Pushkar Camel Fair

While Pushkar is considered one of the most sacred Hindu pilgrimage destinations in India, it’s undoubtedly most famous for its annual camel fair. The Pushkar Camel Fair takes place on the Kartik Purnima, which falls at the end of the month of Kartik in the Hindu calendar; this usually falls in October or November in the Gregorian calendar. This fair historically started to attract local camel and cattle traders to do business during the Kartik Purnima festival. The fair has since morphed into a much larger festival which attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. The actual camel fair only takes place during the first couple of days of the Kartik Purnima festival and includes camel races and a camel beauty competition as well as a carnival with numerous musical performances, acrobats, magicians and snake charmers to entertain the crowds.