Top Festival of Rajasthan
Rajasthan is a land characterized by colors, brightness, hospitality, royalty, celebrations, dance and music, culture, tradition, heritage, and history. The whole essence of India can be seen in just one state. This is the major reason behind the popularity of Rajasthan. The place organizes several festivals and festivals that you experience to learn about the culture of Rajasthan. Here, is a list of festivals of Rajasthan that you must attend in your Rajasthan tour.
Rajasthan International Folk Festival, Jodhpur
Jodhpur, also called Blue city, is a very beautiful city in Rajasthan. The city organizes Rajasthan International Folk Festival every year. It is an art and music festival that is celebrated for the advertising of traditional art and folk music of Rajasthan. The festival takes place on the full moon night of Sharad Purnima. It is a grand celebration of Indian and international music that is organized in Mehrangarh Fort and Museum, Jodhpur. More than two hundred musicians from all parts of the globe come to attend the festival. It is a real treat for all art and music lovers.
Desert Festival, Jaisalmer
Jaisalmer is another major city of Rajasthan. If you happen to be in Jaisalmer in the winter season, then you must not miss this lifetime opportunity to be a part of the Desert festival. It is a 3-day long event that is organized in February by the “Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation”. A lot of beautiful dance and song performances take place during the event. Artists are dressed up in traditional finery, and bright colors. Desert festival showcases the life and rituals of people who live in the desert.
It is organized in Sam Dunes that is forty kilometers far from Jaisalmer city. There are gymnastic stunts, camel races, and a few competitions like the turban tying, longest mustache, delicious food, Mr. Desert, etc. People at stalls are interested in selling souvenirs and handicrafts that make it a memorable moment of life.
Pushkar Fair, Pushkar
Pushkar is a land known all over the world for its sacredness. The Pushkar fair is a five-day celebration that is organized at Pushkar Fair Ground in Pushkarcity. The date of this festival coincides with another popular festival celebrated at this place “Kartik Ekadashi”. Pushkar fair is basically a livestock fair that is focused on purchasing and selling camels.
This fair attracts a lot of tourists every year to witness its impressive art, dance, music, gypsy dance, puppet shows, competitions, races. There are several stalls set up at the venue that sells delicious camel milk cakes and cheeses, shawls, and other jewelry items. The whole ambiance fills the desert with spirituality that goes on for five days.
Teej Festival, Jaipur
Teej is one of the major festivals of Rajasthan, that takes place in Chaugan Stadium, Jaipur. This festival shows the love and devotion of women for her husband. On this day, married ladies observe fast, put Mehendi on their hand, wear colorful ethnic Rajasthani dresses, enjoy swing rides, perform folk singing and dancing with other women.
They pray to the union of Goddess Parvati, and Lord Shiva. The bazaars of Jaipur are decorated with jewellery, attractive clothes, and sweets such as Malpua, and Ghewar. After the prayer ceremony, the ornated idols of the deities are immersed in water with the hopes of the long life and welfare of their spouse. A thousand of devotees take part in this procession that becomes more wonderful with the antique palanquins, bands, chariots, dance, and folk music.
Gangaur Festival, Jaipur
Gangaur is another festival that memorializes the homecoming of the Goddess Parvati. This festival is celebrated with a large fanbase in the Rajasthan state by women. A large procession of Goddess Gauri is carried throughout the city. Locals and tourists participate in the procession. It is accompanied by chariots, old palanquins, elephant processions, folk dance and songs with fireworks.
Jaipur Literature Festival, Jaipur
The Jaipur Literature Festival is the largest literary festival in the world. Several acclaimed laureates, debut novelists, booker prize winners gather at Diggi Palace for the festival. This is a five-days of the festival that includes discussions, debates, and readings. It is a fabulous platform for the greatest authors, literature enthusiasts, and thinkers in the world. The festival also welcomes youth from all parts of the globe to give them the courage to dream and realize it. If you have a fondness towards literature, then you must attend this festival.
Nagaur Fair, Nagaur
Nagaur Fair is the 2nd largest fair held in India. It is a grand cattle fair in Nagaurthat is organized by the Animal Husbandry Department of Rajasthan. More than 2 lakh animal owners bring their cows, horses, oxen, bullocks, camels, etc. to the place to become a part of this grand trade show. A lot of competitions such as cockfights and animal races are organized throughout the festive duration. The festival ends with singing and dancing performances on traditional Rajasthani folk music.
Summer and Winter Festival, Mount Abu
This is a 3 days festival, organized at Nakki lake and Pologround, Mount Abu, twice a year. The summer festival is generally celebrated in the month of May, while the winter festival is celebrated in December. The festival showcases the culture, and warmth of the people who belong to the hill station in the state. Some of the highlights of the festival are long processions and marches throughout the town, a wide range of competitions, folk music and dance performances, dazzling fireworks, with a touch of divine hospitality.
World Sufi Spirit Festival, Gangaur, Jodhpur
After the Rajasthan International Folk Festival, World Sufi Spirit Festival is another grand celebration conducted in Jodhpur. The festival hosts Sufi artists from all across the world especially Mongolia, Africa, Afghanistan, and Italy. This platform gives an opportunity to Sufi music lovers to enjoy brilliant performances by the renowned Sufi artists in the world. Also, they get the chance to talk to artists who share their music experience with people and give them important music tips too. Along with this musical and cultural celebration, you will also get to enjoy delicious cuisines to relish forever. This celebration happens at Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur
Kite Festival, Jodhpur
Kite festival is another very popular desert festival celebrated in Jodhpur at Jodhpur Polo Ground. This is a three days long festival that celebrates Makar Sankranti festival with great enthusiasm and joy. In this kite-flying competition, you will see colorful spectra of kites in myriad colors, shapes, and sizes to choose from. These kits get released into the sky by several helicopters. Children also get a chance to release balloons that makes it a magical and spectacular event.
Camel Festival, Bikaner
Bikaner is one of the beautiful cities of Rajasthan that is popular for its spectacular Camel Festival. This festival is organized with great pomp and show. It is a two days festival that is celebrated in the winter season. This colorful festival is marked by camel games, camel races, and various other cultural performances. This celebration glorifies the camels of Rajasthan. It includes a variety of conventional Rajasthani folk performances and a mind-blowing display of crackers that lightens up the vast sky. Camel Festival is celebrated at Karni Singh Stadium.
