The small town of Pushkar in Rajasthan is a two and a half hour drive (130 km) from the state capital Jaipur. Pushkar is the venue for the world renowned Pushkar Camel Fair and the town is located on the banks of an eponymous holy lake.
The actual dates of the Pushkar Camel Festival vary every year as they coincide with the lunar calendar, and the festival always ends on the night of a full moon. This year the festival dates are scheduled in the beginning of November.
As the time of the festival approaches, the sleepy little town comes alive as elaborate preparations begin for the Pushkar Fair. These activities result in the many unique events, spectacles and sights that one can experience during the fair. These include a number of ethnic cultural events such as the colorful and vibrant Rajasthani dance performances, as well as traditional sporting events to coincide with the fair. During the fair, villagers bring over 100,000 heads of cattle (about half of which are camels) to trade and sell.
Apart from its commercial aspects, the festivities are also buoyed by a plethora of activities such as horse shows, camel races, camel and cow beauty contests, acrobatics, camel safaris and much more. Apart from being a city of 400 temples, Pushkar prides itself on being the site of the only Brahma temple dedicated solely to the worship of the Hindu God of Creation.
