Rajasthan fair festivals introduce the beautiful state of Rajasthan with bright colours. In Rajasthan numerous fairs and festivals are held. All of the fairs and festivals feature state legacy display, colorful artifacts, lip-smacking delicacies, traditional Rajasthani attires, folk songs , folk dance, and various interesting contests Rajasthan fair festivals.
These occasions serve as an exceptional platform to showcase the traditional artefacts and crafts of the state where shopaholics and art lovers can get a lot of fun together. With every religious holiday, every change of season and every harvest, there is a festival, all always a reflection of the genius of their arts and crafts and their ascetic perfection Rajasthan fair festivals. Tourists get an opportunity to witness different colours of the state through its festivities. This makes the tourists throng Rajasthan during the time of festivals.
Tourists get an opportunity to witness different colours of the state through its festivals. This makes the tourists throng Rajasthan during the time of festivities. In Rajasthan numerous fairs and festivals are held. All of the Rajasthan fair festivals feature state legacy display, colorful artifacts, lip-smacking delicacies, traditional Rajasthani attires, folk songs , folk dance, and various interesting contests.
Among the most popular festivals in the Pushkar Camel Fair organized in Pushkar in November. It is an important religious festival and the venue for a big cattle fair. The Desert Festival is held January-February in Jaisalmer. A very famous festival, here performers such as musicians, ballad singers, snake charmers and puppeteers demonstrate their skills. Then there are camel dances, camel acrobatics, camel races, camel polo, muscular tug-of-war, a turban tying contest and many other contests. It finishes off with a spectacular show of sound and light.
In March-April, the Elephant Festival takes place in Jaipur. During Holi, this festival involves elephant sports. The elephants are adorned with eye-catching caparisons and howdas and not to miss is a sight. The March-April Gangaur Festival is dedicated to Goddess Parvati. Young girls dressed up in their best robes for their choice of grooms while married women pray for their husbands’ health. The festival is held over an 18 day period.
The Marwar Festival which took place in Jodhpur in October celebrates the Marwar region’s music and dance. It was originally known as the Maand Festival which was a classical folk music style that revolved around Rajasthan’s royalty ‘s romantic lifestyle.
Other festivals include Bikaner’s Camel Festival in January, the Teej Festival in Jaipur in July-August, the Nagaur Festival in Nagaur in Jan-Feb, the Baneshwar Festival in Baneshwar in Jan-Feb, the Mewar Festival in Udaipur in March-April, the Urs Ajmer Sharif in Ajmer and many more.
Most Popular Rajasthan fair festivals
Desert Festival
Where : Jaisalmer
Duration of Festival : 3 days (Comes to end on full moon day)
Special attractions : Cultural shows
Vibrant Jaisalmer desert festival is a great opportunity to experience the sandstones and magical castles. The festival has a duration of 3 days-one can experience fancy camel ride, participate in camel races, polo matches, turban tying competitions and other things. The best part about the festival is on the last day of the event, the folk dance performance. The Jaisalmer desert festival’s main attractions include snake charmers, puppets, acrobats, folk musicians, fire dancers and other things that will catch your heart.
Bikaner Camel Festival
Where : Bikaner
Duration of Festival : 2 days
Special attractions : Spectacular and unusual camel performances.
Join this festival and witness some of the best camel performances. The Bikaner camel festival showcases people’s creative side, performing various activities such as camel decoration, camel hair cutting, camel milking, and camel dancing. Beside this, there is an enlightening celebration organized by the end of the day. Every year the Department of Tourism, Art and Culture, of Bikaner, Rajasthan government, organizes this festival. Euphoric performances are keeping visitors entertained. There is a magnificent firework on the final day of the feast that lights up the entire city of Bikaner.
Nagaur Fair
Where : Nagaur (137 km from Jodhpur towards Bikaner)
Duration of Festival : 4 days
Special attractions : Cattle Fair, Methi & Mirch (chillies)
Nagaur Fair is India’s second-largest feast for cattle. This carnival provides the largest trade site for goats , sheep, bullocks, oxen, donkey, and horses. People are seen wearing bright moustaches and long skirts. Every year, visited by many visitors, the Nagaur Fair captures Rajasthan ‘s essence and will blend you with its beautiful culture. Folk and ethnic rivalry is going to happen side by side. Various games are organized for tourist entertainment, such as tug-of – war, camel races, cock fights etc.
Pushkar Fair
Where : Pushkar
Duration of Festival : 13 days
Special attractions : A Camel Safari, Hot Air Ballooning
Pushkar Mela is celebrated annually in the month of Kartik. Drawing in 50,000 camels and 200,000 people, this fair is considered as the largest platform to buy and sell camels, cattle and horses – most of the trading, however, is completed in the days leading up to the fair. This carnival gathers camel traders and partners from every corner of the world. One can experience odd performances such as camel walking, bump riding, shaking of the neck and many other things. On the 1st day a huge camel procession is organized, followed by different competitions and trading activities. Camels are decorated by the owners with paints, jewelry, cloths etc. Live dance and music performances are organized towards the end of the day to celebrate Rajasthan ‘s culture. Fireworks are organized one last day to lighten the entire city and illuminate Pushkar’s deserts.
Mewar Festival
Where : Udaipur
Duration of Festival : 3 days
Special attractions : Cultural performances on folk music!
This is the season! This is the time when the festival takes place in Mewar. Women are bringing statues of Isar and Gangaur towards Lake Pichola during this festival. The entire city of Udaipur is beautifully decorated in colorful streamers and one can sense that there is round the corner a grand celebration. The Mewar festival is one of Udaipur’s most important celebrations and Rajasthan’s rich culture is at its best all-time. This is an event not to be missed if you travel to Udaipur!
Mount Abu : Winter Festival
Where : Mount Abu
Duration of Festival : 3 days
Special attractions : Cultural festival
A cultural festival is organized in Mount Abu over the last weekend of December. Warm hospitality, folk dance performances, colorful culture and ceremonial processions make this festival an unforgettable experience. Huge fireworks illuminate the Pushkar deserts on the last day.
Rajasthan has displayed its religious side in every way from the worship of camels, elephants, to sculptures. This time, plan your vacation in this ‘land of celebration’ and mix with the colorful ethnic traditions fiesta. The Rajasthan Fairs and Festivals welcome visitors from all over the globe to India.
Mahashivratri
Where : All over Rajasthan
Duration of Festival : 1 day
Special attractions : Shiv temple decoration in colourful manner
Mahashivratri is regarded as the most auspicious festival, and is celebrated throughout India. Lots of mythological beliefs are associated with this festival. Honey, flowers and lovely leaves are promoted to Lord Shiva. On this day, most women keep a watchful eye fast. Celebrations are conducted during the night, and people continue to sing devotional songs; devotees even take a dip in the ‘Ganga’ holy river.
Holi
Where : All over Rajasthan
Duration of Festival : 2 days
Special attractions : festival of colours
Rajasthan ‘s vibrant state celebrates Holi just the same way Mathura does. Crowds of people come together before the full moon night and light huge bonfires to burn the residual dried leaves of the winter. People throw colored water and powders (gulal and kumkum) on each other on the second day and make merry. Singing, dancing, and traditional dhol beats add to the occasional gaiety.
Gangaur Festival
Where : All over Rajasthan
Duration of Festival : 18 days
Special attractions : Reverence of Lord Shiv and Goddess Parvati
Shortly after Holi the Rajasthan people are celebrating the Gangaur festival. It starts right after Holi on the day, and lasts 18 days. The festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm and devotion by the women people towards Gauri, Lord Shiva’s consort. Though Gauri is worshiped by married women, unmarried women worship Goddess to get blessed with good husbands. All the female leaders meet to dress up Isar and Gangaur ‘s portrait and then bring it through various parts of the city in a ceremonial procession. This is the time of year when all the women are putting forward their best foot and looking like a diva.
Mount Abu: Summer Festival
Where : Mount Abu
Duration of Festival : 3 days
Special attractions : Live shows, CRPF road show, processions
To celebrate the exuberance and spirit of this small hill station, every year Mount Abu organizes a 3 days cultural festival on Buddh Purnima. This carnival starts with a procession, live dance programme on the first day, followed by sports activities like skating race, horse race, boat race and various other on the 2nd and the 3rd day. The festival ends with an electrifying fire work and a CRPF band road show.
Urs Fair
Where : Ajmer
Duration of Festival : 6 days
Special attractions : Night-long dhikr/zikr qawwali singing
Thousands of pilgrims, Sufis and tourists head to Ajmer in northern Rajasthan during this festival to celebrate Urs festival, commemorating Moinuddin Chisti’s death anniversary. Music in the form of quawwalis is performed constantly both inside the dargah compound and outside its gates. The whole town is adorned with lights and frills.
Guru Purnima
Where : All over Rajasthan
Duration of Festival : 1 day
Special attractions : Thanksgiving ceremony
This is the day you can thank everybody who has taught you spiritual life lessons. It’s celebrated in the Hindu month of Ashad on the day of the full moon.
Teej
Where : All over Rajasthan (particularly in Jaipur)
Duration of Festival : 1 day
Special attractions : Uplifting occasion filled with singing, swinging, and dancing
Women in Rajasthan fast for marital bliss on Teej day to improve the marital status of their lives. Teej plays a very important role in women’s life as they celebrate this festival in Parvati’s honor, also known as ‘Teej Mata.’ Other than that, it’s a really fun festival where all the ladies enjoy dancing, singing, applying heena and all the jewelry. Specially for this day a special sweet named “ghewar” is prepared and also served as Prasad. Teej is giving renewal of family bonds.
Raksha Bandhan
Where : All over Rajasthan
Duration of Festival : 1 day
Rakhi reflects the sweet relationship of a brother and a sister. All the girls tie a thread on the wrist of their brother and all the brothers give their sisters a pledge that they will always protect them. This is a special day for celebrating the siblings’ emotional bonding. The rite is performed on the day of the Hindu month Shravan’s full moon
Marwar Festival
Where : All over Rajasthan
Duration of Festival : 2 days
Special attractions : folk music, live dancing
During Sharad Purnima’s full moon this lively festival is celebrated for two days. The carnival highlights Marwar region’s traditional dance and music bringing Rajasthan ‘s heroes to life. On this day several other competitions are organized including the regal horse and polo games.
Navratri
Where : All over Rajasthan
Duration of Festival : 9 days
Considered the most auspicious nine days of the Hindu calendar, Navratri is celebrated all over Rajasthan with great fervour, verve. During the daytime, worship and fasting take place while the nights are reserved for dancing and feasting.
Dussehra
Where : All over Rajasthan
Duration of Festival : 1 day
Special attractions : Carnival, rides
Dusshera is celebrated in Rajasthan to celebrate the triumph of good over evil. This day also symbolizes Goddess Durga ‘s triumph over Mahishasura, the buffalo demon. Lord Rama ‘s huge and colorful processions are coordinated everywhere. To celebrate Lord Rama’s victory, Ravana’s paper statues are set on fire along with Meghnath and Kumbhkaran; this is followed by a huge carnival in which people can enjoy sweets, food, rides, dance and musical performances.
Diwali
Where : All over Rajasthan
Duration of Festival : 5 days
Special attractions : Festival of lights, firework
Considered to be Lights Festival, Diwali is celebrated as Lord Rama’s homecoming. With great enthusiasm is celebrating this 5 day long carnival. Houses and shops are given a thorough spring clean before being lovingly decorated with fairy lights, patterned lanterns and colourful rangolis / kolams. The evening, Puja is organized to seek Devi Lakshmi ‘s blessings. After the religious ceremony, people share sweets with family and neighbours, followed by splendid fireworks. People exchange gifts and enjoy them as much possible. These 5 days are considered very auspicious as people buy utensils and cloths during this period, some even start new business.