Jaisalmer is the only place where this
desert festival is celebrated with great
zest and zeal. Rajasthan being a popular
tourist destination, the festival adds to
its colorThis festival is held once a year
during winters . Dressed in brilliantly
hued costumes, the people of the desert
dance and sing haunting ballads of valor,
romance and tragedy. The fair has snake
charmers, puppeteers, acrobats and folk
performers. Camels, of course, play a stellar
role in this festival, where the rich and
colorful folk culture of Rajasthan is on
show.
Activities
Visitors can come face
to face with the desert craftsmen. Exquisitely
embroidered skirts, hand-woven shawls, rugs,
carvings on wood and stone, camel decorations,
embroidered leather bags, ethnic silver
jewelry and terracotta are brought in from
all over the desert.
Evenings are meant for the main shows of
music and dance. Continuing till late into
the night, the number of spectators swells
up each night and the grand finale, on the
full moon night, takes place by silvery
sand dunes.
Camels are an integral part of the desert
life and the camel events during the Desert
Festival confirm this fact. Special efforts
go into dressing the animal for entering
the spectacular competition of the best-dressed
camel. To add some more fun and color, the
camel show has two unique events - the camel
polo and the camel dance.
Other interesting competitions on the fringes
are the moustache and turban tying competitions,
which not only demonstrate a glorious tradition
but also inspire its preservation. Both
the turban and the moustache have been centuries
old symbols of honor in Rajasthan.
How
to Reach
Air :
Jackson Airways has started flight to Jaisalmer
from Delhi . You can also fly to Jodhpur
and Jaipur. But the flight is 8-seated plane
operates only in peak season (Dec-Feb).
For the rest of the time Jodhpur is the
nearest airport.
Road : Rajasthan Roadways run
very comfortable deluxe & air conditioned
buses from Jaipur, Jodhpur , Bikaner . The
roads are very good and fairly comfortable.
Rail : Jaisalmer is connected
to Delhi Via Delhi-Jaisalmer Exp. The train
starts from Delhi (17.00) and reaches next
day at (12.45). There is also train from
Jodhpur to Jaisalmer.
