Jaipur Stage set for Jairangam

The Jaipur Theatre Festival once again brings Jairangam to treat the theatre enthusiasts of the Pink City as they have announced another edition to take place in the city from December 08 to 15, 2014.

The much awaited theatre festival Jairangam with some applauded line up of plays and theatre artists will be focusing on the women empowerment and raise awareness on violence against women.

The Festival will be launched with one of the biggest and exciting online photography competitions called ‘Khushboo-e-Jaipur’ In this competition the participants will be encouraged to embrace their love for the Pink City and click the best shots of the City and upload them online to win maximum likes. Khushboo-e-Jaipur is entirely going to be a social media event which is organized by Jairangam in association with Jaipur Beat- One of the most popular Facebook Pages in Rajasthan.

Jairangam 2014 also presents ‘Nukkad’, a city level street play competition for school and college students to be showcased during Jairangam from 8th Dec to 15th Dec 2014. Those interested can participate to show their talent and create awareness in society.

This year, Jairangam will be showcasing higher rated plays like Stories in Song, Taj mahal ka Tender, Romeo and Juliet along with celebrating the solo plays where back to back performance will be done by the artists coming from Bhopal, Mumbai, Pune and Delhi.

 

Celebrate Diwali in Jaipur

Jaipur celebrates Diwali in its own style with much enthusiasm and great folklore. Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan, is culturally rich city and Diwali puts more color to it. The enthusiasm with which Jaipur celebrates Diwali – the festival of lights – has to be seen to be believed. Mainly because Jaipur is primarily a trader’s city, and on Diwali, the goddess of honor is none other than that of wealth – Laxmi, makes Jaipur a city to must visit during this period.

Some tourists just happen to be lucky visiting Jaipur around Diwali, while others come on purpose, enticed by Flickr albums and Lonely Planets. Whatever is their reason for visit, each year more and more foreigners celebrate Diwali in Jaipur. Jaipur’s Diwali is globally popular and people from far off lands come to enjoy this glorious extravaganza of lights and happiness.

During Diwali, a kaleidoscope of vibrant colors floods the decorated streets. Evil spirits tormenting mankind are banished away in ingenious ways, such as fireworks.

All the streets, shops and buildings are bathed in the magnificence of colorful lights and decorations. Crackers, dazzling lights, decorated shops and houses, streets and roads and people of Jaipur in traditional Indian dresses can be seen everywhere on Diwali. The whole Pink City dazzles and looks like a bride with makeup of lights, frills and colors during the festivities of Diwali.

The heart leaps with joy and festivities reach a crescendo whenever it’s Diwali time. After all, this is the most gala festival celebrated almost throughout the country.  So if you want to experience the extravaganzas of lights and happiness, then you must visit the Pink City during Diwali!!

Reasons to visit Annual Pushkar Fair of Rajasthan

Stupendously bred and beautifully adorned 50,000 camels converge on the tiny desert town of Pushkar, near Ajmer city, for the annual Pushkar Fair of Rajasthan. The camel fair of Pushkar starting from October 31 to 06, 2014 is a fascinating and peculiar sight for the locals, and a great opportunity for foreign tourists to witness a traditional style Indian festival. Here’s a blog to give you exciting reasons to attend this colorful and eventful festival of Rajasthan!

The traditional purpose behind the Pushkar Camel Fair was to attract local camel and cattle traders to do business during the holy Kartik Purnima festival. With the constantly gained popularity, the fair has now become a major tourist attraction.

A cultural phenomenon of liveliness is witnessed in Pushkar when colorfully dressed devotees, musicians, acrobats, folk dancers, traders, comedians, monks and tourists reach there to enthusiastically attend the fair.

The camel and cattle trading is at its peak during the first half of festival period, while the later half involves engaging in religious activities that dominate the scenario. Devotees take dips in the holy “Sarovar” lake. Fifty two bathing ghats have been constructed around the periphery of the Lake. The sacred water of each of these ghats is said to possess miraculous medicinal powers and also known to bestow salvation.

This tiny sleepy town is colorfully transformed into a spectacular fair ground, as numerous make shift stalls display a distinguished range of objects of art to daily utility stuff. Decoration items for cattle, camel and women, everything is sold rigorously during the Pushkar fair .

The camel and horse races have crowds to cheer. Camel beauty competitions are a hit among animal lovers. Each evening during Pushkar fair brings mesmerizing folk dances and music of Rajasthan, performers delivering live shows to the roaring and applauding audiences.

Pushkar fair has its own magic and it’s a lifetime experience for travelers. It has been featured into various travel shows, films and magazines. It’s truly a feast for the eyes. If you are any where within striking distance at the time, it’s an event not to be missed.

Keys Hotels and Resorts launches Marigold in Jaipur

Another luxury hotel comes down to Jaipur to delight discerning travelers in the city.   With the opening of “Marigold”, premium hotel and hospitality brand “Keys Hotels and Resorts” launched its 16th property on Thursday in Jaipur, Rajasthan.

Spread over an area of 2,000 square metre, Keys Hotels Marigold offers 70 rooms and 5 suites, each equipped with modern amenities and well-appointed work desks to suit the needs of contemporary travelers, the hospitality company said in a release issued here.

“The launch of Keys Hotels Marigold will play a significant role in strengthening and improving tourism satisfaction in Rajasthan. Jaipur is a popular destination for tourists from across the globe. It is also an upcoming hub for business travelers due to the growing business opportunities this region presents and its proximity to the India’s capital.

Rajasthan Tourism

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Musical evening by Pt. Hari Prasad Chaurasiya at Central Park Jaipur

The music lovers in Jaipur will have a melodious musical treat of flute recital to relish, as renowned artist Pt. Hari Prasad Chaurasia is visiting Jaipur to perform flute recital at the Central Park Jaipur- Rajasthan

As a part of the “Music in the Park” festival the event will reflect and engage musical performances by Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasia accompanied by Vijay Ghatey on Tabla.

Keep yourself free for 06.00 p.m. for an enriching and delighting, art form that celebrates its rich traditions and smitten the music lovers with the enchanting musical melodies.

Entry is free, make sure to reach before time to avail seats.

Jodhpur Celebrated Medieval Heroes’ Sagas with Marwar Festival

 

Because of various legends that are sung by bards in the folk lore, the heroic sagas of the kings and warriors have become a vital part of the Rajasthani culture. And the Marwar Festival this year once again brought to life the celebrations of the brave deeds of medieval heroes.

The main theme behind the festival like every year was to praise the heroes and martyrs of the medieval era with scintillating dance performances, recitals and musical nights by the local and renowned artists from various fields.

There were unusual competitions like Pitcher “Matka Race” Turban Tying competition and Mustache Competitions in which foreign tourists participated with much enthusiasm and even won many competitions.

During evenings, various performances like  Kalbeliya dance, terah tali and Kachchi Ghodi were held by folk artists through which they narrated stories from the past sagas.

The festival for two days was an ongoing colorful ride of cultural and traditional bonanza during which everyone in the Jodhpur town was smeared with all the colors of Rajasthani folk arts.

The spirited folk dancers assembled at the various venues like Mehrangarh Fort, Clock tower, and the holy town of Osian to perform with gusto and entertained the audience with Rajasthani traditional art forms.

A small fete “Haat” was also organized by the state tourism and cultural board wherein a number of craftsmen displayed their skills in handicraft and tatoo art on their cattle, where one can even buy displayed artifacts and craft items for themselves and their cattle.

The night concluded with a cheer from the delighted crowd who could be seen sinking in the festive spirits of Marwar festival and the fading sand dunes bade a breezy farewell to the Marwar festival to come again next year.

Picture Courtesy: Rajasthan Tourism

Witness the colorful culture of Rajasthan with Ranakpur Festival

Dance, music, lights, colors, tempting food and vibrant costumes, there is something eccentric about the festivals of Rajasthan that makes them irresistible! With the onset of festival season, there are celebrations, gatherings, events and fairs galore to look forward to. Right after the globally acclaimed Marwar Festival, Rajasthan brings another splendid for the tourists to once again gain an insight into the life of people of Rajasthan with Ranakpur Festival scheduled for October 09 – 10, 2014. Here’s the Schedule..

 

Just like folk festivals in Jodhpur and Jaipur, the holy town of Ranakpur near Pali witnesses a mélange of Rajasthani folk performances and Bharatnatyam festooned with renditions by renowned vocal artists and dance performers during the Ranakpur Festival.

With the setting sun, the ambiance becomes calmer but no less enchanting. Fireworks dazzle the sky in the evening and kick-start the cultural programmes at ‘muktakash’ (open air auditorium at Surya Mandir aka Sun Temple) . Mesmerizing folk music and dance performances at the open air theatre transform the place to a vibrant platform

It is a cultural event where a large number of tourists from not only Udaipur, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer but across the borders come to have two days of unparalleled fun in authentic Rajasthani style with the right mix of culture, history, fun and pleasant weather.Undoubtedly, the whole experience becomes more enthusiastic only because of the venues at Ranakpur, which reflects marvelous architectural skills of the artisans of that era.

Marwar Festival in Jodhpur

Fairs in Rajasthan are not just confined to mythological beliefs in nature relating to Gods and Goddesses, but are also celebrated to commemorate the brave legends of medieval heroes. The Marwar Festival, held in memory of the chivalrous heroes of Rajasthan is one fabulous example.

Originally known as the “Maand Festival”, Marwar Festival is devoted to music and dance of Marwar region of Rajasthan. For the two days and nights of sharad purnima i.e. Full Moon, folk artists bring to life the myths, legend and folklore of the area into a beautiful canvas of colors and fanfare.

The festival will be celebrated from October 07  and 08, 2014 in Jodhpur, the former capital of Marwar Province.

The keen spectators will witness an awe inspiring amalgamation of totally raw music and dance of the Marwar region. The spirited folk dancers from across the local borders will assemble here, perform with gusto and entertain the audience with Rajasthani folklore by bringing to life the legends and myths of the heroes. Among the other popular attractions during the Marwar festival are horse polo, horse rides and cattle games.

 

 

Various other competitions are also held during the festival. The massive backdrop of Meharangarh fort and the impressive Umaid Bhawan Palace add glamour to the melodious experience of the festival.

Don’t miss to be a part of this cultural extravaganza, if you are in or around Jodhpur during Marwar Festival!!

Three-day donkey fair begins in Jaipur!

A three-day donkey fair began at the Bhavgarh Bandhya village in the district today on 1st October, during which nearly 300 donkeys and other cattle will be put on display for trading.

The 500-year-old fair is popular as ‘Gadarbh Mela’.

Donkey Fair

Hundreds of traders and farmers are flocking the annual donkey fair which is believed to be the Asia’s largest, in Rajasthan.

The fair at village Kanota, barely 25 km from Jaipur, is famous for its pedigree animals. Most of the deals are struck between traders, who sell the donkeys further to washermen, potters and construction workers to be used as load carriers.

Besides the donkeys, recently camels and horses have also been added to the shopping list with many visitors even feeling that the horses are fast establishing a dominant position in the 500-year old fair’s donkey tradition.