Famous Pushkar Mela begins |
The Indian desert state of Rajasthan is at its colorful best during fairs and festivals. There are numerous fairs throughout the year in the state, which brighten the otherwise hard and dreary lives of the villagers of the deserts. One of the most popular and colorful fairs of the Thar desert is the Pushkar fair, which begins on Kartik Shukla Ekadashi during the months of October-November. The picturesque lake of Pushkar is set in a valley just about 11 kilometres northwest of Ajmer, surrounded by hills on three sides and sand dunes on the fourth. Pushkar forms a fascinating location and a befitting backdrop for the annual religious and cattle fair. Turbaned men, and colorfully dressed women, bring alive the arid desertscape. Pushkar is one of the sacred places for the Hindus, with 400 temples of which the most important is dedicated to Lord Brahma - the creator of the universe. An interesting part of the Pushkar Fair is the mass trading of camels. Of course, cattle and other livestock are also traded, but it`s camels that hold center stage at Pushkar. Camel-traders and villagers from miles away converge to Pushkar with their humped beasts. With over 25,000 camels present, this is the world`s largest camel fair. Camels at the Pushkar fair are decorated with great care. They wear jewelry of silver and beads. Races and competitions are organized.
|
|
|
|