Pushkar Camel Fair 2019: Festival Travel Guide

Posted On: 14 Aug 2019

The Pushkar Camel Fair is an annual livestock and cultural festival held in Pushkar, a tiny desert town in the mighty state of Rajasthan, India. The fair sees an astonishing 3000 camel converge along with days of cultural programs, handicrafts display, etc., arranged by Rajasthan tourism. Several Rajasthan tour packages offer to cover this charming festival happening once a year. If you are interested to be a part of this colorful extravaganza this year, here is a brief festival travel guide for you.

Do you know?

This major tourist attraction of India originally started centuries back to initiate business activities between livestock trades during the Kartik Purnima festival, a festival held during the time of full moon in the Hindu lunar month of Kartika.

Pushkar Fair is the perfect old-traditional style Indian fair one can witness today. It attracts over 200,000 visitors each year from all over the world.

Time and duration of Pushkar Fair, 2019

The official dates for the Pushkar Fair this year is from November 04-12th.  Tourists started coming in days before to see the preparations and the livestock.

Location of the fair

Pushkar is a small town, located at the brim of the Thar Desert, near Ajmer city of Rajasthan, West India. Whether you are visiting the fair for the first time or you have visited earlier, don’t worry about locating it as the colorful ambiance and the crowd will help you to figure it out.

Reaching Pushkar

Tourists can reach Ajmer by train or flight as it is well connected with the rest of the country. Then from there, one can take the Ajmer-Pushkar Passenger train which departs from Ajmer at 10 a.m. and arrives in Pushkar at 11.25 a.m.  Trains do not run on Tuesdays and Fridays. Advance booking is a must. By road, it roughly takes around 30 minutes from Ajmer to Pushkar.

Activities and Celebration

During the festival, several activities take place at the fairgrounds. One will witness a magnificent display of camels all dressed up, entering into beauty contests, where they are made to dance and race. Festival brings a spectacular collection of musicians, magicians, dancers, acrobats, snake charmers and carousel rides for entertaining the crowd.

What can be expected from the Fair?

Expect a population of 200,000 people or more, including pilgrims, camel traders, and tourists. Camel shows are definitely the high point of the festival. Events like temple dancing, folk and fusion music concerts, spiritual and heritage walks, and a handicraft market are also integral elements of the festival one must look forward to. Tourists can also witness the spectacular fair from a hot air balloon. Beware of beggars, gypsies, and priests who find it a good opportunity to scam and make easy money from the tourists.

Rituals of the Pushkar Camel Fair

Pilgrims travel to Pushkar for taking a holy bath in the Pushkar Lake during the two days of the full moon which is considered to be the most auspicious time of the year. This holy bath is said to wash away all your sins and bestow special blessings from God.

Pushkar Fair Tours

Tourists can opt for several tours like “Special Pushkar Fair Walking Tour” during the morning where they can see pilgrims taking a holy dip in the lake and performing religious activities. The evening tours include a visit to the buzzing fairground.

Accommodation

Book your accommodations in advance. It is a must. You will get a variety of accommodation options like guesthouses, luxury tented camps set up in the desert, home-stays, and heritage hotels for a comfortable stay alone, with friends, beloved, or family.

With a footfall of over 200,000 tourists each year, the traditional age-old Pushkar Camel Fair is one of the most celebrated events of Rajasthan. It remains on the top of the list of every Rajasthan tour package you choose from. Being a part of this extravaganza can truly be an experience of a lifetime.