Fairs and Festivals of Rajasthan
The largest fair in India, The Pushkar Camel Fair of Rajasthan a unique fair with no other equals. The venue of the fair is Pushkar in Rajasthan. Hoards of people from all of the rural India swarm the fair with their camels and cattle. The Pushkar Camel Fair goes on for a number of days with activities ranging from live stock trading to horse dealing to pilgrimage and religious festival. As far as the religious aspect of the fair is concerned, devotees bathe in the Sarovar Lake. It is believed that taking a dip in the sacred water of the lake will lead to salvation.
Attracting tourists to the fair are devotees, musicians, acrobats, folk dancers, traders, comedians, sadhus, etc dressed in bright colors. The highpoint of the fair is the trading of camel and cattle trading, especially during the first half of fair. In the second half, trading takes a back seat and the front stage is given to religious activities.
The fair sees a complete alteration of the small town of Pushkar into a magnificent fair ground. Exhibited on rows upon rows of temporary stalls, is an array of objects ranging from arts and crafts to the items of daily consumption. You can even find accessories for everyone ranging from women to cattle, camel and other animals. Apart from the shopping purpose, other attractions are the camel and horse races. There is even a Camel judging competitions held at the fair.
Marwar Festival
Marwar Festival is held every year in memory of the heroes of Rajasthan. The festival is held in the month of Ashwin (September-October) 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 and singers who assemble here and provide hours of lively entertainment. These folk artists provide a glimpse of the days of yore, of battles and valiant heroes who still live on in their songs.
