PUSHKAR CAMEL FAIR

Pushkar Camel Fair / Pushkar Cattle Fair

The Pushkar Camel Fair in Pushkar, India, is celebrated at the beginning of the Hindu month of Kartik and this year, it’s from November 20 to 28, 2023

An ode to Lord Brahma

The Pushkar Camel Fair originally began as an ode to Lord Brahma, the creator of the universe. Pushkar Camel Fair soon become the biggest camel fair in the world. It is visited by pilgrims, cattle farmers and lots of tourists each year. An entire tented city is created next to the lake at Pushkar and is the venue for the festivities as the locals and tourists arrive in big numbers. The Pushkar Fair is the venue for races, dances, singing, cattle trading and sale – all this makes for fantastic photo ops for the photographer because of which most national and international TV crews are in attendance.

There is a romantic image of India – all heat and dust and vibrant colours; beautiful gypsy women with kohl-rimmed eyes and flared skirts gracefully dancing in the dessert dunes; proud men with multi-hued turbans and thick moustaches leading herds of camels; evening prayers and chants and heads bowed in devotion as the Gods are invited to walk among men for a few special days. All these snapshots come gloriously alive every year at the Pushkar Cattle Fair, an animal fair combined with a religious festival honouring the Creator of the Universe.

Pushkar Camel Fair is an annual event

Come November and the small sleepy town of Pushkar awakens to the thundering hooves of majestic Marwar thoroughbred horses, the soft pad of thousands of camels, the bleating of goats and sheep and the lowing of cattle as nomadic tribesmen and villagers congregate at the animal trade fair. Devout Hindus come to perform special prayers during these auspicious days at one of the main temples dedicated to the lord of Creation, Brahma. It quadruples in size as tented cities arise to accommodate the visitors.
And then the fun begins! Everyday there are competitions – camel decoration, camel dancing, horse racing, longest moustache, turban-tying, wall decorating, kabbadi. Every evening the ghats resound to the sounds of drums and traditional music. On Kartik Poornima, the streets are full of floats and tableaus and dancing devotees showering rose petals as they worship the Hindu Holy Trinity. There is a sensory overload as you try to take in the sounds, sights, aromas, tastes and feel of India.

Experience Pushkar, experience quintessential India.
We recommend at least 5 – 6 nights at the Pushkar Cattle Fair to capture it in all its glory. There are different activities held each day.

Nearby places of interest

Along with Pushkar you could visit the palaces of Udaipur, the temples at Ranakpur and the forts of Jodhpur. From Jodhpur its a 5 hours drive to the fair grounds. On the way back from the fair you will come via Jaipur. From Jaipur you have the option of visiting the Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve and do a few safaris for Tiger Tracking in a mini bus with an open top. You could also visit Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary for a night – carry on to Agra, see the Taj Mahal. From here Delhi is a 4 hours drive. Delhi too has its share of Mughal Architecture and other sights.

There are tremendous photo opportunities at this site. the Pushkar Camel Fair is a great place for conducting Photo Workshops.