Table of Contents
⚡ KEY TAKEAWAYS: Pushkar Mela 2026
- Pushkar Mela 2026 (the Pushkar Camel Fair) runs 10 to 26 November; the Tourism Department's programme runs 17 to 24 November.
- The Kartik Purnima holy dip in Pushkar Sarovar falls on 24 November 2026, one of the fair's busiest days.
- RTDC Hotel Sarovar charges ₹2,500 to ₹6,000 a double room in fair week, with two meals, plus GST (checked 6 November 2026).
- Come early for the livestock market, or from 17 November for the competitions, evening aarti, and pilgrim days.
| Key term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Pushkar Mela | The annual Pushkar fair in Rajasthan, also called the Pushkar Camel Fair or Pushkar Fair. |
| Kartik Purnima | The full moon of the Hindu month of Kartik; 24 November in 2026. |
| Pushkar Sarovar | The sacred lake at the centre of Pushkar. |
| Ghat | A flight of steps leading down to a river or lake. |
| Maha Aarti | The evening prayer with lamps, held at the lake ghats during the fair. |
| Dev Uthani Ekadashi | The Ekadashi that marks Lord Vishnu's awakening; on 20 November 2026 it opens the fair's main religious days. |
| Shilpgram | Pushkar's crafts village, venue of the Food and Craft Festival. |
| RTDC | Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation, the state's hotel operator. |
In 1613, the eighth year of his reign, the Mughal emperor Jahangir rode out from Ajmer to shoot water-fowl on the lake at Pushkar and, told by the town that it had no bottom, had it measured: nowhere, he wrote, was it deeper than 12 cubits. Four centuries on, the lake is still the centre of the fair, and in 2026 the Pushkar Mela’s livestock trade opens on 10 November, a week before the first event on the tourism programme.
Information checked on 6 November 2026.
Pushkar Mela is two fairs sharing one town. The first is a livestock market, run by the Animal Husbandry Department with the district administration and the Tourism Department. The second is a programme of competitions, music, and evening prayers that builds to Kartik Purnima, the November full moon, when pilgrims bathe in the lake. Which days you choose depends on which fair you came for.
Pushkar Mela 2026 dates: the animal fair and the programme
The Ajmer district administration released the 2026 programme on 7 October, when District Collector Lokbandhu unveiled the poster and event booklet, as Sabguru News reported. It gives the fair as 10 to 26 November, with the Tourism Department’s events running from 17 to 24 November.
The livestock trade begins first. ETV Bharat reported on 6 October that the animal fair opens on 10 November, and that the religious days run from 20 to 24 November, from Dev Uthani Ekadashi to Kartik Purnima. Come in the first week for the traders and their animals; come in the last for the crowds, the competitions, and the full moon.
For a short trip, two or three nights are enough. Arriving on 22 November catches the women’s matka race, the Lagaan-style cricket match on 23 November, and the full-moon dip and closing Maha Aarti on 24 November. Arriving on 17 November instead catches the opening ceremony and the camel competitions on 18 November, before the pilgrim days swell the town.
The livestock fair
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| 10 November | Animal fair opens; livestock trading begins |
| 26 November | Fair period ends, according to the district programme as reported |
The Tourism Department programme, 17 to 24 November
| Date | Main events |
|---|---|
| 17 November | Flag hoisting and drums at the fair ground; evening Maha Aarti at the lake ghats; folk music at night |
| 18 November | Camel decoration and camel dance competitions; traditional games |
| 19 November | Horse dance competition; kabaddi; rural sports |
| 20 November | Morning padyatra from the gurdwara to the fair ground; Food and Craft Festival opens at Shilpgram |
| 21 November | Turban-tying and moustache contests for foreign visitors |
| 22 November | Women’s matka race and musical chairs |
| 23 November | Cricket match in the style of the film Lagaan |
| 24 November | Closing ceremony at the fair ground; 6 pm Maha Aarti at the lake ghats |
Rajasthan Tourism lists the same 17 to 24 November programme (checked 6 November 2026). The district said one evening concert may move to avoid crowds, so confirm the day’s events with your hotel before you go.
Kartik Purnima at Pushkar Sarovar
Kartik Purnima falls on 24 November 2026, according to panchang listings. It is the fair’s religious high point, while the livestock trade and the programme fill the days before it. Pilgrims come to bathe in Pushkar Sarovar, the lake, from its 52 ghats (ETV Bharat), the stone steps that run down to the water on every side of the town.
The programme opens with a Maha Aarti, the lamp-lit evening prayer, at the lake ghats on 17 November. On the last night, 24 November, the Maha Aarti begins at 6 pm and closes the Tourism Department’s events.
One ghat carries a modern history. Gandhi’s ashes were scattered at Gau Ghat, which has since also been called Gandhi Ghat, according to Lonely Planet. The ghats are places of worship before they are viewpoints: take off your shoes where others do, and ask before you photograph anyone bathing.
The same full moon falls over the White Rann in Kutch, where the Rann Utsav times its Tent City season by the moon. Combining the two takes separate planning, since the Tent City sets its own dates.
Brahma Temple and the old town
The Brahma Temple, built around the 14th century according to India’s Ministry of Tourism, is one of the few temples dedicated to Brahma, and the Ministry describes it as the oldest of them. It stands a short walk from the lake. In winter it opens from 6 am to 1:30 pm and again from 3 pm to 8:30 pm, according to Incredible India.
The town’s temples have long drawn rulers as well as pilgrims. Jahangir’s memoir records a temple on the lake built by Rana Shankar at a cost of 100,000 rupees, and his order to break its boar-headed image of Vishnu and throw it into the lake. He came back to Pushkar many times: by his own count, he visited the lake 15 times in the three years he spent at Ajmer.
One of those stays ended in blood. In 1615, the tenth year of his reign, Jahangir was camped at Pushkar on the night a feud inside the house of Raja Suraj Singh broke into a fight that left 66 men dead on the two sides, including the raja’s brother, Kishan Singh. The news reached the emperor at the lake, and he ordered the dead burned “according to their rites”, in the words of Alexander Rogers’s 1909 translation of the memoir.
During the fair, the old town’s lanes carry the pilgrim traffic between the temple and the ghats. Shilpgram, the crafts village, hosts the Food and Craft Festival from 20 to 23 November.
Where to stay during the fair
Rates rise for the fair week. The state-run RTDC Hotel Sarovar, on Gurudwara Road near the lake, publishes a separate tariff for 17 to 24 November, marked “no discount applicable”, with breakfast and one other meal included.
| Room (double occupancy) | Fair week, 17 to 24 November | 25 November 2026 to 31 March 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Non-AC | ₹2,500 | ₹1,000 |
| AC | ₹3,000 | ₹1,500 |
| AC Deluxe | ₹4,000 | ₹2,500 |
| AC Deluxe Sarovar View | ₹6,000 | ₹4,000 |
Prices are per room per night, from the RTDC booking page (checked 6 November 2026). Fair-week rates include breakfast and lunch or dinner; the comparison rates, published for 25 November 2026 to 31 March 2027, include breakfast only. GST is extra, and the final total shows on the booking page.
Pushkar has more than 500 hotels and resorts, ETV Bharat reported, and redBus reports tent camps selling packages near the fair ground. Before paying a fair-week premium, compare the distance to the lake and the fair ground, the meals included, transfers, cancellation terms, and the exact room category. Book through the operator’s own website or the RTDC site, and be wary of any listing that looks like it but quotes different numbers.
Getting to Pushkar
Pushkar is about 15 km from Ajmer, and Ajmer Junction is the nearest railway station, according to Incredible India. Buses run from the station to Pushkar about every hour, Wego reports.
The nearest airport is Kishangarh, about 45 km away; Jaipur International Airport is about 146 km away (Wego), roughly three hours by road (redBus). From either airport, the last stretch is by road through Ajmer. Check flights to Kishangarh before choosing it, because Jaipur may offer a better connection despite the longer drive.
From Ajmer Junction, continue by local bus or a taxi booked in advance. On the busiest fair days, allow extra time for the final approach and confirm the drop-off point with your hotel, since local traffic arrangements can change.
Crowds, safety, and timing on the full-moon days
The busiest days run from 20 to 24 November, when the religious days overlap the last of the programme. The district expected large enough crowds to consider moving one evening concert two days earlier, ETV Bharat reported.
For the dip on 24 November, arrive at the ghats early and agree a meeting point with your group before you go down to the water. Keep children in sight, and keep your phone and money in a zipped pocket in the crowd. Follow police instructions around the bathing ghats, and stay out of any area that is closed off. India’s emergency number is 112.
The official sources consulted for this guide give no accessibility information for the ghats or the fair ground. If you need step-free access or accessible toilets, confirm arrangements with the Ajmer district administration and your hotel before you travel; the lake’s stone steps are not step-free.
If you are heading on to the Thar after the fair, our Jaisalmer desert camp guide explains what each price band buys at Sam and Khuri.
Quick Insights: Pushkar Mela at a Glance
- The Tourism Department’s competitions run from 17 to 24 November 2026, with different contests each day.
- The Food and Craft Festival runs at Shilpgram from 20 to 23 November.
- Ajmer Junction, about 15 km away, is the nearest railway station.
- Kishangarh airport is about 45 km from Pushkar; Jaipur airport about 146 km.
- The Brahma Temple opens at 6 am in winter and closes for a break from 1:30 pm to 3 pm.
FAQ
When is Pushkar Mela 2026?
The district gives the fair as 10 to 26 November 2026. The animal fair opens on 10 November, and the Tourism Department’s programme runs from 17 to 24 November.
When is the Kartik Purnima dip at Pushkar in 2026?
Kartik Purnima falls on 24 November 2026, according to panchang listings. It is the main bathing day and one of the fair’s busiest.
Is Pushkar Mela the same as the Pushkar Camel Fair?
Yes. Pushkar Mela, Pushkar Fair, and Pushkar Camel Fair name the same event. Camels are only part of it: horses and other livestock are traded too.
What is the best day to visit Pushkar Mela?
It depends on what you want. Go in the week from 10 November for the livestock trade, or from 17 to 24 November for the competitions, evening prayers, and full moon.
How much does a hotel cost during Pushkar Mela?
Fair-week rates at RTDC Hotel Sarovar run from ₹2,500 to ₹6,000 for a double room, plus GST (checked 6 November 2026). Those rates include breakfast and one other meal.
How do I reach Pushkar for the fair?
Take a train to Ajmer Junction, about 15 km away, then a bus or taxi. The nearest airport is Kishangarh, about 45 km away.
