Pushkar Balloon Festival is a 3-Day Hot-Air Ballooning Extravaganza scheduled from November 17th – 20th 2010 in city of Ajmer, Rajasthan. On backdrop of world famous ‘Pushkar Fair’, this festival invites more than 15 Hot-Air Balloons from Americas, Europe, and Asia to splash their colors in skies of Pushkar. Luxury Swiss Tents and multi-cuisine food festival makes it a perfect place to be! On the backdrop of buzzing Live Music, Animal Races, and Crafts Fair we are organizing ‘Pushkar Hot-Air-Ballooning Fiesta’. The balloons fly over festival grounds, camel camps, sand dunes, campfires, mountains and lakes around the scenic destination during mesmerizing sunrise and sunsets of Pushkar Hills.

India came alive with the magical light of Diwali yesterday. Along the Indian-Pakistan border, soldiers exchanged sweets. In Kolkata, people eagerly celebrated Kali Puja.

However, as well as being festival of lights, Diwali is also festival of noise. Many people love to burst crackers, the louder the better. They burst them all over the roads, in markets, and near homes. After one went off near my ear last year, leaving me half deaf for a day, I refused to go outside yesterday. Every Diwali, there are tragedies, with people getting burned and killed from crackers. Fortunately, the bursting of loud crackers has been actively discouraged by the government, to reduce pollution and make it easier on the ears. Of course, the challenge is in implementing the rules.

What do you think? What’s been your experience with crackers?

I’m glad to be able to say that although Cyclone Jal did leave its mark in India, with uprooted trees and snapped power cables, the impact wasn’t as widespread as feared. That’s because the cyclone thankfully weakened as it drifted towards Chennai on Sunday night. Apparently, it was the first time in 14 years that a cyclone had passed so close to the city. Scary!

Despite this, there sadly is a death toll. Eleven people have been killed by heavy rains in Andhra Pradesh. The rough weather is expected to continue until tomorrow.

It seems that tens of thousands of camels, and a bunch of crazy camel competitions, aren’t enough anymore. This year, the Rajasthan Tourism Department is adding a new attraction to the Pushkar Camel Fair.

In a move from the traditional to the modern, an international hot air ballooning event is being planned for four days during the festival.

It’s envisaged that up to 15 ballooning teams, including eight from abroad, will participate. Visitors can also go on their own balloon flight over the fair. Sky Waltz offers hot air ballooning in Pushkar.

This year, the fair will get underway on November 13, 2010. Most of the camel related activities take place during the first five days of the festival. The focus will shift to religious celebrations from November 18-21.

Find out more about the Pushkar Camel Fair or download a tentative program of events from Rajasthan Tourism.