It was my final year in the university and I got the chance of visiting India on an educational tour. My parents were very scared to send me to India, following many of their friends remarks about the country. But being too adventurous I made it a point to visit this place of snake charmers and magicians, as told by my parent's friends, who visited India about 20 years ago.

I am a student of performing arts and Indian art and dance forms has always fascinated me. This was the chance, and I never wanted to miss it.

I planned my tour last year in the month of October & November, as I read somewhere, that India is best visited during this time of the year. Few of my friends also accompanied me on this tour, hence I didn't feel lonely or nostalgic.

While planning my trip to India, I went through several travel sites and then I came across the information on Pushkar Camel Fair, which was due to take place during my visit to India. Being a travel buff, I had been to several place and saw several things and sights, but this was absolutely new to me. I came to know about the exceptional events, the camel & cattle fair, the Hindu festival of Kartik Purnima and much more. Knowing all this I became desperate to visit Pushkar along with my other travel plans to India. I convinced my friends and they agreed.

In the last week of October last year I with my friends landed in Delhi, as Delhi was the nearest International Airport from Pushkar, though recently I came to know, that Jaipur is a newly introduced International Airport, and much closer to Pushkar. Once we were out of the airport, we were swarmed in by the taxi drivers and tour operators, the scene described my many of our friends back home. Somehow we negotiated with one of the tour operators, who shifted us to one of luxury hotels in Delhi. We planned our trip within India in our hotel room. Mr Tyagi, the person with whom we had booked helped us in making our plan. He informed us about the coming Pushkar Camel Fair too, knowing that it is favourite with both domestic and international travellers. For me it was the "Camel" word in the "Pushkar Camel Fair" which fascinated me. Back home, I was told about the Camel Rides in Sam Dunes, Rajasthan and Camel Rides in the much heard and said Pushkar Fair. But this time, I myself was planning to do one. Hearing this my friends also became very excited, as we were going to do something which we had never done before. We were more excited about telling the story of Camel Rides back home than accomplishing it.

Mr Tyagi arranged for our Pushkar Trip and the very next morning we chose to board the Shatabdi Express to Ajmer, as we came to know via several mediums that Train Journey in India is exceptionally thrilling. Throughout our journey, we fancied about the Pushkar Camel Fair. We were so much absorbed in our discussion, which also included the plan of visiting the other parts of India, that we didn't feel the exertion of travelling for more than 6 hours continuously. We reached Ajmer Railway Station, which was not too far from the Dargah of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, the most venerated shrine and visited by the people of all the faiths. It was 12:45 mid day, and the sun was above our head, so we decided to shift to a hotel in Ajmer. Mr. Tyagi arranged everything beforehand and we were shifted to a hotel soon after we arrived at Ajmer. We had our lunch in the hotel room and then relaxed there for few hours. In the evening we decided to visit the Dargah, which is believed to fulfill all the wishes, a man asks for. The Dargah is open to all, and what I saw there changed my view about India (something which I read through several mediums of information) and its caste & religious discrimination system. It was a sea of people, no matter to which sect one belongs to. All were so friendly, that it was difficult to make out who belongs to which faith. Some came forward and embraced us too, and this forced me to believe that Indians are too sociable and amiable people.

After paying the obeisance at the Dargah Sharief or Dargah Sahib, as told by the locales, we wandered around the town and went back to our hotel room late in the evening. We chatted for sometime and also discussed about what we had seen and also drew several conclusions, sometime we fought and sometime agreed to each others view. After sometimes, we were served with a sumptuous dinner, but we kept discussing till we finished out last bite. After an hour of discussion after the dinner, we went for sleep.

When I woke, it was another morning and another sunshine. I felt as if I woke up late, but my friends told me it was only 4 O' clock. Actually, I was so desperate to visit Pushkar Camel Fair, that I couldn't sleep after that. Mr Tyagi arranged the car for us and told us to be ready by 7 in the morning. Though there are other means of transport, we chose to travel by car, just for privacy. Pushkar is just 11 km from Ajmer, hence we reached Pushkar in no time.

What I saw there, can't be explained in words, as everything was new to me. I had little idea about the things, and that also through the travel magazines and sites. We were still to reach the fair venue, but the hotel to which we were shifted was in no way detached from the aura of the Pushkar Camel Fair. Neither did I feel to jump in joy, nor did I feel to freak around, but as I reached the edge of this little serene town I was absorbed, absorbed in its calmness and spirituality. Though I was not very much aware of the significance of that place before, but when I knew, I had to value it. The ambience, the feel, the settings, everything perfect for the gala event - the Pushkar Camel Fair. The landscape with hills on three sides and a sand dune on one side was just awesome. I have no adjectives to explain the beauty of this little town.

After our lunch in the afternoon, we decided to visit the fair venue. As we went closer & closer, I was left speechless. It was the 4th day of the fair and we were welcomed by a totally different sight with varied smells and finely fused sounds. The fair venue was bubbling with sparkling colours, tinkling sounds, and much more. It was a world of common people, cattle, camels, traders, devotees, and adventure lovers like me. People were continuously coming from several parts of the world, some with their livestocks, some to pay obeisance at Brahma Temple, which is known to be the only Temple dedicated to Brahma in the world. There were people like me from far off countries, who makes it a point to visit Pushkar every year, for the charm and entertainment it carries. After seeing diverse things at one place, I got confused about my reason of visiting the place. I was attracted towards everything and I found joy in everything. Though I moved very slowly and tried my best to accompany my friends throughout my visit, I got attracted to something or the other and missed the company of my friends at one time. I peeped at every little and big things, and all were new and extraordinary to me. For sometime I forgot my friends and got submerged in the colour and sound, the Pushkar Fair was carrying.

I was told, Pushkar Camel Fair is the largest cattle fair in the world, and people from nearby villages of Rajasthan and neighbouring states make it a point to buy and sell their livestocks in this fair, because it provides best deal, both in selling and buying cattle. Traders and farmers were busy in dealing with their cattle, some were shouting and some negotiating in soft voice. Though I learnt little Hindi, before visiting India, I was able to make out the conversation through each persons facial expression. It seemed to me some were happy with the cattle dealing and some were complaining to their near ones about the deal. Anyhow, I was to come out of this scene, that I saw the little stalls thronged in by the children and women. When I went closer, I saw them buying several items of their use. Children were generally banking on the toys and women on the household utility items and jewelry.

I was not feeling like talking to anybody, then a camel owner approached me and asked me, if I was interested in the ride. At once I agreed, and he took me towards his camel. This was the time when I looked for my friends, whom I forgot for an hour or so. I was peeping here & there, then Samuel one of my friends shouted my name, which pierced my ears amidst the tinkling sounds of the Ghoogroos (worn by the heavily decorated camels). There we met and decided to ride the camel. The camel owner arranged everything for me and helped me in sitting on the back of the camel. The camel picked me up at once, for a while I got scared, but then relaxed when it was completely on its feet. Sitting on the back of the Camel I was able to see every activity around very clearly. There were gymnasts, magicians, folk dancers, folk singers, devotees, small & big traders, cattle moving here and there, tents, and much more. The entire scene took me to the stories of medieval era. In the complete rusticity, there was fun and entertainment like no other.

I went back to my hotel room after my first days experience, which I feel will never leave my memory in my entire life-span. I experienced many more things in the next few days and amidst all this the Kartik Purnima Day approached, which is the final day of the fair. Kartik Purnima or the full moon day of the month of November -October is one most auspicious day in the Hindu calendar year. Devotees from all around the country gather in Pushkar on this day to take a holy dip in the water of the Pushkar lake. The water of the Pushkar lake is believed to purify the soul of the one, who takes a dip in its holy water. I wanted to experience this ritual, which was till then just a story for me. On the full moon day, I along with my friends woke up in the morning and headed for the Pushkar lake, what I saw was now not a story, but a reality which my eyes were not ready to believe. I saw devotees thronging the lake ghats and taking dip in the water. When I saw people pushing each other for a single dip, the very first thing which blocked our head was hygiene. We were not ready to take the dip, and was enjoying being only a spectator. But, after few minutes, I was not able to resist the temptation and jumped with my clothes on. It was, of course it was unbelievably soothing. I called all my friends, who in no time joined me in the water. I had learnt swimming when I was just 15, and that really helped me a lot during my visit to Pushkar lake. We enjoyed the calm water of the lake, which had a balmy and tranquilizing effect on my body and mind. I felt, what I heard from others and learnt from many travel magazines. I have no adjectives to explain my feelings, I was totally absorbed in the serenity of the lake. It soothed me, it lightened me, it pampered me...., I lost my words, I was left speechless. When I was out of the water, I was a different man, with different soul. Now all me sins were washed (if I had any), as it is believed.

Back in hotel, I was told my journey to the Pushkar Camel Fair was over. I had to leave Pushkar and head for my next destination, but my journey to Pushkar will always haunt me throughout my life.