|
Rajasthan
Fairs & Festivals - Camel Festival
|
The Camel Festival is an event
organized in Bikaner by the Department of Tourism, Art and
Culture, Government of Rajasthan, every year in the month of
January. Desert region's Folk dances and Music, add on to what
is otherwise an exclusive camel affair. A festival when the
ships of the desert are seen at their best. Camels fascinate
tourists from all over the world with their movements, charm and
grace. A spectacle of unusual camel performances: camel races,
camel dances, and the bumpy, neck shaking camel rides.
The festival starts with the procession of beautifully decorated
camels. The procession heads towards the open sand grounds.
Here, the festivities begin in earnest. The Camel Pageant is
held on the first day wherein the camel owners show off their
Camels' decorations and jewellery. |
 |
|
|
Camel dance performances are also held. A competition for best decorated
camel, fur cutting design, camel milking and the best camel hair cut is
organized The camels display amazing footwork, dancing gracefully to the
slightest direction of their drivers. colorful bridles, bejeweled necks,
jingling anklets and long, lanky camel shadows on dusky sands, cast a
magical spell.
In this festival tea and sweets prepared by camel milk are made
available to the visitors interested in enjoying them.
On the second day, the fleetest camels of the region take part in the
camel races. The competition is fierce as the best camels vie for the
honors. Thousands of excited tourists and locals cheer the favorites.
On both days, the evening ends with a rendezvous with the renowned folk
artists of Rajasthan. The jubilant, skirt swirling dances, the awe
inspiring fire dances and many other equally interesting performances
entertain the visitors. The grand finale is a magnificent display of
fireworks which illuminates the desert city of Bikaner.
Situated in the heart of the desert belt, Bikaner was always an
inaccessible land. Before the advent of modern motor vehicles, the
survival of the people of this region depended on the 'Ship of the
desert' - the Camel. The camels of this region were famous for their
endurance as well as their strength and beauty.
In fact, the Bikaner army had an elite camel corps called the Ganga
Risala which took active part in both the World Wars. The Ganga Risala
was a Camel unit in the army even after the independence and it took
part in Indo-Pak wars. Bikaner also boasts of the only Camel breeding
center in India.
Camel can still be seen pulling heavy loads on carts in this region.
With such a long association with Camels, it is but natural that the
Department of Tourism, Art and Culture chose to hold the Camel festival
in Bikaner.
|
|
|
Other Fairs & Festivals:
|
|
Nagaur Fair, Nagaur (Jan-Feb.) |
Kite Festival (held on 14th Jan of
every year) |
|
Desert Festival, Jaisalmer (Jan-Feb.) |
Baneshwar Fair, Baneshwar (Jan-Feb.) |
|
Gangaur Festival, Jaipur
(March-April) |
Mewar Festival, Udaipur (March-April) |
|
Elephant Festival, Jaipur
(March-April) |
Urs Ajmer Sharif, Ajmer (According
to Lunar Calendar) |
|
Summer Festival, Mt.Abu (June) |
Teej Festival, Jaipur (July-August) |
|
Kajli Teej, Bundi
(July-August)
|
Dussehra Festival, Kota (October) |
|
Marwar Festival, Jodhpur (October) |
Pushkar Fair, Ajmer (November) |
|
Camel Festival, Bikaner (January) |
|
|
|