PUSHKAR
CAMEL FAIR
INTRODUCTION
The largest fair in India, The Pushkar Camel Fair of Rajasthan
a unique fair with no other equals. The venue of the fair
is Pushkar in Rajasthan. Lakhs of people from rural India
flock to Pushkar, along with Camel and Cattle for several
days of live stock trading, horse dealing, pilgrimage and
religious festivities. Pushkar becomes a cultural phenomenon
when colorfully dressed devotees, musicians, acrobats, folk
dancers, traders, comedians, sadhus and tourists reach here
during Pushkar fair. It takes place in the month of Kartika
(October or November) beginning on ashtmi 8th day of Lunar
Calendar and continues till full moon (Poornima). The Camel
and Cattle trading is at its peak during the first half
of festival period. During the later half, religious activities
dominate the scenario. Devotees take dips in the holy "Sarovar"
lake, as the sacred water is known to bestow salvation.
LEGEND BEHIND THE CELEBRATIONS
Located in the western part of the state of Rajasthan,
the holy city of Pushkar is situated near Ajmer. Believed
to have been formed in accordance to the wishes of Lord
Brahma, the Hindu God of Creation, the, city of Pushkar
is a very important pilgrimage site for the Hindus. This
is largely due to the presence of a number of temples in
the city the most notable among which is the Temple dedicated
to Lord Brahma.
DESCRIPTION
Trading of cattle, camel races and dazzling displays of
bangles, brassware, clothes, camel saddles and halters make
the fair colourful. Necklaces of glass beads from Naguar,
pottery, printed textiles from Jodhpur and Ajmer are all
on sale here. Farmers, cattle traders and breeders buy and
sell their animals, leather whips, saddles etc. There
are facilities for camel rides also.
This livestock fair coincides with the climaxing of a religious
celebration. Pushkar is among the five main places of pilgrimage
mentioned in the Hindu scriptures. It has a large number
of temples including one of the only two temples dedicated
to Lord Brahma in India. Hundreds of thousands of devotees
take a ritual dip in the holy Pushkar lake on the day of
the Kartik Purnima (full moon night of the Kartika month)
and worship at the Brahma temple (Jagat Pita Shri Brahma
Mandir). It is believed that Lord Brahma, the creator,
wished to perform a 'yagna' following his long years of
penance. During his sojourn in search of a place for yagna,
Brahma dropped a lotus from heaven which created the lake
Pushkar. It was on the Karthika night that a drop of nectar
fell in this lake, thereby making it sacred. Pilgrims flock
from all over India to be in Pushkar at this auspicious
time. They also believe that all the 330 million Gods and
Goddesses are present at Pushkar Lake during the occasion.
The trading which involves a great deal of bargaining between
the cattle traders and the buyers add to the spirit of the
fair. Apart from the religious rituals and trading, people
participate in a number of cultural and sporting events.
The variety of folk dances, dramas and songs lend colour
and melody to the atmosphere that is already charged with
excitement of the camel races and the cattle fair. The sweeping
expanse of the desert becomes dotted with thousands of camels,
stalls and camping families. The Rajasthan tourism Development
Corporation has taken adequate measures to facilitate convenient
access of the fair site and to accommodate the fairgoers.
Pushkar fair has its own magic and it's a lifetime experience
for travelers. It has featured in numbers of travel shows,
films and magazine. According to lonely planet -"The
Pushkar fair is truly a feast for the eyes".
TIME TO CELEBRATE
The Pushkar Fair is organized in the Hindu month of Kartika (October-November). It starts on the eighth day (ashtmi) and ends on the full moon day (poornima), as per the lunar calendar.
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