Ajmer(Rajasthan): The International Cattle Fair in Pushkar will start from November 2 to 17 with the religious fair from November 12 to November 15. This year, the religious bath will be of four days instead of five days. The Animal Husbandry Department has started preparations for the fair and released a detailed program.
Cattle rearers have already started reaching Pushkar. The tourism department has outlined various activities, competitions and cultural programs. With booking in full swing, tour and travel operators are having a hectic schedule ahead.
Dr Sunil Ghiya, Joint Director of Pushkar Animal Husbandry Department, said, “A meeting has been held on the preparations for the fair. Repairing of water troughs for animals in the fair area will start soon. Apart from this, invitations for the fair and pamphlets will also be sent to the Joint Directors of the Animal Husbandry Department in each district to call the cattle keepers to the fair. The tender for pamphlets and invitation letters will be floated in a day or two”.
To increase the number of animals in the fair, the department will take out a publicity campaign in every district. “Five years ago, many camel breeders used to come to the fair with families living in the open. Their clothes, jewellery and other belongings attracted foreign tourists. The trend has changed and now, only men come with animals. The department will try to reinstate the old colorful form of the fair,” Ghiya said.
Tourists from almost 60 countries throng the cattle fair and some have already started coming from September 15.
Rajendra Mahawar, associated with the Pushkar Hotel Association, said seven years back, booking for the fair used to start six months in advance. But the pace of booking in hotels, guest houses and homestays is slow with just a little over a month left for the fair. Only 10 per cent of bookings have been done so far.
The religious fair is organized from Ekadashi to Purnima of the Kartika month. Saints, Mahatmas and Akharas from every corner of the country come to Pushkar for a holy dip. Astrologer Pandit Kailashnath Dadhich said instead of the five-day bath, this time, it will be for four days due to the decay of Chaturdashi which is considered inauspicious.
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