Pushkar Fair of Rajasthan

Pushkar Fair Tours

Smaller than its sister city Ajmer, however, Pushkar enjoys more reverence. A holy city and an important pilgrimage centre for the Hindus who believe that a dip in the sacred lake of Pushkar is as cleansing as visiting the four main Hindu shrines 'Chaar Dhaam'. With a rousing mystical origin, Pushkar was created when Lord Brahma dropped a lotus on the earth causing it to surface. It is also one of the few places in India that has a temple of Lord Brahma.

Historically too, Pushkar was no less significant. The city was of great strategic importance to Mehmood of Ghanzi. It is also the first place where the British established contact with the Moghuls and also the site of the historic meeting between Sir Thomas Roe and Emperor Jehangir in 1616. Later, the British wrested it from the Scindias ending its period as a princely state.

Pushkar reveals that part of Rajasthan stepped in religion and tradition. A visit to the place will tell most clearly. The whole city is oriented around the highly revered Pushkar Lake. Rows of sacred ghats lead to temples scattered around the lake and the city itself has over 400 of them with the Brahman temple considered the most sacred thus the most famous. The medieval town is a wonderful disarray where temples, bazaars, cafes, and hotels cram its small lanes.

While domestic tourists are attracted to the religious tint of the place, foreigners come to witness the busy lively fair held during the months of October and November. The Pushkar Fair is the biggest cattle fair in India and the largest Camel Fair in the world. This is a five day affair during which the whole town becomes a motley of vibrant colours. Locals with garish turbaned heads and multi-hued costumes get busy trying to sell or buy cattle mainly camels. Not only the people but the camels are beautifully embellished in vie for the best dressed title while the female ones are made to wear silver trinkets that create a lovely sound as they walk. Adding to the fun, camels are made to compete in races and one can see that they are actually enjoying it. Outskirts the city is cluttered with tents pitched by participants from nearby villages. But with the Fair having a religious origin, alcohol and non-vegetarian food is strictly prohibited.

Apart from this hectic trading and merry-making, millions of people from near and far come to take a holy dip at the Lake on the occasion of Kartika Purnima. The devotees fill the waters of the Lake in the hope of ridding all their sins to gain salvation.

Introduction
Pushkar Fair of Rajasthan is held at one of the holy cities of India situated in the desert state of India – Rajasthan, far-famed throughout the world for its largest cattle fair held during the month of Kartika according to Hindi Calendar (October or November) beginning on ashtmi or 8th day of Lunar Calendar and continues till full moon (Poornima). As per the scheduled, the Pushkar Fair of Rajasthan will be held from October 30th to 2nd November 2009.

Location of Pushkar Fair
The small and beautiful town of Pushkar is set in a valley approximately 14 km off from the famous religious destination of Ajmer, Rajasthan. Circumvented by hills on three confronts and sand dunes on the one side, the city of Pushkar estimates a bewitching location and a fitting backdrop for the yearly religious and cattle fair which is globally famous and attracts lakhs of travellers and holidaymakers from almost every length and breadth of Indian subcontinent on the one hand and from several parts of the world on the other.

Climate of Pushkar Fair
The city of Pushkar Fair has normally hot climate. The maximum temperature all around the summer season fluctuates in between 40-45°C while during the winter season it reaches as below as 10°C. During the monsoon season, the rain is not very much. So, this Pushkar Fair holidays gives immense pleasurable trip to the travelers as they have not to face the scorching heat of desert land. The winter season, however starts in the month of October and continues till March every year.

Importance of Pushkar Fair
The city of Pushkar is regarded as the one of the most sacred and spiritual destinations of India as well as one of the five dhams. According to the Indian mythology, the spiritual places of Dhamas are held in high regard by Hindu community. However, there are five dhamas in India besides the Pushkar which are Badrinath, Puri, Rameswaram, and Dwarka. These spiritual destinations are considered as Mecca and must visit spiritual destination of India. It is told that in a battle lord Brahma killed the demon Vajra Nabh with a holy flower lotus, whose flower petal blew down to earth and brought in three distinguishes in and around Pushkar where lakes sprang up. According to legends, Pushkar Lake was surrounded by 500 temples and 52 palaces (various rajas and maharajas preserved palaces here for religious journey) at one point. Today, the Brahma temple of Rajasthan is considered to be the most substantial temple and is, in fact, the solely Brahma temple of India!

So, the tourists who want to explore Rajasthan in its incredible zestfulness, fairs and festivals of Rajasthan especially the Pushkar Fair is the best time and the best means to realize the spiritual attraction while navigating the spiritual city of Pushkar and its vibrant culture. Among all the fairs and festivals of Rajasthan, this Pushkar Fair is the most appealing and most famous among the international travelers and tourists.

Special Attractions of Pushkar Fair
The picturesque lake of Pushkar is set in a valley about 11 kilometres northwestward of another famous spiritual city of Rajasthan Dargah Shariff of Hazrat Khwaja Muinuddin Chisty - an ornament to the city of Ajmer. The city of Ajmer is surrounded by hills on three sides and sand dunes on its one side. Pushkar Fair draws a fascinating location and a suiting backdrop for the yearly the world’s largest cattle fair. The local people in their turbaned heads, colorful humeral veil and skirts of women, bestow alive the exsiccated desert escape. The attire of village women with coloured clothes makes the entire Pushkar Fair a colourful one. At Pushkar Lake, alcohol and non-vegetarian food is prohibited as it is purely sacred destination of India.

Pushkar Fair - Rituals and Traditions
These five days of Pushkar Fair are a point of rest and jollification for the dwellers, in spite of being the most meddling for them, as this is one of the biggest cattle fairs in India and the largest Camel Fair in the world where animals, mainly camels, are brought from miles around. Trading is brisk as several thousand heads of cattle exchange hands. All the camels in the Pushkar Fair are cleaned, washed, decorated, some are interestingly shorn to class patterns, and exceptional stalls are set up selling attire and jewelry for the camels. Camels at the Pushkar fair are adorned with great care. They bear jewelry of silver and drops. There are silver bells and bangles roughly their ankles that jingle-jangle when they pass by. A pertaining rite is the shrill of a camel’s nose. During this Pushkar Fair, camel races contest is being held. The most eye catching event is the camel beauty contest, where they are ornamented and demonstrated. The camels fleece before the herds, savoring every minute of the attention they get. It is also believed that for five days each year, all the gods visit Pushkar and consecrate the devout. This explains the unbelievable number of lovers who flock to the lake to wash off their sins.

Accommodation in Pushkar Fair
Throughout the Pushkar Fair, besides the usual accommodation for the tourist, unusual accommodation is being provided in the form particular tents set up in a tourist village, which is self-sustaining and especially designed to complement the natural beauty of the tourist spot. This village is equipped with all the facilities starting from a coffee shop, dining hall to number other facilities essential for day to day life, that too with a capacity of 1,500 guests at a time. The village is presented on blocks of tents, each possess its identity, named after the famous dances of Rajasthan. The village also has shacks with attached western style toilets and running water. Besides this usual and unusual accommodation facility, Pushkar is well connected with top heritage hotels and palaces and resorts. Still, it is sometimes difficult to get accommodation during the time of Pushkar Fair as most of the tourists have their advance hotel booking.

How to Reach Pushkar Fair
The spiritual and sacred destination of Pushkar Fair is located at a distance of 11 Kms or 7 miles from the North-West of Ajmer. The destination is well linked by the roadways, railways and airways.

By roadways, it can be got at from the various destinations through Bus, the distance from the famous cities around Rajasthan are given below:
1) Jaipur: 138 kms. (86 miles)
2) Delhi: 392 kms. (244 miles)
3) Ahmedabad: 526 kms. (327 miles)
4) Jaisalmer: 490 kms. (304 miles)
5) Bikaner: 233 kms. (145 miles)

By railways, it is well linked by the Indian railway network which can be accessed from the Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Udaipur, Abu Road and Jodhpur by regular trains. The special trains are also available from the capital city of Delhi. Jaipur is the nearest Airport with a distance of 138 Kms.