The rhythm of Ghumar, Kalbalia, Gair and fire dancers
dancing on the beats of folk music is one of the major attractions at
the Jaisalmer desert festival. The dancers are dressed up in vibrant
and bright colour costumes and dance
looks like flying butterflies. Jaisalmer Desert Festival is the best
occasion when the rich and colorful culture of the desert region is
highlighted. Villagers can be heard singing their old traditional songs.
Snake charmers, puppeteers, acrobats
and camel rides are quite popular here. Camel polo and camel dance is
another unique feature which adds on to the glory of the fair. Also,
you will notice a lot of local people with turbans
and mustaches as they are considered as symbols of honor.
Many other contests add to the fun of the occasion even further. A title
for ‘Mr Desert’ is also held to keep the tourists more engaged and
to enhance the fun.
The music passes through the snaking lanes of the town to the sand dunes
and the rivers of deserted villages cast a strong spell on everyone.
The fair begins with the sunrise and reaches its pinnacle. Jaisalmer
Desert Festival is mainly a festival to perform arts even then several
other events that peek into the desert culture are held.
The long moustaches carefully coiled are a common sight there. The
moustache competition is the most popular competition among foreigners.
Men dressed in traditional and colourful apparel with long moustaches
participate in this contest.
The tug-of-war is the activity in which a team of foreigners is selected
and they compete with a team of locals. Then there is a turban tying
competition where the locals demonstrate their skills to tie-up turbans
that are several feet long. Foreigners also participate in the event
and show their skill in tying turbans.
Apart from all these activities, there are camel rides which are a lot
more popular in the Jaisalmer desert. These rides are very much entertaining
for the tourists and entertain the viewers as well.
It’s not the day that catches all the attention but also the nights
are showered with fun and amusement. The night becomes more lively and
interesting as local artists sing
melodious songs and dancers perform on the local tunes.