Jaipur Festivals and Festivel Calendar

                               Jaipur Festivals and Festivel Calendar                  

The Pink City rejoices and celebrates the fairs and festivals with pomp and gaiety since time immemorial. These fairs and festivals reflect the rich culture and heritage of the region. Jaipur has a flair for celebrating every occasion.

 ELEPHANT FESTIVAL - (March-April) 6 March, 2004, 25 March, 2005, 14 March, 2006, the elephant enthrall the spectators on the day of the Colourful festival of Holi at Chaugan stadium. Beautifully decorated elephants assemble for royal procession, Elephant polo match, races etc. & Rajasthan Folk music & dance performances are part of the festival.  

The sight of mighty jumbos striding majestically is a treat to watch. The mahavats or owners proudly decorate their elephants with bright colours, jhools (saddle cloth) and heavy jewellery. Female elephants are made to wear payals or anklets which tinkle as they walk. Prizes are given for the most beautifully decorated elephant. Even more exciting is the Polo match, the Elephant race, the tug-of-war between elephant and 19 men and women. The most colourful being the playing of Holi on Elephant back.

GANGAUR - (March-April) 4-5 April, 2003, 23-24 March, 2004, 11-12 April, 2005, 1-2 April, 2006, this festival is celebrated by the maidens and married women, and is dedicated to Gauri, the incarnation of Goddess Parvati, the consort of Lord Shiva. A Colourful procession is taken out from Zanana Deodhi of the City Palace, passing through Tripolia Bazar, Gangauri Bazar, Chaugan and converging near Talkatora for two consecutive days.

Images of Isar & Gauri are made of clay for the festival. In some families, permanent wooden images are painted afresh every year by reputed painters called Matherans on the eve of the festival. A distinct difference between the idols of Teej and Gangaur is that the idol will have a canopy during the Teej festival while the Gangaur idol would not a canopy.

The ladies decorate their hands and feet by drawing design with Mehendi (myrtle Paste). The figures drawn range from the sun, Moon and the stars to simple flowers or geometrical designs.

TEEJ - (July-August) 12 August 2003, 19-20 August, 2004, 8-9 August, 2005, 28-29 July, 2006, festival marking the advent of monsoon, swings are hung from trees and decorated with flowers. Young girls sing songs of love and about the rain. The festival is dedicated to parvati, commemorating the day when she was united with Lord Shiva, A magnificent procession is taken out from City Palace, similar to the Gangaur procession, for two consecutive days.

  

MAKAR SANKRANTI - celebrated on the 14th of January, every year with traditional fervour, the devotees take a holy dip in the holy tank at Galtaji, it has now also become a kite flying festival, millions of colourful kites come on the sky of Jaipur on this day.

  

SHITLA ASHTAMI - (March-April) this festival is locally called as Basoda, is celebrated to ward off the dreaded disease of small pox. The most famous fair is held at the Shitla Mata temple in Chaksu (on the Jaipur Kota Road), people gather here to pray and celebrate.

DONKEY FAIR - (Khalkani Mata Mela) (October) the donkeys day at Looniyawas near Sanganer, Thousands of donkeys from all over north India are brought here for buying and selling. The donkey races and sports are organised for the merriment of people. A rare sight indeed.

Fairs/Festivals	Place	2013	2014	2015
Camel Festival	Bikaner	26 -27 Jan	15 -16 Jan	4 -5 Jan
Nagaur Festival	Nagaur	17 -20 Feb	6 -9 Feb	26 -19 Feb
Desert Festival	Jaisalmer	23-25 Feb	12 -14 Feb	1 -3 Feb
Baneshwar Fair	Baneshwar	21 -25 Feb	10 -14 Feb	30 Jan -3 Feb
Elephant Festival	Jaipur	26th March	16 March	5 March
Gangaur Festival	Jaipur	13 -14 April	2 -3 April	22 – 23 March
Mewar Festival	Udaipur	13 -15 April	2 - 4 April	22 -24 March
Summer Festival	Mt. Abu	23 – 25 May	12 – 14 May	2 -4 May
Teej Festival	Jaipur	9 -10 Aug	9 – 10 Aug	30 – 31 July
Marwar Festival	Jodhpur	17 -18Oct	7 -8 Oct	26 -27 Oct
Dussehra Festival	Kota	12 -14 Oct	1 -3 Oct	21 -22 Oct
Pushkar Fair	Pushkar, Ajmer	9 -17 Nov	30 Oct – 6 Nov	18 -25 Nov
Chandraphaga Fair	Jhalawar	16 -18 Nov	5- 7 Nov	24 -26 Nov
Winter Festival	Mount Abu	29 -31 Dec	29 -31 Dec	29 -31 Dec
Literature Festival	Jaipur	18 – 22 Jan	17 – 21 Jan	16 – 20 Jan