Pushkar Camel Fair: A Fanfare of Colours

It’s that time of the year when the spectacle called Pushkar Camel Fair comes to life. It is an annual fair, where livestock trade forms an integral part. The aspect that contributes immensely in making the five-day event in November remarkable is that it is held in the state of Rajasthan, India. Yes, this is the state that possesses the fame for being one of the most vibrant places in the world.

This fair can spoil your senses with vivacious sights of exciting activities and successfully beats the harsh conditions of a desert with its effervescence. As far as your eyes can look, your mind will be engaged with the spirited performances by dancers, folk musicians, artists carrying out magic tricks and a lot more.

If you think that all you will end up doing is being a spectator, then we would say the chances are rare! There are contests that sound so interesting that you can’t just wait to participate in them. Right from the longest moustache contest to the camel beauty contest, it’s an exuberant fun-filled affair.

Surrounding the day of full moon, the array of colours that you witness here leave a rich impression on your minds. The vivid hues of the tents, the attractive motifs on the stalls and the temptingly colourful food make the fair an experience more than an event.

When the fair is literally called a camel fair, then it is obvious that camel trade is what grabs the focus. With a favourably long life expectancy of about 80 years, low cost of upkeep and adaptability to the harsh environment, camels are definitely the preferred livestock in a desert. Needless to say it also does produce milk or ‘White Gold of the Desert’ and serves as a common mode of transport.

As the town of Pushkar has religious significance attached to it (legend has that Lord Brahma sprung the lake up), it also becomes opportune for many visitors to take the holy dip into the Pushkar Lake that is believed to relieve people of their sins.  It becomes even more auspicious on the full moon day or on ‘Kartik Purnima’.

So, organise your schedule to plan a visit to this memorable carnival, because this gala of colours, livestock, food, acts and spirituality provides you with the real taste of warm and hospitable India.