This festival is dedicated to Gauri, a manifestation of Goddess Parvati; consort of Lord Shiva, which commences on the first day of Chaitra, the day following Holi and lasts for 18days. Gangaur Festival is the most important local festival of Rajasthan and is observed throughout the state with great fervour. The festival is celebrated by girls and married women throughout Rajasthan. The images of Gauri are ornamented and offerings are made. Gauri is worshipped by unmarried women for blessing to get a good husband and by married women for the welfare, health and long life of their husbands. This is also an auspicious day for young people to select their life partners. Colourful processions with the town band playing horses and elaborate palanquins make it a fascinating spectacle
Gangaur signifies Lord Shiva and Parvati together. It’s believed that Parvati returned to her parental home during Gangaur, to bless her friends with marital bliss. On the last day, Parvait was given a grand farewell by her loved ones and Lord Shiva arrived to escort her home. Gangaur is celebrated all over Rajasthan, and is one of the state’s most important festivals. The most notable celebrations take place in Jaipur, Udaipur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Bikaner, and Nathdwara. In Udaipur, Gangaur coincides with the Mewar Festival.
‘Gan’ represents Lord Shiva and ‘Gaur’ represents Goddess Gauri or Parvati, His consort. Gauri is considered to be the Goddess of marital happiness and conjugal bliss. Mainly the festival for maidens and ladies, they worship her for good husbands and the welfare, health and long life of their husbands respectively. Gangaur is celebrated all over Rajasthan. People make images of Isar and Gauri out of clay. Some of them even keep traditional wooden images, which are painted afresh every year by ‘matherans’ (painters) on the eve of the festival.
Gangaur is the most popular and colourful and the most important festival for people of Rajasthan and is observed throughout the state with great enthusiasm and devotion by womenfolk. The festival is the celebration of monsoon, harvest and martial fidelity. The festival commences on Holi. The festival runs through many days. Young girls pray for grooms of their choice while married women seek a long life for their husbands. The ladies beautify their hands and feet by temporary decoration by drawing designs with Mehendi. After 7th day of Holi unmarried girls carry earthen pots with hole and a lamp lit inside, called ‘Ghudlia’ on their head, singing songs in the evening. Ghudlias are earthen pots with numerous holes all around and a lamp lit inside them. On the evening of the 7th day after Holi, unmarried girls go around singing songs of ‘ghudlia’ carrying the pots with a burning lamp inside, on their heads.
During the last days of the festival, the celebration reaches to its height. On the final day, lively images of Gauri are taken out in procession escorted by traditionally dressed camels, bullock carts, horses and elephants. Songs are sung about the departure of Gauri to her husband’s home. The procession is wrapped up with the breaking of pots and throwing the trash into a tank or pond. This traditional festival of Gangor is celebrated in Jaipur from ages and forms a special attraction for any visitor.
The festival reaches its climax during the last three days. The images of Gauri and Isar are dressed in new garments especially made for the occasion. Unmarried girls and married women decorate the images and make them look like living figures. Colourful procession is taken out to a tank or a well with the images of Isar and Gauri, placed on the heads of married women. Songs are sung about the departure of Gauri to her husband’s house. The procession comes back after offering water to the image of Gauri, which faces backwards on the first two days. On the final day, she faces in the same direction as Isar and the procession concludes with the consignment of all the images in the waters of a tank or a well.
Teej Festival
Mewar Festival
Kite Festival Jaipur
Gangaur Festival
Elephant Festival
Desert Festival
Camel Festival
Brij Festival
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Teej Festival
Teej is the festival of swings. It marks the advent of the monsoon month of Shravan (August). The monsoon rains fall on the parched land and the pleasing scent of the wet soil rises into the air. Swings are hung from trees and decorated with flowers. Young girls and women dressed in green clothes sing songs in celebration of the advent of the monsoon. -
Mewar Festival
The Mewar Festival is celebrated to welcome the advent of spring. It coincides with the festival of Gangaur, and has a unique charm about it. The festival of Gangaur is very significant for women of Rajasthan. It is a time for them to dress up in their best clothes and participate in the festival. The procession winds its way to the Gangaur Ghat at Lake Pichhola. Here, the images are transferred to special boats amidst much singing and festivity. -
Kite Festival Jaipur
The International Kite Festival, Jaipur is one of the most- attended festivals in Rajasthan. The most colorful festival of Rajasthan provides unlimited fun and frolic. This festival is celebrated on 14th of January every year, the day of Makar Sankranti. The popularity of the International Kite Festival in Jaipur is such that it attracts kite fliers from far off corners of the country. -
Gangaur Festival
This festival is dedicated to Gauri, a manifestation of Goddess Parvati; consort of Lord Shiva, which commences on the first day of Chaitra, the day following Holi and lasts for 18days. Gangaur Festival is the most important local festival of Rajasthan and is observed throughout the state with great fervour. The festival is celebrated by girls and married women throughout Rajasthan. -
Elephant Festival
Tuesday, 10 March2020 Elephant Festival. There wouldn't be a better time to travel to Rajasthan than during festival time. The Elephant Festival of Jaipur is a unique event held annually in the capital of the north Indian state of Rajasthan. Held during Holi, the festival of colors, to herald the advent of Spring, the Jaipur Chaugan or polo field is brought alive with elephants, dancers, musicians and onlookers from all the globe. Groomed to perfection, glittering in gold, row upon row of elephants catwalk before an enthralled audience. -
Desert Festival
The Desert Festival is a 3-day extravaganza of colour, music and festivity, held at the golden city of Jaisalmer. Gair and Fire dancers swaying to traditional tunes, a turban tying competition and a Mr. Desert Contest are a part of the fun and frolic. The grand finale is a trip to the Sam Dunes where one can enjoy the pleasure of a camel ride and even watch the folk dancers and musicians perform. -
Camel Festival
A lively and colorful event, the Camel Festival is organised by the Department of Tourism, Art & Culture, Rajasthan in Bikaner every year. January is just the right month for a desert spree, and Bikaner just the right place to see the Ships of the Desert. In the camel country Bikaner, these desert leviathans pull heavy cart loads, transport grain and even work at the wells. -
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Brij Festival
The Brij Festival takes place a few days before Holi, (the festival of colours) in the month of March. Held in honour of Lord brij festivalsKrishna, this festival is marked by verve and zest. Villagers, in gay, multihued attire, can be seen singing and performing the Raslila dance (dance depicting the immortal love-story of Radha and Krishna).
