Holi typically comes during the month of March. It is one of the most popular festivals of Rajasthan and it lasts more than two days. A witch effigy is burned on the first evening that is called as Holika. This ritual signifies the beginning of a new year after the end of the winter. Splashing friends and passers with brilliantly coloured water and powders is the main celebration of Holi. It is held on the second day.
Nag Panchami Fair is celebrated on Bhadtpada Budi Panchami that occurs between August and September. People from throughout the area participate in this fair. The legend behind the fair is that the Serpent King appears in the form of a cobra or naga (mythical serpent). So many snake charmers come with their cobras. People, especially women worship them. You can also see large representations of the mythical serpent are displayed everywhere during this fair.
International Kite Festival, which is held in Jodhpur, attracts many best kite flyers of India. Even though kite festival is a relatively new event, it achieved popularity quickly. The festival can generate a lot of excitement and so people even from other parts of the world participate in this festival. Kite festival starts on January 14 (Makar Sankranthi day) and lasts three days. Polo ground of Jodhpur is the venue of the fair. It is really wonderful to see that the sky is filled with lots of colourful kites released by locals, school children, Air Force and participants in the competitions. Contestants have to work hard to keep their kites aloft in the sky. They also try to disable the kites of their opponents.
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Gangaur festival is mainly celebrated by women, as it is dedicated to goddess Parvati. While married women pray for the achievement of material happiness to the goddess, the unmarried girls do offerings with a hope of getting the best possible husbands during this festival. Gangaur festival is generally held following Holi and it lasts for 15 days. Procession through the Jodhpur streets carrying a wooden image of the goddess is the main ritual of Gangaur festival. As an indication of their happy married life, the women adorn their hands and soles of feet with henna or mehandi in the evening. This is known as ‘sohaag’.
The Marwar festival is one the most famous festivals of Jodhpur and India. The two-day festival is held every year in the month of Ashwin (between September and October) and for one night in Osian Town in the Thar Desert, in memory of the heroes of Rajasthan. It was originally known as the Maand Festival. The Marwar festival is a centre of authentic folk music, culture and lifestyle of Rajasthan’s rulers. The royal collection of art forms in this festival revisit the legends and stories written and sung to honour the former rulers of Marwar. Additionally, other attractions comprise of camel tattoo show and polo. The festival is held at famous venues like the Umaid Bhavan Palace, Mandore and Mehrangarh Fort.
Balsamand Lake is about 5 kilometres from Jodhpur on the Jodhpur-Mandore Road. Built in 1159 AD, it was planned as a water reservoir to cater to Mandore. The Balsamand Lake Palace was built on its shore later as a summer palace. It is surrounded by lush green gardens that house groves of trees such as mango, papaya, pomegranate, guava and plum. Animals and birds like the jackal and peacock also call this place home. This lake is now a popular picnic spot with tourists and locals.
Situated within the compound of Mehrangarh Fort is the glass palace of Jodhpur, popularly known as Sheesh Mahal. This magnificent piece of architecture is adorned with walls of mirror work that stretch across ceilings and to the floors. It is superimposed by the mirror work of brightly painted religious figures cast in plaster.
Moti Mahal, as the name suggests, is the Pearl Hall where the royal families held their audience. The hall is known to have glass windows and five nooks that enabled the queens to listen to the proceedings taking place in the Sringar Chowki, The Royal Throne of Jodhpur.
Umaid Bhawan Palace was built by Maharaja Umaid Singh in 1929 to counter a famine which had hit the state at the time. It was also known as the Chittar Palace while being constructed thanks to the use of stones drawn from the Chittar hill. The palace was designed by HV Lanchester, a renowned British architect, and was completed in 16 years. Built with sandstone and marble, the architecture of the palace is described as a blend of lndo-Saracenic, Classical Revival and Western Art Deco styles. It is recognised as one of the largest private homes in the world and also one of the more spectacular buildings. It is the only palace built in the 20th century.
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Rising perpendicular and impregnable from a hill which is 125 metres above Jodhpur’s skyline is the Mehrangarh Fort. This historic fort is one of the most famous in India and is packed with history and legends. Mehrangarh Fort still bears the imprints of cannonball attacks courtesy the armies of Jaipur on its second gate. Chiselled and sturdy, the fort is known for its exquisite latticed windows, carved panels, intricately decorated windows and walls of Moti Mahal, Phool Mahal and Sheesh Mahal.
