Pushkar Camel Fair
The Pushkar Camel Fair (Pushkar Mela) is one of the world’s largest livestock fairs, held every November in the desert town of Pushkar, Rajasthan. For about a week, tens of thousands of camels, horses and cattle are traded amid folk music, camel races and pilgrimage rituals at the sacred Pushkar Lake.
Quick facts: Pushkar Camel Fair
| Location | Pushkar, Rajasthan |
|---|---|
| When | Kartik month — usually November (Kartik Purnima) |
| Duration | About 7 days |
| Scale | Tens of thousands of camels, horses and cattle |
| Sacred site | Pushkar Lake and the Brahma temple |
Significance of Pushkar Camel Fair
The fair coincides with Kartik Purnima, when a dip in Pushkar Lake is believed to be especially auspicious. Pushkar is also home to one of the very few Brahma temples in the world, making the mela both a major pilgrimage and a celebration of Rajasthan’s desert culture and livestock economy.
History & origins
Pushkar has been a pilgrimage site for many centuries, mentioned in the epics and Puranas, and the livestock fair grew around the Kartik Purnima gathering as herders from across Rajasthan converged to trade camels and cattle at the sacred site.
How Pushkar Camel Fair is celebrated
Herders camp on the dunes with decorated camels; the fairground hosts camel beauty contests and races, moustache competitions, turban-tying contests, folk performances, giant ferris wheels and craft bazaars. On Kartik Purnima, pilgrims bathe in Pushkar Lake and visit the Brahma temple.
Regional variations
- The trading days early in the week are the best time to see the camel herds at full strength.
- The final days centre on religious observance — ghats fill with pilgrims for the holy dip.
- Similar (smaller) livestock fairs are held across Rajasthan, such as Nagaur’s cattle fair.
Frequently asked questions about Pushkar Camel Fair
What is the Pushkar Camel Fair?
It is one of the world’s largest camel and livestock fairs, held each November in Pushkar, Rajasthan, combining animal trading with folk festivities and a Kartik Purnima pilgrimage to Pushkar Lake.
When is the Pushkar Fair held?
It takes place in the Hindu month of Kartik, ending on Kartik Purnima (full moon), which usually falls in November.
Why is Pushkar Lake sacred?
Legend holds that the lake sprang from a lotus dropped by Lord Brahma; bathing in it on Kartik Purnima is considered especially purifying, and Pushkar hosts one of the world’s few Brahma temples.
What can visitors see at the fair?
Camel trading and races, decorated camel contests, folk music and dance, craft bazaars, ferris wheels, and the pilgrimage rituals at the lake ghats.