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Jaipur Festivals are inseparable element of the cultural identity of the city. The colorful city gets brighter during the celebration of special festivals. There are numerous festivals which the city observes like any other part of the country. But the city celebrates some unusual and interesting fairs & festivals in their own style. The festivals which are worth mentioning are Gangaur festival, Teej festival, Kite festival (Makar Sankranti) and Elephant festival. If you want to explore the customs and traditions of Jaipur, festive season is the right time to visit the city. In this article, we will explore some of the major festivals of Jaipur.
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 Gangaur Festival
Gangaur is the colourful and the one of the most important festivals celebrated in Jaipur, Rajasthan.
1. Time of Celebration: March / April
2. Celebrated: In and around Rajasthan
3. Duration of Celebration: 16 Days
Gangaur is a significant festival of Jaipur, especially meant for the women. Gangaur festival is widely acclaimed and celebrated throughout the state of Rajasthan. The word Gangaur is derived from two words, 'Gan' and 'Gauri' which are synonyms of 'Siva' and his consort 'Parvati' respectively. The festival of Gangaur starts with the subsequent day of Holi and persists for about 2 weeks. Gangaur is celebrated in the honor of Goddess Gauri, who is considered as the symbol of virtue, devotion, fertility and a perfect married woman.
The womenfolk of Rajasthan worship Gauri with all the means of devotion. The married women worship Gauri for the well-being of their husband, while the unmarried girls worship the goddess to get the husband of their choice. The festival begins with the custom of gathering ashes from the Holi Fire and burying the seeds of barley in it. After it, the seeds are watered everyday awaiting the germination.
The ceremony takes place with the praiseful songs for Isar (Siva) and Gauri. The women apply henna on their hands to celebrate the auspicious festival. They carry painted matkas (water pots) on their heads. They also make images of Gauri and Isar with clay. On the seventh evening after Holi, unmarried girls assemble and take out a procession with 'Ghudlia' (an earthen pot with holes around and a lamp inside) on their heads. The ceremony continues for a fortnight. The girls are gifted with sweets, ghee and cash by the elders.
During the last days of the festival, the celebration reaches to its height. On the final day, lively images of Gauri are taken out in procession escorted by traditionally dressed camels, bullock carts, horses and elephants. Songs are sung about the departure of Gauri to her husband's home. The procession is wrapped up with the breaking of pots and throwing the trash into a tank or pond. This traditional festival of Gangaur is celebrated in Jaipur from ages and forms a special attraction for any visitor.
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 Teej Festival
Teej is among the important festivals celebrated in Jaipur Rajasthan India. Ladies and girls anoint their palms with delightful traditional patterns, fast, sing, dance, dress up and pray to celebrate Teej in Jaipur.
1. Time of Celebration: July-August
2. Celebrated: In and around Rajasthan
3. Duration of Celebration: One to two days
Teej Festival is one of the most popular festivals of India. Festival of Teej is widely celebrated, but its real charm can be found only in Jaipur, Rajasthan. Teej celebrates the arrival of monsoon, after the scorching sun of summers. Teej is celebrated in the month of 'Shravan' (July-August), according to the Hindu calendar. Teej is an important cultural festival for the womenfolk of Rajasthan, in which they pray for the well being of their husbands. This festival marks the beginning of festive season in Rajasthan.
Festival of Teej is primarily meant for married women and girls. During this auspicious festival, Goddess Parvati is worshipped, who is the symbol of virtue, devotion and fertility. According to a mythological legend attached with this festival, Goddess Parvati was united with Lord Shiva after years of penance on Teej. On the festival, married women pray for the welfare of their husbands and marital bliss. To celebrate the occasion, Girls and married women apply henna on their hands and get dressed in their best attires.
Teej is also known as festival of swings and rains. Women celebrate this summer beating festival by singing songs and enjoying rope swings. Parents of married girls send gifts, sweets and clothes to their daughter's home. In the case of engaged girls, they receive 'Sindhara' from their "would be in-laws", which consists gifts and sweets. Teej Festival of Jaipur is noticeable by a huge procession taken out in the city. During the festival, the markets of Jaipur are decorated for the occasion. It is a good time to discover the markets of Jaipur.
A procession is taken out in the city of Jaipur to celebrate the festival, where the idol of Teej adorned with jewelry and finery, fetches the main attraction. Teej is celebrated with all the gusto and enthusiasm in Jaipur, where procession being the highlight of the festival. Teej is a traditional festival of the royal city of Jaipur and is celebrated with a special fervor. The showers of rain on this day perk up the lively celebrations by several degrees. The alluring sight of Teej's celebration is an eye-candy for any tourist and creates the perfect reason to visit Jaipur.
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 Kite Festival
Kite Festival in Jaipur is one of the major festivals. It is celebrated with full gusto in Jaipur.
1. Time of Celebration: 14th January, Makar
Sankranti.
2. Celebrated: Jaipur, Rajasthan.
3. Duration of Celebration: One day
Kite Festival is a popular festival of Jaipur, Rajasthan. Kite flying is enjoyed by people of all age-groups. However, 14 January, the day of Makar Sankranti, makes the official day for flying kites in Jaipur. People make most out of the festival by flying kites for the whole day. The sky becomes next to invisible as innumerable kites cover it. People form groups and fly kites, to enjoy the event to its full. With each cut loose of a kite, people fill the environment shouting, "Woh Kata".
People shout from their terrace as adversary's kite is cut down. Everyone is an adversary in this game and each kite is a competitor for the other. Engrossed in Kite flying, people enjoy loud music and food on the terrace itself. In Jaipur, the sky looks like a huge collage with all kites of all shapes and designs in it.
In every five years, the Desert Kite Festival is organized by the Government of Rajasthan, where expert Kite makers show off their kites. Sometimes, these kites are as huge as 1.5km and are designed in different shapes. Such kites often carry social messages; depict social issues or even caricatures of politicians. The Kite Festival has become popular recently among the tourists, who can too participate in the different kite flying competitions.
Other places of interest include Chand Baori (stepwell), Chokhi Dhani (a village resort), Kathputhli slum a Jaipur slum, Raj Mandir Cinema (a beautiful cinema hall).
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 Elephant Festival
The Elephant Festival in Jaipur is a unique event held annually in this land of great kings and warriors.
1. Time of Celebration: March.
2. Celebrated: In Jaipur.
3. Duration of Celebration: One Day.
The Elephant Festival is one of the most popular festivals of Jaipur, Rajasthan. Elephant festival has its own charm and is celebrated every year in March on the occasion of Holi, the festival of colors. The festival has a unique concept of its own kind. The colorful festival of Holi is celebrated throughout India, but the festival gets some more spice added to it, when it combines with the Elephant festival of Jaipur, Rajasthan. The Elephants become the major attraction of this festival in their classy attires.
The famous Chaugan ground of Jaipur makes the perfect venue for the occasion. Elephant Festival commences with a parade of decorated Elephants marching towards the ground. Different competitions are organized to enjoy the festival to its full. Elephants engaged in races, polo-matches and tug-of-war with men make the spectators spellbound. Here one can enjoy seeing Elephants at their best. The Elephant keepers (mahouts) decorate their Elephants from head to toe with an exceptional care. The 'Best Decorated Elephant' contest is another feature of this cultural fest.
It is a festival time for Elephants, so they enjoy the festivity by dancing and playing. Live Folk dances and music programs are also arranged for the overall entertainment of people. This festival of Elephants revives the royalty of Jaipur, when people enjoy the glorious Elephant ride in the ground. The Elephants beautifully decked with floral motifs, make ultimate picture for the tourists. Being the time for Holi, tourists play Holi mounting on these painted Elephants. Elephant Festival of Jaipur is unusual, something different and definitely a special treat for the tourists. |
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