{"id":20425,"date":"2019-11-03T08:18:54","date_gmt":"2019-11-03T07:18:54","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/no-problem-mam.com\/?p=20425"},"modified":"2025-12-21T10:39:12","modified_gmt":"2025-12-21T09:39:12","slug":"camel-fair-pushkar-india-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magikindia.com\/en\/camel-fair-pushkar-india-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Pushkar Mela, between the sacred and the profane"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Once a year, under the radiant glow of Kartik Purnima, the sacred full moon of November, the city of Pushkar becomes the stage for a unique spectacle where the divine meets the nomadic spirit of Rajasthan. As thousands of pilgrims flock to the shores of the sacred lake to honor the god Brahma in a mystical fervor, the surrounding dunes come alive to the rhythm of the Pushkar Mela, one of the largest camel fairs on the planet.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

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Pushkar, camel fair<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The camel herders sometimes walk more than 100 km to attend the Pushkar livestock fair.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As the full moon of Kartik Purnima approaches, the Thar Desert comes alive with age-old activity. On the arid tracks leading to the holy city of Pushkar, the usual silence gives way to the rhythmic pounding of camel herds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Rabaris<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Amidst the golden dust, the proud figures of the Rabari people emerge. This community of shepherds, ancestral guardians of the herds, embodies the very soul of this migration. Dressed in their voluminous turbans and immaculate white tunics, they press onward despite their exhaustion. For some, the journey began several weeks ago, covering hundreds of kilometers on foot, guiding with natural authority columns of camels stretching as far as the eye can see.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Preparation of chai with camel milk<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The arrival point is the vast, dusty esplanade that stretches to the west of the city. In the blink of an eye, an ocean of brown canvas tents and campfires materializes out of nowhere. It is here, in this ephemeral city, that the camel drivers set up their temporary homes for a few weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Rabari encampment during the Pushkar fair<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Pushkar is indeed the scene of a colossal trade. More than 20,000 camels are gathered there, making this one of the largest camel fairs in the world. Negotiations are an art form: between puffs of a bidi (a local hand-rolled cigarette), buyers inspect the camels’ teeth, the firmness of their humps, and the elegance of their gait.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Chatting between camels \ud83d\ude42<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Although the camel is king, the fair is also a gathering place for sheep and goat breeders from the desert, but above all for breeders of Marwari horses, the noble breed of Rajasthan, recognizable among thousands thanks to its curved, crescent-shaped ears, a unique characteristic among equines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Marwari horses at the Pushkar fair<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Marwari is one of the five indigenous horse breeds of India; it originates from the Marwar region of Rajasthan, from which it takes its name. It is a cross between hardy native ponies and the Arabian horse brought to India during the Mughal invasions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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A white horse performing dance steps.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The Rathores, Rajput rulers of the Marwar region, were the first to breed Marwari horses, starting in the 12th century CE. The horses were subsequently used by the Maharajas and in the cavalry, the Marwari being known for its endurance and docile temperament.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Pushkar Mela, a sacred fair above all else<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The Pushkar Mela cannot be reduced to a simple livestock market; it is, above all, a mystical interlude, a moment of fervor where time seems to stand still. For Hindus, it is one of the most meritorious pilgrimages of the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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One of the famous sadhus of Pushkar<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

While the fair is in full swing on the dunes, the city of Pushkar transforms into a vast open-air temple. The sacredness of the place is based on a founding legend: the god Brahma is said to have killed a demon with a lotus flower, and the petals that fell to the ground supposedly gave rise to the sacred lake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Pilgrims in their traditional costumes (Gujjar) during Kartik Purnima.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The highlight of the fair is the full moon night of the month of Kartik. It is said that this is when spiritual energy is at its peak. For the thousands of pilgrims who come from all over Rajasthan and neighboring states, bathing in the lake at dawn on this holy night is the ultimate act of devotion. It is believed that the 330 million deities of the Hindu pantheon gather here to bless the waters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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