1. FESTIVALS OF RAJASTHAN

2. The Festivals of Rajasthan
January-February
Desert Festival
Nagaur Fair
Camel Festival
Kite Festival
June-August
Summer Festival
Teej Festival
March-April
Holi
Elephant Festival
Gangaur Festival
Mewar Festival
October-November
Diwali
Marwar Festival
Pushkar Fair

3. Desert Festival, Jaisalmer

4. Desert Festival, Jaisalmer
One of the most popular among the festivals of Rajasthan,
the Jaisalmer Desert festival is a journey into the heart of
the Rajasthan desert, the golden city of Jaisalmer.
Folk performers like musicians, ballad singers, snake
charmers, and puppeteers all exhibit their traditional skills.
There are exciting camel dances, camel acrobatics, camel races, and camel
polo, competitions for the best decorated camel, tug-of-war between
musclemen, a turban tying competition and a Mr. Desert contest.
The culmination is a sound and light spectacle on a moonlit night amidst
sand dunes.

5. Nagaur Fair, Nagaur
The Nagaur Fair is held in the town of Nagaur located between
Jodhpur and Bikaner.
Traditionally a cattle fair, the Nagaur Fair has been promoted as a
tourist attraction and attracts many visitors from around the world,
who come to see, camels, cattle and horses, being bought and sold
by their traditionally dressed owners.
The cultural and sporting events and the ambience as a Rajasthani
folk singer sings a ballad, as the sun sinks below the horizon and the
sand dunes are bathed in twilight, is truly a sight to be seen

6. Camel Festival, Bikaner
The Camel Festival in Bikaner is a celebration of the camel - the Ship of the Desert.
The camel is indispensable to Rajasthan's traditional way of life.
Various contests including camel dancing, camel racing, and camel beauty contests are held along with cultural performances by folk singers and dancers in the desert town of Bikaner.

7. Kite Festival, Jaipur
January 14 is celebrated in India as Makar Sankranti – heralding the
transition of the sun into the Northern hemisphere. It is also a big kite day
in most part of India.
Some kites carry
messages, some depict
social issues, some carry
caricatures of politicians.
Kite makers flaunt kites of various size, shapes and designs.
In Jaipur,
kites virtually
blot out the sky.
Its been the most popular
event recently, even tourists
can take part in various kite
flying competitions.
Colours that flaunt in the blue sky
mesmerizes the viewers.

8. Holi

9. Holi
The colourful state of Rajasthan plays Holi much the same way as Mathura.
A night before the full moon, crowds of people gather together and light
huge bonfires to burn the residual dried leaves and twigs of the winter.
People throw coloured water and powders (gulal and kumkum) at each
other and make merry.
Singing, dancing and the traditional beats of dhol add to the gaiety of the
occasion.

10. Elephant Festival, Jaipur
The Elephant Festival is a delightful tourist attraction that combines the
festival of colors - Holi, with the antics of the gentle giants - the
elephants of Jaipur.
The elephants are colorfully decorated and walk through the town in a
spectacular parade along with horses, camels and colorfully dressed
folk dancers.
Guests are invited to play Holi, by throwing colors and flowers on each
other, while seated on elephant back.
Ganesha, the elephant headed God is
worshipped on this day.

11. Gangaur Festival
A festival devoted to Goddess Parvati, the consort of Lord Shiva.
This 18-day festival is laced with various activities and culminates in a grand procession marking the arrival of Shiva to escort his bride home.

12. Mewar Festival
The Mewar Festival is celebrated in the Hindu month of Chaitra (March-April).
It is organized to mark the beginning of the spring season.
Rajasthan Mewar Festival overlaps with the Gangaur festival. A procession carrying the images of Isar and Gangaur, ornamented and dressed in colorful attire, is taken at the time of the festival.
The procession goes through the various areas of Udaipur and comes to an end at the Gangaur Ghat of Lake Pichola. Thereafter, the images are moved on to special boats.
After this whole process is over, cultural events take over the celebration of the festival. Rajasthan folk songs, dances and other programs take the center stage. The festival concludes with a remarkable display of fireworks.

13. Summer Festival, Mount Abu is held during the
month of May on Budh Poornima.
Summer Festival offers a range of activities and
programs highlighting the rich culture and varied
traditions of Rajasthan
Folk dances and music hold an integral part of the
Summer Festival. Tourists are entertained with the
typical traditional dances of Rajasthan

14. Teej Teej is held every year during the Hindu Month
of Shravan and marks the advent of the monsoons.
The fair is dedicated to Goddess Parvati and
commemorates the day when she was united
with Lord Shiva.
Young girls, newly wedded girls and old women
can be seen attired in flashy traditional costumes
and ornaments. Married women who pray for a
happy and long married life
All over Rajasthan, even in remote villages,
Jhoolas (swings) are hung from trees and
decorated with leaves and flowers.

15. Diwali

16. Diwali in Rajasthan
Rajasthan has always been associated with color and a colloquial charm
that cannot be found anywhere else in the world.
Diwali festival gives people a chance to decorate their homes, buy new
clothes, visit relatives and friends and take time off from their daily
routine and enjoy the festivities.
The Lakshmi Pooja is performed in the evening before the festivities
begins. Then of course, it's time to light up the sky with the brightest
firecrackers
Women of the neighborhood gather and prepare sweets like Mawa Kachori, Til Ke Laddo, Gonth ke Laddu, Piste ke Launj, Moti Pak, Pheeni, Sohan Papdi, Besan Barfi, Jalebi, Shakarpara- to name just a few.
If not for anything else, one ought to visit Rajasthan during Diwali just to taste all that wonderful food.

17. Marwar Festival, Jodhpur
The Marwar Festival is held every year in memory of the heroes of
Rajasthan in the Hindu month of Ashwin (September-October).
Originally known as the Maand Festival, this festival is devoted to the
music and dance centered on the romantic lifestyle of Rajasthan's rulers.
This cultural extravaganza takes place mainly at the remarkable Umaid
Bhawan Palace, Mandore and Mehrangarh Fort.
Camel tattoo show and polo are other attractions of the festival.

18. Pushkar Fair

19. The Pushkar Fair is Rajasthan's best-known
traditional event.
Pilgrims come to Pushkar to bathe in the holy lake
on the auspicious day on which the fair is held.
The temples of Pushkar, including the Brahma temple is crowded with
pilgrims on this day.
The camel fair features hundreds of camels, and their buyers, engaged
in the business of trading camels.
Colorfully decorated Rajasthani folk dancers and singers perform at the
Pushkar Fair.

20. Festivals of Rajasthan
Summary
Rajasthan is a vibrant, exotic state in India where tradition and royal glory meet in a riot of colors against the vast backdrop of sand and desert. Referred to as the Desert Jewel of India, Rajasthan shimmers with even more vibrancy during the time of its colourful fairs and festivals. The desert glitters with the colors of joyous celebration and gay abandon with every fair and festival of Rajasthan. There is a celebration for every religious occasion, every change of season and every harvest, all invariably a reflection of the genius of their arts and crafts and their ascetic refinement.