Pushkar and the Famous Camel Fair

Getting to Pushkar

It was a 7 hour/300km train trip from Udaipur to a city called Ajmer.  This is the closest we could get to Pushkar by train.  It was then a 45 minute/30km drive to get to our final destination of Pushkar.

Pilgrimage Town

Pushkar is a prominent Hindu pilgrimage town.  This was evident as we wandered around the town.  We could hear the constant humming of prayers, bells, drums and devotional songs.

The holy lake of Pushkar, enjoying some Masala Chai and just us and thousands of camels!

The town wraps itself around a holy lake with 52 bathing ghats and 400 milky-blue temples.  There were many locals bathing at the lake but it is considered inappropriate to film or take photographs, which is understandable. 

The main street is one long bazaar, selling anything from hippy tie-dye clothing to religious articles and trinkets.  This is where the religious and tourism scene mixes together.

The chaotic streets, full of colour, dust and beggars

Pushkar hosts around 1 million domestic and international tourists over the year.  I believe that most of them were all there in town at the same time we were.

Camel Fair

Pushkar is famous for its annual Camel Fair.  It is held every year according to the Hindu Calendar (October/November).  It attracts over 200,000 people from all over the country.

There were some seriously ‘blinged’ camels

Thousands of camels, horses and cattle descend on the make-shift town set up on the sand dunes of Pushkar.  The festival is as much of a business venture for farmers and ranchers, as it is a spiritual celebration.

Setting the Date

The dates of the Pushkar Camel Fair are directly linked to the Hindu lunar calendar.  It’s a 14-day festival which takes place around the full moon.  This is the best time to rid yourself of past sins.  During this moon phase, the locals bathe in the holy waters of the lake, hoping their wishes will come true.

The fair has two components: camel and animal trading and religious rituals.

So Much to take in!

It was extremely hot, dusty and chaotic to say the least.  It was certainly an interesting place to be and I was looking forward to just wandering the streets where the fair is held.  There was so much to take in. 

With us being the ‘obvious tourists’ in town, we were targets for the beggars and the myriad of people selling all sorts of goods and food who just wander the streets.  This made it nearly impossible to stop and take in the spectacle.  As soon as we slowed or stopped, we were almost mobbed by children with their hands out, wanting money.  If it wasn’t the beggars, then it was souvenir sellers and food vendors.

Camel Sellers

The Camel Traders were the hardest looking out of all the ranchers I saw.  They arrive at the festival early and leave early.  They start disappearing back into the desert as their business concludes.

While they are in Pushkar, the herders and traders set up camp in the sand dunes turning the area into a makeshift city in the desert.

Camels, horses, traders and herders all rolled into one!

 The atmosphere becomes lively with brightly decorated camels towing carts full of tourists, vendors, musicians, gypsies and of course money paying tourists.

I could tell that there were definitely the more ‘hardened’ camel herders and owners.  They were there for business and not interested in being entertainment for tourists (unless there was a monetary bonus in it for them).  I had to be careful with the photos and videos I shot.  There was the inevitable hand out, insisting on payment of some kind for the privilege of the photo opportunity.

It’s a Hard Life Being a Camel

It’s a tradition that has been happening for hundreds of years.  The business of dealing and owning camels.  It was, however, a bit hard to watch the treatment of some of the camels at the fair.

Not all camels were treated equally

Some traders were kinder to their herd than others.  The worst cases are the camels with their legs doubled tied. This forces them to kneel on their knees or haunches.  They struggled every time they tried to stand up.  The equivalent of a human being ‘hog-tied’.

They are obviously a great asset to any desert family.  It’s a shame that they couldn’t be treated with more respect.  If some can, I’m sure the rest of them could too.

Camel Fair Highlight

A major highlight for us was being welcomed by a local family who had set up their tent and had quite the gathering going on.  They were at the fair to show off their beautiful horse who was a real showstopper.

Such majestic animals and so well cared for

I’ve never seen this breed of the horse before.  It was mesmerising to watch this majestic animal.  

The Marwari is a rare breed of horse from Jodhpur.  It is known for its inward-turning ear tips and for its hardiness.  They are descended from native Indian ponies crossed with Arabian horses.  I could definitely see the Arabian features (not that I’m an expert).

They were so proud of their horse.   People came in and out of their tent to view their Marwari horse.

Meanwhile, they had the main tent set up with a makeshift kitchen and a cook dishing up the traditional lunch.  We jumped in the back of his jeep for a ride to the town boundary.  Pushkar is an ‘alcohol-free’ town.  You, therefore, have to travel to the outskirts to purchase any alcohol you wish to consume.  

Nobody seemed worried about smuggling contraband back into the makeshift town.  It was back to the tent for a few beers and lunch.

Eat, drink and be merry. Always a great idea to drink with the locals!!!

The ‘head of the family’ somehow organised a mobile travelling entertainment group to stop by to play some music, sing us a few songs and dance a few routines.  After a beer or two, it always seems a good idea to get up and join in! 

Getting My Henna On

Our guide organised for a few of us to visit a local family in Pushkar for a home-cooked meal.

We were treated to an amazing dinner.  The entire family took part in the preparation and serving of the meal.  We sat in the centre of the family compound.   There are 3 homes that house the family and extended relations.

Dinner served in the family compound.  Cooked in a basic kitchen. Henna painted by young girls – epic night!!

The young girls of the family then offered to paint the ladies hands with henna designs.  The youngest girl was only 12 years old and did a beautiful job.

Click on the link below to see some highlights of our time at the Pushkar Camel Fair.