Bikaner

Festive Celebrations

Dedicated to the camel, the Bikaner Camel Festival is a beautiful spectacle of bedecked and ornamented camels. The festival starts with a procession of camels and transforms to several competitions held between them. Held in the Polo Grounds it marks events like camel racing, camel milking and camel bands. Also folk dace performances, fire dancing and firework displays add colour to the festival. Akshya Tritya is the foundation day of this city and hence witnesses vibrant celebrations. During this, meals of bajra and puddings of wheat are cooked in every household, served with a sweet syrup and ghee. Students worship their books and hundreds of colourful kites are flown throughout the city. Dedicated to Goddess Parvati, Gangaur Festival is an 18-day celebration by the women in Bikaner. During this festival, women observe fast and local artists paint the wooden images of Gauri and Isar. The Rajasthani folk songs resound everywhere and young girls are seen carrying earthen pots with oil lamps through the streets. It is customary to offer ghee and sweets to them. The Gangaur Festival finally culminates with the earthen pots being broken near a lake or water tank. Also known as Kapil Muni Fair, the Kolayat Fair is celebrated on the ghats of the Kolayat River. Held in November, it is believed to be a ritual to take a dip on the Lake before praying at the Kolayat Temple. Lamps are lit on the lake and offerings of milk pudding, sugar drops and sweetmeats ate also made at the Kolayat Temple.