Indian Festivals

Rajasthan Temple Festivals are well known all across western India for its colour and jollity. Rajasthan has an unending cycle of fairs and festivals throughout the year. Some are held just to celebrate the kings` successes, while others have traditional, religious significance.

Rajasthan Temple Festivals are perhaps the most colourful and spectacular events in the whole of India. Besides the religious festivals born out of age-old traditions and rituals, there are others, which celebrate the colourful seasons, cattle marts and others. These are special, enthralling fairs, craft fairs of west India that highlights the crafts of the rural India. Rajasthan temple festivals give an insight to the colourful life style of the Rajasthani people and are mesmerizing with their folk dances, music, drama and animal races. Some of the main Rajasthan temple festivals are Teej, Gangaur and the Pushkar Fair, Desert festival, Elephant Festival and the Camel festival, which are sometimes also celebrated without any religious association.

Gangaur Festival is celebrated in the Rajasthan temples, in veneration of Gauri, the consort of Lord Shiva, during March and April. This Rajasthan temple festival is dedicated to Gauri, a manifestation of Goddess Parvati; consort of Lord Shiva, which begins on the first day of Chaitra, the day following Holi and lasts for 18 days. Gangaur Festival is the most important local festival of Rajasthan and is observed in most of the temples of this state. Girls and married women throughout Rajasthan celebrate this Rajasthan temple festival. The images of Gauri are ornamented and offerings are made. Unmarried women pray Mother Gauri for blessing to get good husband and the married women pray for the welfare, health and long life of their husbands. This is also an auspicious day for young people to choose their life partners. Colourful processions with the town band playing horses and elaborate palanquins create a fascinating spectacle.

There are many more Rajasthan temple festivals, which are celebrated all across the state with regional rejoicings.

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