Desert Fair Festival
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.
History of Desert Festival
According to the legends, once upon a time, Lord Krishna told Arjuna that one of his successors will be responsible for setting up his kingdom on the hill named Trikuta. And then, as it is believed, in 1196, the prediction came true when the king named Rawal Jaiswal established his kingdom in Jaisalmer. For this, grand celebrations were organized throughout the kingdom. And soon, these celebrations were converted and are now celebrated as the popular festival of Rajasthan, the Desert Festival.
How to Reach Jaisalmer for Desert Festival Jaisalmer
Here are complete details about How to Reach Jaisalmer
By Air : Jodhpur Airport is the nearest international Airport to reach Jaisalmer, located 337 kilometers away. You can either hire a prepaid or a private taxi from the Airport to reach Jaisalmer.
By Rail : Jaisalmer is well connected with a vast network of trains covering most Indian cities. The railway station is located in the center of the desert city. Once you reach the railhead, many auto-rickshaws and private taxis are connecting the city.
By Road : Jaisalmer has excellent road connectivity. It is easy to commute to the city. Ordinary state-owned buses, luxury coaches, sleeper AC buses, cabs, taxis, and private vehicles can reach the city.