Fairs and Festivals of Rajasthan
Exotic and colorful, Rajasthan is a place where history still reverberates with untold tales of the past. Its romantic appeal is such that people from all over the world flock the state every year to enjoy its unconventional beauty and mystical aura. Besides, there are numerous fairs and festivals of Rajasthan that add up as another enticement for visitors from all over.
Speaking of the fairs and festivals in Rajasthan, the state boasts of a good number of them. This justly proves that the vivacious folks of Rajasthan lose no opportunity to celebrate. Indeed, festivals and Rajasthan simply go hand in hand with one another. Be it a traditional affair or one to promote trade, the fairs and festivals of Rajasthan come with an allure that is simply hard to resist. Moreover, the generous presence of color that takes centre stage in all the proceedings also makes the Rajasthani fairs and festivals all the more attractive.
Some of the most popular fairs and festivals of Rajasthan have been listed below:
Camel Festival: Held in Bikaner during the month of January, the annual camel festival is a tribute to the “ship of the desert” that has been an integral part of Rajasthan for ages. This colorful festival kicks off with an elaborate procession of gaily decorated camels. Thereafter, a good number of contests ranging from camel dances to tug of wars take place, thus adding up to an enjoyable time for bystanders and visitors to the festival.
Desert Festival: This festival is held anytime between January and February. It is a gaudy affair that highlights Rajasthan’s cultural heritage to the fore. Transporting visitors to a whole new world, the Desert Festival of Bikaner is characterized by many exciting contests and cultural performances that leave spectators spellbound.
Elephant Festival: This festival is celebrated around the time of Holi and is a grand tribute to the “gentle giant”. Right from gaily decorated elephants with their proud mahouts to grand processions accompanied by dance and music, you can see them all during the elephant festival in Jaipur. An elephant polo match held every year during the festival is one of its major attractions.
Nagaur Fair: One of the biggest fairs in the country, the Nagaur Fair is a good place for trading cattle. The fair also sees many colorful stalls selling knick knacks of all kinds. The Mirchi Bazaar is another attraction of the fair. After sunset, the venue turns into a congregation of various artists and musicians who regale the visitors.
Teej Festival: This festival is held anytime during the months of July and August. Celebrating the reunion of Shiva and Parvati, the Teej Festival also marks the onset of monsoon in Rajasthan. Young girls and women dressed in green clothes can be seen singing songs and enjoying themselves on swings during this festival.
Urs: Held in honor of Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti, the Urs festival is held in Ajmer. Mass prayers, mehfils and qawwalis become the order of the day during the Urs Festival. The looting of kheer is an interesting ritual that marks the festival of Urs.
Besides the ones described, there are many other fairs and festivals celebrated in Rajasthan all around the year. They include the Baneshwar Fair, Brij Festival, Gangaur Festival, Summer Festival, Mewar Festival and the Pushkar Fair.
