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Thar Desert |
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| Travel In Rajasthan |
 Home > Fair And Festivals
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FAIRS & FESTIVALS |
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PUSHKAR FAIR (November)
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Held at Pushkar near Ajmer once in a year, better known by the name of Pushkar Cattle Fair,
is one of the most colorful festivals of India. Thousands of pilgrims come to bathe in the holy
water of the Pushkar Lake. Legend has it that the lake appeared miraculously on the spot, where the
petals of the lotus fell from the hands of lord Brahma.
Pushkar has an atmosphere of an ancient town, peaceful and secluded but for twelve days of the month
of KARTIK (Hindu calendar), it transformed into a spectacular fair ground.. The fair is overwhelming
in its magnitude and in its visual impacts. Vendors peddle their dazzling range of wares in hundreds
of roadside stalls.
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RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES
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People come from different parts of Rajasthan to worship lord Brahma and
take bath in the holy lake. Pilgrims start coming since
early morning in groups singing the religious songs dedicated to Hindu gods to take bathe in the
Pushkar Lake. The process continues throughout the day to turn into DEEPDAN ceremony in the evening.
The entire atmosphere reverberates with the ringing of bells. At night, hundreds of
small oil lamps placed on green leaves set the lake alight. Shopkeepers keeps their shops open
for day and night for the last three / four days to keep the city alive. |
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CAMEL AND CATTLE
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Worlds largest number of camel gathering is a spectacular seen that floods this area with
thousands of tourist every year. The most spectacular site besides the animals is the day-to-day
activity of the people who comes with the animals and spend the day and night under open sky.
Horse races, camel races and other animal based events are organized by the organizing
committee to choose the best animal of the fair.
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MARKET AND THE COLORFUL PEOPLE
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The temporary market created only for the fair period for the all kind of material used by
the villagers, agriculture goods, camel/ horse saddles, ready made cloths, sweets, circus,
magician and the people with their colorful traditional dresses turns this small town and
surrounding area into a fairyland and paradise for the photographers and tourist as well.
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NAGAUR (February)
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Nagaur awakens to bustling life every year with thronging of cattle and camels accompanying by
their turbaned owners and eager buyers. This cattle fair held yearly is supposed to be the
largest in Rajasthan. The Nagaury breeds of ox is renowned for their fleet-footedness and
therefore, attract buyers from all over the country. The day start with buyers and sellers
engaged in earnest bargain. Once the price of an animal has been settled, the day draws to a
close with fun and festivity.
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Nagaur fair is purely a fair for the agriculture community. This fair is the biggest display
of the range of wares used for the agriculture. Villagers can be seen putting up their temporary
resh crop of red chilies. Camel is another attraction of the fair. The local tribe Raika, who are
very well known as the camel and sheep breeders, comes with their herds of camel for the treading.
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JAMBHA (March)
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A fair dedicated to the founder of the Bishnoi sect, held once in a year for two days at a very
small village Jambha, between the triangle of the desert cities Bikaner, Jodhpur and Jaisalmer.
Bishnoi people come in their traditional dresses – women wear colorful Ghaghara, Choly and
Odhani. Women also put silver and gold jewelry and man folk wear white cloths and white turban.
purely a religious fair.
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A holy fire of Yagna continues for two days, where all the Bishnoi people has to pay their
tribute after taking bath in the lake and before going to the temple of the founder Jambeshwar.
The temporary market sate for the fair is the attraction for the local as well as the tourist.
The colorful stalls turn the desert land into a fairyland, where every side the colorful
women can be seen with their best outfits and jewelry. The group of proud young men and
women at shops teasing each other is a wonderful sight of this fair.
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BANESHWAR FAIR (February)
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Held once in a year in south Rajasthan, Baneshwar is the main religious fair
of the tribes living around the area. It is believed that the fairs held on the
day when the hidden stream of the Holly River Ganges appears all of sudden to mix-up
with the two local rivers (Som & Mahi) flows in this region.
ACTIVITIES
1) A silver image of lord Kalki, the future reincarnation of Vishnu is brought on horse
back with the tribal people singing and dancing around.
2) Selection of boys and girls for marriage.
3) Tribal girls and boys meat each other to choose their life partners.
4) The last rituals of the people died in the last one-year.
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ELEPHANT FESTIVAL JAIPUR (March)
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Elephant festival held every year on the festival of colors Holly in the month of March.
ACTIVITIES
1) Best decorated elephant competition.
2) Elephant races.
3) Elephant polo.
4) Holi: people (tourist and local both) play with colors while sitting on the elephants.
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GANGAUR FESTIVAL (March)
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The most important local festival of Rajasthan, Gangaur, is dedicated to the goddess Parwati,
a symbol of conjugal bliss and marital happiness. A festival of maidens and married women,
it begins on the day, the festival Holy is played with color, and continues for eighteen days.
Colorful wooden images of Parwati are beautifully dressed and bejeweled. Offerings are made in
each house. The women add to the excitement by singing and dancing. Processions are taken out
with the town band playing the best music.
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The main procession held in Jaipur and Udaipur, where the royal family of each participates
in organizing the festival. Escorts walk along with their horses in the royal procession of
Gangaur, followed by the elaborate palanquins with the most decorated image of Parwati in it.
Groups of people sing and dance on the local folk. People come to watch the procession make it
more colorful with their traditional costumes.
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Dussehra
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The festival of Dussehra (also spelled Dasara or Vijaya Dasami) marks the triumph of Lord Rama
over Demon king Ravana. On this day, Rama killed Ravana. Dussehra marks the end of the nine days
of Navratri, and is celebrated on the tenth day. On this festival, people decorate the house and
shop entrances with flower studded strings called "Torans" (Floral Gateways).
At night effigies of
Ravana, Kumbhakaran and Meghanad are stuffed with firecrackers and set alight. From the little temples in the hills, deities are brought in procession to the Kullu Fair
ground with a lot of gaiety, music and colour. Down South in the city of Mysore, the exotic
and colourful celebration of Dussehra leaves many a visitor enthralled.
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Deepawali
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Meaning an array of lamps, it is the Festival of Lights and perhaps the only festival that is
celebrated along the length and breadth of the country without any diversity as well as amongst
Indians all over the world.This festival is celebrated to mark the return of Lord Rama, his
consort Sita and brother Lakshmana, to their kingdom after 14 years of exile.
To celebrate their
return, the people of Ayodhya are believed to have lit up their houses and streets with lamps and the tradition is followed till date. People also conduct Lakshmi
Puja to please the Goddess of Wealth.
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Holi
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The 'Holi' festival is a very fun-filled and popular occasion in the northern part of India.
It is an occasion when people smear each other with bright colored powders, which are known
as Gulal, and colored water. This festival is celebrated around early March each year.
It can be said that ‘Holi’ festival is called a bright festival as a wide range of bright
colors is used during it. The people believe that the bright colors represent energy, life,
and joy. There are many legends given as the reason for celebrating 'Holi'. There is one popular
legend that is reputed to bring about the birth of 'Holi'. It seems that long ago there was
an evil king named King Hiranyakasipu.His son, prince Prahlad however was very holy and
often prayed to God and this infuriated his father.One day, the wicked king ordered his
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sister, the demon Holika, to kill his son. The demon Holika, who was immune to fire,
captured prince Prahlad and entered a fire furnace. She had done this to kill the prince,
however it was her who was burnt to ashes. Prince Prahlad was safe and was not burnt at all.
The legend goes that before the demon aunt died, she begged for prince Prahlad’s forgiveness
and the prince forgave her and announced that her name would be remembered once a year. Thus
the festival ‘Holi’ was created.
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Maha Shivaratri
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Shivaratri is celebrated on the 6th night of the dark Phalgun (Feb or March) every year.
On the auspicious day, devotees observe fast and keep vigil all night. Mahashivaratri marks
the night when Lord Shiva performed the 'Tandava'. It is also believed that on this day Lord
Shiva was married to Parvati Ma. On this day Shiva devotees observe fast and offer fruits,
flowers and bel leaves on Shiva Linga.
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Janmashtami
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Janmashtami, the birth of Lord Krishna is celebrated with great devotion in
the August/September months, on the Ashtami of Krishna Paksh or the 8th day of
the dark fortnight in the month of Bhadon, in the whole of north India. Temples and homes
are beautifully decorated and lit. An attractive feature of the celebrations are cribs &
other decorations depicting stories of Lord Krishna's childhood.There are five main "jhankis" of Janmashtami which depict the entire sequence of events from
Lord Krishna's birth to his being discovered in Gokul. The "jhankis" include the birth of
Krishna in jail, Vasudev carrying Krishna to safety across the river Yamuna amidst thunder
and lightning, Vasudev's return to the jail,Kansa killing Yashoda's daughter and finally
the little Krishna in the cradle in Gokul. "Jhankis"
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are created out of dolls dressed up as
kids, men and women with lehangas, chunnis, dhotis & kurtas. Raslila of every type are also
performed - Janmlila, Shankarlila, Putnalila and Naglila. In the evening bhajans are sung
which end at midnight, the auspicious moment when Lord Krishna was born. Thereafter arti
is done, prasad distributed and flowers showered on the idol.
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Ganesh Chathurthi
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Lord Ganesha, affectionately called Ganapati, is commonly depicted in homes and offices
throughout India as a chubby, smiling and a little mischievous God. His devotees scribe to
Ganesha the ability to bestow wisdom and wealth upon us humans, thus making him probably
the most popular deity in the Hindu pantheon. To repay Ganesha’s bounty, in India, especially
in Maharashtra and nearby areas, the entire population celebrates the ten-day festival of
Lord Ganesha’s birthday.The festival of Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated all over India with great festivities and zest.
It is celebrated as the birth anniversary of Lord Ganesha, the God of wisdom and prosperity.
The festival honors Ganesha, the elephant-headed God of the Hindu pantheon.During the ten days
of Ganesh Chaturthi, the image of
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the God is worshipped and feted in most homes, temples and
halls, and on the last day the images are taken in a procession and immersed in water.
Fasting, feasting and distribution of sweets are important aspects of Ganesh Chaturthi
rituals in India. Hindus pray to images of Lord Ganesha, large and small, many of them
made specially for the occasion by cottage industries and street-side artisans. Even
those that do not wish to keep the idols alive by daily prayers, offerings, and lighting oil
lamps, immerse them in the nearest water body (rivers, lakes and the sea that are sacred to
the Hindus). Ganesh Chaturthi falls on the fourth day of Bhadrapada (August/September)
month of Indian calendar. The celebration of this festival is followed according to the
Indian calendar and hence the month in the English calendar varies every year.
The festival is celebrated for as many as ten days in areas like Maharashtra,
Pune, and nearby areas.
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Rakshabandhan
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The chaste bond of love between a brother and a sister is one of the deepest and noblest
of human emotions. 'Raksha Bandhan' or 'Rakhi' is a special occasion to celebrate this emotional
bonding by tying a holy thread around the wrist. This thread, which pulsates with sisterly
love and sublime sentiments, is rightly called the ‘Rakhi’. It means 'a bond of protection',
and Raksha Bandhan signifies that the strong must protect the weak from all that’s evil.
The ritual is observed on the full moon day of the Hindu month of Shravan, on which sisters
tie the sacred Rakhi string on their brothers' right wrists, and pray for their long life.
Rakhis are ideally made of silk with gold and silver threads, beautifully crafted embroidered
sequins, and studded with semi precious stones.
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Desert Festival
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The otherwise sleepy town of Jaisalmer reverberates with enthusiasm and zeal during the Desert
Festival that provides it with an occasion to parade its exuberant charm to the world.
This colorful spectacle of dance and music showcases the rhythmic dances like Ghoomar,
Gangaur, Gair, Dhap, Moria, Chari and Terahtal. The fire dancers are the special highlights
of the festival.Held in the month of January-February the major attractions include turban-tying competition,
Gair dancers and fire-dancers presenting enchanting displays of folk dance and music The various
interesting contests including turban tying and Mr. Desert contest, the Camel races, acrobatics,
dances and camel polo are sure to leave you spellbound. An awe-inspiring fusion of traditional
dances backed by the folk music of the desert is sure to give you a time of your life. The major
attraction of the festival remains the music and dance performance on the sand dunes.
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Camel Fair-Bikaner
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A unique blend of color, rhythm and melody. The Camel Festival begins with a colourful
procession of bedecked camels, Ships-Of-The-Desert, in the red sandstone backdrop of the
Junagarh Fort. The festivity advances to the open sandspreads of the Polo Grounds, followed by
camel races, camel milking, fur cutting design, the best breed competition, camel acrobatics,
camel bands and watching all this, are the gaping spectators.
The camel display amazing foot-work, dancing gracefully to the slightest direction of
their riders. Colourful bridles, bejewelled necks, jingling anklets and long, lanky
camel shadows on dusky sands, cast a magic spell. The jubilant, skirt-swirling Gair dancers,
the awe inspiring Fire dance, and dazzling fire-works light up the fortified desert city
of Bikaner.
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