MOST BEAUTIFUL CAMEL FAIR

PUSHKAR CAMEL FAIR  -- PUSHKAR, INDIA

The most beautiful camels gather, as far as the eye can see each autumn at the Pushkar Camel Fair. A whole lot of colorful magic happens as 30,000 of these fascinating creatures come together with 400,000 fascinating people at this part bazaar, part religious celebration, part carnival event outside the tiny desert town of Pushkar, in India’s state of Rajasthan.

Pushkar ka Mela, as the festival is locally known, began as a way to encourage camel and cattle traders to do business during the ancient Hindu holiday of Kartik Purnima. Today, it is one of the largest and most spectacular camel fairs in the world. It is a totally cool, totally beautiful 5-day festival, with all sorts of exotic sights, sounds, aromas and tastes to delight and excite you.

This Fair is of one of the last great traditional melas. It attracts livestock, farmers, traders and villagers from all over Rajasthan.

Join them for the adventure! See more below:

The camel action takes place during the first half of the festival, while the 2nd half shifts to beautiful religious celebrations.

Stroll through the sprawling camel camp along the high dunes. You’ll see camels festooned with elaborate adornments. Some dance. Some are shaved, coiffed, further adorned, and compete in camel beauty contests. And some will thrill you in the awesome camel races.

Local humans also participate in contests. Check out the popular Longest Mustache Competition, where you’ll see men sporting long, elaborate twisting mustaches. They also compete in athletic and acrobatic competitions, such as "matka phod.”

Young women don their most beautiful finery and compete in the traditional bridal competition.

Amazing traditional musicians, magicians, dancers, acrobats, and snake charmers are there to delight you.

The markets are brimming with exotica. Sample the many offerings of the spicy local foods. Browse through stalls, full of handcrafted jewelry, clothes, and textiles. Take a spin on an old-fashioned carousel.

If you elect to bathe you body, mind, and soul in Pushkar Lake during the full moon, the priests can absolve you of your sins!

Travels with Raj offers an a diverse taste of Pushkar. Vedic Tours offers a special walking tour. You can also tour the Pushkar festival in a private vehicle, or witness the spectacle from above on a hot air balloon. This tour offers dinner on the dunes and lessons in turban tying, or choose a small group tour like this one.

When the tiny temple town of Pushkar swells from around 20,000 to 400,000 during the fair, rest your carnival-weary head at Camp Bliss, a nomadic accommodation offering luxury tents in a peaceful gooseberry orchard, a short walk from the mela ground, away from the ‘tent cities’ which accommodate the majority of visitors.

These pristine spacious Swiss tents are made of traditional hand-block-printed heavy canvas. They are furnished with proper teak furniture, outfitted with soft linen and gorgeous handmade rugs and quilts, and thankfully include lovely fully functioning bathrooms. There’s WiFi, if you must, at reception.

Camp Bliss is unlike any other desert camp. You’ll be living here with local people: camel herders, rose growers, farmers, weavers, bards, musicians, and shepherds. You’ll experience this place with the people who know it best.

At Camp Bliss, you can bliss out to light installations by visiting artists, yoga sessions, informal talks by historians, authors and photographers, as well as local excursions.

Each evening around the campfire you can enjoy evening performances featuring nomadic musicians, gypsy dancers, puppeteers, and magicians from the Thar desert.

Pushkar Camel Fair spans 5 days during the lunar Hindu month of Kartik, from the “Kartik ekadashi” to the main day, “Kartik Poornima,” which is the full moon day -- the day, according to legend, when the Hindu god Brahma sprung up the Pushkar Lake. The 2017 festival will take place on October 28 - November 4. Check out Abercrombie & Kent Tours.

Along with Diwali, the Pushkar Camel Fair makes autumn in India a wonderfully festive time. In person or through photographs, this unforgettable season is meant to be savored. Pannei and Jim Cline offer wonderful photo tours.

If you want to experience a smaller, more rural-style fair in Rajasthan try the Chandrabhaga Fair, in Jhalawar, or the Kolayat Fair, near Bikaner, which happen around the same time (see information and dates). Both combine cattle trading (including camels) with holy pilgrimage and bathing in sacred lakes.

You can learn about attending this event by visiting Rajasthan Tourism for itineraries and tourist information.

Read more about Autumn Gatherings in Most Beautiful Films at Woodstock Film Festival, More Beautiful Woodstock Film Festival Films, Celebrate Diwali Lights Now and Kyoto Fall Festival Rocks Ancient History.

And check out more beautiful things happening now in BN Mind/Body, Soul/Impact, Nature/Science, Food/Drink, Arts/Design, and Place/Time, Daily Fix posts.

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IMAGE CREDITS:

1. Image: by Rajdeep Singh, Travels with Raj. Pushkar Camel Fair. Pushkar, India.
2. Image: by Spyros Petrogiannis. “Camel Portrait.” Pushkar Camel Fair. Pushkar, India.
3. Image: by Bachellier Christian. Pushkar Camel Fair. Pushkar, India.
4. Image: by Emma and Kunley. “Mustache Competition.” Pushkar Camel Fair. Pushkar, India.
5. Image: Pushkar Camel Fair. Pushkar, India. Courtesy of Jim Cline Photo Tours.
6. Image: by Laura Zaino. “At the Pushkar Camel Fair.” Pushkar Camel Fair. Pushkar, India.
7. Image: by Fulvio Spada. “Pushkar.” Pushkar, India.
8. Image: by Parthiv Haldipur. “Camels galore.” Pushkar, India.
9. Image: by Brian Walworth. “Pushkar.” Pushkar Camel Fair. Pushkar, India.
10. Image: Camp Bliss. Interior of luxury tent. Courtesy of Pushkar Camel Fair. Pushkar, India.
11. Image: by Koshy Koshy. “Pushkar Fair Sunset.” Pushkar Camel Fair. Pushkar, India.
12. Image: by Andrey Samsonov. “Fiesta a la Pushkar.” Pushkar Camel Fair. Pushkar, India.
13. Image: Accommodations at the Pushkar Camel Fair. Courtesy of Abercrombie & Kent. Pushkar, India.
14. Image: “Viaje fotográfico a Pushkar Camel Fair.” Courtesy of Pannei. Pushkar, India.
15. Image: by Eric Beerkens. “Pushkar.” Pushkar Camel Fair. Pushkar, India.
16. Image: by Christine Boose. “Camel passing.” Pushkar Camel Fair. Pushkar, India.
17. Image: Pushkar Camel Fair expedition. Courtesy of Abercrombie & Kent. Pushkar, India.
18. Image: by Pablo Pecora. “Pushkar India.” Pushkar Camel Fair. Pushkar, India.\
19. Image: by BN App - Download now!
20. Image: by Koshy Koshy. “All Dressed up…” Pushkar Camel Fair. Pushkar, India.