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Jaisalmer Desert Festival, Jaisalmer - Fairs and Festivals in India - unique adventure,
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Jaisalmer Desert Festival - Fairs and Festivals in
India
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Once a year during winters,
the sands around Jaisalmer come alive with the brilliant colors, music
and laughter of the Desert Festival. Dressed in brilliantly hued
costumes, the people of the desert dance and sing haunting ballads of
valor, romance and tragedy. The fair has snake charmers, puppeteers,
acrobats and folk performers. Camels, of course, play a stellar role
in this festival, where the rich and colorful folk culture of
Rajasthan is on show. The festival closes with an enchanting sound and
light show amidst the sand dunes on a moonlit night.
The Jaisalmer fort provides an ethereal backdrop to the annual desert
festival. Sponsored by the Rajasthan State Tourism Corporation, this
festival is a joyful celebration of the traditional performing arts
and creative crafts of Rajasthan.
Celebrations
A few days before the spring full moon according to the Hindu
calendar, musicians, dancers and performers from all over Rajasthan
start moving in colorful camel caravans towards the golden town of Jaisalmer, which dons a festive look. The otherwise barren landscape
is splashed with vibrant colors marking the opening of the Desert
Festival. The 12th century fort of Jaisalmer, built in yellow
sandstone, provides a fairytale background. Over the years, the desert
dwellers in their solitude have woven a fascinating tapestry with
threads of music and rhythm and the Desert Festival is a celebration
of their heritage. It is a chance of a lifetime to see the folk art
forms against the landscape that has nurtured them for hundreds of
years.
With the arrival of the artists, a delightful series of programs
begins in and around Jaisalmer. There is music everywhere and at every
given hour. Through the winding lanes of the fortified town to the
sand dunes and even the rivers of abandoned villages, the music casts
a potent spell. Beginning at sunrise, it reaches its zenith under the
umbrella of the star-studded sky. Though it is mainly a festival of
the performing arts, there are several other events that give a
glimpse of the desert culture.
Through the day, visitors can come face to face with the desert
craftsmen. Exquisitely embroidered skirts, hand-woven shawls, rugs,
carvings on wood and stone, camel decorations, embroidered leather
bags, ethnic silver jewelry and terracotta are brought in from all
over the desert. These skillfully achieved crafts are objects d'art
for the handicraft buff.
Evenings are meant for the main shows of music and dance. Vibrating
desert drums can be heard for miles around. Nearly all the variations
of performing arts of these desert people are displayed. Continuing
till late into the night, the number of spectators swells up each
night and the grand finale, on the full moon night, takes place by
silvery sand dunes. |
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