MAKAR SANKRANTI (kite festival) - 14 Jan, 2020
'Makar’ refers to the zodiac, Capricorn and Sankranti’ means transition. This festival celebrates the Sun's shift into Capricorn. According to Astrology, the planet, Saturn, rules the zodiac sign Capricorn. And this planet is believed to be Surya Dev’s (Lord Sun’s) son. In short, this means that during this time, the Sun comes to stay with His Son. This period also signifies letting go of any grudges and quarrels, leaving behind any old bitterness and resentment to allow one to let in the beauty and love that the world has to offer! With the energy and encouragement from the Sun, establish more meaningful relationships with the people you love, let go of the silly arguments and fights and focus on the happy times. Celebrate this festival by spreading positive vibes to your loved ones.
Kite flying is traditionally observed as a part of this festival. On this occasion, the sky in Jaipur and Hadoti regions is filled with kites, and youngsters engage in contests trying to cut each other's strings. The day is celebrated with special Rajasthani delicacies and sweets such as Pheeni, Til-paati, Gajak, Kheer, Ghevar, Pakodi, Puwa, and Til-laddoo.
CAMEL FESTIVAL - BIKANER - 11 & 12 Jan, 2020
Bikaner is famous for being the only camel breeding region, so this two-day festival is exclusively dedicated to these tough animals surviving in the harsh desert conditions. The festival is celebrated every year and is significant to the people of Rajasthan because there were no automobiles in the early times, so camels were the only transport. During the parade, animals are nicely adorned with traditional necklaces, heavy anklets, and vibrant bridles. The festival embodies the famous camel dance, a hilarious spectacle where the camels follow the instructions of their owners.
Also, there is a chance to witness camel games, fur design, taste unique camel milk tea, try delicious food, listen to traditional folk music, and buy some crafts.
JAIPUR LITERATURE FESTIVAL - 23 to 27 Jan 2020
Described as the ‘greatest literary show on Earth’, the Jaipur Literature Festival is a sumptuous feast of ideas. The past decade has seen it transform into a global literary phenomenon having hosted nearly 2000 speakers and welcoming over a million book lovers from across India and the globe. Every year, the Festival brings together a diverse mix of the world’s greatest writers, thinkers, humanitarians, politicians, business leaders, sportspeople and entertainers on one stage to champion the freedom to express and engage in thoughtful debate and dialogue.
NAGAUR CATTLE FAIR - 30 Jan to 02 Feb, 2020
The most notable thing to watch in the festivals of Rajasthan is the local people in their traditional multihued attire, particularly the women. Nagaur Festival of Rajasthan every year succeeds in beckoning a large number of tourists who come and be a part of these festivals. The most notable things to watch in this festival are two lakh ten thousand animals including horses, cows, bullocks, oxen, and camels are gathered at the cattle fair for the purpose of trade. Nagaur Festival, Nagaur is held in the captivating Rajput town of Nagaur and this festival is also known as cattle fair. This fair proudly boasts of being the second largest fair in India.
There is a lot of excitement as the people take pleasure in the tug-of-war, camel and bullock races, cockfights that are organized in this festival. Late in the evening, the people can also take pleasure in the festive atmosphere as there are folk music and dance performances that are also organized in the evening by the people. Nagaur Festival of Rajasthan is celebrated over a span of 4 days by the Department of Animal Husbandry in association with the department of tourism.
