About Pushkar Fair

Take a Tour to Pushkar Fair

Every November, the sleepy little township of Pushkar in Rajasthan, India awakens from a slumber with a riot of colors and a frenzied burst of activity. The occasion: Pushkar Fair.

» The Holy Legend : Pushkar, the holy town in Rajasthan is known for it's sacred lake and the only Brahma Temple in the world. Legend has it that this lake was formed where Lord Brahma - the lord of creation - dropped a lotus on the day of the full moon. Every November, the famous Pushkar Fair is held for 7 days, starts on Naomi, finishes on Kartik Poornima (Full Moon). Thousands of pilgrims throng the lake during the annual cattle fair and on the full moon of Kartik take a holy dip in the lake.

Very few, if at all any, fairs in the world can match the liveliness of Pushkar. Most people associate the Pushkar Fair with the world's largest camel fair. But it is much more than that. It is an occasion for villagers from far and near to gather together and enjoy a welcome break from their harsh life of the arid desert. And enjoy they do! In dazzling style and colors.

» Cattle Trading : The Pushkar fair is synonymous to the cattle fair. So there are camels, horses, cows, goats, and sheep; 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 spectral evenings- " Deepdaan" : The evenings are possessed with its own charm, Deepdaan creates a spectacular view on the scared lake. The silent night pierced by camel calls, folk lores, dramas and heart throbbing beats of folk music and dances.

» The Holy Dip : The ritual of taking holy dips is believed to bestow salvation and a holy dip taken in Pushkar lake on Kartik Purnima,(Full moon in the months of Oct-Nov.) the most auspicious of them all. Even before sunrise, people descend the ghats to bathe, many of which have been built over the years by various kings and nobles.

» The famous Brahma Temple : The most famous is the Brahma temple; worship of Lord Brahma was considered highly important at the end of the first century BC. Brahma was a God of the Aryan invaders and during Vedic times, his cult temporarily displaced the more ancient Shiva and Shakti cults (Refer to Gods Section). A legend recounts how Brahma sought an abode on earth.

How to reach Pushkar !

The holy city of Pushkar is well connected with the other cities. The nearest airport happens to be in Jaipur at a distance of 146 kilometers. You may take a flight to Jaipur and then drive to Pushkar. Then there is the railhead at Ajmer just 11 kilometers from Pushkar. The National Highway Number 132 links Pushkar with Ajmer through road too. Ajmer in turn is well connected with destinations like Jaipur and Delhi both through road and rail.