As the word ‘Fair’ comes in our mind the image which strikes is of Food stall, clothes stall and cradles but as you speak about the Pushkar fair the image automatically strikes to the huge variety of decorated camels, heavy crowd, tourists and the holy bath of Pushkar Lake.
The Pushkar Fair or Pushkar Mela is the annual camel and livestock fair held in Pushkar district of Rajasthan where 50000 camels, 300000 people, and 33 million gods i.e the entire Hindu pantheon come together.
Apart from buying and selling of livestock other competition like ‘Matka Fod, longest Mustache and Bridal competition’ are also the main attractions of the fair. Camels are decorated so brightly and colorfully like a bride for the grand camel race.
They wear jewelry of silver and beads. There are bells and bangles around their ankles that jingle jangle when they walk here and there. The Week long celebrations take place during the month of November- December, according to the lunar calendar.
History
As the legend says, Brahma was in search of a place for Mahayagna and he found this place suitable. When Brahma came to know that a demon, Vajranash was killing people here, so the Lord intoned a mantra on a lotus flower and killed him. During this process, the parts of Flower fell on three places which later were known as Jyaistha, Madhya, and Kanistha Pushkar.
To protect this place from demons Brahma performed a Yagna. Both Brahma and his wife Savitri were needed to offer Ahuti for the Yagna but she was not present there that time so Gayatri, a Gujjar girl, was married to Brahma to finish that Yagna. This act made Savitri angry and she cursed Brahma saying that he would be worshipped in Pushkar only.
Special Attractions
The amazing scenic Lake of Pushkar is set in a valley which is only 11 km away from Ajmer, surrounded by Aravalli’s from 3 sides and sand dunes on 1 side. Turban heads of men and colorful veils and skirts of women bring alive the dry desert-scape.
Village women are dressed in their best clothes and Jewellery. Pushkar is one of the sacred places for the Hindu, with 400 temples among which the most important is dedicated to Lord Brahma- the creator of the universe. 52 ghats bind the Pushkar Lake. Thousands of devotees gather together to take a dip, sadhus also come from the Himalayas to take part in the e holy bath.
Highlights of The Pushkar Fair schedule
- Day 1:- Camel race
- Day 2:- Camel Decorating
- Day 3:- Camel Dance Contest
- Day 4:- Turban tying and Mustache competition
- Day 5:- Wrestling competition
- Day 6:- Champion cattle competition
- Day 7:- Closing Ceremony
- Day 8:- Sacred bathing in Pushkar Lake
