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| Awesome dances by camel on rhythm |
On an early winter morning at 6, it was really cold when we left Jaipur for
Bikaner by car. Being too early,we had skipped our breakfast at our Jaipur “The Country Inn & Suites by Carlson”, a 3 star place and a good one on the price.
I’m an artist, as well. What intrigued and motivated me, to plan a visit to this desert town of Bikaner, apart from desert safari, grand architectural marvels as palaces and Bikaneri cuisine was the most colorful event in the world- The International Camel Festival, Bikaner
The festival, is incredible beyond imagination and rated as the top animal festival of the world! One of the largest home for camels in the world, Bikaner in January every year is the venue of amazing performances by camels unheard of and the craftsmanship of locals of what they do with camels.
It took us 7 hours to reach Bikaner by 1 PM and straightaway checked into our hotel Raj Vilas Palace in the town. The palace was was built in the year 1866 and originally used to house the Resident and Agent to the Governor General of India.
An awesome place, indeed!
After a treat of mouth watering delicacies of
Sangri, Ker, Khata, Gatta ki sabzi, Pakodi, rotis, Kheechdi and sweets like
Rabdi, we left for local sightseeing.
The palaces and temples were magnificent with a fascinating art on red stone and some on gray stone with intricate carvings.
Later went to see a center for
Usta Art, a generic term for the Manoti-Naqqashi (embossed and unembossed floral and geometric patterned objects layered with gold) media produced by Usta family master artisans of Bikaner.
My goodness! What a beautiful work! Unique in the world, I believe.
Next day, by 11 AM, we departed for the sand dunes of
Village Ladera, at 45 Kms from Bikaner, the venue of the Camel Festival where the day one was just a great fun with local and village people participating in Indian games like
Kho-Kho (It is a tag sport played by teams of twelve players who try to avoid being touched by members of the opposing team, only 9 players of the team enter the field), Matka Races (Racing with water filled earthen pots on the head), women musical chair, a grand cultural program followed by fire dance.
The events for the day2 was at Dr Karni Singh Stadium, in the city and the grandeur of the events knocked me out from my senses!
The camel breeders from all over Rajasthan assembled with their beauties.
Most outstanding events were: |
| Camel racing |
Camel Racing: The camel races were nail biting, keeping you on the edge. The fleetest camels of the region took part in races. The competition was fierce as the best camels compete for the prizes, which was of great honor.
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| Artist on job! |
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| Incredible job done! |
Camel fur cutting competition: Master craftsmen exhibiting their art on Camel
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| What a beauty |
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| What a handsome guy! |
Camel beauty competition: For the beauty contest, most breeders adorn their camels with colorful accessories to attract the attention of the judges, but don’t be surprised if you see some humped ones wearing make-up, as well…
Camel dancing: Can you believe this? The camels displayed splendid footwork and danced gracefully to the direction of their drivers. Incredible!
On both evenings the festival ended with a performance by the renowned folk singers and dancers of Rajasthan. The jubilant dances swirling the
ghagras, the awe inspiring fire dances and many other interesting and enthusiastic performances entertained us all. In the grand finale a magnificent display of fireworks took place which illuminated the desert city of Bikaner.
It was an unforgettable experience, indeed
StayForeigners and Indians: While you can attend this man-and-animal affair on your own steam, you get many perks if you book a bespoke itinerary with Micato Safaris. Though an African operators, they are veritable India insiders and can arrange one-of-a-kind experiences, such as high tea with the Princess of Bikaner (provided she's in town).
http://www.micato.com/india/Other options: http://www.hotelsbikaner.com/index.htm