The Pushkar Fair, Rajasthan
This is
again that time of the year, when festive feel is in the air. The mother of all
festivals - Deepawali - may have gone but for a traveller the season has just
started. Just got to know from Arun’s Blog that Hampi Utsava is just round the
corner, starting 3rd of November. Those who haven’t heard about can
get the details from there. Hampi for me is a dream destination, will surely go
someday. But for sure, the festival time will have a different appeal to this
wonder of the yore.
The
festivals remind me of another interesting event – the Pushkar Fair. Pushkar
Fair kicks off from November 10 and most of the hotels in Pushkar would be
fully booked by this time. But still it is not too late to try. Pushkar Mela or
Pushkar Cattle fair as it is generally called draws travellers not only from
the country but from all over the world. Pushkar Fair is one of its kinds in
Rajasthan, the fair witnesses buying and selling of a large number of cattle
and artifacts.
One of my
friends who visited the Pushkar Fair last year and a year before is all praise
for the colourful pagris (turbans) and charged ambiance. She says, “You turn
your head and you see pagris all around, green, red, blue, yellow….multiple
colours.” The ideal place to stay she says is the RTDC hotel there, which is
quite close to the mela (fair) grounds. If you haven’t booked a room yet for
the Pushkar Fair, try doing it now. You won’t be getting a very good
accommodation but you can manage one, you’d very lucky. Most hotels in Pushkar
are booked quite in advance. But for the adventure lover booking or no
booking…it hardly matters. One may also stay at Ajmer, which is hardly 15 km away from
Pushkar.
Vehicles
are not allowed inside the city during the fair after wee hours and have to be
parked at least 2-3 km before the city. As the first rays of the sun kiss the
holy waters of the Pushkar
Lake, one could see the
villagers from all over Rajasthan make their way to the Pushkar in their
colourful attires. Most of the events… camel race…etc take place in the
morning. In the evening cultural events are held. As the sun takes a dip, the
mela gets more vibrant…there is quite a frenzy. You may enjoy taking a ride in
swings of different types. The best is the one that takes high up in a wheel,
the view from top is simply amazing. In my friend’s words, “it looks as if some
has put the colourful tiles on the ground”. Food is another high point of the fair, you have so much
variety. There are fo
od stalls all over. Pushkar Fair is also great for
shopping. You can shop for handicraft items, colourful turbans, clothes…a camel
too :) if you may desire.
I know
information about a fair is quite bland, if there are no good photos. Here are
some lovely photos of the Pushkar Fair. Njoy….
