The essence of Rajasthan is imperial, festive and truly intoxicating. It is reflecting in its gleaming lakes & desert, lively markets and striking forts and palaces of Rajasthan. Travel to Rajasthan has numbers of reasons; festivals of Rajasthan are one of them. All these festivals are celebrated with great pomp, joy and grandeur. Indian festivals have some reasons and great stories behind. Till date these festivals are following same tradition, yet few of them have been modernized.
Round the year, the state performs some amazing and popular festivals in different months on different themes. Here are some popular festivals of Rajasthan, which you may consider while choosing your travel dates for a journey to majestic Rajasthan. You must attend these festivals at least once, to witness the culture and vibrant history of the state in true Rajasthani style.
Pushkar Camel Fair
This is one of the most traditional festivals of Rajasthan. Thousands of camels are being gathered for trading in holy city of Pushkar. It is one of the biggest camel fairs of the world. Annually the fair is organized on the banks of Pushkar Lake for five to fifteen days. Trading of livestock is the main activity of Pushkar Camel fair. Watching how traders negotiate to buy a camel is interesting. During the fair some interesting competitions will entrain you. Longest moustache, matka phod, turban tying and balancing on camel games are bit of the fair. Sparkling colours are a common sight at the fair, making it one of the most colourful and major tourist attractions of Rajasthan. One can plan a trip to Rajasthan during this time to enjoy and experience it with locals.
Location: Pushkar
Month of Celebration: October/November
Prime Attractions: Contests of well-decorated camels, Matka Phod, Longest moustache, aerobics, hot-air balloon ride.
Kumbhalgarh Festival
The Kumbhalgarh festival is a celebrated to honour Maharana Kumbha, Kumbhalgarh’s creator. He greatly contributed for Indian martial and fine art, architecture and culture. It is a 3 days celebration with different themes every day. The Kumbhalgarh Fort is decorated lavishly with chandeliers and royal artworks. Traditional artists are invited from every corner of India to present their art and craftsmanship. To keep the spark going on day and night, different performances and competitions are held to bring out the enthusiasm of the tourists
Location: Kumbhalgarh Fort
Month of Celebration: December
Prime Attractions: Mehendi and turban tying contests
Camel Fair Binkaer
Camel Festival Bikaner is an amazing festival celebrated in rural Rajasthan, in the honour of the ship of the desert. Two days event is highly popular festival of Rajasthan celebrated each year. Similar to other celebrations of Rajasthan, this festival begins with great pomp and show. Parade by beautifully adorned camels, Rajasthani folk dances and music are the part of the celebration here. Enchanting Fire Dance adds glamour to the festivities, don’t miss it. . It also comprises camel games, camel race and puppet shows.
Location: Karni Singh Stadium, Bikaner
Month of Celebration: January
Prime Attractions: Camel activities, fire dance and folk dance performances.
Nagaur Festival
The second largest cattle fair in the country, is organized annually by the Department of Animal Husbandry. It attracts more than two lakh animal owners to become the part of this large trade show. Virtually 70,000 bullocks, camels, and horses are traded. The cattle are excessively decorated; their owners dress up with colourful turbans and long moustaches. Together with animals, spices are also traded. Jugglers, puppeteers, and storytellers also participate to display their skills. The entire event occurs for a week-long with animal races, cockfights during the day and music and dance in the night to entertain the tourists. It is a great time to witness the unsophisticated beauty of Rajasthan.
Location: Nagaur
Month of Celebration: February
Prime Attractions: Iron crafts, wooden items, mirchi (red chilli) bazaar and leather accessories
Desert Festival
Jaisalmer Desert festival is a complete bonanza that celebrates the charms of the desert. Its popularity among locals makes it one of the major festivals of Rajasthan. It is an ethnic fiesta celebrated amid the sand dunes of Thar Desert. The festival pursue for 3 days, is a showcase of desert rituals and life. Camel races, the longest moustache, Mr Desert, turban tying, yummy food stalls, beautiful handicrafts and other souvenirs that all will capture your heart. The Rajasthan folk dance in this carnival takes you in a world of its own.
Location: Jaisalmer
Month of Celebration:
Prime Attractions: Tug of War, Turban tying, Gair and fire dance, Gigs and other competitions.
Elephant Fair
Elephants are given a lively makeover in the Elephant festival held at Jaipur every year. It is one of the most popular traditional festivals of Rajasthan, happens a day before of Holi festival. Ribbons and heavy jewellery are used to adorn the elephants, while female elephants wear anklets.
Tug of war, elephant decoration, elephant polo match and elephant races are some of the major activities of Elephant festival.
Location: Jaipur
Month of Celebration: March
Prime Attractions: Tug of War among elephants, Polo match.
Winter & Summer Festivals
Celebrated to reveal the warmth and culture of the people of Mount Abu. It is the only hill station in Rajasthan which celebrates winter festival and summer festival. Both these festivals last for three days, held in May and December respectively. They are marked by march all over town, followed by some interesting competitions, folk dance, music and gleaming fireworks to acknowledge the spirit of the town. A unique blend of divine welcome and tropical location mesmerize a large number of tourists. Both are counted among the famous festivals of Rajasthan. Together with cultural gig, the festival also includes various forms of art by artisans, handicrafts, food, horse racing, tug of war, skating races and races in Nakki Lake by boats.
Location: Nakki Lake and Polo ground, Mount Abu
Month of Celebration: May and December
Prime Attractions: Rowing competitions, Deep Daan, Sham-e-Qawwali and Ghoomar
Teej Festival
Teej is celebrated with complete grandeur across the state between the months of July to August. Married women celebrate this day to seek the blessings of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati for a prosperous married life . The advent of monsoon season is another reason to celebrate the festival across the city. The entire festival is celebrated in an imposing manner. Women bear on Mehendi and receive gifts from each other in the families. Traditional songs & dance, people deck up in festive attire, worship of Goddess Teej, decoration of whole markets of the city is a part of this event. This is undoubtedly, one of the most popular festivals of Rajasthan.
Location: Jaipur
Month of Celebration: July to August
Prime Attractions: Teej special sweets – Ghewar and Malpua, Traditional dresses (womenfolk), mehendi, bangles
Mewar Festival
Mewar Festival is a famous festive of Udaipur celebrated with grandeur and splendour. It is organized to celebrate the onset of spring. Folk music, dance and all festivities are performed during this event. It is a major festival of Rajasthan and people from all over the globe reach Udaipur to experience the glory of the town during this time. People who are fascinated in Rajputana traditions are hailed to attend the festival. It is attended by locals and tourists as well. Owing to one of the famous festivals of Rajasthan, it is celebrated with full enthusiasm. Women dress up the idols of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati and then carry them in a procession. People take part in cultural dance and songs, revealing the vibrant culture of Rajasthan. Plan your Rajasthan tour during this festival and collect the memories with you for lifetime.
Location: Udaipur
Month of Celebration: March
Prime Attractions: stunning firework display, musical show, extravagant food stalls by professional cooks
Bundi Utsav
Bundi Utsav is one of the major festivals of Rajasthan and prime attraction of the town. It is a small off beaten track for tourists. The town of Bundi is dotted with surprising palaces and forts. As the entire carnival is a celebration of the town, it includes many religious and traditional activities. Arts and crafts, shobha yatra, folk dances and music, traditional Rajasthani sports, turban completion and some more are part of this festival. The fireworks display symbolizes the end of the festival and is completely awesome. People decorate the temples and houses with lots of lamps. It is similar to festival of lights as preformed in South India. Numerous foreign tourist visit Bundi during this time to witness the celebration in a magisterial way.
Location: Bundi
Month of Celebration: November – December
Prime Attractions: Deepdaan, mustache competition, turban tying, bridal make-up, horse riding.
Braj Holi
A unique, classic and one of the most vibrant festivals of Rajasthan. It is celebrated few days before Holi in the Brij region. Travellers celebrated this event in a remarkable manner and display elegance with fondness of Lord Krishna. Watching the famed ‘Rasleela Dance’ is simply amazing. The essence of the city comes alive through this festival. People dressed in their brightest outfit and singing beautiful songs. Lord Krishna is praised and entire love story of Krishna and Radha is displayed in dance form. The entire province is soaked in the colours of Holi. Tourists from across the globe come to Bharatpur to enjoy the out of the world festivities.
Location: Bharatpur
Month of Celebration: March
Prime Attractions: Fireworks and folk dances & music
Urs Fair
Urs Fair is the biggest Muslim fair in the country, held at Ajmer Sharif Dargah. This fair is celebrated in memory of Khwaja Muin-ud-Din Chishti. This Sufi saint is warmly remembered as a messiah of the poor. A huge number of pilgrims travel to Ajmer to seek his blessings. On this death anniversary devotees offer Chadar and Neema. Kheer is cooked and shared with all as blessed food.
Location: Ajmer
Month of Celebration: Seventh month of the Islamic lunar calendar
Prime Attractions: Devotees offer Chadar and flowers, popular Qawalies are performed
Plan your Rajasthan tour to this majestic destination at times that coexist with some of these festivals of Rajasthan. Even if you get to attend just one of these festivals, you are bound to come back next time since the activities to do in Rajasthan and traversing its vastness isn’t something that you can complete in a single visit.
