Why does Bikaner hold a camel festival?
Diwali, Onam, Holi, Navaratri, Eid, Christmas—these are the few names that pop up on your mind when you think of festivities. But there are festivals beyond these too, ones that celebrate the regional animals, legends and values of people. The apricot festival in Ladakh and the summer festival of Ooty are examples of such festive celebrations. Today, we will take you through a festival in Rajasthan that celebrates camels. Yes, we are talking about the Bikaner Camel Festival, a two-day festival full of games, competitions and parades that honour the ships of the desert, and camels.
What is the Bikaner Festival all about?
The Bikaner camel festival is an annual festival during the second week of January in Bikaner, organised by the Department of Tourists Art and Culture, Government of Rajasthan. It takes place in the month of January which includes spectacular performances like dances by camels, camel races, and obviously, camel rides galore! The festival is quite exciting, and has a colourful camel parade, followed by traditional Rajasthani folk dance, lots of local Rajasthani food and folk music.
Why is it celebrated?
Camels have had a long association with Bikaner and its people. Bikaner locals celebrate the camel festival to honour the camels, that are everything from their vehicles to their pets. Since they are one of the very few animals that can thrive in the harsh desert conditions, they are bred as an important part of the army of Rajasthan. The camel corps in the military is named ‘Ganga Risala’. You’d be surprised to know that camels have served India during the World War I and II and even during the Indo-Pak wars. The Indian army takes exceptional care of the camel regiment, where these brave animals valiantly help patrol the borders. Who knew that the camels of Bikaner have been protecting us!
Parading Camels
During the festival, you see beautifully adorned camels against the backdrop of the Junagarh fort at the Dr Karni Singh stadium. The camels are decorated with vibrant bridles, necklaces, and heavy anklets. You can also witness camel race events and cultural performances. Camel pageants are also held, where the owners display their majestic camels.
Competitions for tourists
The festival holds several competitions for both locals and tourists alike. These competitions include tug of war for people, and a water pot race for women. They also hold a fun turban-tying competition for foreign tourists. In addition, the local villagers compete in wrestling and kabaddi matches. Similarly, like day one, on day two as well, there are cultural programmes and performances. In addition, you can enjoy a display of fireworks and music.
The local cuisine of Rajasthan!
The Camel festival gives tourists a fantastic opportunity to enjoy the local Rajasthani cuisine. The dishes served at the festival are cooked in minimum water as they mostly use milk and buttermilk for preparation. You can even enjoy sweets made of camel milk and camel milk tea. The dishes are mostly made with lentils and beans such as Sangri and Ker (berry-like fruit found in Rajasthan).
The Bikaner camel festival has proven to be a terrific way for the people of Bikaner to celebrate the relationship and dependence between humans and animals. So next time you think of doing a camel ride, try to do it at the Camel festival!