Fairs and Festivals of Rajasthan

Needless to say, Rajasthan is the most colorful state in India. The fairs and festivals celebrated in this state make it all the more colorful and appealing. Jaipur is the capital city of this festive state that celebrates close to fifty big and small fairs and festivals. These events also attract several tourists to Rajasthan in order to explore the cultural and traditional fabric of the state.

Fairs are held for religious occasions, to bring in a new season and harvest. Rajasthan is also the land of sundry crafts and arts and these fairs offer artisans a way of displaying and selling their creativity. Rajasthan celebrates almost all the Hindu and Muslim festivals, as well as a number of festivals of its own. The dates of the festivals are of special significance and like much of India, are finalized in accordance with the lunar calendar.

Popular festivals in Rajasthan are Diwali, Holi, Gangaur, Teej, Mewar Festival, Camel Festival, Elephant Festival and Desert Festival, to name a few. Gangaur, the spring festival, is celebrated in March-April is among Rajasthan's most important local festivals. Dedicated to Gauri, a manifestation of goddess Parvati and the wife of Lord Shiva, it symbolizes marital bliss. It is celebrated for eighteen days in which married women pray for the well being of their husbands, while young girls pray for a groom of their choice.

The Mewar Festival is largely celebrated in Udaipur and welcomes spring, through songs, dances, processions, devotional music and fireworks. The vivid Elephant Festival belongs to Jaipur and begins with a pageant of elephants along with folk dancers. The god worshiped on the occasion is Lord Ganesha who is the elephant son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati.

The fairs are the real cultural highlight of Rajasthan and are celebrated with great pomp and show. The most loved fairs of this region include Pushkar Camel Fair, Nagaur Fair, and Urs Ajmer Sharif. The Pushkar Camel Fair is the largest camel and livestock fair in the world and is held in the month of October or November at the town Pushkar. The fair attracts an astronomical number of visitors. Nagaur is also a cattle trading fair, and is held in month of January. Urs Ajmer Sharif is a fair held in the memory of Khwaja Muin-nddin Chisti, a sufi saint who was a helper to the poor around him. It is the biggest Muslim fair in India and takes place every year during the first six days of the seventh month of the Islamic calendar. Ajmer is bathed in festivity and several events are organized to celebrate.

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