Fairs and festivals of Rajasthan reflect the vigor and
lifestyle of its people. Vibrant colors, music and festivities make the
golden sands come alive.
Veiled, bejeweled women sing and dance to devotional rhythms. Itinerant
bards render ballads of valour of the heroes of yore. Alongside, brisk
trading of consumer goods, cattle and grains is carried on.
Nomadic tribes and traditional entertainers-minstrels, jugglers, puppeteers
and performers come to these fairs seeking livelihood.
Rajasthan
has a fair for every religious occasion, every change of season and every
harvest.
The elaborate rituals and the gay abandon with which he
surrenders himself to the numerous fairs and festivals of the region prove
the Rajasthanis love for color and joyous celebrations. In addition to the
festivals celebrated by the Hindus, Muslims and others, there are also the
traditional fairs.
There are animal Fairs, there are religious
fairs and there are fairs to mark the changing seasons. In fact,
celebrations occur almost round the year and are a splendid opportunity for
the visitor to gain an insight into the life of the Rajasthani. Other than
the traditional fairs, recently established festivals, which involve
elephants, camel races, dance and music, have been specially organized for
the tourists.
Camel
Festival - Bikaner
A festival where the hardy ships of the
desert are seen at their best. A colorful spectacle the beautifully
decorated camels fascinate the onlookers with their languid charm and
grace.
Desert
Festival - Jaisalmer
One of the most popular festival in
Rajasthan, it is a journey into the heart of the desert, the golden city
of Jaisalmer, a veritable feast for the senses. It coincides with the full
moon in February when the cherished moments of its glorious past and rich
culture are on display.
Dussehra
Festival - Kota
Tall effigies of the demons Ravana,
Kumbhakarna and Meghnad are burnt on Dussehra to symbolize the victory of
good over evil. Dussehra in Kota is the beginning of a festive period when
people gather here from their villages to offer prayers to Lord Ram and
celebrate his victory over Ravana, the ten-headed demon king.
Elephant
Festival - Jaipur
A festival when the mighty mammals claim
the center stage. They stride majestically parading their decorated
trunks, tusks and bodies. Floral patterns painted on their bodies are
popular with tourists.
Gangaur
Festival
A festival devoted to Goddess Parvati, the consort
of Lord Shiva. It is time for young girls to dress up in their finery and
pray for grooms of their husbands.
Marwar
Festival -Jodhpur
A festival devoted mainly to the music and
dance of the Marwar region. It was originally known as the "Maand
Festival", Maand being a classical style of folk music centered on
the romantic lifestyle of Rajasthan's rulers.
Mewar
Festival - Udaipur
This festival welcomes spring, offering
the best overview of Rajasthani culture through songs, dances,
processions, devotional music and firework displays. The evenings are made
colorful with Gangaur processions.
Nagaur Fair
Nagaur
awakens to bustling life every year with the thronging of cattle, horses
and camels accompanied by their turbaned owners and eager buyers. This
cattle fair held annually is one of the largest in the country. The Nagaur
bulls are renowned for their fleet-footedness and therefore, attract
buyers from all over the region.
Pushkar
Fair - Ajmer
Of singular importance is the annual fair held
at Puskar, near Ajmer. Tens of thousands of pilgrims come to bathe in the
holy waters of the Puskar lake. Legend has it that the lake appeared
miraculously on the spot, where petals of a lotus blossom fell from the
hands of Lord Brahma, the creator.
Teej Fair
and Festival
This festival of swings marks the advent of the
monsoon month of Shravan (August). The monsoons bring water to the parched
land and the scent of wet earth rises intoxicatingly in the air. Swings
are hung from trees and decorated with flowers.
