Desert Festival of Jaisalmer is a colorful festival held in February every year. You will get to see Cultural events, camel races, turban tying competitions etc. Not exciting enough! Attend the contests to judge the man with the best moustache. Everything is exotic in the Desert festival, amidst the golden sands of the Thar Desert. With a final musical performance by folk singers under the moonlit sky at the dunes in Sam, just outside Jaisalmer, the festival comes to its end. The rich culture of the region is on display during this three daylong extravaganza.
The Desert festival in Jaisalmer was started to attract foreign tourists, who always wanted to explore as many facets of Rajasthan as they could in the possible crunch of time. The three-day event stresses more on local elements and heritage. For example, this no-nonsense festival will only showcase Rajasthani folk songs and dance. These are presented by some of the best professionals of the art. Similarly, local customs such as Turban tying etc have been added to make it more exotic and colorful in its outlook. 'The moustache competition' is very popular among foreigners. This is simply because of the surprise value attached to this event. Foreigners can be seen posing for pictures with the winners. This is truly a moment worth preserving.
You will never forget marvels like the famous Gair and Fire dancers that are the major attraction of the desert festival celebrations. Interesting contests including a tying competition and a Mr. Desert contest further enhance the fun of the occasion. A trip to the Sam sand dunes marks the grand finale, where you will enjoy camel rides and brilliant performance by the folk artist under the full moon against the backdrop of picturesque dunes.
The Rajasthan tourism organizes the Jaisalmer Desert fair/festival. There is tourist help cell to deal specially with the problems faced by foreign tourists. The arrangements are monitored by local administration and state of the art Medical vans, equipped with the best of medical amenities, are kept on alert. If you want to buy gifts or souvenirs for your dear ones, this is the place to be. For this place not only have items from and around Jaisalmer but of the whole Rajasthan. Mobile money exchangers are there in case you need to exchange currencies. And if you run out of cash, Guess what! Nearly all the kiosks have the facility to accept credit card.
When is the desert festival celebrated?
The Jaisalmer Desert Festival is celebrated every year during February. It is typically held during the Hindu calendar month Magha (February), which is three days before the full moon. The festival is artistically celebrated across the beautiful sand-dunes of the Thar Desert.
This event tops the Rajasthan Festivals List for various reasons. Some other festivals you can be a part of when in Rajasthan are the Gangaur Festival, Winter Festival, and Udaipur World Music Festival, etc.
The place is exactly 42 kilometers from the beautiful city of Jaisalmer. The place is so romantic, unspoiled and remote. The entire Sam Dunes comes to life during the three-day extravaganza. You have people from all over the City of Jaisalmer and the neighboring villages partaking in the various shows, programs, and exhibitions, which are organized!
Other interesting snippets
Delicious Rajasthani and Gujarati thali plates are served at stalls. The sweets and savories can be mouth-watering indeed. You also have fabulous stalls displaying artifacts, handicrafts, and other souvenirs. You can enjoy desert safari and camping activities before the eve of the desert festival.
You can also visit some of the best tourist attractions the city has to offer. Some interesting places to see in Jaisalmer are,
- Jaisalmer Fort
- Patwa Haveli
- Gadisar Lake
- The Thar Heritage Museum
- Bada Bagh
- Jain Temples
- Nathmal Ki Haveli
- Salim Singh Ki Haveli etc