TRAVEL GUIDE

Pushkar is 11 km from Ajmer, 132 km west of Jaipur in Rajasthan. Ajmer is connected to Jaipur and to Delhi on National Highway 8. You can fly from Delhi to Jaipur or come by road (about 4 hours) or rail (5-6 hours) and then travel on to Ajmer and Pushkar. Within Pushkar, you can hire taxis, cycle-rickshaws, auto-rickshaws and horse-drawn tongas.

Best time to go

Definitely during the annual camel fair! The animal fair takes place in the first 9 days and that is when you will see Pushkar at its most colourful. The weather gets cool October onwards. Winter temperatures range from a maximum of 15º to 18º C and a minimum of 2° to 5° C. Be prepared for sunny days and very cold nights; carry layers of clothing, sun-block and of course, your camera.

Room with a view

People come from all over the world to attend the Pushkar Fair, and the accommodation is well organised. You can either stay at Jaipur or Ajmer and drive up to Pushkar for the day, or stay within Pushkar. The Rajasthan Government and RTDC set up tents at Pushkar Village. There are hotels, luxury tents and tourist bungalows to suit all budgets. If travelling during the Fair, always book in advance.

Camel Fair

Every fall, Pushkar comes alive with the tinkling of camel bells, the ringing of temple bells, and the flounce of village belles in Rajasthan's most colourful fair. The annual Pushkar Mela is a nine-day cattle trading fair that culminates in four days of religious festivity. The Camel Fair ends on the 11th day of the ascending moon in the month of Kartik (October-November) after which the four days of pilgrimage start.

The sacred Pushkar Lake is near Ajmer, amidst the sand dunes of the Thar Desert and shaded by the Nag Pahar hills on three sides. All the gods are said to descend from heaven to bless those who bathe in Pushkar Lake at this time. Thousands of devotees and sadhus throng for a holy dip at the 52 bathing ghats, and the intense devotion of their chants suffuses the air. Pilgrims swarm at the 400 temples, most of them dedicated to the Creator, Brahma, who is not worshipped anywhere else, because of an ancient curse pronounced on him by his wife, Savitri.

People from all over the desert gather for the fair and a huge city of tents is put up. The most exciting part of the Camel Fair is the display of camels, horses and cows that are paraded and raced at the stadiums. The brilliantly decorated animals with their jangling jewellery and fluttering ribbons are pleased to play to the galleries. The camels usually steal the show with their inscrutable smiles as they amble past majestically. As many as 25,000 to 50,000 camels are bought and sold, making Pushkar the world's largest camel fair. 

The streets are flooded with colourful stalls selling just about anything - from miracle "cure-all" herbs, trinkets and clothes, to household goods. Giant wheels, carousels, magic shows, puppet theatre, snake charmers add to the merriment. The revelry, Rajasthani folk dances and music go on till dusk, when campfires are lit and lanterns silhouette the desertscape.