Let us have a look at the amazing culture of grand Rajasthan.
"Art is the effort to create besides the real world a human world"
In the land of silent sand dunes, enthusiastic people, natures creatures, in the land of Rajasthan also is a hub of diverse and colourful cultures. A land filled with tales of kings, queens, customs, traditions folklore and much more.
Bikaner Camel Festival is weird and yet deep rooted. Held in Bikaner Rajasthan, The camel festival is organised by the Department of Tourism in January every year in Bikaner. Bikaner Camel Festival is a charming fest that shows the culture of Rajasthan. The Bikaner Camel Festival starts off with a magnificent procession of brightly adorned camels against the beautiful backdrop of the Junagarh Fort.
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| Junagarh Fort |
Camels and owners both are dressed in their finest clothes and accessories and enjoy the festival. The festival also features the famous camel dance which is fun to watch as the camels follow instructions by their owners.The interesting highlights of the festival are: camel races, camel milking, fur cutting design, best breed competition, camel bands, traditional folk dance and music. With music and dance performances, food, crafts display and lot more, this festival is one of the most energetic and colourful ones in the country.
This 18-day festival is celebrated to welcome the advent of spring season with all zest and dedication in Udaipur, Rajasthan with the festival of Gangaur. Mewar Festival of Udaipur is a major festival of Rajasthan and is famous all over India for its liveliness. During this festival the whole Udaipu rgets drenched in colors of festivity.
The festival is especially meant for women and offers the best time when they dress in their finest clothes and join the celebrations of the fest.
To conduct the ceremony, women assemble to dress the images of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati and to carry on the traditional culture they go around the city. At the end the idol of Goddess are sent with the help of boat and immersed into the water.
When this religious part gets over they get engaged in different cultural activities dance, songs and other events. This festival comes to the end with fireworks.
- Gangaur Festival, jaipur.
Gangaur is celebrated in the month of chaitra, the first month of hindu calendar and falls in between (March-April) the day after Holi and is celebrated for 18 days. Also, it marks the end of winter season and the coming of spring season. In the word Gangaur, 'Gan' is the synonym for Lord Shiva
Whereas 'Gaur' stands for Gauri or Goddess Parvati. But mainly, this festival is held in the honour of Goddess Parvati as she is regarded as the epitome of marital love, strength, courage, power and excellence. During this festival married women worship Goddess Parvati for the long life, well-being and wealth of their husbands while the girls pray for getting a smart and an understanding life partner.
Women and girls fast during this festival they eat once in a day. They make images of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati with clay and decorate them beautiful. They wear new cloths and jewelleries and on 7th day in the evening all the girls take earthen pots with many holes inside which a lamp is lit, on their heads. They sing songs of Gangaur and are given gifts. This ritual goes on for 10 days and on the last day they break the pots and throw the pieces in the well or tank and immerse the idols in the water.
This fair is held in the month of Chaitra (according to the Hindu calendar)(March-April), for a fortnight starting from 12th day of Chaitra Budi, for fifteen days.It is held in the honor of the deity Kaila Devi ( a form of Mahalakshmi, the goddess of wealth and Chamunda, the goddess of death) .
Kaila Devi fair i help in the tample of Kaila Devi, who is worshipped by the Yadavas, the Khinchis, and the princess of Karauli. The fair attracts many things from different states.
An interesting ritual is observed by Goli Bhagat, a great devotee of Kaila Devi, from Agra. This ritual called 'Kanak-Dandoti'.
Held during the monsoons in July Teej is also dedicated to Lord Shiva and Parvati. It was the day when Goddess Parvati reunited with Lord Shiva after a long separation. On this day the parents of married daughters send Sinjara to their daughters, which is a gift pack that includes bindi, vermilion,
mehandi, bangles, ghevar (a special Rajasthani sweet) and lahariya (a multi-coloured sari) after receiving this gift from the parent daughters adorn themselves with hena sari and the jewelleries in order to celebrate the festival. fairs are conducted on this festival starting from Tripolia gate of this Pink City Jaipur. Passing through various market. The idol of Goddess Teej (Goddess Parvati) is decorated by the royal families of Jaipur, for the fair, beautified elephants, horses and camels are made to walk before Goddess Teej's palanquin made of gold and silver. Various folk dances are performed to the tunes of folk songs during this rally.
The fair is held in the month of Bhaadon according to the hindu calendar {August-September}. The largest fair is organised in Rajasthan in memory of Baba Ram Dev. Baba Ram Dev was known to have some magical, gifted powers, he became very popular about his powers . Because of this five saints came from Mecca to test and verify his powers.
After all the possible examination when they were convinced, they indeed paid homage to him. There is also a well in the same area which is supposed to have been built by Baba Ramdev himself. The local villagers consider the water of this well to be holy.
In 1931, the maharaja of Bikaner, constructed a temple around the “Samadhi”.
People from all religions and caste gather to attend this annual fair in large numbers. They consider this time to be ideal to offer prayers and worship their deity Baba Ramdev.
FOLK DANCE
A traditional dance form of Rajasthan, Ghoomar is performed by women. Women dance in circles with graceful moves and display colourful ghagharas.
Ghoomar is usually performed during the Teej festival
Gair dance is very populr in Rajasthan which is performed by men and women dance together form of the Bhil community of Rajasthan.
Gair dance can performed any time as a form of entertainment but it is performed during any festive occasions. It is specially performed on Holi and Janmastami.
Kathputli dance is world famous and well known as Puppetry dance. It is the old tradition of telling stories from mythology and legends through puppets in Rajasthan. String puppetry is very much famous in Rajasthan. Tradition of Kathputli is based on folk tales and stories.
Kanchhi ghodi dance is one of the most famouse folk dance origenated from bandit. This dance is performed by mens on dummy horses. Men wear elaborate costumes- red turbans and dhotis and kurtas, with mirror-work and ride the dummy horses. This form of folk dance is generally performed by the tribes of Rajasthan
Fire dance is a unique dance performed in Rajasthan. This is a very difficult dance to perform and is carried out by the Banjara community. This dance is performed on the festive occasions like Holi, Janmashtami etc. This unique dance performance attracts viewers from all over.
Chari dance is one of the popular folk dances in Rajasthan. This dance describes the collection of water in a chari or pot by the Rajasthani womens in their day to day life, woman’s travels miles to collect water for the families. This folk dance is performed by groups of dancers. In chari dance woman hold chari or pots on their head and a lighted lamp is then placed in the pot.This Dance is perform at the time of marriage, on the birth of a male child or any big festival celebration.
