Rajasthan Fairs Festivals Calender

Elephant Festival, Jaipur :
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The Elephant Festival is an inimitable event held annually in Jaipur. Groomed flawlessly, rows of elephants do a catwalk before an enthralled audience liked best fashion models to make this festival an amazing one.
The elephants move with poise in pageant, run races, play the regal game of polo, and finally participate in the spring festival of Holi.It is festival time with elephants typically celebrated one day before the Holi, Indian festival of colours. Staged at Jaipur Chaugan Stadium elephants put up a variety programme and the arena is brought alive with musician and dancer. The crowd, which includes sizable presences of foreign and Indian tourist, electrifies the atmosphere.
The festival starts with an impressive procession of the majestic animals lovingly painted and tastefully attired with glittering ornaments and embroidered velvets. There are deadly and fierce elephant fights.A ceremonial procession is recreated with caparisoned elephants, lancers on horses, chariots, camels, cannons, and palanquins. Elephant is the centre of attraction in the many races and beauty pageants.
Most of the participants are female elephants. The mahouts (elephant keepers) take great care to decorate the elephants painting their trunks, foreheads, and feet with floral motifs and adorning them from tusk to tail with interesting trinkets.
Female elephants wear anklets with and make music as they walk.The game of polo forms the highlight of the festival. Dressed in saffron and red turbans, the teams try to score goals with long sticks and a plastic football.
Finally, the tourists are invited to mount the elephants and play Holi. Participants dance with great vigour and the excitement rising to a crescendo. The Rajput kings had extraordinary implication for elephants not only during war but also during the royal festivities-a must at royal pageant. Nishan-ka-hathi, the flag bearer, led the procession. The king always mounted a caparisoned elephant.
Special hunting programs and elephant fights were organized to entertain the royal guests. Jaipur was a favourite spot with the important personalities of the British Raj and the Maharajas always arranged for their guests of honour elephant rides up to the Amber palace. Even today, the mahouts take tourists up to the Amber Palace on elephant back like shuttle taxis.
The inclusion of the game of polo is more recent, being inspired by a cartoon in Punch magazine that showed the Indian polo team atop an elephant after it won all the international tournaments. Every year on Holi, the old stadium at Jaipur, the Chaugan (originally planned for elephants), makes the setting for a stunning fete.
A magnificent spectactle, it unveils the majesty and grandeur of elephants celebrated around Holi. The Mahavats or owners proudly decorate their elephants with bright colours, jhool., (saddle cloth) and heavy jewellary. A royal procession of decorated elephants, a match of elephant polo, an elephant race and playing Holi on elephants are main events.

Gangaur Festival, Jaipur :
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A festival devoted to Goddess Parvati, the consort of Lord Shiva. Ishar & Gangaur are the divine male and female ho embody marital love. Dedicated to goddess Gauri (Parvati), the festival commences on Holi/ Young girls pray for rooms of their choice while married women seek a long life for their husbands. The ladies decorate their hands and feet drawing designs with Mehendi (Myrtle Jaste).
On the evening of the 7th day after holi, unmarried girls go around singing songs of ghudlia (earthern pots with numerous holes all around with a lamp lit aside) carrying the pots on their hands. The women do these while chanting hymns to the Goddess.
Festivities continue for 18 days culminating with the arrival of Lord Shiva to escort his bride home. A grand process Ion with the ideal of Gauri in beautifully decorated gold and silver a palanquin caparisoned elephants, camels, horses, dances, drummers & joyous children, goes through the city streets.
In Jaipur procession forms at the Palace Gate known as Tripolia and moves on the city streets on to Talkatora. A vast gathering of jaipurites & villagers from nearby areas witness the procession. A sweet dish called Ghewar characteristic of the Gangaur festival is distributed among friends & relatives.

Mewar Festival, Udaipur :
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The Marwar Festival is held every year in memory of the heroes of Rajasthan. The festival is held in the month of Ashwin (Sept-Oct) in Jodhpur, for two days during the full moon of Sharad Poornima.
Originally known as the Maand Festival, this festival features folk music centred on the romantic lifestyle of Rajasthan's rulers. This festival is devoted to the music and dance of the Marwar region and offers a good opportunity to see the folk dancers carrying pots on their heads and singers who assemble here and provide hours of lively entertainment. These folk artistes provide a glimpse of the days of yore, of battles and valiant heroes who still live on in their songs.
The Mewar Festival is celebrated to welcome the advent of spring. It coincides with the festival of Gangaur in Udaipur, and has a unique charm about it. The women folk gather to dress the images of Isar and Gangaur and then carry them in a ceremonial procession through different parts of the city.
Other attractions at the festival are the camel tattoo show and polo. The impressive Umaid Bhawan Palace, Mandore and Mehrangarh fort, which are symbols of might and valor, provide the ideal venue for the cultural extravaganza an integral part of the festival.

Nagaur Fair, Nagaur :
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Nagaur Town is one of the most picturesque of Rajput townships. Cordoned in by massive ramparts, royal apartments, palatial houses and temples, it has to be entered through towering gates.
There are lots of attractions that charm tourists from the world over in Rajasthan, Nagaur Cattle fair is one of them. This eight days fair held every year during the month of Feb. This is the second largest Cattle fair in Rajasthan.
This Fair is renowned for the trading of cows, bullocks, oxen, camels and horses, which takes place here. Their owners are seen wearing colourful turbans and flaunting long moustaches. Wooden items, iron craft and leather accessories are available in abundance during the fair.
Various games are organized during this festival. Tug-of-War, camel races, cock & bullfights provide entertainment to the tourists and locals after a hectic day of trading.

Shekhawati Fair :
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The Shekhawati Festival held on 10th and 11th February every year is organised jointly by the State Department of Tourism, District administrations of Sikar, Jhunjhunu and Churu. Shekhawati, already famous for its frescoes, is fast becoming a rural tourism destination too. Travelling on horse back, the tourists get a closer view of the countryside and the people.
And they return with an indelible imprint of not only the friendliness of the people but also of the agricultural revolution sweeping the villages -- the region now exports 80 per cent of its crops whereas only a few years ago it could meet only 10 per cent of its requirement through local production.
For a broad-based discovery of Shekhawati's culture, the festival is spread over a number of venues - Nawalgarh, Sikar, Jhunjhunu and Churu. The programmes include a one day tour of the region, camel and jeep safaris, farm visits, rural games, cultural programmes, haveli competitions and fireworks.
Nawalgarh is the central venue of the festival and can be reached comfortably by train and road from Jaipur (140 kms by Road). Nawalgarh also has some of the finest frescoes of Shekhawati. The Clock Tower is a famous landmark and the Roop Niwas Palace hotel occupies a place of pride in the town.

Summer Festival, Mount Abu :
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Hill Station of the Rajasthan in a festive mood with the Summer Festival, held every year in the month of June. The steep rocks, tranquil lakes, picturesque locations and the pleasant climate of Mount Abu make it an ideal location for the festival. The three-day festival is a feast of folk and classical music and a window to the tribal life and culture of Rajasthan.
The festival begins with the singing of a ballad which is followed by folk dances which enthral the spectators. Sporting events such as the boat race on the Nakki lake add variety to the festival.
The Sham-e-Qawwali is a much-awaited musical extravaganza, as renowned qawwals from all over the country can be heard regaling the audience. The grand finale of the festival is a display of dazzling fireworks which adds to the tourist's delight.

Teej Festival, jaipur :
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Teej is the festival of swings. It marks the advent of the monsoon month of Shravan (August). The monsoon rains fall on the parched land and the pleasing scent of the wet soil rises into the air. Swings are hung from trees and decorated with flowers.
Young girls and women dressed in green clothes sing songs in celebration of the advent of the monsoon. This festival is dedicated to the Goddess Parvati, commemorating her union with Lord Shiva. Goddess Parvati is worshipped by seekers of conjugal bliss and happiness.
An elaborate procession is taken out in Jaipur for two consecutive days on the festive occasion which is watched by people in large numbers. The teej idol is richly decorated with ornaments and gaudy dresses. The Teej idol is covered with a canopy whereas the Gangaur idol is open.

Urs Ajmer Sharif, Ajmer :
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The urs, acommomerative celebration is held in the solemn memory of Khwaja Muin-nddin Chisti, a prighly respected sufi saint fondly revered as the benefactor of the poor, popularly known as Gareeb Nawaz.
The Dargah Sharif in Ajmer, is the place where the Saints mortal remains lie buried and is the site of the largest Muslim Fair in India.
Chadar; Ghilaph & Neema which are votive offerings for the tomb are offered by several hundred thousand devotees. Mehfils & Qawwalis are held and mass prayer calls for the eternal peace of the mankind.
The lakeside city of Ajmer is located in central Rajasthan, and is held in great reverence by devotees of all communities who call it 'Ajmer Sharif' (Holy Ajmer). It is here that the mortal remains of the highly respected Sufi saint Khwaja Moin-ud-din Chishti lie buried.
The Khwaja came from Persia and established the Chishtia order of fakirs in India. He is popularly known as Gharib Nawaz (protector of the poor) because he dedicated his entire life to the service of mankind. His spartan life spanned almost a hundred years and he embraced death in solitude while he had withdrawn to his cell for six days, asking not to be disturbed.