Incredible India - The Pushkar Camel Fair

Often described as a feast for the eyes, Pushkar Fair is among India’s famous religious festivals and livestock fairs. Featured in numerous travel shows, films and magazines, the Pushkar Fair offers a once in a lifetime magical experience for travelers - looking for out of the world experience. The fair has become a popular tourist attraction, with upwards of 400,000 people in attendance in recent years.

The Pushkar Camel Fair in India is one of the world’s largest camel and livestock fairs. It takes place in the Rajasthani town of Pushkar each November, during the full moon and the holy festival of Kartik Purnima.

The quaint town, one of the oldest existing cities in India home to one of five sacred pilgrim sites of devout Hindus, comes alive during the days of the fair, vibrant and bustling with activity. The fair is a cultural melee as the town is inundated with pilgrims, tourists, traders, musicians, dancers, photographers and journalists from far and wide.

Aside from being one of the biggest traditional melas (“meetings”) in the world there are also many other events that take place during the fair. From longest-moustache competitions, camel races, and musical performances, to a bridal competition and even a cricket match between locals and foreigners. The Pushkar Camel Fair has also become known as a meeting place where marriages are quite often arranged.

After all the hoopla with the camels is over , the Fair reaches a crescendo on the night of the full moon when thousands of pilgrims descend to bathe, which is believed to lead them to salvation, in the sacred waters at one of the 52 ghats of the Pushkar Lake. The dip is followed by the lamp lighting ceremony. At dusk, hundreds of diyas or earthen lamps are lit and set afloat on small boats made of leafs on the lake. A journey to the Pushkar Lake is considered to be as cleansing as that to the Mansarovar Lake situated on way to Mount Kailash.

Villagers from Rajasthan’s hinterland wait through the year to attend the festival. It is a sight to watch ordinary Rajasthanis dressed in all their finery. Men sport bright colored turbans and women sport colorful lehenga and cholis with heads covered in bright dupattas. While women proudly display family heirlooms and chunky jewelry in silver and gold, men can be found preening their beards and moustaches. Even the animals are decorated and pampered by their owners.

What is the Pushkar Camel Fair?

It started out as a local fair for Camel trading, coupled with a bunch of religious rituals, every year at the time of Kartik Purnima (the full moon in of Kartika in the Hindu lunar calendar) and over the years has become a big attraction for travelers. Camel traders, pilgrims, tourists, all there to play their parts in this old school but still going strong, colorful carnival. 

The Pushkar Camel Fair has this unique character if its own. It’s extremely colourful while a whole lot of things going on, folk performances, camel races, dances, great food, art and photography, it all comes together here.

The first thing you’ll notice when you get here is… well… camels! As far as the eye can see. Fifty thousand odd camels is what you’ll find when you get here, to be bought or traded.  And like any vehicle on the sales lot, these "ships of the desert" are buffed spotless for the occasion. Camel hygiene is of utmost importance. Many are painted and bedecked with jewelry, since camel beauty pageants and races all take place during the fair. Unfortunately, camels aren't the friendliest of animals. They can be obstinate creatures. More than a few camel traders seemed to struggle handling their animals, who didn't seem interested in charming potential buyers, or in standing up.

Thousands of camels equal endless quantities of camel dung. It is everywhere, although no one seems to be focusing their Nikons on it. Women in saris with nose jewelry gracefully gather"camel apples" from the dunes, collecting them in baskets balanced on their heads to be used as fuel for tribal fires.

The official fair lasts five days, although herders and traders begin arriving to the area with their livestock and wares about a week before. Negotiations over the sale of camels, horses, and more take several days with the seller holding out for the best offer. Interestingly, the best prices offered also happen to be in years when the monsoon has been good.

How is Pushkar Camel Fair celebrated?

During the fair there are many things to see and do, including shopping at the many bazars and craft stalls that have been set up by local women to sell fabrics, jewelery and other wares. Temple dancing, snake charmers, folk singers, classical musicians, magicians, acrobats, camel dances and trading, carousel rides are all available to entertain you.

Numerous friendly contests are held for the benefit of the locals. The contests are organized in the vast, specially-built amphi-theatre on the outskirts of the town. This year too several events have been planned to enliven the carnival atmosphere. The events would keep the spotlight riveted on both humans and livestocks.

And considering the large number of foreign tourists who flock to Pushkar during the fair, several events have been planned to increase understanding between the locals and visitors. Football match between locals and visitors and Indian bride competition for foreigners would also be held.

The events are friendly contests and take place every day of the fair. Competitions are held for both animals and humans. Watch out for foreigners decked out as Indian brides or Rajasthani men trying to outdo each other by sporting the longest moustaches.

There are camel races and some hilarious camel beauty contests - camels are even shaved for them! The sight of camels decorated gaily racing to the finish line is a sight to behold. Camel race is the main  event at the fest and will be held on the closing day.

Camel race, camel decoration competition, camel and horse dance competition, competition to select the best cattle in various breeds. To increase the fun quotient, turban tying and tilak competition, moustache competition, wrestling matches, matka race (women bearing water pots) and kabaddi matches would also be held.

Giant ferries wheels, games stalls and open air theatres offer amusement; while food stalls selling tasty local cuisine is any foodie’s delight.

If you are willing to spend, you might want to go up in a hot air balloon and get an aerial view of the scene. Go on one of those special Pushkar Fare walking tours (they run in the morning evening). The morning walk is best to see pilgrims bathing in the lake and all the rituals around it while evening is the best time to witness the ground where the fair is held at its bustling best.

Please be aware that Pushkar is a bit infamous for its drug scene and you know how things can go out of hand at such places during festivals sometimes, so stay on your guard. Don’t get duped by local pundits (priests) and other greedy people who are looking to make a buck off tourists. It gets very crowded during the fair and you’re basically in a and desert, so stay hydrated, cover your head and face to avoid the sand troubling you too much, dress relatively conservative so you don’t get the wrong kind of attention (its Rajasthan you’re in, not Goa).

Bon Voyage.

We invite you to check out our enchanting Pushkar 2015 Group, departing from Toronto on 09^th November with a stop en-route in Dubai.

You can also explore other suggestions for incredible India and note that all Programs can be customised based on your parameters. 

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Please scroll down for a video glimpse of the famous Pushkar Camel Fair.