Pushkar Fair

The Pushkar Fair, or Pushkar ka Mela, is the annual five-day camel and livestock fair, held in the town of Pushkar in the state of Rajasthan, India. It is one of the world's largest camel fairs, and apart from buying and selling of livestock it has become an important tourist attraction and its highlights have become competitions such as the "matka phod", "longest moustache", and "bridal competition" are the main draws for this fair which attracts thousands of tourists. In recent years the fair has also included an exhibition cricket match between the local Pushkar club and a team of random foreign tourists. The Imperial Gazetteer of India, mentions an attendance of 100,000 pilgrims in early 1900s .

the festival

Thousands of people go to the banks of the Pushkar Lake where the fair takes place. Men buy and sell their livestock, which includes camels, cows, sheep and goats [1]. The women go to the stalls, full of bracelets, clothes, textiles and fabrics. A camel race starts off the festival, with music, songs and exhibitions to follow. Between these events, the most waited for is the test of how the camel is able to bring the items. In order to demonstrate, the men go up on the group of camels one after another

Programme

The Pushkar Fair is no less than an encyclopedia on the tradition and culture of the state of Rajasthan. It is the event when a better population of the state can be found at one place and at one time. It seems as if the whole state has come alive at Pushkar to stand witness to its pulsating cultural heritage. Villagers gather from all around the state to enjoy and make merry, breaking all the barriers of hectic schedules of their lives. Colourful sights at the fair can touch and move even the sternest heart. Hindu pilgrims can be seen flocking the place to take a holy dip in the Pushkar Lake, washing away all the sins of the past. Devotees and worshippers can be seen surrendering themselves at the only Brahma Temple