Rajasthan’s vibrant local costumers are at their most dazzling during the state’s festivals. Some, such as Jaisalmer’s Desert Festivals, are geared particularly towards foreign visitors, and many of the most important celebrations fall in the tourist season (the cool month between November and March). For dates of specific events ask at tourist’s offices; most festivals fall on days determined by the lunar calendar. Also held during the winter, weddings in Rajasthan tend to be ostentatious, noisy affairs whose most conspicuous feature in the raucous groom’s procession, or baraat. Led by out - of- tune bands and lines of urchins carrying mobile strip – lights, dancing male relatives process through the streets, waving wads of rupees ahead of the gold – turbaned bridegroom, seated on a white horse.
Desert Festivals: (Feb):
jaiselmer’s own two day event, when camel races, folk dances and competitions are laid on primary to attract tourists and promote local handicrafts.
Elephamt Festival(March):
Parades of caprizont and brightly painted elephant processes through the street of jaipur and in to the city palaces. The event concludes with an extra ordinaries “elephant Vs mahoots” Tug of War.
Mewar Festival(March & April):
the Rana’s of Udaipur celebrate Holy of lighting of a sacred fire, traditional dance from local tribals and music by the city’s famous bagpipe orchestra, followed by a swish society bash in the Shiv Niwas Palace Hotel.
Gangaur (April):
A festival unique to Rajasthan, when women prey for their husband unmarried girls wish for good ones. Excellent in Jaisalmer, when the local Raja heads the procession amid an entourage of camels, and in mount abu , where effigies of Gauri (parvati) and isha (Shiva) – the ideal couple are carried through the streets.
Rani Sati Mela (Aug.):
Vast crowds gather for this day of prayers and dances in jhunjhunu (Northern Shekhawati), in memory of a merchant’s widow who committed sati, sacrificing her life on her husband’s pyre, in 1595.
Urs Mela (Oct):
Tens of Muslim converge on the Dargah in Ajmer for the subcontinental’s largest Islamic festival, commemorating the life of the Sufi saint and teacher Muin-ud-din Chishti, who died here in 1236. worship in the shrine culminates in performances by India and Pakistan’s top qawwali singers.
Pushkar Camel Fair (Nov.):
Rajasthan’s largest and most colourful fetival attracts an estimated 200,00 people and 50,000 camels. Still an unmissable spectacle, despite the vastly inflated accommodation prices and tourist deluge.
Back
