 |
 |
|
|
 |
Pushkar: Hundreds of tourists, both foreign and domestic, have started thronging the week-long Pushkar fair in the deserts of Rajasthan. The traditional fair, touted as the world's biggest annual sale of camels, horses and cattle had to bear the brunt last year due to the third consecutive drought in the state. Abundant monsoon rains this year have cheered the mood at the fair with a 16 percent rise in the number of animals paraded here. Niranjan Arya, district collector of Ajmer, said he expects more foreign tourists at the fair after a slump following the September 11, 2001 terror attacks on the US. "After three-four years of continuous drought Rajashtan has had a good monsoon this year, so I think domestic tourism will definitely be very high, it will be on the higher side and so is the case with foreign tourists. I feel there will be 20-30 percent increase from last year what we had," said Arya. Traders, who have had a tough time last year, are happy with the way their business is going this time. "Trading is like this only, if we get a good bargain, well and good, otherwise we will go back empty-handed. The deal can be both cheap and expensive," said Gopi, a trader. Foreign tourists are fascinated by camel races and also enjoy camel rides. "I think it's very nice, it's very interesting, we don't have camel in Denmark, we have horses, of course, but we don't have camel," said Heene Alpec, a Danish tourist. The annual livestock fair at Pushkar, 375 km from Delhi, coincides with the climaxing of a religious celebration where hundreds of thousands of devotees come to pray to Lord Brahma at the holy lake on the occasion of the full moon night of Kartika month. It is believed that Lord Brahma, the creator, wished to perform a yagna following his long years of penance. During his sojourn in search of a place for yagna, Brahma dropped a lotus from heaven which created the Pushkar lake. It was on this night that a drop of nectar fell in this lake, thereby making it sacred. Pilgrims flock from all over India to be in Pushkar at this auspicious time. They also believe that all the 330 million Gods and Goddesses are present at Pushkar lake during the occasion. In a land full of temples and pilgrimage sites, Pushkar temple is the only temple devoted solely to Lord Brahma. Pushkar, otherwise a sleepy town, comes alive every year when it hosts this fair in November. For these seven days, tourists, travellers, pilgrims and Rajasthani men and women in their colourful traditional attire come together to celebrate life.
-ANI |
|