Pushkar is a small town not present on the world map. So why visit? A child like me; I had not even heard of this place. But reasons to visit Pushkar are compelling.
Pushkar is a very spiritual place; It is home to a unique Brahma temple, one of the few of its kind. People flock to worship the deity, and you will always find crowds there. Apart from the Brahma temple, there are daily aartis at the banks of the Pushkar lake. In my sect of Hinduism, we believe that a part of the dead’s ashes must be immersed in the Pushkar lake. Throngs of people from all nationalities sway to the religious chants and experience the spiritual (tinged with hippie) ambience.
Another major part of Pushkar is the Pushkar Fair and the unique Camel Fair, which is the largest camel fair in the world! In olden times, animal fairs were common, but a large-scale camel fair today is a rarity, which is held every year one week after Diwali.
The day we arrived, we visited the Brahma temple and the power of the deity was evident. The three main gods of Hinduism are Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. You will find temples of Vishnu and Shiva all around India, but temples of Brahma are unique and uncommon.
That evening, we witnessed the spectacular Pushkar Lake aarti (prayer ritual) where the priests carry giant lamps with 12 layers of small diyas (candles), and move them in special formations with a flair and style. The religious chants, flaming lamps, and sharp scent of incense created an otherworldly atmosphere.
The next morning, I set out with a fresh wave of excitement. It was finally time to explore the Pushkar Fair and the Camel fair! We had a delicious street food breakfast of poha and tea in the local market, with our poha (locally prepared flattened rice) made fresh in the street stall and served hot. Mmm… the tang of spicy masalas! I really recommend a street food breakfast to complete your stay in Pushkar.
Next, we took a ride to the fairgrounds. The Pushkar (Camel) Fair is for 7 days in November, but the specific dates vary from year to year and I guess it starts from the fifth day after Diwali.
It’s a gala event, where each day hosts a new competition or event, like camel decoration, cultural dance, or sports. One section had giant Ferris wheels and pendulums, much like a local county fair, and the other section was full of stores and carnival game counters. We walked for a while and began to see camels and other cattle.
Some camels were decorated with fancy neckbands, their fur shaved, and other decorations on their bodies. We hired a camel cart with a decorated camel to give us a tour, and I even got to pose with the camel! It was beautiful and surprisingly gentle.
We set off at a breakneck pace to the actual animal trading grounds. We passed the horse stables and soon came across the camel grounds. The field was chock-a-block with various decorated and non-decorated horses, camels and their owners. Traders wandered around to check out other specimens and others eagerly sold their camels.
The field was humming with activity, and we strolled through it in awe, watching owners groom, sell, buy, feed, and even ride camels of all kind. The decorations were also stunning, with patterned cloth saddles and brightly coloured bridles.
After the tour, we took the cart back to main fairgrounds. There were many events organised for entertainment, and one was a Kabaddi (popular Indian-originated sport) match in the stadium. It was locals versus foreigners and we watched the game with fascination.
After a quick lunch, we headed back to the fairgrounds at around dusk, and we enjoyed ourselves on the Ferris wheels and other fairground rides.
I really had a splendid time. A visit to Pushkar is a must for any traveller!
Enjoy Pushkar!
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