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On the occasion of Holi in Jaipur,
this festival of pachyderms includes several interesting
attractions including elephant polo. The caparisoned elephants,
their bodies painted with floral decorations by the mahouts, are a
sight to behold.
The most important local festival
in Rajasthan, Gangaur is held about a fortnight after Holi and the
celebrations go on for eighteen days. The festival is held in
honor of Gauri, a manifestation of goddess Parvati, the wife of
Lord Shiva. The festival is celebrated by girls and married women
throughout Rajasthan. Images of Gauri are ornamented and offerings
are made. This is also an auspicious time for young people to
select their life partners. Colorful processions with the town
band, horses, and elaborate palanquins make it a fascinating
spectacle. The Gangaur festival is celebrated throughout Rajasthan
with great enthusiasm but the celebrations in Jaipur and Udaipur
have their own special charm. The festival is also celebrated with
great pomp and show in Bikaner, Jodhpur, Marathwara and Jaisalmer.
Girls worship the goddess throughout the fortnight. Colorful
images of Gauri, beautifully dressed and bejeweled, are taken out
in a procession accompanied by the town band. A boat procession is
taken out on the Pichola Lake in Udaipur. Women balancing several
brass pitchers on their heads add to the gaiety of the Udaipur
celebrations. Thousands of people from the countryside come to
take part in the procession of Gangaur, which goes around from
village to village. Tribal men and women get the opportunity to
meet and interact freely and during this time, they select
partners and elope to marry. An unusual, romantic custom
sanctioned by the community, it helps many young people find their
life partner.
The festival is celebrated in the
Hindu month of Ashwin (Sept-Oct) in Jodhpur, the former capital of
Marwar Province. The festival has on display the music and dance
of the Marwar region. The spirited folk dancers assembled here,
perform with gusto and entertain the audience with Rajasthani
folklore. These folk artists bring to life the myth and legends of
the area and sing songs in memory of the brave heroes. Other
attractions include of the festival include horse riding and horse
polo. Various other competitions are also held during the
festival.
Summer Festival, held every year
in the month of June. The three-day festival is a feast of folk
and classical music and a window to the tribal life and culture of
Rajasthan.
The festival begins with the singing of a ballad which is followed
by folk dances which enthral the spectators. Sporting events such
as the boat race on the Nakki lake add variety to the festival.
The Sham-e-Qawwali is a much-awaited musical extravaganza, as
renowned qawwals from all over the country can be heard regaling
the audience. The grand finale of the festival is a display of
dazzling fireworks which adds to the tourist's delight.
The celebrations of the
fesitval are different than the usual Teej festivities. Unlike
Teej, which is celebrated on the third day of the month of
Shravana, Kajli Teej is celebrated on the third day of the month
of Bhadra. An exuberant procession of Teej in a decorated
palanquin, starts from the beautiful Naval Sagar and culminates at
the Azad Park. Cultural performances by the local artistes as well
as by artistes from Hadoti region are part of the celebrations.
Though the Teej procession is carried out for only two days, the
festivities continue till the eighth day, finnally ending on
Janmashtami, the birth anniversary of Lord Krishna.
It is the nine days festival, which
signifies the victory of Good over Evil. As diverse as India is,
it is but natural that Good and Evil take various forms in
different parts of the country. Central and North India celebrate
Lord Ramas victory over the ten-headed Ravana. In the East, in
west Bengal, this festival marks the victory of Goddess Durga over
the demon Mahishasura. In the state of Himachal, a week long fair
at Kullu is a part of the Dussehra celebrations. From the little
temples in the hills, deities are brought in procession to the
Kullu Fair ground with a lot of gaiety, music and colour. Down
South in the city of Mysore, the exotic and colourful celebration
of Dussehra leaves many a visitor enthralled.
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