The 44th edition of the widely famous Jaisalmer Desert Festival 2023 is all set to take place in February. Jaisalmer is popularly known as the Golden City in Rajasthan. Celebrated vibrantly in the Hindu Magh month, this festival is set for a grand start in the rustic magnificence of the Thar desert three days before the full moon. The three-day-long desert festival will showcase the rich culture and traditions of Rajasthan. It allows tourists to soak up the unmatched royalness of the princely state. During the festival, guests get the opportunity to enjoy folk music, dances, as well as other cultural activities that bring them closer to the colorful traditions of India. It will witness performances by distinguished music artists such as Shanmukha Priya, Ankit Tiwari, Raghu Dixit, Salman Ali, and Salim Sulaiman. So, let’s bask in the true culture of Rajasthan at the Jaisalmer Desert Festival this year and witness the true royalty of the princely state.
As per the legendary stories, once upon a time, Lord Krishna told Arjuna that one of his descendants will take responsibility for setting up his kingdom on the hill named Trikuta. As it is believed, in 1196, the said prediction came true when the king named Rawal Jaiswal established his kingdom in Jaisalmer. To celebrate this, royal, grand celebrations and festivities were organized throughout the kingdom. Soon, these celebrations were converted and now they are celebrated as the most popular festival of Rajasthan, the Desert Festival.
1. Preparations
The preparations for this event begin several days before. Dancers, musicians, and performers from all across Rajasthan and India are seen arriving in colorful camel caravans that head to Jaisalmer. With the arrival of these renowned artists, a splendid series of different programs begin in and around the city.
2. The Perfect Blend Of Fun And Frolic
When we talk about fun, the Jaisalmer Desert Festival is the perfect blend of jugglery performances, fire dances, folk dance forms, and exciting contests such as Mr. and Miss Desert. As the festival is all about the rich heritage of Rajasthan, you can also explore different shopping options such as carving on stone and wood, rugs, camel decorations, and whatnot. The evenings of this amazing festival are precisely meant for dance and music that vibrates in desert drums and can be heard for miles. The best highlight of this year’s Desert Festival will include a camel tattoo show, camel polo match, camel decoration, Shaan-e-Marudhara, turban tying competition, mustache competition, panihari matka race, and ghoomar dance. The enthralling desert safari tours on camels and jeeps will also be organized during the festival.
3. Who Will Be Attending The Desert Festival?
The organizers of the festival have asked the Indian Air Force to showcase air warrior drills, Akash Ganga skydiving, and Suryakiran acrobatic demonstration during this year’s avatar of the Jaisalmer Desert Festival. Distinguished Bollywood celebrities such as Sanjay Mishra and Pankaj Tripathi will also embrace the festival with their presence.
The 2023 edition of the Desert Festival of Jaisalmer is scheduled to begin between February 3 and 5. This three-day-long event will explore the rich heritage and culture hidden behind the traditional magnificence of Rajasthan. The sand dunes of the Thar Desert will bring new energy to the celebrations by adding a spellbinding charm to the desert silence.
February 3- The Opening Day Of The Festival
The Jaisalmer Desert Festival will kickstart with the Aarti chants at Shri Laxminath Ji Temple which is situated at the Jaisalmer Fort. Following this will be the Shobha Yatra where visitors and tourists will walk down the distance from the fort to the Shahid Poonam Singh stadium. The festivities will begin with the Golden Skies event where golden balloons will be released in the sky.
Spectacular performances by folk dancers will be the main highlight of the opening day. Visitors can also participate in different competitions like the mustache competition, Miss Moomal competition, Mr. Desert competition, turban tying competition, etc. In the evening, you will witness an outstanding performance by renowned celebrity singer Salim Sulaiman. You will also witness a spellbinding view of the fireworks that are organized, thereby wrapping up your day.
February 4
The second day of the Desert Festival will start off with soothing instrumental music and a pleasant yoga session. After this, tourists and visitors will get the opportunity to participate in different cultural festivities. The list of activities includes Shan-e-Marudhara, camel decoration, Panihari Matka race, and tug of war. In the second half of the day, you will get to enjoy camel safaris and activities in Village Khudhi. The day will also include rich cultural activities, fireworks, as well as celebrity performances.
February 5
The last day of the festival will allow you to relish the sight of mesmerizing peacocks that form an essential part of the culture of this princely state. You will witness stellar musical performances in the Khabha Fort. You can also take part in art competitions such as rangoli-making, wall painting, and Mandana events. These activities will take place in Kuldhara Deserted Village. The festival will come to an end with camel races, horse races, musical concerts, and even horse dances.
Now that you know all about the Jaisalmer Desert Festival 2023, we are sure that you are pretty excited to witness this extravagant event. But even after the event comes to an end, your trip should not. We offer customized Rajasthan Thar Desert tour packages to accommodate everything that you wish to explore and experience while you are there. Your Rajasthan tour should be nothing less of absolute royalty which is why we offer only the packages that involve experiencing exactly that and more. You can also check out our desert safari tour package on our website and explore the many options you have. So, if you are looking to have the true experience of the Rajasthan royalty and cultural heritage, then get in touch with us today and we will make sure that you have the best time of your life there.
The Mdrills, Akash Ganga skydiving, and Suryakiran acrobatic demonstration during this year’s avatar of the Jaisalmer Desert Festival. Distinguished Bollywood celebrities such as Sanjay Mishra and Pankaj Tripathi will also embrace the festival with their presence.
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