» Bikaner Fairs and Festivals : Rajasthan Travel, Vacations, Holiday Packages

Camel Festival

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Camel Festival: The most important festival, often known as the Bikaner festival too, happens to be the Camel Festival. The festival takes place in the month of January, and is started with a magnificent procession of camels as Bikaner boasts of some of the best racing camels in the region.

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The Bikaner Festival is dedicated to the indispensable ship of the desert, Camel. The camels are decorated and put to race by their owners. Their charm and graceful movements capture the attention of the onlookers.

The procession is held against the backdrop of the Junagarh Fort, and advances to the open sand spreads of the polo grounds.

Camel races, camel milking competitions, camel acrobatics, are a part of the festivities.

The festival is graced by the skirt swirling dancers who create magic through their dancing. Accompanying them are the fire dancers and fireworks which dazzle up the night sky. The festival attains a local color as artistes perform a medley of local folk dances and songs.

The ideal time to visit Bikaner to be a part of his glorious ceremony is January.

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Kolayat Festival

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Kolayat Festival: Celebrated on a full moon kartik poornima in November every year, the Kolayat festival is a reminder of the living traditions of ancient India. Also known as the Kapil Muni fair, the Kolayat festival is a festive event of great religious significance for the Hindus.

Pilgrims and tourists congregate at the venue of the Kolayat festival and Kapil Muni fair that is located on the banks of the Kolayat Lake. Pilgrims bathe in the Kolayat Lake on the day of the Kolayat festival and wash away their sins. Fringed by thick banyan trees, the Kolayat Lake creates an aesthetic ambience that forms the ideal venue for the Kolayat festival celebrations.

According to popular legend, the legendary Kapil Muni meditated on the banks of the Kolayat Lake for the emancipation of mankind. In fact Kolayat in Bikaner was known as Kapilayatan after the sage Kapil Muni. The religious significance of Kolayat and the Kolayat fair is evident from the fact that both find a mention in the Puranas, one of the most significant Hindu scriptures.

All the 52 Ghats on the banks of the Kolayat Lake are enlivened with colorful activity, religious incantations and festivities during the Kolayat festival. Offerings of sugar drops, sweetmeats and milk pudding are made at the Kolayat temple that houses a marble statue of the sage Kapil Muni.

The Deepmala ritual lights up the Kolayat Lake at twilight when hundreds of oil lamps are lit and left to float on leaves over the placid waters of the Kolayat Lake.

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Gangaur Festival

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Gangaur Festival: Gangaur festival celebrations light up rustic Bikaner during the Hindu month of chaitra that falls in the months of March-April. Gangaur festival welcomes spring in Rajasthan and Bikaner is among the main centers of Gangaur festivities. The term Gangaur derives its origin from the words ‘Gan’ and ‘Gauri’. Gan refers to Lord Shiva and Gauri is of course his consort and the Gangaur festivities signify marital bliss and happiness.

The festival is of great significance for the women of Bikaner. Most families in Bikaner get their “puja rooms” whitewashed for the Gangaur festival. Ladies place idols of Gauri and Isar in their puja rooms. The deities are decorated with bright costumes and ornaments. Offerings are made as women sing devotional songs.

Women and young girls sport traditional attires and ornaments, decorate their palms with henna patterns and perform rituals that they believe will bless their married lives with prosperity and happiness.

Ladies and maidens fast during the Gangaur festival and prepare sweets with milk and carry them on their heads to the banks of any water body and worship the deity Gauri and come back home distributing the milk sweets en route as prasad.

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Fairs and Festivals at Bikaner

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The desert town of Bikaner founded in 1488 is a magnificent example of an ancient medieval town. Amidst the shimmering golden desert, Bikaner dazzles with royalty and is proud to present the desert festival in January. Other than known for the beautiful forts and architectural legacy, in the land of fairs and festivals Bikaner itself plays host to a number of annual fairs and festivals among which the most notable ones are the Camel Festival, Gangaur festival, Kolayat Fair.

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Travel to Rajasthan

Camel Festival

Kolayat Festival

Gangaur Festival

Fairs and Festivals at Bikaner