Camel
Festival, Bikaner ( JAN )
A lively and colourful event, the Camel Festival is organised by
the Department of Tourism, Art & Culture, Rajasthan in Bikaner
every year. January is just the right month for a desert spree,
and Bikaner just the right place to see the Ships of the Desert.
In the camel country Bikaner, these desert leviathans pull heavy
cart loads, transport grain and even work at the wells.
The Camel Festival begins with a colourful procession of bedecked
camels against the red sandstone backdrop of the Junagarh Fort,
the festivity advances to the open sand-spreads of the grounds,
followed by the best breed competition, the tug-of-war contest,
camel dance and acrobatics, etc.
Baneshwar Fair ( FEB )
The name Baneshwar is derived from the revered Shiva Linga which
is kept in the Mahadev temple in Dungarpur. "Baneshwar"
means the 'master of the delta' in the local Vagdi language and
this name was given to Shiva Linga.The Baneshwar fair is held at
a small delta formed by the river Som and Mahi, from Magh Shukla
Ekadashi to Magh Shukla Poornima during Shivratri. (Jan-Feb).
The Baneshwar fair, in its present form is actually a merger of
two fairs: one which used to be held in honour of Baneshwar Mahadev
(Lord Shiva) and another fair which started after the construction
of the Vishnu temple by Jankunwari, daughter-in-law of Mavji, a
highly revered saint considered to be an incarnation of Lord Vishnu.
Desert Festival, Jaisalmer ( JAN - FEB )
Once a year in winters and on the middle of the continually rising
and falling stark yellow sands of the great Thar Desert, the empty
sands around Jaisalmer come alive with the brilliant colour, music
and laughter of the Desert Festival. The festival is organised by
the tourist authorities as tourist entertainment around January-February.
The very rich and colourful Rajasthani folk culture is on show here
for a few days. Rajasthani men and tall beautiful women dressed
in their brightly costumes dance and sing lingering ballads of valour,
romance and tragedy. Traditional musicians attempt to outdo each
other in their musical superiority.
Gangaur Festival, Jaipur ( MAR - APR )
The
Gangaur Festival is the colourful and most important local festival
of Rajasthan and is observed throughout the State with great fervour
and devotion by womenfolk who worship Gauri, the consort of Lord
Shiva during July-Aug. It is the celebration of monsoon, harvest
and marital fidelity in Jaipur.
Gan is a synonym for Shiva and Gaur which stands for Gauri or Parvati
who symbolises saubhagya (marital bliss). Gauri is the embodiment
of perfection and conjugal love which is why the unmarried women
worship her for being blessed with good husbands, while married
women do so for the welfare, health and long life of their spouses
and a happy married life.
The festival commences on the first day of Chaitra, the day following
Holi and continues for 18 days. For a newly-wedded girl, it is binding
to observe the full course of 18 days of the festival that succeeds
her marriage. Even unmarried girls fast for the full period of 18
days and eat only one meal a day.
more fairs & festivals in
Rajasthan
