Fairs & Festivals - Merriment Mix with Colour of Royalty

Date of the festival: 28th March 2010
Venue: Chaugan Stadium
Location: Jaipur, Rajasthan

Things to do: Tourists can enjoy the folk dances performed by the folk dancers. Elephants races, the elephant polo matches and the most interesting part of the festival is the tag of war between the elephants and men.

Shop: The tourists can shop for the embroidery textiles and carpets woolen pattu, carpets made up of camel hair, tapestry, oil lamps, silver jewelery, the cut antiques, old stonework, trinkets etc.

Highlights/ Special Attraction:
The special attraction of the festival is the beautifully decorated elephants participating in the competitions and procession. The elephants races, polo and playing Holi with the elephants.

Elephant festival in Jaipur
The Elephant festival in Jaipur is an annual event that is organized in the month of March, one day before Holi. The festival highlights the beauty and the significance of this majestic animal. The festival includes the performance of the elephants of the with the glittering ornaments and beautifully embroidered velvets. After all these entertainment there is a violent elephant fights. The elephants are groomed beautifully, playing the regal game of polo and also participates in the spring festival of Holi. There are lots and lots of tourists who are attracted to visit the Rajasthan in this season.

Tourist Activities:
In this festival the elephants are the center of attraction therefore tourists mostly enjoys the sights of the elephant races, elephant polo and the most important and spectacular event is the tug of war between the elephant and men. Other than this tourist can also go for sightseeing in Jaipur like Hawa Mahal, Amber Fort, City Palace, Jantar Mantar. With the sightseeing, tourists can also enjoy the shopping in Jaipur. The antiques, the carpets, the stonework and the Rajasthani dresses.

Reaching there:
Reaching to Jaipur is not difficult. All the major cities of the state is connected to the Jaipur through the domestic airlines like Indian airlines, Jet airways and the Sahara Airlines which offers the regular services. Reaching Jaipur by the railways is also easier as Shatabdi and Intercity connects Jaipur to Delhi directly. There are also many such trains that connects the other major cities of the country to the Jaipur. The road services of Rajasthan also have the regular bus services from New Delhi which runs the deluxe and air conditioned coaches from Bikaner house, Delhi. Jaipur is connected to other cities of Rajasthan very well.

Fairs That Dominate the Land of Rajas
Festive Merriment Rajasthan, the land bestowed with natural and man made wonders have been also famous for the overwhelming enjoyment of fairs and festivals throughout the year. The artistic nature of the Rajasthani people have come out in various forms of culture. The most important and probably the most famous of all is the folk music and dance performance that have been fascinating the people of the entire world for quite long time.

The charm of the rustic Rajasthan comes alive with the excellent performance of mesmerizing folk songs along with a balmy tune of Sarangi. An accompaniment of enthralling folk dance performance adds some more hues to the cultural even under the clear sky and on the ripples of golden sands. Puppet show is another jewel of Rajasthan culture, that have been surprising the visitors and localities equally with its excellence and unique form of story telling. But no festival in Rajasthan is complete without Mawa, Ghevar and Malpaus, the mouth watering sweet delicacies, that have been alluring the people of Rajasthan since time immortal.

Pushkar Camel Fair
Pushkar Camel Fair, held in the month of November every year, also known as Pushkar Fair. It is one of the largest camel fair across the world. Various competitions are organised as soon as the arrival of fair heard in the town. Contest like camel races, matka phod, moustache and bridal are some of the brilliant attractions for travelers across the world. One can also take the charm of unique auctions, live music, exhibitions, clothes, textiles, stalls and fabrics, which are the main highlights of this event. The Pushkar fair is much renowned as the global livestock market, where you can buy and sell animals like camels, horses, sheep and goats.

Ajmer Annual Urs Fair
Ajmer Annual Urs Fair, held in the month of July August in the memory of the great Sufi Saint Khawaja Moinuddin Chisti, it is an occasion for millions of believers to assembled at the shrine and offer special prayers. At the time of festival complete Ajmer town seems to be an abode of Allah with countless pilgrims, Kazi's and Maulana's, who especially converge at the times of final Urs. A tourist can also take the charm of several programmes, which are organised to mark the festivals with immense popularity.

Jaisalmer Desert Fair
Jaisalmer Desert Fair, held in the month of January February, It is one of the most popular of all festivals in Rajasthan, as it allows a journey into the heart of the desert, which hold its beauty for three days, hordes of travellers specially converge on Jaisalmer at the time of festival to get the glimpse of events, which are very much earsplitting and is celebrated with completions like the famous Gair dance, camel ride, traditional fire dance, turban tying, Mr desert contest, Here one can also see tall Rajasthani mens and beautiful women dressed in their brightly costumes to dance and sing lingering ballads of valor, romance and tragedy.

Baneshwar Fair
Baneshwar Fair (Jan- Feb) is religious fair celebrated with simple and traditional rituals. This fair is the centre of attraction of a large number of tribal folk from the neighboring states of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat who visit this small town of Baneshwar and offer their prayers to Lord Shiva.

Nagaur Cattle Fair, Nagaur
The sleepy town of Nagaur stirs to life at its annual cattle fair ( January/ February)

One of the largest in the country. Thousands of camels, bullocks and horses are offered for sale and purchase.

Camel Fair Bikaner
Camel Fair Baking comes in the month of January, this is the time when this beautiful desert city comes alive with the echoes of music and rhythms of traditional dances performed by the rural folks. The fair is fast coming into limelight and gaining huge popularity among the western world as the tourist across the sub-continent gets an opportunity to experience some of the unusual folk performances, camel races, camel dance and ethnic shopping arcade.

Fervours of Rajasthan Festivals !!!
Jaipur Gangaur Festival
Jaipur Gangaur Festival, held in the month of March-April. This much awaited festival is purely devoted to Goddess Parvati,the consort of Lord Shiva. At the time of festival, young girls pray to Goddess Parvati for the grooms of their choice and married women's pray for the well being of their husbands. On the day of festivals, one can see beautiful womens in their best clothing. Gangaur festival is believed to be a sanctified festivals for every women, that last for nearly 18 days and on the last day, a colourful procession takes place in Jaipur and at other places in Rajasthan.

Jaipur Teej Festival
Jaipur Teej Festival, held in the month of July-August. Its a fasting festival for many Indian women. This It is celebrated for marital bliss, well being of spouse and children and purification of own body and soul. The festival is a three-day long celebration, during which number of sweets are made to break the fasts. On the eve of festival, tourists can feast their eyes with the beautiful womens, dressed in a bright colours, it is interesting to watch them enjoying in groups. After offering prayers and seeking the blessings, the decorated idol of goddess Parvati is taken into procession on the streets followed by singing, music, and dancing.

Udaipur Mewar Festival
Udaipur Mewar Festival, held in the month of March April every year. Its a colourful festival to welcome the spring season that falls after the end of chilly winters. At the time of festivals, the localities of Rajasthan, mainly the Udaipur people and the Marwar region, celebrate it with a huge procession, followed by devotional songs, live dances, hazardous firework, where almost everybody participate. This is a festival that allows the visitor to understand and enjoy the folk traditions of Marwari people.

Jaipur Elephant Festival
Jaipur Elephant Festival, held in the month of March April to celebrate Holi, its a grand occasion for the tourists to watch scores of elephant at one place. One can please his eyes with the bright play of colours, elephant races and several other sports.

Summer Festival, Mt.Abu
Organized in the only hill station of Rajasthan, Summer Festival, Mt.Abu arrives in the month of June. Folk dances and an atmosphere of merriment prevail in this tiny hill resort, where tourist have enough time to relax and enjoy the festival.

Raksha Bandhan
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 thats 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.

The Social Binding this ritual not only strengthens the bond of love between brothers and sisters, but also transcends the confines of the family. When a Rakhi is tied on the wrists of close friends and neighbors, it underscores the need for a harmonious social life, where every individual co-exist peacefully as brothers and sisters.