The Pushkar Fair, or Pushkar ka Mela, is the world’s largest camel fair held in the holy town of Pushkar in the state of Rajasthan, India. The Pushkar fair is indubitably the world’s largest camel fair (and indeed, world’s largest cattle fair in general). Competitions such as the ’’matka phod’’, ’’moustache’’, and ’’bridal competition’’ are the main draws for this fair which attracts thousands of tourists. The number of foreign tourists eager to witness this exotic event had shot to a new high of 10, 000 in 2004, which started on 19 November.
Thousands of people go to the banks of the Pushkar Lake where the fair takes place. Men buy and sell their livestock, which includes camels, cows, sheep and goats. The women go to the stalls, full of bracelets, clothes, textiles and fabrics. A camel race starts off the festival, with music, songs and exhibitions to follow. Between these events, the most waited for is the test of how the camel is able to bring the items. In order to demonstrate, the men go up on the group of camels one after another.
It is celebrated on the day Kartik Purnima (night of the full moon), the day, according to legend, which the Hindu god Brahma sprung up the lake, thus numerous people swim in the sacred water.
Pushkar Lake is an artificial lake in Rajasthan state of western India. It is located near the town of Pushkar in Ajmer District. The lake was created in the 12th century when a dam was built across the headwaters of the Luni River. Legend has it that the lake was created when a lotus blossom dropped from the hand of God Brahma into the Pushkar valley. It was also the site where the Sage Vishwamitra meditating reputedly for thousands of years. Thousands of pilgrims come to bathe in the waters of the lake during the festival of Kaartika Poornima in November.