Art-Culture

Fairs & Festivals of Rajasthan

Rajasthan is a land of fairs & festivals, but before we can understand of these it is essential to learn the names of Indian Seasons & months, as the India festivals & fairs are organized based on Hindi calendar, which is LUNAR.

The rich cultural heritage of Rajasthan beautifully reflects in its numerous fairs and festivals, which are as colourful as the rainbow. The rich traditions of Rajasthan have given birth to a wide variety of fairs and festivals, which occupy an important place in the life of the people. Be it harvest season or the birth of a child, Rajasthani people love to celebrate. Some of the fairs and festivals such as the Elephant festival and Pushkar Fair are quite unique and attract visitors from across the world. Enjoy the cultural panorama of Rajasthan by participating in its wonderful fairs and festivals.

The festival according to the months:

Festivals and Fairs of Rajasthan in Chaitra:

Festivals

Gangaur

They worship lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati and offer prayers for a long and happy life of their husbands. And the unmarried girls pray to be blest with a husband like lord Shiva. The festival is celebrated in the month of March/April.

The term “Shakti” has always held a special status in the Hindu religion. Shakti refers to an exclusively feminine principle and is perceived in all phenomena of life. The originator of life on Earth, it is responsible for the movement of all things, be it the cosmic objects or the various forces of nature. Deprived of Shakti, all creation on the planet will be rendered inept. Numerous ancient Indian texts, like the Vedas, Puranas and Epics bear citation of this cosmic power, recognizing its godly form as Parvati the wife of Hindu God Shiva. Over the ages, Shakti has been synonymous to a myriad of forms and identified under many names one of which is Gauri and as is suggestive by the name, the notable Gangaur festival is observed in honor of this very manifestation of Shakti (Gauri). The term “Gangaur” is comprised of “Gan” and “Gaur” where the prior refers to Shiva and the latter to Gauri. The Gangaur festival marks the worship and propitiation of Gauri by the womenfolk, in various parts of Central and Western India, majorly Rajasthan.

The womenfolk celebrate the festival of Gangaur with great zeal and devotion, praying to Goddess Parvati/Gauri to bless them with a bountiful spring that’s full of harvest, and also marital harmony. They also urge the goddess to bless their husbands with good health and long life. Although this festival holds special significance for the married women, unmarried girls are also seen partaking in it in hopes of being blessed with a good husband. The story of Gangaur revolves around Parvati being escorted by Lord Shiva from her parental home, following a grand farewell. As per ancient texts, Parvati had performed severe penance for days to persuade Lord Shiva to have her as his wife. Her perseverance and devotion did indeed move him.

The Gangaur festival starts on the first day of the month of Chaitra (as per Hindu calendar) which is on the following day of Holi, and is consummated on the third day of Shukla Paksha of the same month. This festival is usually an 18-day affair, during which all women are expected to observe a fast restricting them to only one meal a day. Clay idols of Shiva-Gauri perfected by the local craftsmen are decorated and worshipped during the full course of the festival. Certain Rajput families worship traditional wooden figurines of the divine couple, which are repainted every year by Matheran (local painters) before the festival commences. These figures are then placed within baskets along with wheat grass and flowers; wheat plays an important role in the rituals as it signifies harvest. People also buy earthen pots known locally as Kunda and decorate them in a traditional Rajasthani painting style called maandna. It is customary for married women to receive gift hampers from their parents known as Sinjara, which comprises of clothes, jewellery items, makeup and sweets. These gift hampers are generally sent on the second last day of the festival which the women utilize to get ready on the final or main celebration day. Decorating hands and feet with beautiful designs made out of Mehndi (myrtle paste) is another popular practice that’s widespread during the Gangaur festival.

The traditional procession is carried out with great pomp and pageantry in Jaipur, starting from the Zanani-Deodhi in City Palace and covering Tripolia Bazaar, Chhoti Chaupar, Gangauri Bazaar, Chaugan Stadium and Talkatora along the way. The royal procession of goddess Gangaur comprises of camels, chariots, bullock carts and dancing folk artists.

  • Worship of Eser ji & Gauri ji made of clay.
  • 16 days festival
  • Main Celebration: Jodhpur, Jaipur, Udaipur, Kota
  • Colonel Tod described Gangor of Udaipur.

Teej festival

Teej festival is held every year during the Hindu month of Shravan and marks the advent of the monsoon. The onset of monsoon is a time to celebrate as the rain brings water to the parent land.

Teej refers to all the monsoon festivals observed particularly in the western and northern states of India. The festivals celebrate the bounty of nature, arrival of the monsoon, greenery and birds with social activities, rituals & customs. The festival is mainly for women and includes dancing, singing, getting together with friends and narrating stories, applying henna on hands and feet, wearing brightly coloured Lahariya saris, sharing festive foods and playing under trees on swings on Hariyali Teej. The festivals are dedicated, in many parts of India, to Goddess Parvati, also known as Teej Mata. Women pray to the goddess seeking the wellness of their husband. On this occassion, a royal procession of Goddess Teej comprising of camels, dancing folk artists, royal palanquins, chariots and bullock carts, starts from the City Palace, winding its way through Tripolia Bazaar and Chhoti Chaupar on both days. The traditional sweet Ghewar is closely associated with the festival and enjoyed heartily over its duration.

The Teej Festival is dedicated to Goddess Parvati and commemorates the day when she was united with Lord Shiva. Young girls, newlywed women and elderly women can be seen attired in traditional costumes or in special multicolored striped pattern Lahariya Sari and ornaments. They can be seen applying henna to decorate their hands and singing songs of love and enjoying flower bedecked swings, which are hung on trees.

Kajli Teej

The festival of Kajli Teej is unique to the city of Bundi. A dazzlingly theatrical and lively event, it is held every year in the month of Bhadra (July-August). This week-long celebration filled with gaiety and fanfare pays homage to Goddess Uma by the seekers of marital bliss and love. Women wear colourful traditional costumes, new sets of bangles and decorate their hands with beautiful henna designs. A local fair is held nearby which is extremely popular with the rural folk around Bundi. Handicrafts such as traditional kataar, paintings, bangles, rural handicrafts and fancy eatables attract many people from Rajasthan, other parts of India and foreign shores.

Abhaneri festival

Abhaneri festival’ is named after the village Abhaneri in the Dausa district which is around 90 km from Jaipur on the Agra road. This two-day festival has gained immense popularity amongst the tourists around the globe. This year, it will commence from 11th to 12th October with various Rajasthani & local folk performances like Kachhi Ghori, Kalbelia, Ghoomar, and Bhawai. Festival was initiated by Rajasthan Tourism in 2008; it is of great significance for Rajasthan. The village of Abhaneri was originally named Abha Nagri, meaning “city of brightness”. The place is popular for the Chand Baori-step well, one of the largest step wells built over a thousand years ago. Be a part of the celebrations at Abhaneri and dip into the rustic charm of traditional Rajasthani music.