Bikaner

Guide >>  Info |Heritage | Culture | Traditions | Outskirts|

Culture

Fairs & Festivals
Camel Festival
The Camel Festival begins with a colourful procession of bedecked camels, Ships-Of-The-Desert, in the red sandstone backdrop of the Junagarh Fort.A lively and colorful event, The Camel Festival, is organized by Department of Tourism, Art and Culture, Rajasthan in Bikaner during January each year. Camels, the stalwart of the desert give an unmatched performance in the festival, bringing the desert town to life with its spell binding display of graceful parades, camel races, camel dances and many other camel acrobatics.

The festivity advances to the open sandspreads of the Polo Grounds, followed by camel races, camel milking, fur cutting design, the best breed competition, camel acrobatics, camel bands and watching all this, are the gaping spectators. The camel display amazing foot-work, dancing gracefully to the slightest direction of their riders.

Colourful bridles, bejewelled necks, jingling anklets and long, lanky camel shadows on dusky sands, cast a magic spell. The jubilant, skirt-swirling Gair dancers, the awe inspiring Fire dance, and dazzling fire-works light up the fortified desert city of Bikaner.

Gangaur Festival (Mar/Apr)

The festival of maidens and married women. Women attired in their best costumes and jewelers , pray to Gauri , an incarnation of Goddess Parvati. This eighteen day long festival begins the day after holi. Married women pray for the well being and long life of their husband and the young ladies seek the blessings for a life partner of their choice. Processions of Gauri , are taken out with pomp and gaiety from Junagarh and the old city. Women sing melodious folk songs, accompanied by musicians and bands.

Karni Mata fair(Mar/Apr)

The fair is celebrated twice a year in the little desert citadel of Deshnok, in honour of Goddess Karni Mata, the tutelary deity of the Bikaner royal house. The devotees gather at Deshnok during the Navratra, in March/April and September/October and the fair is held on the ninth day of Navratra, amidst the chanting of hymns and prayers, devotees offer their prayers and the celebrations have a distinct religious flavor.

Kapil Muni Fair

The sacred lake of Kolayat is the venue of this Fair.On the full moon of Kartik(Nov) the devotees come to take a holy dip in the lake,all the fifty Ghats around the lake are crowded.People worship at the shrine of Kapilmuni,the Propounder of Sankhya Yoga, one of the six major philosophical schools.

A cattle fair also take place at the time and thousands of people come here to attend the festivities.

Kite Festival (Akkha Teej)

Kite Flying is a cultural tradition of this region bearing special significance because of its direct connection with the foundation of this city. It serves to commemorate this historical fact and shows gaiety and involvement of people. Despite sand-storms and slightly hot climate people celebrate the festival with traditional flavour. Sky remains full of KITES of varying colours, shapes and sizes. People of all ages participate with zeal and vigour in this fest. It generally falls in April/May ,date relying on Hindu calendar.