Rajasthan Fairs & Festivals

Elephant Festival
Place: Jaipur
Time: March (Phagun), on the eve of Holi
Rites & Rituals: Elephant Festival attracts visitors from every nook and corner of the world. The festival begins with a procession of elephants, camels, horses and folk dancers. Attractively decorated mighty jumbos striding majestically is a sight to behold. Female elephants are made to wear anklets, which tinkle as they walk. There are prizes for the most beautifully decorated elephant.

In addition to this, several other exciting events also take place including elephant race, the tug-of-war between elephant and playing of Holi on elephant back.

Gangaur Festival
Place: The festival is observed throughout the state
Time: March (Chaitra), the day following Holi
Rites & Rituals: The festival holds a special place among the newly wedded girls in Rajasthan. For them, it is binding to observe the full course of 18 days of the festival that succeeds her marriage. The ladies decorate their hands and feet by drawing designs with mehendi (myrtle paste).

Images of Isar and Gauri are made of the clay for the festival. On the evening of the 7th day after Holi, unmarried girls go around singing songs of ghudlia carrying pots with a burning lamp inside, on their heads. The festival reaches its climax during the last three days when women, carrying the idols of Gauri, take out processions and bid farewell to Gauri in the end.

Nagaur Fair
Place: Nagaur
Time: January-February
Rites & Rituals: The picturesque town of Nagaur stirs to life with the arrival of Nagaur Fair. The cattle fair here is reputed as the second largest in Rajasthan and offers some of the best sight of Rajasthan. The fair attracts visitors from all corners of the world for the trading in cows, camels and horses.

Various games are organized during this four day festival that include tug-of-war, camel races, cock fights and countless others. It offers tourist a memorable extravaganza of fun and frolic. As the sun goes down, the folk musicians, whose voices echo far and wide across the tranquil desert land, create a joyous atmosphere.

Camel Festival
Place: Bikaner
Time: January
Rites & Rituals: Camel Festival is just the right place to see and admire the Ships of the Desert. It begins with a colorful procession of bedecked camels against the red sandstone backdrop of the Junagarh Fort. The festivity advances to the open sand-spreads of the grounds followed by a variety of competitions including war contest, camel dance and acrobatics.

The camels display spellbinding footwork, dancing gracefully to the direction of their trainers. The jubilant skirt swirling dancers, the awe-inspiring fire dance and the dazzling fireworks light up the fortified Desert City. The festivities reach to the peak with a different tenor as the renowned artists display a medley of folk dances and songs.