The Pushkar Fair begins during the Kartik Shukal
Ekadasi time and is held between October to November. For the tourists, this is
a great time to watch and learn a lot about the people and culture of Rajasthan
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| Times of India picture |
The land of kings, colours and traditions has many
wonders tucked away in its shifting sands. Rajasthan is the epitome of cultural diversity
and vibrancy. The yearly calendar of this state is decorated with festivals,
celebrations and most importantly fairs. Among the many yearly fairs that are
popular here, the Pushkar Fair is one that attracts many travelers. The fair
begins during the Kartik Shukal Ekadasi time and is held between October to
November.
While travelling the state of Rajasthan, one
encounters many starkly different sights. While the quiet and peaceful deserts
provide a calming visual imagery, the fairs, especially the Pushkar Fair, stun
one with a spectrum of brightly colored decorations. The beautiful fair, held
for five days, is the time for trading cattle including camels, horses, cows,
goats, sheep etc. Once the trade off is done, the cattle, camels etc., are
decorated with beautiful clothes and dazzling ornaments for public display. Apart
from the animals, watching the traders too is a delight. Men wearing brightly
coloured turbans, chattering bejeweled women wearing long pleated skirts
(Ghaghara) and the stunning stalls, all make the dull landscape of Pushkar look
like a riot of colours.
For the tourists, this is a great time to watch and
learn a lot about the people and culture of Rajasthan. Spread over five days,
the traders use this opportunity to make some profits and buy precious livestock.
Traders, farmers from different villages from across the state travel all the
way to Puskhar to buy or sell cattle to keep their finances going. While some
travel for days, others for weeks, to attend the fair. When it comes to fashion
and dressing, the exotic wear of Rajasthan is best found here. The fair has
lines and lines of stalls that sell interesting merchandise, jewelry and
clothes. The beautiful patchwork, hand printed blouses and skirts, printed
textiles, beads and silver anklets and tattoo stalls not
only attract the local women but even travelers from different parts of the
world. One even gets the opportunity to take
back home never-seen-before souvenirs and artifacts. Apart from the shopping
opportunities for women here, the camel decoration and rides are the trademark
of this fair. In one of the competition, a large numbers of people are made to
sit on the camel's back. The camel then runs across the sand and throws the
riders off its back, amidst cheers and jeers from the spectators. The camel
that succeeds in accommodating the maximum number of people on its back without
making them fall wins the competition. A beauty contest too
is held towards the end and the camel decorated with the best jewels and finery
wins.
If you have an adventurous pallet, then this is an
opportunity to gorge on the quintessential Rajasthani delicacies. Delectable
Rajasthani dishes cooked in rich Indian spices can make a foodie out of anyone.
Food cooked in pure ghee, homemade snacks, spices, yogurt, are mouth watering
dishes one cannot possibly miss. Many travelers flock the Pushkar Fair to also
visit the nearby ponds. The holy Pushkar Lake has 52 bathing ghats which stay
jam packed during the fair. During the full moon nights tiny leaf boats, each
carrying flowers and an oil lamp, are set afloat on the placid Pushkar Lake, a
sight to behold.
The Pushkar Fair is definitely not an event to be
missed. The cultural effervescence, customs and interesting traditions are ones
that are worth experiencing. So if you do plan to visit the majestic state of
Rajasthan during October-November, don’t forget to add Pushkar to your itinerary.
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| Times of India picture |
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