The Hindu Business Line : Pushkar at its vibrant best

Pushkar, situated on the fringes of Rajasthan's Thar Desert and on the foothills of the Aravalli range, is a place worth visiting both by pilgrims and tourists. One of the main attractions is the one and only temple dedicated to Brahma — the creator, one of Hinduism's Trinity Gods. While Vishnu and Shiva have many temples dedicated to them, legend has it that Brahma was `cursed' not to have any place of worship. The Pushkar temple in every way defies this belief and attracts millions of pilgrims from all over India.

But besides the temple, this compact pilgrim town, about 25 km from Ajmer, is also home to the famous Dargah of Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chisthi. Pushkar is also where a weeklong cattle fair is held on the run-up to the full moon during the Karthika month.

The fair is considered one of the biggest of its kind in the world. It is held around Diwali, when farmers have harvested their kharif crop. After the harvest, the farmers of this desert State spruce up their camels, decorating them in vibrant colours. Locals add to the colour with their vibrant turbans. The men also wax their big moustaches!.

Unlike other traditional community gatherings, this fair witnesses equal participation by women, who lend it beauty and grace with their flowing veils, pleated ankle-length skirts, and attire glittering with mirror work and elaborate embroidery. Picture this spectacle against the backdrop of rolling ochre dunes, enveloped in a pall of smoke and dust kicked up by tens of thousands of pilgrims, ash-smeared ascetics, acrobats, gypsies and gem-stone sellers. It is a great sight for tourists (particularly foreigners) to behold, who capture it for their family and friends on film.

After settling down in whatever accommodation is available, one goes out, joins the crowd and gets carried to the centre of the attraction — the fair. The locals here are a delight for the camera-wielding tourists. They love dressing up and pose for pictures beside their animals with ease and evident pride.

There are many programmes to entertain the crowd... like tight-rope walking — where even toddlers walk the rope balancing brass pots on their head, performances by folk bands and musicians singing songs unique to the desert region to the accompaniment of the tabla, harmonium and the reed pipe, and dancers dancing to this music. The fair also provides an opportunity for the farmers to display their unique produce. Locals participate enthusiastically in competitions like animal races and also display their livestock.

The final day lends a spiritual touch to the famed fair. Throughout the day, pilgrims pour in by the thousands from far and near to take a holy dip at the Pushkar Lake, to get cleansed of their sins, as the entire day is considered auspicious.

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