Jaipur Festivals

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Jaipur festivals are celebrated with much of pomp and grandeur. During the festivals, Jaipur assumes a very colorful persona.
A large number of festivals are celebrated in Jaipur. During the festivals in Jaipur, the people from all sections come together to join hands. Some of them are given below.

Jaipur Festivals



  • Teej- This festival takes place in the month of July to August. This festival is celebrated by the married women who pray for their long and happy married life before the idols of Shiva and Parvati. This festival is celebrated with great dedication by the women section of Jaipur.

  • Gangaur- This festival is celebrated by the women especially the maidens, before the idols of Issar and Gangaur, who pray for a partner like Lord Shiva. The women of Jaipur carry the idols of Shiva and Parvati while going on a procession through the streets of Jaipur. Issar and Gangaur are the incarnations of Lord Shiva and Parvati. This festival is celebrated in Jaipur with much pomp and grandeur wherein the women put Mehndi in their hands.

  • Elephant Festival- On the day of Holi, the elephants are decorated with garlands and jeweleries and are painted with flamboyant colors. Anklets are worn by the female elephants. At places of Jaipur, elephant polo game and races are held that is of major attraction. Besides folk dances of Rajasthan are performed in this festival. Even prize is given away to the elephant that looks the best. Holi is played by sitting on the back of the elephant on this festive occasion.

  • Sitla Mata Fair- This fair is held in the name of the 'goddess of war' named Sitla. This fair is celebrated in different temples of Goddess Amber at Jaipur. This festival is called as Basoda by the locals.

  • Chaksu Fair- During this fair, people from all over Jaipur flocks that looks really very colorful.

  • Donkey Fair- This is celebrated in the month of October wherein donkeys gather for buying and selling purpose. Donkey race is an important part of this festival.

  • Makar Sankranti- It is celebrated on 14th February where the devotees take a dip into the holy water of Galtaji tank. On this day, colorful kites are flown in Jaipur.


Jaipur Literature Festival

Into its sixth year, the Jaipur Literature Festival began in 2006. Its directors are writers William Dalrymple and Namita Gokhale and are produced by Sanjoy Roy of Teamwork Productions. This festival, the largest not only in Indian, but in Asia has been described as the "Greatest Literary Show on Earth" by Tina Brown, journalist and author. In 2006, the festival saw a mere 100 attendees but began growing since 2007, which saw writers like Salman Rushdie, Kiran Desai and Shashi Deshpande. In 2008, 25000 people attended the festival and saw speakers like Ian McEwan, Donna Tartt, Manil Suri, Patrick French, Mohsin Hamid and Tarun Tejpal. In 2010, an incredible 30,000 people and 172 speakers attended and 2011 saw 226 writers and a massive crowd quickly filling up the venue.

The festival, held in the Diggi Palace hotel in Jaipur is spread out across four venues, namely the Front Lawns, the Durbar Hall, the Mughal Tent and the Baithak. Known as the Kumbh Mela of the literary world, this festival witnesses readers and writers not only from across India, but from across America, Europe, Africa and south Asia.

Literature Festival Jaipur Literature Festival Literature Festival in Jaipur


The literature festival in 2011 saw many prolific authors like Ruskin Bond, Sonia Falerio, Nobel Prize winner Orhan Pamuk, J.M Coetzee, Nigerian novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, including famous poets and lyricists like Javed Akhtar, Gulzar and Prasoon Joshi.

The Jaipur Literature Festival is one of the biggest crown pullers and entry to all the talks and events are free and open to all (a charge per day is applicable if you wish to sign up as a delegate). This year, a charge has been applied to the musical events that take place in the evening. Registration for the festival for the press, delegates and the general public are now open and to avoid long queues at the venue it is advisable to register online at the Jaipur Literature Festival website before you arrive.

The Jaipur Literature Festival 2012, promises to be as large and colourful an interesting as last year and includes speakers like Ben Okri, Chetan Bhagat, Chiki Sarkar, Chandrahas Choudhary, David Davidhar, Oprah Winfrey, Prasoon Joshi, Javed Akhtar, Peter Popham and may more. The musical evening this year features Coke Studio, Jaipur Kawa Brass Band, Rajasthani Musicians like Chugge Khan, Nathoo Lal Solanki and Gods robots including a poetry reading by Jeet Thayil and Tishani Doshi.



Last Updated on 08/19/2013