Bustling camel fair

On this occasion, it would be prudent to consider the future of camel in India, for camel — the ship of the desert is fast sinking in India, as the numbers of camels brought to be traded in the Pushkar fair have reduced from 50,000 in 1999 to less than 20,000 in 2009.

Amongst the countries having the highest camel population in the world, India once stood third (1,520 million) after Somalia (6,000 million) and Sudan (2.856million). But now the Indian camel population is estimated to be only about half a million.

The reasons for this alarming dip in camel population are many — shrinking of pastureland (especially the Indira Gandhi Canal in Rajasthan, has eaten into prime camel pastures converting these into farms), rising expenses and the animals being slaughtered for their meat.

Strangely enough, the price of petrol continues to play a key role in the dwindling of the camel population in India. As the petrol price increases, more farmers in Rajasthan turn to using camels for transport. If the fuel price decreases, the reverse happens.

The result is that a young, healthy camel, which sold for anything between Rs 25,000 to  Rs 40,000 in 2008 at the Pushkar fair during high oil prices, will now go only    for Rs 10,000 or Rs 22,000 in view of the tabilised oil prices.

Killing a camel for meat in India is a taboo, but there are many castes which eat camel meat on special occasions. One astonishing fact is that, only in India do we have one rural community — the Raikas of Rajasthan, totally devoted to the welfare of the camels from time immemorial.

“They feel responsible for camel welfare and traditionally have never sold female camels”, explains Koehler-Rollefson, a German veterinarian with the League of Pastoral People who has been researching the Raikas since the early 1990’s.

You can still see lot of Raikas in the annual Pushkar fair although, like the camels, the Raika numbers are decreasing as their young turns to more profitable careers. The number of camels brought at Pushkar every year fluctuate between Rs 20,000 and Rs 80,000, depending upon the monsoon that year. Old timers say that once, one lakh camels had assembled in Pushkar. A sturdy male with a life expectancy of 60-80 years on a good day can fetch up to Rs 20,000.

 A breed like the Bikaneri has excellent navigating capabilities and is chosen mostly by farmers of the Thar desert in Rajasthan. The Jaisalmeri camel has good race potential and is used for carting goods. These were preferred in cavalries in the past like the Ganga Risala Camel Corps of Bikaner, during World War I and II.

Presently the Camel Corps constitutes an important wing of the Border Security Force of Indian para-military service. In fact India is probably the only country in the world where the Border Security Force (BSF) not only does the job of protecting our frontiers but also trains camels to be part of a full fledged band!

The BSF is the single biggest employer of camels. Largest in Asia, the BSF camel farm in Bikaner is managed by the central government and breeds about half of the camel population in India. Tourists coming here are delighted by the sight of baby camels and their antics.

The Kutchi breed (Kutch region of Gujarat) is popular for the milk it yields. Camel sports are a prime attraction for the crowds in the Pushkar fair. The human-camel relationship comes to the fore as the animals are washed, lovingly scrubbed and perfumed. They are then bedecked in their best finery — with silver bells and jewellery — for a beauty contest. The camels are judged on the basis of their gait, humps and ability to obey their master’s commands.

All this continues for the first four days of the fair. But camels are rapidly declining in number in India, say the scientists, explaining that mechanised farming has made the animal redundant. We need to find more uses for the camel and the Government of India is trying its best, to harness the camel for other exotic tasks so that the breeds will not vanish.

Popularising camel milk is the focus now. It may not be the fabled fountain of youth, but camel milk may soon become the latest beauty secret for those who want to look young. Researchers at the national research centre on Camel (NRCC) in the eastern Rajasthan district of Bikaner have developed an anti-wrinkle cream from camel milk.

Further camel milk is healthier than cow /goat milk and according to the research conducted at the diabetes care and research centre, SP Medical college Bikaner, a litre of camel milk contains about 52 units of insulin. Drinking camel milk could help in controlling diabetes, when it is in its first stage.

Camel milk soaps are already sold in the United States, where manufacturers claim  that they are rich in vitamin C and anti-oxidants. Bars are sold for as much as $7 ( Rs 315) each. After camel milk face cream with its anti wrinkle properties, it is now the turn of camel milk ice-cream that has just been launched in Rajasthan.

In fact the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) has estimated that camel milk has a potential global market of $10 billion a year, with 200 million potential customers in the Arab world and millions more in Africa, Europe and America.

Considerable success had been achieved by the Indian Tourism Department in popularising exotic camel safaris and camel rides in the Rajasthan desert. The Rajasthan Small Industries Corporation Ltd. (RSIC) operates a camel hide training centre at Bikaner to promote this languishing craft.

Camel hide craft was originally done on screens and on the walls of palaces. One of the principle characteristic of this craft is that the gold lacquer has a permanent  effect and does not wither with the passage of time.

Bikaner city is the most famous for items stitched out of camel hide. Carpets made of camel wool, are good buys. The late Hissamuddin Ustad of Bikaner, a master craftsman, who was awarded the Padmashree in 1986, was a legend in this art. Long camel bones are in demand as cheap replacement of ivory.

The hair is being utilised for making carpets durries, bags, blankets, wall-hangings by the farmers and also village level handicraft industry.

In short the camel is not just an obedient and lovable creature, but also is the backbone of the multicoloured and charming desert culture and traditions, whose vestiges are still seen in abundance especially in North India.