January is the right month for a desert spree, and Bikaner is just the right place to see the ships of the desert. In the camel country Bikaner, these desert leviathans pull heavy cart loads , transport grain and even work at the wells.

The Camel Festival begins with a colorful procession of bedecked camels against the red sandstone backdrop of the Junagarh Fort, the festivity advances to the open sand -spreads of the grounds, followed by the best breed competition, the tug-of -war contest, camel dance and acrobatics, etc.

The camels display amazing footwork, dancing gracefully to the slightest directions of their trainers. Bridal bridles, bejewelled necks , jingling anklets and long, lanky camel shadows on dusky sand cast a magical spell.

Hundreds of tourists and thousands of locals and dignitaries revel in this man-and-animal affair organized especially for the tourists.

The evening close with a different tenor and tempo altogether: a traditional rendezvous of renowned artists of Rajasthan and the local folk performers.

The jubilliant skirt-swirling dancers, the awe inspiring fire dance, and the dazzling fireworks light up the fortified desert city of Bikaner.

Held in the month of January -February, the Desert Festival exudes a delightful spirit. For three days, the otherwise barren land of Jaisalmer comes to life and is clustered with erodes of colorfully dressed people. In fact during these days, Jaisalmer gets a chance to parade its exuberant charm to the world.

Some chosen and cherished moments of the glorious, illustrious past and affluent culture are on display. The traditional dances backed by high pitched music take the folk dancers and the audience on an euphoric trip.

The turban-tying competition and Mr. Desert contest add a touch of excitement to the festive celebrations.

The famous Gair dancers and the traditional fire dancers leave the crowds enchanted whenever they perform.

The grand finale is a trip to the sand dunes where one can enjoy the pleasures of a camel ride and at times also view the musicians and dancers performing on the dunes.

The quaint town of Nagaur, one of the most picturesque of Rajput townships, stirs to life during the Nagaur Fair. The cattle fair here is the second largest in Rajasthan and is held every year during the month of Magh ( Jan - Feb).

The fair is renowned for the trading in cows, bullocks, camels and horses. Their owners are seen wearing colorful turbans and flaunting long moustaches. The bullocks of Nagaur are renowned for their fleetness and attract a large number of buyers. Both the buyers and the owners bargain to their heart's content until they decide upon a price.

Mirchi Bazar (Red Chilly Market) is the main attraction and wooden items, ironcrafts and leather accessories are available in abundance during the fair.

Various games are organized during this four days festival. Tug-of -war, camel races, cock-fight etc. provide entertainment to the tourists and visitors.

As the sun goes down, a joyous atmosphere is created by the folk musicians, whose voices echo far and wide across the tranquil desert sand.

The Gangaur festival is the most important local festival of Rajasthan and is observed through out the state with great fervor and devotion by woman folk who worship Gauri, the consort of Lord Shiva.

Gan is a synonym for Shiva and Gaur, which stands for Gauri or Parvati who symbolizes Saubhagya (marital bliss). Gauri is the embodiment of perfection and conjugal love which is why the unmarried woman worships her for being blessed for good husbands, while married women do so for the welfare, health and long life of their spouses and a happy married life.

The festival commences on the first day of Chaitra, the day following Holi and continues for 18 days. For a newly-wedded girl, it is binding to observe the full course of 18 days of the festival that succeeds her marriage. Even unmarried girls fast for the full period of 18 days and eat one meal a day.

Images of Isar and Gauri are made of clay for the festival. In some families, permanent wooden images are painted afresh every year by reputed painters called matherans on the eve of the festival. A distinct difference between the idols of Teej and Gangaur is that the idol will have a canopy during the Teej Festival while the Gangaur idol would not have a canopy.

The ladies decorate their hands and feet by drawing designs with mehandi (myrtle paste). The figures drawn range from the Sun, Moon and the stars to simple flowers or geometrical designs.

Ghudlias are earthen pots with numerous holes all around and a lamp lit inside them. On the evening of the 7^th day after Holi, unmarried girls go around singing songs of ghudlia carrying the pots with a burning lamp inside, on their heads. On their way, they collect small presents of cash, sweets, jaggery, ghee, oil etc. This continues for 10 days i.e. upto the conclusion of the Gangaur Festival when the girls break their pots and throw the debris into a well or a tank and enjoy a feast with the collections made.

This ritual is performed on the occasion of Gangaur as a reminder of the triumph of Rao Santhal, ruler of Jodhpur, over Mir Ghudley Khan, who had carried away 140 maidens who were celebrating the festival of Gangaur, in 1548. The burning lamp signifies the valour and chivalry of the Maharaja.

The festival reaches its climax during the last three days. The images of Gauri and Isar are dressed in new garments especially made for the occasion. Unmarried girls and married women decorate the images and make them look like living figures.

At an auspicious hour in the afternoon, a procession is taken out to a garden, tank or a well with the images of Isar and Gauri, placed on the heads of married women. Songs are sung about the departure of Gauri to her husband’s house. The procession comes back after offering water to the image of Gauri which faces backwards on the first two days. On the final day, she faces in the same direction as the image of Isar and the procession concludes in the consignment of all the images in the waters of a tank or a well. The woman bid farewell to Gauri and turn their steps homewards with tears in their eyes and the Gangaur Festival comes to an end.

In Jaipur, a sweet dish called Ghewar is characteristic of the Gangaur Festival. People buy Ghewar to eat and distribute it among their friends and relatives. A procession, with the image of Gauri, forms at the Palace Gate known as Tripolia and moves on the city streets passing Chaugan and on to Talkatora. A vast gathering and villagers from nearby areas witness the procession.