Mount Abu Festival: Here’s all you need to know

Mount Abu is a hill station, as the name indicates. But this hill station is not like many others in India because it is in Rajasthan, with surprising green hills and a lake, in a desert state! Every year, Mount Abu bustles with activity and life in summer and winter with festivals in May and December. This year the festival is back, though with pandemic restrictions.   

Why is Mount Abu festival held?  
Mount Abu Winter Festival is a joint initiative of the Municipal Board of Mount Abu and the Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation. It was started as an initiative to encourage tourism and introduce people with the rich cultural traditions of Rajasthan. But the festival also has an interesting background. Mount Abu has many myths around it. Many Hindu demigods (lesser gods) were supposed to have performed yajnas on it. It’s also a melting pot of Buddhist and Jain traditions and spiritual practices. The Summer Festival is held on Buddha Poornima every year to add that spiritual touch to it.   

What happens in the Winter Festival at Mount Abu?  
The 3-day Winter Festival lasts from Dec 29 to 31. Traditional dance forms like ghoomar, gair, dhap and kalbelia are showcased in the backdrop of the hills. There is a sham-e-qawwali, where desert melodies blend beautifully with the traditions of qawwali. A boat race happens on the tranquil waters of the Nakki Lake. One of the biggest attractions is the grand inaugural procession from Hotel Shikhar of Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation to the Nakki Lake Chowk. On the last day, lamps are floated on the Nakki Lake in a ceremony called Deepdaan. Each evening, fireworks are organised against the background of the hills. These apart, tourists get a chance to enjoy nostalgic games like gilli danda, 20-20 cricket and kite flying, and enjoy soulful poetry reading sessions. Shopping for authentic Rajasthani handicrafts is another attraction of the Winter Festival at Mount Abu. And of course, there are the stalls of food without which any Indian festival is incomplete. Rajasthan has many gastronomical delights to offer, and Mount Abu Festival offers a chance to sample some of the best dishes.