The Pushkar Camel Fair (Pushkar ka Mela) is one of the largest livestock fairs in the world, held annually in October or November according to the Hindu lunar calendar. For five days before the full moon of Kartik, the sandy grounds on the edge of Pushkar fill with tens of thousands of camels, horses, and cattle brought by traders from across Rajasthan and beyond. The spectacle of thousands of camels against the desert dunes at sunset is genuinely extraordinary.
Beyond the livestock trading, the fair is a carnival: folk musicians, acrobats, camel races, turban-tying competitions, and a famous moustache competition draw enormous crowds. The fair ground is organised chaos by day, and the campfire light by night lends it a timeless quality. In recent years, tourism infrastructure has expanded considerably — there are organised tent camps at various price points — but the livestock market and the pilgrimage element remain central.
Book accommodation months in advance if you want to attend. Prices during the fair week increase substantially, and budget travellers often find themselves pushed out to Ajmer 15km away. The fair dates change each year with the lunar calendar; check the current year's dates before planning.