Stay logged in to proceed with bookings, orders and offers.
On changing the terminal, you will loose items in your cart. Are you sure you want to change your terminal?
Jaisalmer Desert Festival — A celebration of vibrant traditions under the golden scape of Rajasthan.
In the heart of the Thar Desert is the Golden City of Jaisalmer, a sleepy town that is a burst of colours, history, art and innocent smiles. This mystical city draws millions of visitors from around the globe to its stunning dunes, intricate golden sandstone structures and ornate havelis. Along the narrow lanes are the city’s vibrant markets, showcasing traditional Rajasthani crafts, adding to its allure. Jaisalmer is also famed for its annual Desert Festival, celebrating the region’s folklore with folk music, dance, events — a grand celebration at that!
Inspite of extreme weather conditions, the people of Jaisalmer are leveraging their rich history and culture to create opportunities for them and one such initiative by the Government of Rajasthan is the Jaisalmer Desert Festival.
Held annually in February or the Hindu month Magh, these three days before the full moon beckons one and all! Jaisalmer experiences lovely weather during this time. The temperature is between 5-24oC, neither too high nor too low. The evenings are chilly, while the days are comfortable. This year the festival will be held from Feb 22-24, when the city will transform into a pulsating wonderland, which you shouldn’t miss.
The vast expanse of the Thar Desert offers the perfect setting for this festival which honours and celebrates Rajasthan's rich folklore with electrifying performances, exhilarating camel races and gastronomical delights that will blow your mind.
A little bit about how the festival came to be. As legend has it, Arjuna, one of the Pandavas, was informed by Lord Krishna, the Yadav community's ruler, that a Yadav would establish his empire on Trikuta Hill. The prophecy stated by Lord Krishna was realised in 1196 when Rawal Jaisal, a member of the Yadav family, founded his empire in Jaisalmer.
The entire kingdom organised festivities as the word spread on the fulfilment of the prophecy. Eventually, the community learned of this. The peasants and locals dressed in their finest clothes and sang folk songs to welcome the festival with open arms. This simple celebration has now turned into a grand event. Any reason is a good reason to celebrate, right?
A morning parade from the Jaisalmer Fort to the Shahid Poonam Singh Stadium marks the start of the celebration. The locals dress in colourful, traditional garb and perform songs and dances that portray the tragedies and triumphs of the desert, romance, and some devotional songs.
Some quirky attractions that you mustn’t miss include puppeteers who will enthral you with stories and voices, skilful jugglers performing gravity-defying acts, men with long winding moustaches, turban tying competitions, and Maru-Shri, the Mr Desert competition that is quite a unique experience. You can also watch uncommon sporting events like camel polo, camel racing, camels and creating formations. Local nomads known as the Kalabaz or the Nat are well-known for their gymnastic performances. The Langas and Manganiars' mesmerizing folk music concerts and ballads on Kalbelia and Ghoomar evoke a magical atmosphere.
The Border Security Force Camel Tattoo show comes after these contests. Other grand events that conclude the festival are an Air Force display, a cricket game, parachuting, etc.
There’s a lot for adventure lovers at the festival — Desert Safaris on a camel, dune bashing, paramotoring, parasailing, quad biking, and camping. Astro Tourism also known as The Skies of Jaisalmer, is one of the interesting additions to the list of activities that you can explore this year.
For the ‘real’ experience, one can book the gorgeous tents at the sand dunes available through the website. The luxurious tents feature a rustic décor replete with room heaters, cosy beds, and private bathrooms with hot/cold water facilities.
There are several kiosks selling handicrafts, regional trinkets, and mouthwatering Rajasthani and Gujarati food. Food in Jaisalmer or the festival is gastronomical and a unique experience you must indulge in. The ghee-laden baatis with an assortment of Churma, the spicy Ker Sangri, Bajra Roti, Mirchi Bada, Kachori are some of the must-try traditional Rajasthani dishes.
Medical vans outfitted with the best medical amenities are also present at the location. If you need to exchange currencies, there are mobile money exchangers available. And what if you run out of money? Almost all of the kiosks are equipped to accept credit cards.
Jaisalmer Fort: Perched on a hilltop is the Jaisalmer Fort, A UNESCO World Heritage site, which beautifully reflects the region’s royal legacy. The most interesting part of the Jaisalmer Fort is that people still live inside the fort which is also called ‘The Living Fort’ by locales. A must-visit indeed!
Longewala Post: One must not miss the Longewala Post in Jaisalmer where our courageous soldiers fought and won the battle against Pakistani forces in 1971, which consisted of around 2000-3000 soldiers with 30-40 loaded tanks and ammunition. Their goal was to capture Longewala border and mark their territory. Since it was a smaller post, only 120 Indian soldiers were there who strategically held and fought with valour through the night till they could get support from the Indian Air Force. Their tales of heroism are sure to give you goosebumps even today.
Tanot Mata Temple: This highly revered temple is managed by Border Security Force (BSF) and is known to protect and give them strength in times of distress. It has miraculously escaped the 1965 Indo-Pak war making it a symbol of resilience and divine intervention.
Kuldhara Village: If you are someone who is intrigued by mysteries, then this village is a must-visit. This place was once home to Paliwal Brahmins who abandoned it overnight leaving behind an eerie silence and an unexplained mystery. This place is currently protected and maintained by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
Gadisar Lake: The picturesque Gadisar Lake is an artificial water body that is dotted with intricately carved yellow stone archways. You can enjoy a calming boat ride at the lake or savour a cup of hot coffee at one of the quaint cafes outside the lake. The colourful flea market, the impromptu performances by artists, and the bit of chaos by the street vendors, gives this place an fascinating charm.
Some Retail Therapy: It is a sin to leave Jaisalmer without shopping. Bhatia Bazaar, Pansari Bazaar, Manak Chowk, and Sadar Bazaar are well-loved places to go shopping. Choose the top-quality local handicrafts, clothing, trinkets, home decor, leather goods, puppets, jewellery made of rare and semi-precious stones, and, most significantly, souvenirs made of yellow sandstone!
By Air: The nearest airport is in Jodhpur, which is around 300 km away and a great city you can start your trip with. There are a number of flights by major airlines from cities in India that connect to Jodhpur. From Jodhpur you can take a private cab, train or a bus to Jaisalmer.
By Rail: Jaisalmer is connected with Jaipur, Jodhpur, Ajmer, and Delhi. Booking train tickets might need a bit of prior planning.
By Road: You can take a bus or book a private cab from either of the cities — Jodhpur, Jaipur, Ajmer, Bikaner, Udaipur, Mount Abu, Barmer, Ahmedabad, and Delhi.
Jaisalmer is a feeling, a majestic city that will leave you mesmerised with its story of valour, heritage and the timeless beauty of Rajasthan. In the heart of the Jaisalmer Desert Festival, as the annual celebration unfurls, one can’t help but feel the magic from within. The warmth in their innocent smiles and the happy eyes beautifully mirrors their simplicity, and gives you a sense of belonging and community that prevails even today!
The Adani One expressly disclaims all liability, direct and indirect, in respect to actions taken or not taken based on any or all the contents of this Blog. The Blog is an opinion of the contributor based on the collation of data from various sources and is provided only for information purpose. Adani One does not canvass, advertise, solicit, invite or induct for any product, merchandise, information, brand or any other materials mentioned in the Blog, nor does it obtain any monetary benefit from the same. Reader is advised to read and apply his/her intellect and discretion in this regard. Any Intellectual Property mentioned in this blog belongs to the rightful owner. We do not intent to claim any interest over the same.
