Pushkar Fair
The Pushkar fair brings together a large number of villagers from different
parts of the state. Some come here to sell. Some come here to buy. Others
come here on a pilgrimage. The days are filled with fun and activity The famous Pushkar Fair is a great tourist attraction. People from around the globe come to the ancient religious town of Pushkar which is transformed into a spectacular fair ground in the month of Kartik. People bathe, worship and delight in the dazzling wares of roadside stalls. Camels are bought, sold, beautified, raced and parade. Most unusual are the small groups of men and women seen busy tattooing their hands and other parts of the body.
The fair is predominantly a rural gathering. Villagers come from different parts of the state and bring their cattle with them. On spectacular sanddunes camel, horse and bullock races are great crowd pullers. All roads lead to the lake, which is flooded with pilgrims. The movement of the crowd is like a tide of colour with currents of crimson, yellow and turquoise.
Evenings at the Pushkar Fair have their own charm. The silent night is
pierced by calls of camels. Ballads are sung by actors in passionate tones.
Folkdramas, skits and folk dance are organised for the entertainment of the
tourists.
The Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC) puts up a tourist village during the fair. The tourist village is self sufficient and specially designed to complement the natural beauty of the site. It has a Coffee Shop and Dining Hall which can cater to 1 500 guests at a time.
The village is arranged in blocks of tents, each with its own identity, being named after the famous dances of Rajasthan. The village also has huts with attached western style toilets and running water. One can also stay in Sarovar Hotel, Pushkar and Khadim Tourist Bunglow at Ajmer.
Pushkar Fair Dates
Year Dates
2008 November 10 - 13, 2008.
2009 October 30 - November 02, 2009.
2010 November 18 - 21, 2010
