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Famous cultural fests of Thar Desert

The Navratra started on 21st September this year and with this started the movement of  tramp travellers   and I am always awakened by the DJ sound moving along the Salasar Balaji devotees.Salasar dham is a place of religious importance for the devotees of  Lord Hanuman. A big fair is  organised here on Ashvin Purnima which attracts devotees from Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan .it is now considered as a  Shakti sthal ( place of power). The idol of Balaji is here different from other idols of Lord Hanuman . The Salasar dham is situated in my home district Churu.This today inspired me to write something on   cultural festivals of the desrt (Thar desert) of rajasthan.The desert mainly dominated by the earstwhile princely states of marwar and bagad desh (bikaner).The region is full of colour and culture  in spite of all odds for survival ,like shortage of drinking water and lack of greenery.   The strength of this land which attracts people from all over the globe is its rich heritage, the hospitality of its  people,sweet dialect,colourful attire and  mouthwatering dishes like "dal baati churma,kair -sangri sabji, besan gatta ,aloe vera sabji and various namkeens and chillas etc.
 A very beautiful description about the geography of Thar Desert was given by the famous kavi kabir :-
बागड़ देस लूअन का घर है
जहां जिनि जाई दाझन का डर है।
सब जग देखी कोई न धीरा
 परस धुरि सिर कहत अबीरा ।

(Meaning desert region is a place of hot winds,where ever you go there is fear of heat stroke.I have seen everybody but nobody is having patience here,there is sand all over the head but people say it abeer/colour.)

With the advent of winter season desert festivals take off. The winter season is a nice time to visit desert . In this series first I would like to mention is  " Rajasthan international folk festival (RIFF).it is organised at Mehrangarh Fort,  Jodhpur on the sharad Purnima .This year it is organised from 5th October  to 9th October .Jodhpur RIFF took off in 2007 and it has been endorsed by the UNESCO as" people's platform for creativity and sustainable development "Here one can  have a rare chance of staying in royal tents in Mehrangarh Fort .The RIFF takes place during the night of the brightest full moon of the Year in North India. Mehrangarh fort was founded in the 15th century .It towers over the Blue City, Jodhpur . It houses  a fantastic museum full of historic artistics including paintings, palanquins,clothing and ancient weaponry . Mehrangarhgarh fort has been voted as the Asia's best fortress by the time magazine.In the dawn concert at the Jaswant Thada, next to the Mehrangarh Fort one can have a wonderous experience to enjoy the chill in the air with warm tea . This festival is a coenfluence of folk and fusion. This year around 350 local and foreigner artists will give their performance in RIFF . Rocky Dowani of Ghana and his band will perform in collaboration with Langa manganiyar artists.

 Another attraction of this festival may be Osian visit near Jodhpur ,a place of history interest. The refined stone carving work  at Osian has given it the nickname of 'Khajuraho of Rajasthan '.you can take camel ride here .
After this another festival which will follow is international camel festival,Bikaner, organised by the RTDC .Camel festival is a yearly event organised in the month of January .it is celebrated to honour the  camel "the ship of desert ". Main events here  include are performances by camels like camel dance, camel races ,neck shaking and camel rides etc.you can taste here camel milk sweetmeats and camel milk tea.you can visit nearby places of tourist interest like Deshnoke , Karani Mata Temple ( White rats are seen here),national camel research centre Bikaner and Gajner, the hunting place of erstwhile princely kings of Bikaner .
 Then comes The Rajasthan desert  Festival , Jaisalmer .Organised by RTDC in the month of February. it attracts thousands of visitors from across the globe to see the Sonar Durg,and enjoy various events like mousetache contest,Turban tying, Miss Moomal and Mr. desert. The near by place of interest  is Desert National Park,Jaisalmer to see desert wildlife .

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