Fairs and Festivals Rajasthan

BANESHWAR FAIR:

Held at Baneshwar in the month of January - February, this is a tribal fair on the banks of the Mahi and Son rivers. Bhil tribals from all three states (Rajasthan, Gujrat & Madhya Pradesh) gather here to worship Shiva, and set up camps in this forested areas in colourful groups.

CAMEL FESTIVAL, BIKANER:

this festival is held in January. This festival is a recent introduction in the Desert City, which is the only Camel Breeding Farm in the country. Not unexpectedly, most of the events are staged around this beast, with camel races and camel dances. There are also several folk performances. This may also be your chance to experience the rare fire dance staged late at night.

DESERT FAIR, JAISALMER:

Jaisalmer exercises immense charm, but with the staging of the annual Desert Festival (January - February), it has also become one of the stretching sands around the desert citadel. A number of amusing events at the stadium includes turban tying competitions and the camel races.

GANGAUR FAIR, GANGAUR:

Idols of Issar and Gangaur, manifestation of the Hindu God Shiva and Goddess Parvati, are worshiped by women, particularly the unmarried who pray for the consort like Shiva. It has women taking processions through the streets of town, carrying images of the divine couple.

MARWAR FESTIVAL, JODHPUR:

held in October in Jodhpur, this annual event attempts to showcase the art and culture of the Jodhpur region. It is devoted almost exclusively to song and dances. The maand festival has become a part of this huge regional celebration.

MEWAR FESTIVAL, UDAIPUR:

held to coincide with Gangaur in Udaipur. The whole city turns out to mark the culmination of the 18 days festival, with a procession of floats on Lake Pichola.

NAGAUR FESTIVAL, NAGAUR:

a trading fair for cattle and camels in Jan - Feb. it is a wonderful opportunity to catch up on rural life as owners from all over the state come to camp on the outskirts of Nagaur while they buy and sell animals. The hides of the animals cut into beautiful patterns are particularly interesting.

PUSHKAR FAIR, PUSHKAR:

among the most easily identifiable of Rajasthan's many fairs, Pushkar has come to symbolize the heartbeat of the people of the state. Held in Nov, the temple town close to Ajmer, where the 8th century temple of Brahma draws the faithful, it is located on the banks of the lake. Pilgrims bathe here and pray in the temple, while the actual fair is held in the vast stretching desert around it. Here , the traders set camp to strike deals at India's and probably the world's largest camel fair, though horses are also sold. Special tented camps are set up on the occasion for visitors but such is a draw of this fair internationally.

TEEJ, JAIPUR:

another festival dedicated to the worship of Shiva and Parvati, this time it is married women who pray for a long, happy marital life during the monsoon months of July - August. Though the celebrations are held all over the state but they are particularly very colourful in Jaipur where a procession wends its way through the heart of the old city.