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Home » Pushkar Fair Tour
Pushkar
Fair Tour
Event Date: 5th November to 13th November, 2008
Pushkar, an important pilgrim centre in Rajasthan, is famous for world's
largest camel fair, The Pushkar fair. This fair is one of the main cultural
activities of Pushkar. It is held in the month of November every year. Pushkar
fair is well-known for its camel trading and other religious activities.
Villagers come from different parts of the state and bring their cattle
with them. The festival is full of folk dance, and music. Colourful shops
make this fair a very charming cultural event. Camel races are also held
during this vibrant festival.
This fair is held at Pushkar town, 11 km from Ajmer in Rajasthan for twelve
days annually during October- November. This cultural and trade cum religious
fair is an attractive and lively spectacle with Rajasthani men and women
in their colourful traditional attire, saffron-robed and ash smeared Sadhus
(holy men) and thousands of bulls, cows, sheep, goats, horses and camels
in richly decorated saddles. Perhaps the largest cattle fair in the world,
it attracts more than one lakh people from all over Rajasthan as well as
tourists from different parts of India and abroad.
Trading of cattle, camel races and dazzling displays of bangles, brassware,
clothes, camel saddles and halters make the fair colourful. Necklaces of
glass beads from Naguar, pottery, printed textiles from Jodhpur and Ajmer
are all on sale here. Farmers, cattle traders and breeders buy and sell
their animals, leather whips, saddles etc. There are facilities for camel
rides also.
This livestock fair coincides with the climaxing of a religious celebration.
Pushkar is among the five main places of pilgrimage mentioned in the Hindu
scriptures. It has a large number of temples including one of the only two
temples dedicated to Lord Brahma in India. Hundreds of thousands of devotees
take a ritual dip in the holy Pushkar lake on the day of the Kartik Purnima
(full moon night of the Kartika month) and worship at the Brahma temple
(Jagat Pita Shri Brahma Mandir). It is believed that Lord Brahma, the creator,
wished to perform a 'yagna' following his long years of penance. During
his sojourn in search of a place for yagna, Brahma dropped a lotus from
heaven which created the lake Pushkar. It was on the Karthika night that
a drop of nectar fell in this lake, thereby making it sacred. Pilgrims flock
from all over India to be in Pushkar at this auspicious time. They also
believe that all the 330 million Gods and Goddesses are present at Pushkar
Lake during the occasion.
Camel trading is the main activity of Pushkar Fair. So many interesting
events are held during this fair. Camel races and other events like the
Puppet show, cattle show and Magic show are also the part of this event.
Pushkar is also the sacred place for Hindus. Amidst chanting of Vedic mantras
people take bath in the Pushkar Lake. Shopping is one of the main activities
during this festival. Decorative items for Cattles, like saddles, saddle-straps
and beads are sold. One can buy jewelry, garments, silver ornaments, bead
necklaces etc.
The trading which involves a great deal of bargaining between the cattle
traders and the buyers add to the spirit of the fair. Apart from the religious
rituals and trading, people participate in a number of cultural and sporting
events. The variety of folk dances, dramas and songs lend colour and melody
to the atmosphere that is already charged with excitement of the camel races
and the cattle fair. The sweeping expanse of the desert becomes dotted with
thousands of camels, stalls and camping families. The Rajasthan tourism
Development Corporation has taken adequate measures to facilitate convenient
access of the fair site and to accommodate the fairgoers.
Pushkar Fair is believed to be the largest cattle trade fair in the world
and coincides with a Hindu religious celebration.
Next Event Dates:
25th October to 2nd November, 2009
13th to 21st November, 2010
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