About Camel Festival
A salutation to the ship of the desert ! Camel
Festival (January)
Held every year on the full moon night, the festival is dedicated to the
indispensable ship of the desert, the camel and is a fascinating spectacle
of camel performances including; camel races, camel dances and camel rides,
along with the joy, colour and vigour unique to Rajasthan, makes this a
joyous event that shouldn't be missed.The camel festival is held in
Jaisalmer, Bikaner and Jaipur.
»
The Camel Festival of Bikaner : The Camel Festival is an event organized
in Bikaner by the Department of Tourism, Art and Culture, Government of
Rajasthan, every year in the month of January. The Camel Festival begins
with a colourful procession of bedecked camels against the red sandstone
backdrop of the Junagarh Fort, the festivity advances to the open
sand-spreads of the grounds, followed by the best breed competition, the
tug-of-war contest, camel dance and acrobatics, etc.
» Camel Charisma : The camels display amazing
footwork, dancing gracefully to the slightest direction of their trainers.
Bridal, bridles, bejewelled necks, jingling anklets and long, lanky camel
shadows on dusky sands cast a magical spell. Hundreds of tourists and
thousands of locals and dignitaries revel in this man-and-animal affair
organised especially for the tourists.
» The Charm of the Evenings : As evening falls, and
the ground is lighted by tiny lamps, strains of music fill the air. Folk
artistes play traditional instruments and Gair dancers fill the air with
foot tapping rhythm. The celebrations conclude with the awe-inspiring fire
dance and the dazzling display of fireworks.
» The Activities : The activities during the Camel
Fair include; camel parades, dancing, shearing and other activities; also
folk music and dance at the stadium.
Then follows the amazing Camel Derby in the open sandspreads of the Polo
Grounds, followed by camel races, camel milking, fur cutting and designing
shows, the best breed competition, Dhola Maru competition, the tug-of-war
contest, camel acrobatics and camel bands. The camel display amazing
footwork, dancing gracefully to the slightest direction of their riders.
Proud owners display their possessions, dressing them up in colourful
bridles, neck jewellery, jingling anklets et al. This is definitely the
place to be to see the ships of the desert at their best.
Getting there
» By Air : The nearest airport service is at
Jodhpur.
» By Road : Rajasthan Roadways run very comfortable
deluxe buses from Delhi (Bikaner House, Near India Gate) to Bikaner. The
roads are very good, and it takes around 8-9 hrs from Jaipur. With good road
conditions you can also travel by private car/taxi.
» By Rail : Several trains link it to important
cities like Delhi, Jaipur, Mumbai and Jodhpur.
