The festival of elephants can be traced back to the evergreen tales of Jataka where the custom of Hastimangala finds a prominent mention. An integral part of many a battle, safaris, and imperial ceremonies, this magnificent animal is epitomizes Indian hospitality at its best. A journey to the Amber palace on the back of an elephant is an unparalleled experience.
The Elephant festival, one of the premier attractions of Jaipur, takes off at the Chaugan Stadium. Elephant racing competitions, polo, tug of war contests comprises the celebrations. Herd of elephants, adorned with all the beautiful trappings of royal splendor, cuts an outstanding spectacle.
The festival is marked by a riot of colors. Exquisitely decorated elephants, with the female counterpart sporting lovely feet accessory, splendid folk based dance performances, verve and vivaciousness lends a ineluctable aura to the festival.
The elephant keepers pull out all stops to decorate the elephants for the prize for the most beautifully decorated elephant is a much coveted one. The enthusiastic tourist may also choose to hot foot it to the 'Gaj Shringar' expo, that has an assortment of items related to the animal, ranging from, varicolored accessories to medicinal drugs. It is guaranteed to be an indelible experience.
The fantastic festival is caped off with a dabbling in the vibrant hues of Holi. The brilliant Gair and Dhaph, coupled with bedazzling firecrackers enlivens the ambience.
You can team up your visit to the lovely Elephant festival with a trip to the top tourist locales of Jaipur like Jantar Mantar, Hawa Mahal and Amber Fort, among a host of others.
