Desert festival in Jaisalmer

The desert festival in Jaisalmer is the perfect place to see all the traditions and culture of Rajasthan. It is a prestigious and sacred festival in Jaisalmer. To reach out to the world the desert festival would spray its colors and play its tunes in the heart of the Thar desert. The duration of the desert festival is about three days with extravagant fun in between historical forts, Havelis, and the Thar desert. The fusion of folk from Jaisalmer at the festival will surely catch your eye. The festival is regarded to be one of the most beautiful art of colorful and old-fashioned grandeur.

 

HISTORY OF THE DESERT FESTIVAL JAISALMER

 

The desert festival came into existence intending to provide the guests a glance at the Rajasthani tradition and culture. The desert festival grants its guests lifetime souvenirs in their visit for a limited time of three days. All the cultures and traditions could be witnessed at this festival from all over Jaisalmer. The festival never fails to amuse its foreign guests by giving them a chance to be a part of the rich Indian culture. The festival inherits the local elements and heritage. The art of Rajasthani folk dance and music is represented by professional artists. 

 

ABOUT THE DESERT FESTIVAL

 

The desert festival Jaisalmer is held in February every year in the beautiful city of Jaisalmer. The festival is held in the Hindu month of Magh (January/February), three days before the full moon. It is celebrated in the Sam dunes (42 kilometers away from Jaisalmer) amidst the Thar desert for three days with a full display of all the heritage, culture, and tradition of Rajasthan. Amidst the golden sand of the Thar desert, everything seems to be exotic. You can witness cultural events like camel races, turban tying competitions, and contests to judge the man with the mustache. A final musical performance is performed by professionals under the moonlit sky in the dunes of Sam, a few kilometers outside Jaisalmer. 

 

The desert festival commences attracting foreigners who want to explore the rich culture of Rajasthan. The three-day event is meant to display the local elements and heritage. The desert festival is a no-nonsense festival and will showcase only Rajasthani folk dance and music, which will be presented by experts in the job. Other local customs such as the turban tying competition and the man with the best mustache competition are introduced to add more color and make the festival more exotic. The mustache competition has gained much popularity among foreigners because of its uniqueness. The foreigners can be caught clicking pictures with the winners of the competitions which is truly a preserving moment. 

 

PROGRAMS AT THE DESERT FESTIVAL JAISALMER

 

The desert festival Jaisalmer is held at the end of January or at the beginning of February. The desert festival is held annually and garners the attention of many foreigners. The festival showcases the best and foremost cultures of Rajasthan. It is all about camel races, camel polo, jugglers, men with long mustaches, turban tying competitions, and many more fun events. The camel polo and camel formation dances are the gems of the festival. The three days are guaranteed to give you much joy and learning about the Rajasthani culture and tradition. The finale of the festival is done with the Rajasthani folk dance concert following an Air Force display, parachuting, and a cricket match. The festival ends on the day of Poornima(full moon day) in the Sam dunes with the Jaisalmer Fort in the background creating the perfect ambiance.

 

If you plan your visit to Jaisalmer during the festive season of Rajasthan, you can also visit the Pushkar fair. You can stay in a luxurious camp while you are at it, with furnished bedrooms, a leisure area, and attached baths with hot water facilities. The interior of the tent is designed using hand-block printed fabrics showcasing the rich tradition of Rajasthan. The traditional adornment with flowers, lamps, and candles creates a mood for a fun-filled evening. Moreover, if you get lucky enough you can cherish the bonfire and make some new friends, taking back home some nostalgic memories. 

 

Another fun event you surely want to be a part of is the traditional Rajasthani dance. You will be taken across the dunes of Thar desert to a campsite on decorated camels. You can roll in the sand and explore the mystery of it under your feet, how your feet sink into it and how the sand trickles into your shoes. 

 

EVENTS YOU SHOULD NOT MISS 

 

The desert festival Jaisalmer is filled with events that you just can’t get enough, but the major events which make the festival more colorful and which you surely won’t want to miss out are as follows:

 

• The rare sport of camel polo.

 

• Camelback stunts and gymnastics and camel formation dance.

 

• Air force display.

 

• Rajasthani folk dance concert.

 

• Maru-Shri: Mr. Desert competition.

 

• Turban tying competition.

 

• Best mustache competition.

 

OTHER ACTIVITIES AT JAISALMER

 

Some other activities you can cherish while your stay at Jaisalmer are listed as follows:

 

• Jaisalmer Camel Safari: Numerous tour guides and operators arrange camel safaris. In usual cases, one camel is provided per person and camel carts are accompanied along with them. A cart is a backup option for someone who wants to escape the scorching heat or for someone who is feeling sick of riding the camel for too long. Often the camel safaris start from the desert fort town of Jaisalmer.

 

• Jaisalmer Jeep Safari: If you are up for adventures you may want to try out the jeep safari, which is the best way to explore the deserts of Jaisalmer. The jeep safaris are carried on powerful 4×4 jeeps for you to take a thrilling ride up and down the dunes. You would get the chills as the SUV swirls through the curls of the sand, leaving you with butterflies in your stomach every minute. You can opt for small trips such as the Fossil Park or Desert National Park which are about 50 kilometers in radius. If you are willing for a longer run, you can opt for the bird sanctuary which is about 150 kilometers from Jaisalmer. 

 

• Dune Bashing: Bashing is an adventure sport in which you can explore the dunes of the Thar desert. There are two popular ways to attend the dune bashing: the Indian style and the Dubai style. The Indian style of the dune bashing is done on camels whereas the Dubai style is carried out in an SUV.

 

• Parasailing: Want to watch the deserts from another view? If that is the case, you may want to try out parasailing which gives you an all-new angle to experience the great Thar desert. You can get your adrenaline rushing with the fun and thrilling parasailing experience over the Thar desert. If you are daring enough you have the sky as your playground to do aero sports. 

 

GLAMPING DURING THE DESERT FESTIVAL

 

Taking a glamping tour of Rajasthan can help you discover the real spirit of the desert. Desert glamping is truly a lifetime experience in Jaisalmer. These glamping sites make the outdoors alive and indoors blissful. The luxury camps at Jaisalmer amidst the Thar desert gives you a luxury 5-star hotel experience while letting you stay amidst raw nature. Glamping at the Thar desert will surely leave you with thousands of memories to take back home.

After enjoying the dunes much, a beautiful accommodation awaits at the campsites. When the sun starts to set and cold winds start blowing you get to enjoy the Arabian nights blended in the atmosphere with campfires and astonishing dance steps of the performers dressed in their traditional attire ‘ghagra-choli’. As the evening progresses you are served with dinner in traditional Indian seating arrangement. Delicious barbeque along with taking a sip of beer will surely be mesmerizing. 

 

DATES FOR 2021 DESERT FESTIVAL JAISALMER

 

 The desert festival Jaisalmer 2021 is scheduled to be celebrated from the 7th to the 9th of February 2021. These three days are set to be the most extravagant times for you to cherish the sights, smell, tastes, and unique delights of the deserts. The desert festival makes the deserts more colorful and alive with enthusiasm and happiness.

 

REACHING JAISALMER

 

• Reaching Jaisalmer by Airways: Jaisalmer started its commercial airport recently and has regular flights from Jaipur and Delhi. It is a small airport and there are 2 or 3 flights in a day, so book your vacation in advance to ensure availability. 

 

• Reaching Jaisalmer by Railways: Jaisalmer is well connected to almost all the major cities of India. Direct trains from Jaisalmer to Jodhpur and Delhi are available. Jaisalmer is connected to both broad gauge and meter gauge making it accessible by wheels too. Even the famous luxury train Palace on Wheels touches Jaisalmer. 

 

• Reaching Jaisalmer by Roadways: Jaisalmer can be reached by roads that are well connected to most of the states of the country. The fact that Jaisalmer is close to the Indo-Pak border, proper safety measurements are taken. It is about 5 hours drive from Jodhpur, and about 10 hours from Jaipur by road. 

 

The desert festival of Jaisalmer is one of its kind with culture and tradition showcased as never before. You are guaranteed to enjoy every second of your trip to the festival and take back thousands of wonderful memories. The highlights of the festival being the Rajasthani folk dance, Mr. Desert competition, men with longest beard competition, and many more. It is a lifetime experience and it is recommended to visit it at least once in your lifetime.

 

 

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