Colours Of The Desert

Rajasthan is a world unto itself. Even if it were to exist in isolation, it would have every imaginable hue and shade of the universe. The people, the structures, the colourful way of lifeall conspire to conjure the heritage of an incredibly beautiful land. Avid lensman Girish Agarwal, who is also Promoter Director of the Dainik Bhaskar Group, captures the true essence of the desert during a sojourn coinciding with the famous Pushkar Mela.

- Girish Agarwal

There is more to Rajasthan than even a million pictures could capture! Even after having seen and shot numerous photographs, at different locations and in varied contexts, I have still not had my fill of this fascinating land. To help you understand how I feel, I ought to perhaps throw this question at you: Would you ever find yourself not wanting to look at a photograph from a land that presents itself as a wondrous amalgam of colour, tradition and history?

The Pushkar Mela, or the Pushkar camel fair, offers an unusual opportunity to capture the moods and nuances of the desert way of life. Held in the town of Pushkar, during the auspicious occasion of Kartik Purnima, which marks the full moon in the month of November (or the month of Kartik, according to the Hindu calendar), the Pushkar Mela presents an unusual spectacle of colour and vibrancy that one has to see to believe. It is at the top of many travellers’ bucket list. And I can safely say that the event is not overrated, or it wouldn’t throng with over 4,00,000 visitors every year, gripped by its unusual allure that spans a fortnight.