Rajasthan is well known for its warm hospitality, vivacious culture, royal legacy, and historical significance. Here are the top 7 festivals in Rajasthan that you absolutely must experience at least once in your lifetime, as described by the Rajasthani culture, custom, and renowned festivals of Rajasthan.
Rajasthan is a reflection of the state’s former grandeur, which can still be seen and heard in its sights and noises. The state immediately wins you over with its intriguing fusion of history, culture, and foods. When visiting Rajasthan, the magnificent forts, stunning palaces, and tales of valour will more than satisfy your curiosity.
There are numerous events that take place in the state, so if you don’t attend one, your trip to Rajasthan will be incomplete. The kaleidoscopic festivals, which celebrate heritage, culture, environment, and life with zeal and great energy, must be included on your travel itinerary.
If you want to explore Rajasthan for a vibrant festive experience, take a look at this list of the renowned festivals there.: –
1. Rajasthan International Folk Festival
At the Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur, the 4-day Rajasthan International Folk Festival (RIFF) is held every year. Numerous music fans come to the fort to enjoy soulful performances, and the location is stunning. During Sharad Purnima, when the moon is at its brightest in northern India, the event takes place.
This event, which has been going on for more than ten years, was created as a vehicle for restoring Rajasthani folk music. Additionally, it is a venue where intriguingly Rajasthani music is combined with global music. Consider the previous year. The festival was a huge event in and of itself. You will undoubtedly like this well-known Rajasthani festival if you appreciate music.
These Rajasthani festivals showcase India’s cultural way of life while honouring the musical legacy of Rajasthan. UNESCO has designated it as the People’s Platform for Creativity and Sustainable Development, and it is home to over 250 artists who present a combination of Indian and foreign musical styles.
Modern, international dance beats and headliners will astound you with their performances. The Rajasthan International Folk Festival has previously welcomed Sufi musicians from all over the world, Grammy winners, and Indian folk artists to play.
2. Mewar Festival, Udaipur
The Mewar Festival ushers in the start of spring. It is observed and honoured throughout Rajasthan with a great deal of enthusiasm and fraternity.
This celebration is centred in Udaipur because Mewar kings presided over the state from that city. So, if you want to enjoy this festival to the fullest, come here. The appearance of Udaipur changes during this time.
The fiesta’s colours appear to be covering the entire city. This is seen from the way businesses in Udaipur have decorated their outdoor spaces.
The fronts of commercial buildings are decorated with colourful art and bright lights.
Another celebration in Rajasthan with significance for women is the Mewar celebration. Women dress to the nines and look their best during this time. Isar, a manifestation of Lord Shiva, is dressed up in this scene, which is one of the highlights.
Gangaur (Parvati) is also attired. Then a large parade of these idols is made through the streets. The procession is headed for the Gangaur Ghat, which is situated at Pichola Lake.
You can plan your vacation to Udaipur around March or April and choose from these budget-friendly travel packages to experience this festival.
The idols are lowered into the lake while floating on boats. People then dance and enjoy themselves. There are several cultural events held along with fireworks.
Women take great care to look their best during this festival. They dress themselves in vibrant saris and wear costume jewellery. There is a festive atmosphere throughout Udaipur.
3. Braj Holi, Bharatpur
One of the most joyful, joyous, and lively festivals that people look forward to is Holi. Although a little bit in a different way, Brij Holi is also celebrated with great zeal in the Rajasthani city of Bharatpur. During Brij Holi, people worship Lord Krishna. As part of the Brij Holi celebrations, other cultural festivals are held, bringing the soul of Bharatpur to life. Brij Holi, a well-known name among Rajasthani festivities, is when people dress in vibrant clothing and sing songs while dousing each other in colour to celebrate Holi.
One of the most vibrant and distinctive holidays in Rajasthan is Braj Holi, which celebrates the festival of colours in a special way.
At the festival, revellers may be seen dancing in vibrant attire to the sweet Rajasthani folk music.
You must not overlook the “Raslila Dance” that is performed during these joyful moments. At the Banganga River ghats, people assemble to pray to the Lord before participating in the ritual of donning holy water. The only goal of the holy water plunge is to purify the soul.
4. Teej Festival, Jaipur
Between July and August, during the monsoon season, Teej is observed. Married women ask Lord Shiva and Parvati’s blessings on this day in order to have a happy marriage. In Rajasthan, the event comes before the monsoon. Given that many portions of Rajasthan are desert areas, it enjoys the rainfall.
The Teej Festival is also known as the Swing Festival. The swings, which are hung from trees, are ornately ornamented, particularly with flowers. The majority of the traditional clothing worn by women is green in colour. It is one of the best fairs and festivals in Rajasthan when married women sing, dance, and implore the blessings of the Almighty.
Also receiving gifts from their parents are these married women. Typically, they are accessories used by women to adorn oneself with henna, vermillion, bangles, and bindis. Sweets are also included in gifts, with Ghevar, a unique variety of Rajasthani sweet, being the most well-liked.
Lahariya, a multicoloured sari, is another item that these women eagerly welcome. Married women dress up on this festival day by donning saris and applying cosmetics. Festivals and procession are held in Parvati’s avatar, Goddess Teej.
A parade is staged from the Tripoli Gate to Chaugan Stadium during this auspicious festival. The procession of Goddess Teej is led by the fleet, which is adorned to the hilt, and is accompanied by folk music and songs.
5. Elephant Festival, Jaipur
The Elephant Festival, which occurs the day before Holi, gives elephants a colourful makeover. Elephants are decked with ribbons, eye-catching jewelry, and, on the females, clanging anklets. At this fascinating elephant carnival, observe them as they go through the streets, and get ready to fall in love as you marvel at their unique costumes.
Elephant races and elephant polo games at Chaughan Stadium are among the festival’s events. However, it’s also crucial to remember that animal welfare organisations have voiced their extreme displeasure of how elephants are treated at elephant festivals.
One of the most well-known fairs and festivals in Jaipur is the Elephant Festival, which takes place there every year in February and March.
As is clear, elephants are the focal point of the event and are well groomed, brightly painted, and adorned with jewellery.
They have huge anklets on their enormous feet. Their backs are covered with decorative rugs, and their torsos are adorned with patterns.
These enormous pachyderms have earrings in their ears. They have silver rings and bands arranged in a circle on their tusks. These elephants’ mahouts are also meticulously dressed.
With their brocade jackets and vibrantly textured turbans, they give off a royal and princely appearance. Given that there is a prize for the elephant and mahout with the best attire, none of this is for naught.
The Rajsthan festival offers the chance to observe lavishly decorated pachyderms.
The festival is run by Rajasthan Tourism, and it takes place in the Jaipur Polo fields. These majestic animals are decorated and paraded across the entire property.
In Indian civilization, elephants have always held a particular place. A renowned Indian god with an elephant head is called Lord Ganesha. Elephants have gained popularity in Rajasthani fairs mostly because of the appeal of Lord Ganesha.
Several competitions are held during the Elephant Festival, one of Rajasthan’s most joyful festivals.
The main draws are the elephant racing, polo, tug of war, and elephant decoration. The two most significant components of this celebration are colour and music.
6. Camel Festival, Pushkar
In Pushkar, a stunning town in Rajasthan, the Pushkar Camel Fair is held. It is a well-known fair that welcomes traders and pilgrims along with camels that have been elegantly adorned. Are you curious about what the fair has to offer? You may start by seeing how dealers select a camel to buy based on its appearance, age, color, and response to calls; it’s both informative and entertaining to observe.
Get in a hot air balloon to get an incredible aerial perspective of the fair and add a little excitement to your trip. Turban-tying competitions, moustache competitions, and a host of other weird but fascinating cultural events are on the fair’s schedule.
The fair features a lot of gorgeous, vivid colors, making it one of Rajasthan’s most colourful and well-known celebrations. This year’s event will be held in November.
Getting your preferred accommodation for your last-minute trip plans can be particularly challenging because a huge number of travellers from all over the world travel to Pushkar to enjoy the Camel Fair. To avoid compromising your comfort and finances, it is advised that you schedule your trip to such festivals in advance and book your flights and accommodations. Visit hotels.intermiles.com to choose and reserve your ideal hotel, villa, bed and breakfast, or even homestay at fantastic prices while also earning Intermiles on your purchase. Rajasthan, a state rich in history, also provides visitors with a wide range of stay options and you can select a property to suit your taste on our platform
Camel Festival, Bikaner
The Camel Festival is hosted in the historical city of Bikaner, which is also known as the nation’s camel capital. India’s largest camel breeding farm is located on this territory. Visitors from all around the world and the local community attend the festival.
Any mention of the celebration is associated with Bikaner because it is a distant location in Rajasthan. As a result, just this one festival has increased the number of visitors to this city. Camel riding has always been a part of life in Bikaner because it is located in the Thar Desert.
Therefore, showcasing the use of this animal is the festival’s main goal. In addition, Rajasthan’s festivals provide a platform for showcasing the region’s arts, crafts, history, and heritage. It is one of the amazing fairs and festivals of Rajasthan.
The festival lasts for two days in the month of January. There are numerous camel-related events scheduled at this time. Some of them include camel parades, races, tug-of-wars, dance contests, and camel-dressing contests.
The creatures are covered in embroidery on their clothing. Folk musicians and artisans perform during the festival, and attendees can purchase treats produced with camel milk. The Junagarh Fort is where camel procession starts.
Over the course of two days, a number of competitions are held, and awards are presented for each category. The Rajasthan tourism board generates income from this festival.
The camels demonstrate their footwork, dancing, and aerobic abilities in addition to participating in competitions like the camel race, best adorned camels, tug of war, and other entertaining sports. Fireworks fill up the sky in full splendour throughout the evening.
7. Desert Festival, Jaisalmer
The city of Jaisalmer is painted with the colours of celebration during the month of February. The Desert Festival is held around this period. This celebration features camel races, turban typing contests, and a variety of cultural extravaganzas.
The best moustachioed dude is chosen here! The Jaisalmer Desert Festival is extraordinary and fascinating in every way. You enjoy the festivities amidst the Thar Desert’s wide and scorched sands. You enjoy the local music, dance, and festivities while sitting on a sea of golden sand beneath a full moon.
This three-day event was initially created for visitors from other countries.
Rajasthan’s numerous features and cultural setting are crammed into this three-day itinerary. Folk singers and dancers from Rajasthan captivate the audience with their unadulterated art.
The top singers and dancers can be seen exhibiting their incredible talent on the dance floor. The competition for best moustache is the most well-liked activity. Everyone is free to select their preferred dude with a moustache. Later, individuals may be seen posing for photos next to these moustachioed men.
The fire dancers and fair are also the stars of the show. The trip to the Sam Sand Dunes marks the beginning of the last countdown to the gala activities.
Festival goers get to ride camels here. Folk musicians perform well into the night against the backdrop of sand dunes.
This event offers a more comprehensive look at Rajasthani life and culture. Gymnasts perform on camels while the Border Security Force participates in “camel tattoo,” yet “Camel Polo” is the main draw of this fair.
8. Jaipur Literature Festival
A popular festival in Rajasthan that many people look forward to is the Jaipur Literature Festivals. In fact, this festival has become so well-liked that many Rajasthan trip packages include it as a highlight. When January rolls around, the stunning grounds of the Diggi Palace Hotel are ready and bursting to host the event. In the course of this celebration, the city itself takes on a more vivid tint.
What do you stand to gain? Let’s see, there are a tonne of intriguing readings, discussions, lectures, author interactions, and workshops covering a variety of topics, including history, film, travel, and fiction. Evenings at the Jaipur Literature Festival are equally intriguing, with folk musicians and independent artists taking the stage.
The Jaipur Literature Festival, one of Rajasthan’s most stunning fairs and festivals, is frequently hailed as one of the world’s greatest literary spectacles. The Festival is essentially a gathering of some of the brightest minds in history, humanitarianism, sports, business, and entertainment who take the stage to present their views and viewpoints.
9. Gangaur Festival, Jaipur
In Rajasthan, the Gangaur Festival is enthusiastically observed. Combining the terms Gan, a synonym for Lord Shiva, and Gaur, a term for Goddess Parvati, creates the name Gangaur.
The purpose of this celebration is to honour the goddess Parvati. Marital love, courage, strength, and power are just a few of the numerous attributes that the Goddess is respected and worshipped for. Married women pray to the god for joy and a long marriage. They ask God to help their spouses build their riches and support the family.
Rajasthan’s Gangaur festivities are observed in March and April. This occurs in the month of Chaitra, which is the first month in the Hindu calendar.
Married women practise fasting and only eat once every day.
These women dress newly during the occasion, including jewellery. They apply henna on their palms and apply mehandi to their feet.
Women wear earthen pots on their heads during the festival’s seventh day to carry the presents that they have received from elders.
The ceremony lasts for almost ten days. The earthen pots are smashed on the last day. On this day, there is a parade that begins in Rajasthan at Zanani-Deodhi and ends in Talkatora.
On the seventh day of the festival, women build clay idols and smash earthen pots, throwing the fragments into the lake.
On this day, the idols are likewise submerged in water. During this festival, ghewar, a traditional Rajasthani dessert, is commonly consumed.
10. Kite Festival, Jaipur
Every year, on the occasion of Makar Sakranti (14th January), kite flyers from all across the nation come together for the International Kite Festival to engage in enthusiastic kite flying. People fly kites to commemorate the beginning of warmer winds and the end of the chilly winter season during this well-known Rajasthani festival, which is held in Jaipur. At this three-day celebration, everyone has a great time.
In total, kite enthusiasts participated in two events this year: “Display Flying” and “Fighter Kite.” In the former, participants displayed their vibrant and eye-catching kites, while in the latter, a tense competition amongst kite fliers to win the intense kite-flying combat.
In the end, the winners received their awards.The celebration is centred around kite flying, and during this time, the sky are covered in tens of thousands of vibrant kites.
The event is well-liked in Jodhpur and Jaipur. It is customary to fly kites equipped with lights to illuminate the night sky. They have the appearance of celestial birds that have landed on the planet. Rajasthani festivals are passionate about kite flying and enjoy it. This is the centre of it all.
People bathe in the Galtaji River on the festival day and pray to the Sun God while doing so. They ask for the Sun God’s blessings in order to live long and in good health.
Known as the “pink city” for its vibrant structures, Jaipur. With thousands of kites in the sky, the city’s natural beauty is enhanced.
The majority of businesses are closed during this time, and kite flying is popular. There are numerous kite flying tournaments organised as well, and many Kite Club members participate in the fun. During this period, some traditional sweets are produced. For instance, one such treat prepared from sesame seeds is Til Ke Laddu.
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