Rajasthan
is at its colorful best during fairs and festivals.
There are numerous festivals throughout the year,
which brighten the otherwise hard and dreary lives
of the villagers of the deserts.
One of the most popular and charismatic fairs of
the desert is the Pushkar fair, held on the 11th
day of the bright half of the moon. The time of
the fair corresponds to the western month of October/November.
For five days in a year, all the gods revisit Pushkar
and bless the devout. This accounts for the unbelievable
number of devotees who flock to the lake to wash
away their sins. Pushkar Lake is the most sacred
lake in India. From time immemorial, people have
been gathering here annually during the month of
Kartik. During the days of the mela, the otherwise
tranquil lake is engulfed by religious fervor. Thousands
of devotees congregate to take a dip, sadhus descend
from the Himalayas and people pray for salvation
to the sound of verses from the Holy Scriptures
that fill the air.
For the desert people, this large congregation has
tremendous economic implications. These five days,
apart from being a period of relaxation and merrymaking
for the villagers, correspond to the largest cattle
fair in the country. Animals, mainly camels, are
brought from miles around. Trading is brisk as several
thousand heads of cattle exchange hands. All the
camels are cleaned, washed, adorned, some are interestingly
shorn to form patterns, and special stalls are set
up selling finery and jewelry for the camels. One
of the interesting sights is the piercing of a camel’s
nose. Races and competitions are organized. Camels
lope across the sands, sometimes throwing their
riders on to the vast sands, amidst cheers and jeers
from thousands of spectators. An interesting event
is the camel beauty contest where they are adorned
and paraded. They preen themselves before the crowds
enjoying every moment of the attention they get.
Turbaned heads, the colorful veils and skirts of
the women bring alive the arid desert. The village
women are dressed in their best clothes and finery
for the five-day mela.
As night descends upon the sand dunes, one can hear
sounds of the ektara (a single-stringed instrument)
and the soulful tunes of the Rajasthani folk songs.
Smoke rises from the makeshift and temporary fires
where dinner is being cooked. People begin to retire
to their respective tents and hotel rooms to rest
until the next day when hectic activity begins once
again.
SITES TO VISIT
Pushkar
is a city of temples of all sizes, though not as
much old or in number as generally claimed. The
most famous temple is the Brahma Temple, said to
be only one temple dedicated to Brahma in India.
A red spire marks the temple, and over the entrance
gateway is the Hans (goose), the symbol of Brahma
who is said to have personally chosen Pushkar
as his place.
Another important temple is that of Savitri (wife
of Lord Brahma) on a hilltop. It takes a one-hour
trek to reach the temple, but it has a beautiful
view of Pushkar Lake in the morning.
Other important places to visit in Pushkar are numerous
ghats that run down the lake.
SITES
NEARBY
Kishangarh,
a one-hour journey from Pushkar,
was founded by Kishan Singh in the 17th century.
The city is famous for its unique style of miniature
paintings, first produced in the 18th century.
Another important point to visit is Ajmer,
famous for its annual Urs Mela and a major city
of Rajasthan.
SHOPPING
The
main market area in Pushkar
has narrow lanes where small shops sell all types
of souvenirs to be taken back home.
One can purchase costume, jewelry, and embroidered
fabrics, such as wall hangings and groovy shoulder
bags.
WHERE
TO STAY
With
the increase in the popularity of Pushkar
and the interest shown by the tourists abroad, the
place has now many decent accommodation options
available. One can chose from a variety of options
like budget, mid-range, and luxury accommodations.
A popular accommodation option nowadays is the tourist
village where tourists stay in the tents. This is
a good place to feel the culture and tradition of
Rajasthan
in the idyllic environment. Hotels
in pushkar
HOW
TO REACH
The
nearest airport is Jaipur
(145 km), from where one can take flights for Delhi
and Mumbai.
Ajmer is the nearest railway station from where
one can take trains for the major destinations in
Rajasthan
and other parts of India. Shatabdi Express for Delhi
is a good option for the tourists looking for comfort
and conscious of the time factor. Jaipur–Bandra
Express is the ideal rail link for the tourists
heading for Mumbai.
Pushkar is connected to Ajmer
by road, which is around 14 km away. Buses in most
cases leave Ajmer
in the morning from Daulatabad bus stand. Jeeps
and taxis are also available, but at a fairly higher
cost. Distances from Pushkar to some major cities
are Delhi
(403 km), Jaipur (145 km), Udaipur
(289 km), Mumbai
(285 km), Agra
(377 km), Jodhpur
(214 km), and Chennai
(1992 km).
Pushkar
Fair (Suggested
Itineraries)
Hotels/Resorts/Camp Resorts in Pushkar
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