PUSHKAR, India (AP) — India’s desert town of Pushkar, nestled in the arid plains of Rajasthan, has transformed into a vibrant festival ground as hundreds of camels, draped in tassels, colorful beads and flower garlands, are paraded and sold to the highest bidder.
For centuries, the annual Pushkar Camel Fair has been a vital event for India’s camel-breeding communities, many of whom live a nomadic desert life and travel hundreds of kilometers from remote villages to trade their livestock. Potential buyers, traders and tourists from across India and abroad arrive at the fair, which is one of the world’s largest gatherings for camel trading.
Alongside camels, horses, cattle and goats are also bought and sold.
A camel herder sits near cattle at the annual cattle fair in Pushkar, in the western Indian state of Rajasthan, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Camel herders control a camel at the annual cattle fair in Pushkar, in the western Indian state of Rajasthan, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Decorated camels at the annual cattle fair in Pushkar, in the western Indian state of Rajasthan, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Camel herders walk with their camels at the annual cattle fair in Pushkar, in the western Indian state of Rajasthan, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Narma Ram, a camel herder, walks towards his temporary tent as it drizzle at the annual Pushkar cattle fair, in the western Indian state of Rajasthan, Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Camels bought at the annual Pushkar cattle fair are loaded onto trucks for transportation in the western Indian state of Rajasthan, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
A camel herder feeds his camels at the annual cattle fair in Pushkar, in the western Indian state of Rajasthan, Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
A camel herder sits near cattle at the annual cattle fair in Pushkar, in the western Indian state of Rajasthan, Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Camel herders rest near their animals at the annual cattle fair in Pushkar, in the western Indian state of Rajasthan, Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
A camel herder attends the annual cattle fair in Pushkar, in the western Indian state of Rajasthan, Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
A woman prepares food at the annual cattle fair in Pushkar, in the western Indian state of Rajasthan, Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
A woman holds her child as she talks on a phone at the annual cattle fair in Pushkar, in the western Indian state of Rajasthan, Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
A camel herder walks with his camels at the annual cattle fair in Pushkar, in the western Indian state of Rajasthan, Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
A camel herder poses for a photograph at the annual cattle fair in Pushkar, in the western Indian state of Rajasthan, Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Camels are silhouetted against the rising sun at the annual cattle fair in Pushkar, in the western Indian state of Rajasthan, Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Tourists dance with locals during the annual cattle fair in Pushkar, in the western Indian state of Rajasthan, Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Indian tourists pose for a photograph while sitting on a decorated camel cart at the annual Pushkar cattle fair, in the western state of Rajasthan, Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Women shop at a market near the annual cattle fair in Pushkar, in the western Indian state of Rajasthan, Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Camel herders chat as they stand near their animals at the annual cattle fair in Pushkar, in the western Indian state of Rajasthan, Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Camel herders react to the camera as they arrive at the annual cattle fair in Pushkar, in the western Indian state of Rajasthan, Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
Camel herders feed their camels at the annual cattle fair in Pushkar, in the western Indian state of Rajasthan, Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
The sun rises over the annual cattle fair in Pushkar, in the western Indian state of Rajasthan, Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Rajesh Kumar Singh)
The air buzzes with excitement as traders in bright turbans lead their camels in beauty contests, showing off the best-groomed animals amid the rhythmic beats of folk drums and traditional dance performances. Bustling makeshift markets spring up overnight, offering handicrafts, jewelry, textiles and spices.
But in recent years, the number of camels brought to the fair has fallen sharply.
Younger generations from herding families are moving to cities or seeking new livelihoods, while Rajasthan’s camel population continues to decline as cars replace the animals’ traditional roles in farming and transport in villages. The camel population has further dwindled due to shrinking grazing lands.
“This culture is slowly fading away,” said Narendra Rabari, a camel trader.
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