Pushkar Fair
India
Asia's largest livestock fair by nomads.
The Pushkar Fair is an annual event held in the town of Pushkar in the Indian state of Rajasthan. Located near the Thar Desert, Pushkar is an oasis in the desert and is one of the five major pilgrimage sites for Hindus. Due to its harsh environment, it is usually a quiet town, but during the festival, it comes alive with activity.
One of the main attractions of the Pushkar Fair is the world's largest camel fair, held on the outskirts of the town. Countless camel herders gather to buy and sell their camels, horses, sheep, and goats.
This is an important opportunity for breeders to showcase their camels and for buyers to find the perfect addition to their herd. Camels are highly valued in India and are used for a range of different purposes, including transportation, agriculture, and as a source of milk and meat.
(In India, eating camel meat has been traditionally taboo, but it is eaten by a very small number of communities.)
For many families, camels are the only source of income. The festival is, therefore, an important event for these families as it provides them with the opportunity to sell their camels and make a profit. The vast desert is filled with their tents and livestock, creating a scene that seems unchanged for hundreds of years.
In addition to the camel fair, the Pushkar Festival features various events, including a traveling amusement park, circus, and folk music and dance performances. Pilgrims come from all over India to take a dip in the sacred Pushkar Lake, which is believed to wash away sins.
The festival provides a unique opportunity to experience the local way of life and witness the vibrant colors and cultural diversity of Rajasthan.
One of the main attractions of the Pushkar Fair is the world's largest camel fair, held on the outskirts of the town. Countless camel herders gather to buy and sell their camels, horses, sheep, and goats.
This is an important opportunity for breeders to showcase their camels and for buyers to find the perfect addition to their herd. Camels are highly valued in India and are used for a range of different purposes, including transportation, agriculture, and as a source of milk and meat.
(In India, eating camel meat has been traditionally taboo, but it is eaten by a very small number of communities.)
For many families, camels are the only source of income. The festival is, therefore, an important event for these families as it provides them with the opportunity to sell their camels and make a profit. The vast desert is filled with their tents and livestock, creating a scene that seems unchanged for hundreds of years.
In addition to the camel fair, the Pushkar Festival features various events, including a traveling amusement park, circus, and folk music and dance performances. Pilgrims come from all over India to take a dip in the sacred Pushkar Lake, which is believed to wash away sins.
The festival provides a unique opportunity to experience the local way of life and witness the vibrant colors and cultural diversity of Rajasthan.
The family came to Pushkar on foot over a two-week period from 400 km away near Jaisalmer.
At dawn, the women collect camel dung. Camel dung is an essential fuel for cooking.
At dawn, the men begin to move with their camels in search of water and greenery.
Before being exhibited, the camels are neatly groomed and decorated.
Livestock sales are a matter of family survival.
Negotiations can be difficult, sometimes to the point of arguments.
Could it be a folk remedy? Treating sick livestock by sprinkling sand on them.
Dead livestock is the sustenance of wild dogs.
In this harsh environment, livestock are raised by people, and people are kept alive by livestock.
The desert is cold at night.
Time to make warm milk tea.
In this majestic desert, camel trading takes place through face-to-face negotiations between sellers and buyers. This scene has remained largely unchanged for centuries.
However, today we live in an era where you can buy a car with just a click on your mobile phone, and the rapid development of IT technology in India is truly remarkable. India has become a leading force in the world. If livestock trading enters the realm of IT technology, transactions are likely to become easier and less risky.
At that time, will the desert dwellers continue to uphold their traditional way of life, or will they abandon it? Preserving traditions may lead to being left behind in the world, and we cannot be certain that the value of camels will remain the same.
Their way of using livestock dung as fuel, selling tea, helping each other within families, and living in tents all gave a sense of a different world. All of this might become a thing of the past. While it is undoubtedly good that life becomes more comfortable, I hope the traditional way of life doesn't change.
That is my selfish wish.
One day, I sat down for tea with my grandfather, who was born and raised in this town.
As we watched the bustling pilgrims, he said to me, "In the past, many more pilgrims used to visit this town.
"It would take hours to reach the lake due to the crowds."
He seemed nostalgic about the past.
Recently, their living environment has changed significantly. As a result, their faith, customs, and habits are also undergoing significant changes.
Before these changes take place, I would like to visit this place once more.
However, today we live in an era where you can buy a car with just a click on your mobile phone, and the rapid development of IT technology in India is truly remarkable. India has become a leading force in the world. If livestock trading enters the realm of IT technology, transactions are likely to become easier and less risky.
At that time, will the desert dwellers continue to uphold their traditional way of life, or will they abandon it? Preserving traditions may lead to being left behind in the world, and we cannot be certain that the value of camels will remain the same.
Their way of using livestock dung as fuel, selling tea, helping each other within families, and living in tents all gave a sense of a different world. All of this might become a thing of the past. While it is undoubtedly good that life becomes more comfortable, I hope the traditional way of life doesn't change.
That is my selfish wish.
One day, I sat down for tea with my grandfather, who was born and raised in this town.
As we watched the bustling pilgrims, he said to me, "In the past, many more pilgrims used to visit this town.
"It would take hours to reach the lake due to the crowds."
He seemed nostalgic about the past.
Recently, their living environment has changed significantly. As a result, their faith, customs, and habits are also undergoing significant changes.
Before these changes take place, I would like to visit this place once more.