Introduction

Pushkar, one of the holy cities of India located in the desert state of India – Rajasthan, famous all over the world for its largest cattle fair held in the month of Kartika (October or November) commencing on ashtmi or 8th day of Lunar Calendar and proceeds till full moon (Poornima). In this year of 2009, the Pushkar Fair of Rajasthan will be held from October 30th to 2nd November.


Location of Pushkar Fair

The little and attractive town of Pushkar is set in a valley around 14 km off Ajmer in the desert Indian state of Rajasthan. Beleaguered by hills on three faces and sand dunes on the other, the city of Pushkar figures a bewitching location and a suiting background for the yearly religious and cattle fair which is globally renowned and appeals lakhs of travelers from almost all the states of India and from several parts of the world.


Climate of Pushkar Fair

The city of Pushkar has hot climate. The maximum temperature throughout the summers can reach up to 40-45°C while during the winter season it can reach below 10°C. There is not very much rain during the monsoon season. So, this Pushkar Fair tour is the best during the winter season as it commences in the month of October and continues to March.


Importance of Pushkar Fair

Pushkar is one of the five dhams or pilgrimage destinations according to the Indian mythology that are held in high regard by Hindu community, the other four dhams are Badrinath, Puri, Rameswaram, and Dwarka which are must visit spiritual destination of India. It is stated that in battle lord Brahma voted out the demon Vajra Nabh with a lotus flower, whose petals drifted down to earth and brought in three spots in and around Pushkar where lakes originated. According to fables, Pushkar Lake was beleaguered by 500 temples and 52 palaces (various rajas and maharajas upheld palaces here for pilgrim’s journey) at one point. The Brahma temple of Rajasthan is the most significant temple here and is, in fact, the exclusively Brahma temple of India.

So, the travelers want to see incredible Rajasthan in its colorful zestfulness the, fairs and festivals of Rajasthan are the best means to explore its hidden treasury and vibrant culture. One of the most famous and far-famed fairs of Rajasthan is the Pushkar fair. The time of the fair concurs with the brilliantly half of the moon throughout the months of October-November. The lake at Pushkar is one of the most consecrated in India.


Special Attractions of Pushkar Fair

The beautiful lake of Pushkar is set in a valley approximately 11 kilometres northwestward of Ajmer, circumvented by hills on three positions and sand dunes on the fourth. Pushkar makes an absorbing location and a suiting backdrop for the yearly religious and cattle fair. Turbaned heads of local people of Rajasthan and colorful humeral veil and skirts of the women, contribute alive the desiccated desert escape. The village women dress in their best coloured clothes and attire for the five-day mela.

Similar to Varanasi, Pushkar Fair of Rajasthan is one of the holy destinations for the Hindus, with over 400 temples of which the most significant is devoted to Lord Brahma - the Lord of the Universe. Fifty-two ghats bond the lake. Throughout the days of this fair, the otherwise calm lake is engrossed with spiritual fervor. Thousands of devotees gather to take a dip, sadhus go down from the Himalayas and individuals pray for redemption to the sound of versifies from the Holy Scriptures, which fill the air. Since Pushkar is a religious destination of India, alcohol and non-vegetarian food is prohibited.


Pushkar Fair - Rituals and Traditions

These five days of Pushkar Fair are a point of relaxation and merry-making for the inhabitants, in spite of being the busiest for them, as this is one of the biggest cattle fairs in Incredible India. Animals, mainly camels, are contributed from miles around. Merchandising is brisk as various thousand heads of cattle interchange hands. All the camels are cleaned, washed, decorated, some are interestingly sheared to class patterns, and special stalls are set up marketing finery and jewelry for the camels. Camels at the Pushkar fair are ornamented with great care. They endure jewelry of silver and drops. There are silver bells and bangles roughly their ankles that jingle-jangle when they pass. A concerning rite is the sharp of a camel’s nose. During this Pushkar Fair, camel races competition is organized. An interesting event is the camel beauty contest, where they are decorated and exhibited. The camels plume before the herds, relishing every minute of the attention they get. It is conceived that for five days each year, all the gods visit Pushkar and sanctify the devout. This explains the unconvincing number of devotees who flock to the lake to wash off their sins.


Pushkar Lake

It is semicircular lake around which there are 52 "Ghats". The max depth of the lake is 10 mts. The lake is a holy place and is known as the king of the "Trithas". The bath at Pushkar is thought to be more important than at any other place. The holy dip in this lake on kartika Purnima is thought to be salvation giving.The man who BATHES in the Shukla Paksha of Karitha month and has the Darshan of varah will not take rebirth on this earth and enjoy the bliss of heaven. The people who have a holy dip at the lake on karitha Purinama, gain the fruit equal to do the Jap and Tap for one hundred years. There are many yajna spots which cannot be counted even by Vrihshpati, the teacher of the gods.


Temples in Pushkar

The small city of Pushkar teems in temples, the particular attraction being, the temple of Lord Brahma, the only temple in India, devoted to Brahma. This reasonably slumbery town, reflects with feverish activity during the celebrations. Some of the famous temples located in the city of Pushkar and are the source attractions among the travelers are Brahma Temple, Savitri Temple, Rangji Temple, Warah Temple, Apteshwar Temple etc.


Accommodation in Pushkar Fair

During the special occasion of the Pushkar Fair, accommodation for the tourist is set up in particular tents in a tourist village, which is self-sufficing and particularly designed to accompaniment the natural beauty of the tourist spot. The village has a coffee shop and dining hall that can provide to 1,500 guests at a time. The village is staged on blocks of tents, each with its possess identity, named after the renowned dances of Rajasthan. The village also has hovels with bonded western style toilets and running water. Besides this accommodation facility, Pushkar also has some hotels / resorts. Still, it is sometimes hard to find accommodation in Pushkar, especially during the peak season of Pushkar Fair. Accommodations are available in the form of Pushkar Palace (Heritage Hotel), Pushkar Resorts, Tents in Pushkar etc.


How to Reach Pushkar

Pushkar fair is one of sacred destinations of India for the Hindu community, located 11 Kms (7 miles) to the North-West of Ajmer. The destination is well connected by the roadways, railways and airways. By roadways, it can be accessed from the various destinations through Bus, the distance from the famous cities around Rajasthan are given below:

1) Jaipur: 138 kms. (86 miles)
2) Delhi: 392 kms. (244 miles)
3) Ahmedabad: 526 kms. (327 miles)
4) Jaisalmer: 490 kms. (304 miles)
5) Bikaner: 233 kms. (145 miles)

By railways, it is well connected by the Indian railway network which can be accessed from the Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Udaipur, Abu Road and Jodhpur by regular trains. The special trains are also available from the capital city of Delhi. Jaipur is the nearest Airport with a distance of 138 Kms.