Fairs locally known and called as “melas” are a regular affair in the Indian country side, Pushkar is a very popular local fair held at the city Pushkar in Rajasthan. The fair in the country side are an excellent opportunity to enjoy, to experience the art and culture and do some business alongside. The Pushkar fair is very well known for the trade of live stock, primarily known for trading of camels, Pushkar fair is also famous for quality horses, stud farmers come from as far as punjab in large numbers and display their quality horses and studs. Buffaloes are also bought and sold in large number along with goats. One male buffalo was on display in the 2021 Pushkar fair this buffalo had a whooping price tag of 210 million rupees this is equivalent to around 2.8 million USD. The villagers come to attend this fair, they bring their live stock to be traded at the fair , these villagers also buy decorative items for their live stock, there are rows of shops selling items for decorating camels, buffaloes and horses. Apart from business these people also involve in fun and frolic as they participate and over see competitions like limping jack race,longest moustache competition, Marathon competitions, horse dance, camel race etc.
Significant of Pushkar Fair – Pushkar fair can be divided in to two parts while the animal and live stock facet of pushkar fair is very popular. Pushkar is also a very revered pilgrimage for the devout hindus, Pushkar is the only pilgrim place having a Brahma temple, these devotees come from far and wide and take a dip which washes all the accumulated bad karma. The ghats at Pushkar are all busy as the Pushkar fair goes on, Guru Gobind singh the tenth sikh Guru also came to pushkar a ghat on the Pushkar lake has been named as Gobind ghat in memory of the visit of the sikh master. A gurudwara is also there in pushkar commemorating the visit of Guru Gobind Singh ji to pushkar.
When is the Pushkar fair Held?: - Pushkar mela is held for a week in the Indian calendar month of kartik which falls in the October- November month, its almost a week long affair sometimes extended by few days, it usually ends on the full moon night of kartik, in normal parlance it ends just a weekend after the famous Indian festival of Diwali.
Pushkar has all sorts of accommodation available right from the budget category to luxury heritage hotels. Though these hotels are booked in advance for the Pushkar mela(may be 10 months in advance). During the fair at Pushkar you can also avail facility of tented accommodation, these tents boast of all sort of creature comforts starting with air conditioners to western styled wash rooms. These tent cities also hold various sorts of entertainment programs, kalbeliya dancers/folk dancers entertain the guests with their fiery dance performance under the open skies across a bon fire.
Where is Pushkar Located?: - Pushkar is located just 14 kms away from the famous city of Ajmer in Rajasthan state. Geographically this lies in the east central part of the Rajasthan state. Pushkar is a world famous Hindu pilgrimage site it is the only place where a temple of Lord Brahma exists and is venerated. It is said that lord Brahma dropped a lotus flower at this place and the lake came up, this lake is called the Brahma lake. The devotees take a dip in this lake which is known to rid the devotees off their accumulated sins.
How to reach Pushkar?: - Pushkar is well connected with excellent highways and Indian railways. Ajmer is the nearest railway station which has train connectivity with all major cities of India, excellent highways connect with Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur and all major cities of Rajasthan. The nearest international airport is at Jaipur. The domestic airport at Jodhpur also has flights connecting with all major cities of India.
