A joyous face of an old man from Rajasthan. Photograph taken at Pushkar Fair, Rajasthan,2008.
About Pushkar:The Pushkar Fair, or Pushkar ka Mela, is one of the world's largest camel fairs, held in the town of Pushkar in the state of Rajasthan, India.It is celebrated on the day Kartik Poornima on the full moon day (the 15th) of Kartik (November-December) in Hindu calendar, the day, according to legend, which the Hindu god Brahma sprung up the lake, thus numerous people swim in its sacred waters. Competitions such as the "matka phod", "moustache", and "bridal competition" are the main draws for this fair which attracts thousands of tourists. In recent years the fair has also included an exhibition cricket match between the local Pushkar club and a team of random foreign tourists.Thousands of people go to the banks of the Pushkar Lake where the fair takes place. Men buy and sell their livestock, which includes camels, cows, sheep and goats. The women go to the stalls, full of bracelets, clothes, textiles and fabrics. A camel race starts off the festival, with music, songs and exhibitions to follow. Between these events, the most waited for is the test of how the camel is able to bring the items. In order to demonstrate, the men go up on the group of camels one after another.