Camel polo, horse riding to be key highlights of Pushkar Fair 2023

Camel polo and horse riding contests will be the key highlights of this year's international Pushkar Fair, with national and international players taking part in these competitions, officials said.

A parade of indigenous bulls will also be organised for which fair organisers have prepared a proposal. The fair will be organised from November 14 to 29 this year, they added.

The decision to add camel polo in the fair for the first time was taken after its success during the Holi festival in Pushkar where a large number of people had come to see it, the officials said.

"A camel polo competition was organised during Holi and there was excitement among tourists to see it. So, this is the first time camel polo has been added in the cattle fair this year," Additional Director (Ajmer range), Animal Husbandry department, Dr Naveen Parihar said.

One team will consist of domestic and international tourists, while the other will comprise domestic tourists and the administration, Parihar said.

He said that preparations are underway to include horse riding in the fair to make the fair more attractive for visitors.

"The plans were afoot to organise an international level horse riding contest, in which horse riders from Holland, England, Dubai and Switzerland were to be invited. But, after glanders disease was reported in Sikar district, only horses at the local level will be included in horse riding contests," Parihar added.

The department has issued guidelines for horse breeders, cattle rearers and those who transport horses to ask them to not bring horses to the fair from the states and districts where cases of glanders disease have been detected, officials said.

The department has also prepared a proposal to organise a parade of different progenies of cows in the fair this year, they added.

"In a first at the fair, a contest of indigenous Gir cows and bulls will also be held this year. A proposal has been sent to the directorate. Livestock rearers are also being contacted for taking part with Nagauri bulls at the fair," Parihar said.

He added that special arrangements have been made on roads so that tourists do not face problems during the fair.

He said that even before the fair begins, cattle herders often illegally encroach on roadsides around Diwali. This leads to congestion on the road and commuters face problems. Plans have been made to avoid a similar situation this year.

The 15-day fair of Pushkar takes place in three phases. In the first phase, the cattle fair starts on the second day of Diwali. The arrival of animals and livestock owners starts from this day itself.

The second phase kicks off at the administrative level from Kartik Shukla Gopashtami. On this day, the District Collector formally starts the fair by hoisting the flag at the fair stadium. Sports and animal competitions and colourful cultural programmes start from this day.

Under the third and final phase, the religious fair starts on Dev Uthani Ekadashi. The five-day religious fair concludes with a huge bath held on the occasion of Kartik Purnima.

Thousands of camels, horses and different species of animals come to the Pushkar animal fair. Transactions worth crores of rupees take place between cattle herders. Lakhs of devotees come to take a dip in the holy Pushkar lake and visit the temples in the area.

Many colourful cultural programs are organised by the administration for the entertainment of the participants, in which Rajasthani folk artists and internationally renowned artists take part.