Puskhar really comes alive during the annual mela, or fair, held over the full-moon of Karthik month (which usually falls in November). Hundreds of thousands of Hindu pilgrims pour in from across the region to take a redemptory dip in the holy water, said to cleanse the soul of all sin at this time. But it’s the extraordinary spectacle of the livestock market run alongside the religious festival that really captures the attention of foreign visitors.

Droves of animals, particularly camels, are traded here by villagers, who take the opportunity to adorn themselves in the most striking traditional clothes and jewellery – an unmissable photo opportunity.

Video Inspiration

This one-minute movie from Rajasthan Tourism, filmed at the 2017 Fair, gives a flavour of the Pushkar mela.