Camel Festival
A
lively and colourful event, the Camel Festival is organised by the Department
of Tourism, Art & Culture, Rajasthan in Bikaner every year. January is just
the right month for a desert spree, and Bikaner just the right place to see the
Ships of the Desert. In the camel country Bikaner, these desert leviathans pull
heavy cart loads, transport grain and even work at the wells.
The Camel
Festival begins with a colourful procession of bedecked camels against the red
sandstone backdrop of the Junagarh Fort, the festivity advances to the open sand-spreads
of the grounds, followed by the best breed competition, the tug-of-war contest,
camel dance and acrobatics, etc.
SThe camels display amazing footwork,
dancing gracefully to the slightest direction of their trainers. Bridal, bridles,
bejewelled necks, jingling anklets and long, lanky camel shadows on dusky sands
cast a magical spell. Hundreds of tourists and thousands of locals and dignitaries
revel in this man-and-animal affair organised especially for the tourists.
The evenings close with a different tenor and tempo altogether: a traditional
rendezvous of renowned artistes of Rajasthan and the local folk performers.
The jubilant skirt-swirling dancers, the awe inspiring fire dance, and the dazzling
fireworks light up the fortified desert city of Bikaner.
Bikaner is
connected by rail and road with all the major cities. The nearest airport is at
Jodhpur (243 kms.).
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Fairs & Festivals
in India —› Nagaur
Fair, Nagaur —› Baneshwar
Fair, Dungarpur —› Gangaur
Festival, Jaipur —›
Banganga Fair —›
Brij Festival —›
Camel Festival —›
Desert Festival —›
Ganesh Chaturthi —›
Kaila Devi Fair»
Shekhawati
Fair —› Teej
Festival —› Pushkar
Fair —› Mewar
Festival, Udaipur —›
Elephant Festival, Jaipur —›
Urs Ajmer Sharif
—› Summer Festival,
Mount Abu
