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Rajasthan
Fairs & Festivals - Elephant Festival
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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, electrify 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. |
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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 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.
Rajasthan Tourism revitalized the ritual by including the Elephant
Festival in the cultural calendar. The present-day pageant, originated
only a decade ago, was worked out especially with the tourist in mind.
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, 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 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.
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Other Fairs & Festivals:
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Nagaur Fair, Nagaur (Jan-Feb.) |
Kite Festival (held on 14th Jan of
every year) |
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Desert Festival, Jaisalmer (Jan-Feb.) |
Baneshwar Fair, Baneshwar (Jan-Feb.) |
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Gangaur Festival, Jaipur
(March-April) |
Mewar Festival, Udaipur (March-April) |
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Elephant Festival, Jaipur
(March-April) |
Urs Ajmer Sharif, Ajmer (According
to Lunar Calendar) |
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Summer Festival, Mt.Abu (June) |
Teej Festival, Jaipur (July-August) |
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Kajli Teej, Bundi
(July-August)
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Dussehra Festival, Kota (October) |
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Marwar Festival, Jodhpur (October) |
Pushkar Fair, Ajmer (November) |
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Camel Festival, Bikaner (January) |
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