Pushkar Fair - All You Need to Know!

It’s one of the oldest cities in Rajasthan with a rich and thriving heritage of history, culture and mythology. The lake. which waters the town and gives it its name, is considered one of the holiest in the country, second only to the waters of the Kailash Mansarovar. The annual fair that it hosts is one of the largest cattle fairs in Asia and attracts thousands of tourists to Rajasthan every year. We’re talking about Pushkar and its annual fair better known as the Pushkar Mela, which will be held from 23^rd October to 4^th November 2017. This is the fair in Pushkar to look out for!

The Spectacle

The annual Pushkar fair is held in the Ajmer district of Rajasthan. Organised along the famous Pushkar lake, it completely transforms this hot, dusty, sleepy town. The place is a riot of colour buzzing with activity, not to mention the endless sea of humanity that continues to ebb and fall with the rising and setting of the sun. The main purpose of the mela is to serve as a cattle fair, a place where locals from the surrounding towns and villages get their cattle – camels, horses, cows – for trading. It is also a time of some social respite and a break from the daily demands of living under the influence of harsh weather conditions. So expect the local men and women to come here in all their traditional glory – men with their bright turbans, long mustaches, dhotis and an array of rings pierced in to their ears and adorning their wrists and ankles. The women match them every bit, bedecked in their bandhej and tie-and-die odhnis, beautiful ghaghra cholis and traditional jewellery.

Read more: Everything you wanted to know about Pushkar Fair

A Traditional & Cultural Display

There is no dearth of entertainment at this cattle fair. There are camel, horse and donkey races, giant Ferris wheels, longest mustache competitions (oh yes!), acrobats, jugglers, fire eaters, sadhus, and an endless array of bright and beautiful local handicrafts on sale. In short, everything Rajasthan is so well known for can be seen here. The days are spent roaming the fair grounds, picking up souvenirs, watching the races, examining the cattle, and eating local delights. As the sun goes down, the dazzling heat of the day gives way to a chilly night with people huddling close to bonfire and enjoying the beauty of Rajasthani folk songs and dances such as bhavai, chari and ghoomar. The whirling skirts, the matka dances, the beautiful songs keep the audience enraptured. The last days of the fair are dedicated to religious ceremonies and taking of the holy dip in the waters of the Pushkar Lake. Another beautiful aspect of the festival is the deepdan ceremony during which thousands of diyas are floated on the lake after sunset. It is easy to imagine why Pushkar is so great for photo ops!

Women dress up in colourful traditional odhnis and ghaghra cholis

Read more: Rajasthan: A Quick and Handy Travel Guide

Beyond the Pushkar Fair

Pushkar is a city dotted with beautiful and famous temples. Of special interest is the Brahma Temple, the only temple dedicated to this deity in the world. Tourists can also visit the Savitri Temple, Man Mahal, Varaha Temple and the Apteshwar Mahadev Temple. Other attractions around the fair include camel safaris and hot air balloon expeditions for a bird’s eye view of the fair.

How to Get There

Pushkar can easily be reached by bus or train. The nearest airport is in Jaipur. 

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