CAMEL FESTIVAL - BIKANER (8/9 JANUARY 2012)
The Camel Festival is a festival that is held annually in the city of Bikaner in honour of the helpers of men in this region: the 'camels' (actually dromedaries). The ship of the desert is inextricably linked to their own lifestyle here. They pull heavy carts, transporting bales of grain or assist in bringing water. The festival opens with a parade of beautifully decorated camels. There is a camel beauty pageant with prizes going to those decorated the best. Obviously there are camel races, there's a camel milking competition and want to see a camel dance? The camels have fantastic footwork, dancing gracefully and respond to the slightest indication from their rider. During the festival, tea is served and sweets are made from camel milk. Naturally, this festival attracts many Indians, dressed in their finest outfits.
DESERT FESTIVAL - JAISALMER (5-7 FEBRUARY 2012)
Jaisalmer rises like a golden mirage from the heart of the Thar Desert. An impressive fort with all its splendour, carved out of yellow sandstone, dominating the amber city. The bhati Rajputs of Jaisalmer were feudal rulers and lived off the taxes levied on the caravans. The caravans were loaded with precious silks and spices and brought the city great wealth. For years Jaisalmer remained untouched by outside influences. Then the trade started to focus more on shipping around the port of Mumbai (formerly Bombay), this meant the decline of Jaisalmer. But the desert fortress still has the momentum inherent in the tales of "Thousand and One Nights'.
The best time to visit the city is during the Desert Festival, normally held in January/February, when the city teems with the sounds of melodious tunes and pounding rhythms. There is a parade of camels, a very colourful parade with dancers, music and lots of people in their most colourful saris and turbans on their feet for all to view. A beauty contest attracts the most attention from local men. Traditional dances, exciting competitions (especially a game of tying turbans), tug of war, a cricket match and racing camels are among the festivities.
ELEPHANT FESTIVAL - JAIPUR (7 MARCH 2012)
The Elephant Festival is one of the most popular festivals of Jaipur and is celebrated around the colourful period of Holi Phagua. The Elephant Festival begins with a lively parade where not only elephants, but also horses and camels are beautifully decorated with colourful clothes, floral designs in paint and glitter. There are several races and contests such as the election of the most beautifully decorated elephant from head to toe. The animals steal the show during a polo match and are accompanied by music and dance. People from different parts of India come to Jaipur to join the population in enjoying the feast, obviously in their best outfit! For entertaining guests, there are often dance and music programs.
HOLI PHAGUA - ALL INDIA (8 MARCH 2012)
The Holi feast Phagua or Holi is a colourful Hindu festival which is celebrated annually throughout India (and Nepal). In fact it is a combination of a spring festival, redemption and a New Year celebration party. The Holi feast signals the beginning of a new season, spring, and therefore one also speaks of Spring Festival or Harvest Festival. It is also considered a victory feast: the victory of good over evil.
The story behind the festival is as follows: The demon king Hiranyakashap always considered himself the sole ruler of the universe. He had ordered that he alone was to be worshiped. His sister, the witch Holika, was opposed to it, and threw herself in protest at the stake for the emancipation of the people of India.
On the eve of the Holi feast the Hindus burn wood or bamboo sticks which symbolizes evil. Rice is thrown into the fire, which is considered a symbolic expulsion of evil. The ceremony includes prayer, music and singing.
After the burning party they return home until they return the next day. They smear each other with ash. That afternoon they sprinkle each other with perfume and sweet substances. Also used is red and green dye as a sign of friendship, hope and love. They wish each other happiness and prosperity. All Hindus, without distinction of ranks, castes and classes, celebrate jointly Holi feast and it is a special treat to go and visit with a family.
During the holidays there is an atmosphere of freedom and happiness. Make sure you bring some old clothes, because most likely they will not spare you this holiday season and you will also end up buried under coloured powders!
TEEJ FESTIVAL - JAIPUR (22/23 JULY 2012)
Rajasthan is India's most colourful and exotic state. The fairy-tale palaces, the massive forts and ornate clothing of the population are a feast for the eyes. Rajasthan evokes the image of classical India. The land where time stands still, the country where Hinduism still survives strongly in its traditional form.
During the Teej Festival married women pray for a happy and long marriage to Parvati and Shiva. The festival is celebrated all over Rajasthan but is the most colourful in Jaipur. Joohlas (swings) are hung in trees with leaves and flowers. In Jaipur, a statue of the goddess Parvati is shown in a kilometer-long procession accompanied by decorated elephants, horses, camels, floats and more. There is music and dancing. A truely unique festival to attend.
DIWALI - ALL INDIA (13 NOVEMBER 2012)
Diwali, also called Deepavali, or Diwali Deevali is one of the most important festivals in Hinduism and originated in India. The word is derived from the Sanskrit 'Dipavali', meaning 'row of lights''. The festival is spread all over India and their are many different stories attached to Diwali. For example some Indians celebrate the return of Rama in Ayodhya, crowned as king after the demon Ravana is slain by him. Others worship and honour the Hindu goddess Lakshmi (of light, beauty, wealth and prosperity). Everyone celebrates with much spirituality and Diwali symbolises renewal of life.
Diwali is also symbolically referred to as "the triumph of good over evil, the victory of light over darkness, victory of the bliss of ignorance." During the indoor party and in the yards outside are small lights (diya's) lit. These lamps are made of clay, the lights fuelled by clarified butter or ghee. This set is called the Slide or Diya. The richer you are, the more Diya's one has. They are laid in rows on the window or on balcony railings and if one has a flat roof, along the entire length of the roof edge. The less fortunate will not forget this day of the goddess. In the hope of bringing happiness, they put the welcome lights on their doorstep, even if they possess only a few Diya's.
The celebration of the feast is associated with the consumption of sweet food. However, in India one also marks it with fireworks. Diwali is a joyous celebration and is often celebrated as a family.
PUSHKAR FAIR - PUSHKAR (20-28 NOVEMBER 2012)
Each year in the holy Hindu month of Kartika the sleepy Indian town of Pushkar puts on a spectacle that is unequaled. From all corners of the state of Rajasthan traders journey with their herds of camels to the otherwise quiet town on the lake, to arrive there in time for Kartik Purnima (full moon), the official starting date of the Pushkar Fair.
Although trade is the main reason for meeting, the market carries the character of a great party. In the market all kinds of animals are for sale: donkeys, goats, horses, bulls, but most of camels - the tractors of rural India. This is the largest camel market in India, tens of thousands of camels change over ownership. But apart from livestock dealers, this annual event also attracts thousands of desert and village peoples. The camel market is a motley collection of people and animals, smells and colours in short, an event that you should not miss if you're in India at the time.
A quarter of a million people enjoy this spectacular event, which is framed by music, dancing and performances by artists such as gargoyles and tightrope walkers. The festival also attracts tourists, both Indians (farmers, laborers, hawkers, beggars and buskers) and foreigners who travel to the dusty town on the edge of the Thar desert mainly to witness the highlight of these few days of the Pushkar Fair: the camels race through the sand dunes. Souvenirs are richly stocked: camel saddles, beautiful fabrics and various crafts. The Pushkar Fair is also a paradise for photographers, the local women wear their most beautiful saris and are adorned with sparkling jewels. The males have brightly coloured turbans over their huge mustaches and wear shoes with curled ends under their white dhotis.
Pushkar for the Hindus holds a religious significance. It is one of the few places in India where the god Brahma is worshiped in its own temple. Thousands of pilgrims each year visit the sacred lake near the city to immerse themselves. This is considered an act of purification. The lunar calendar determines when the annual fair is held.