious significance. During the holy month of Kartik, thousands of people throng this lake to bathe in the holy waters as it is believed that a dip in this lake washes away all the sins and also cures skin-related illnesses.
• Savitri Temple: Perched on the Ratnagiri Hill, Savitri Temple is one of the important pilgrimage sites of Hindus. The temple shelters idols of Lord Brahma’s both wives, namely Savitri and Gayatri. Visitors either need to trek to the temple gate or they can opt for a cable car ride to reach the temple. Some of the devotees prefer to climb up to 200 stairs, which they consider as a part of the pilgrimage.
• Rangji Temple: Dedicated to Lord Rangji, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, Rangji Temple is one of the ancient temples existing in Pushkar. It is the finest specimen of convergence of South Indian, Rajput and Mughal architecture. Owing to its popularity in the region, it receives a lot of visitors throughout the year.
• Brahma Temple: Located near Pushkar Lake, this 14-century temple is the only one dedicated to Lord Brahma. The temple is highly significant for Hindus as they gather around the temple in huge numbers, especially on the occasion of Kartik Purnima.
• Lake Foy Sagar: Named after the English engineer Mr. Foy, this lake was created in 1892 as a Famine Relief Project. This artificial flat water body was constructed to get by the scarcity of water in the city and its nearby region during the times of famine. It is the famous picnic spot for locals during the winter season.

Where to stay during Pushkar Camel Fair?

Pushkar Cattle Fair receives a lot of tourists every year, giving rise to the increased demand for accommodation and hence, resulting in the high prices. Therefore, it is better to make all the arrangements to stay in advance. In Pushkar, you can find all types of accommodations ranging from luxurious tented camps to heritage hotels and five-star resorts to simple guesthouses. You can make your choice according to your preferences.

How to reach Pushkar?

• By Air: The nearest airport to reach Pushkar is in Kishangarh, which is at a drive of 40 minutes in the northeast of Ajmer.
• By Road: Pushkar is well-connected to the national highways of Rajasthan. Regular bus service is available from cities like Jodhpur, Jaipur, etc.
• By Train: Ajmer Railway Station is the closest one located at a distance of 11 km to reach Pushkar.

What are the tips to be followed during Pushkar Camel Fair?

• Stay hydrated and keep yourself covered to avoid the sunburn.
• It is advisable to keep a regular check on all your belongings in order to avoid any type of theft and pickpocketing.
• Make sure that all your bookings are confirmed so that you can have a trouble free experience of the fair.
• Don’t indulge in the consumption of non-vegetarian and alcohol as the fair holds religious significance as well.

What are the other similar fairs of Rajasthan?

Although Pushkar Fair is one-of-its-kind and is quite enjoyable other fairs of Rajasthan also may interest you. You can visit Bikaner Camel Festival or Nagaur Cattle Fair for having a similar type of experience and catch sight of the festivities of Rajasthan in full swing.

Take our Pushkar Fair Tour Package and create a lot of memories by immersing yourself in the world-famous Pushkar Fair. It will enable you to experience the vibrant culture and warm hospitality extended by the locals of Rajasthan.