A six day ride through the sand dunes of Rajasthan to reach this swirling hub of camels, horses, music, dance, tribes and traders, priests and pilgrims. All magnetised around a sacred lake under a full moon.
As romantic as it sounds, is the modern day Pushkar Fair ethical?
Horse Riding to Pushkar Fair
In October 2019 I rode on a week long horseback safari to Pushkar Fair. The fair is a hugely popular tourist attraction now. I loved the ride, as it was like all horseback safari’s in Rajasthan. However, what I found at Pushkar Fair was worrying from an animal welfare perspective. You can read more about my experience in riding to Pushkar below.
Diwali, the Festival of Lights
It was Diwali the day everyone arrived at Dundlod Fort to start the ride to Pushkar.
The โFestival of Lightsโ symbolising the triumph of good over evil, light over darkness, and knowledge over ignorance. Diwali comes from the Sanskrit words โDipaโ meaning light, and โAvaliโ, meaning a continuous line. Itโs a five day celebration occurring after the summer harvest. โPujaโ, worship, is offered to the goddess Laxmi of prosperity and wealth. Fireworks explode and towns, villages and homes are lit up.
From the elevated terraces of Dundlod Fort you can see the whole of Dundlod town glowing below the parapets like something out of a fairytale. The local Brahmin Priest came to the fort for a Diwali Puja ceremony with Bonnie Dundlod. We were all then presented with a sacred thread tied to our wrists that symbolises harmony, good luck and invites prosperity from the goddess Laxmi. My wrist band is faded, but still holding on on six months later (just!).
The horse riding holiday begins
The next day everyone met their horses and we went on a localisation ride around Dundlod.
The riding in the area surrounding Dundlod Fort is spectacular, with endless sandy tracks for canters and long trots. You pass by the Dundlodโs ancient summer haveli, although now in ruins you can sense how majestic it once was.
The following day was the first day on the trail, riding from Dundlod Fort to a hotel where we overnighted. We ride for around three to four hours in the morning then stop for lunch in a shady spot. The horses are untacked and rest whilst we chill out and enjoy incredible food. After about two or so hours, we remount and continue on. Each day we cover around twenty five kilometres.
A palace hotel with incredible stables
In the afternoon we rode onwards towards the Roop Niwas Kothi Palace Hotel, whose exceptional stables are one of the highlights of the trip.
The owner of the hotel Devendra Singh is first cousin to Bonnie Dundlod. Like Bonnie, he is a passionate horseman who runs a stables of around sixty Marwari and Kathiawari horses. One of the best parts of visiting his stables is having chai whilst some of his stallions, mares and foals are brought over to admire.
Watching the horses canter in from their pasture paddocks back to their stables is like stepping into an Indiana Jones movie.
Riding into the Dundlod Safari’s tented camps
As the sun starts to set you begin to look out for the pointed tops of the Dundlod khaki tents in the distance. When you arrive at camp there will be chai, biscuits, a hot camp shower, and gin and tonics in any order you wish before dinner around the campfire.
The tents are spacious, with camp beds, tables, lamps, and carpets. There is a separate shared bathroom tent and a separate toilet tent as well.
The morning at camp is a leisurely affair. Morning larks, or light sleepers who usually wake up from the noises of Indian life and the calls to prayer, typically get up from around 6am onwards. Other people, ahem me, wake up around 8am. Breakfast is always chai, coffee, eggs, toast and fruit outside whilst you watch the horses get tacked up. Weโre on the road at 9am usually.
Experiences of riding through rural Rajasthan
Another wonderful day riding through farmlands, small villages and a huge salt water lake. India always keeps you entertained and interested as you ride along. As we crossed one village a small boy came running to his door with his elder sisters and upon seeing the horses his mouth dropped and he exclaimed โoh my god!โ I have no idea where a little Hindu boy of around four years old picked that phrase up, but he definitely said it, then clapped his hand over his mouth in astonishment of what he was seeing.
Horses in rural India
Horses arenโt a common site in rural India. Apart from the cart ponies used for farming, horses are still a distant luxury usually kept behind high walls at private stables. The horse is considered divine, so to see up to ten of these majestic animals clattering through a village is really exciting for the children who all run to wave. We all beam smiles and wave back, trying to answer their many questions. The rides through the villages reflects back at you how privileged you are. The joy and excitement of the children is beautiful to see and you are deeply humbled. When you ride in India, you arenโt riding in an enclosed game park, you are riding through real peoples lives and home environments.
As we rode into camp, a lady with her children stopped us for a photo. As we lined the horses up to gather in for the photo, she thrust her child, who must have been about two years old, into the arms of Debbie. Photos done, we rode into the tented camp for the night, arriving at dusk in time for sundowners around the camp fire.
A visit from the Snake Charmer and a Rajput birthday
We leave camp a bit late as we were all chatting with some ladies and their children who had come over to see the horses. The local snake charmer then came along with his entourage and his cobraโs in a basket.
We continue the ride, heading towards Danta, a family run Rajput fort. Arriving at Danta is always special. As you ride through itโs narrow streets the horses are incredibly level headed in the cacophony of sounds, cars, bikes, people, and children.
There are actually two forts in Danta, one is a ruined garrison fort high up on the hill, and the fort we stay at is the family home further down in the town. There is a brightly adorned cart that serves as the bar, and of course gin and tonics were had.
The family was in residence, and we were lucky enough to be invited to attend a traditional Rajput 12th birthday celebrations, which involved lots of cake before dinner.
A traditional Rajput birthday 
Pastel colours of Danta town 
The view of the top fort at Danta
Arrival at Pushkar Fair
As Pushkar Fair has become so enormous and more of a tourist attraction over the years, the actual ride finishes at Danta Fort so the horses donโt get too close and we continue by car the next day.
When Bonnie Dundlod began leading rides to Pushkar Fair in the early 1990โs, they used to ride right up to the fair and set up their Dundlod safari camps. Not any longer, for not only has the fair has grown, but the infrastructure of Pushkar town has as well. Everyone who knows what the fair used to be like says that if youโve seen Pushkar how it once was, then itโs ruined.
Exploring Pushkar Fair
We arrived at Pushkar in the afternoon. The rest of the group had a guided tour the next day, but I only had a quick look around the fair one evening. To be honest, a few hours was more than enough. I stayed to the horse lines, and didnโt wander into the camel areas or the show arena. Thereโs all sorts going on, from camel races, moustache competitions, dancing and shows.
I missed all of this and headed straight to see the indigenous horses. Most of the breeders selling their horses have tents and the horses are double hobbled with both their front and back legs tied together. They are given lots of fodder to keep them busy all day in their tents.
I saw a lot of bigger, rounded Marwari horses that have been interbred to achieve this conformation. Breeders have strayed away from the slight, desert endurance breed that pure blooded Marwariโs are.
I went for a solo wander around the back of the tents away from the tourist area. This is where I found what seemed to be the hidden foals section, which was distressing. As you can see below, the foals are just left tied up out in the hot sun with no water. Many had feeding bags that were clearly empty and had been left on. No-one was looking after them.
This was one of the first things I saw at the fair, and I couldnโt see Pushkar in a positive light after that. What I had seen had really upset me.
Overall, the fair felt commercial. I could see what it must have been like about twenty years ago when it was smaller and authentic. Now it felt disconnected to the livestock and missing the crucial element of the wellbeing of the animals, both horses and camels.
Animal Welfare at Pushkar Fair
Bonnie Dundlod and the Indigenous Horse Society of India are doing much needed work to spread eduction. This is a long process and takes many years to drive tangible improvements. Especially when the fair is a mix of traders from all over the north of India, not just Rajasthan.
It is important that I mention that the fair in no way reflects how animals are treated at private yards and stables in Rajasthan and India. It’s the size of the fair with farmers and breeders coming in from various states to trade, and the lack of regulations that in part create the environment.
Dr. Gulvinder, the vet of the Indigenous Horse Society of India, takes a huge part in trying to spread education at these fairs. He works for free, giving out information, treating animals, and teaching owners how to look after their livestock.
Rescue Horses from Pushkar Fair
Bonnie rescues horses from Pushkar Fair. Many people who have ridden with him may know of two greys, Gulbadan and Kuldeepak who were rescue horses from the fair and now proudly carry riders on the Dundlod Safaris.
Bonnie Dundlod never sells horses at Pushkar. You will only ever see an Indigenous Horse Society of India information tent where they provide educational materials on horse care.
Pushkar Fair – is it worth it?
Pushkar Fair worried me from an animal welfare perspective. In this instance it definitely felt that the journey far exceeded the destination. Pushkar Fair left me with feelings of sadness and helplessness.
There are other rides that I would recommend that have better riding terrain, scenery and don’t involve livestock fairs. The Jaisalmer Marwari Trail and the Desert Ride to Alsisar are my favourites. If you are looking for an excellent weekโs riding and are not fussed about seeing Pushkar Fair, then I would recommend one of these itineraries instead. Especially as the Pushkar Fair ride involves more roadwork, and if youโve ever ridden on an Indian road then youโll know what I mean!
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