Marwar & the Thar · Arid Northwest
Festivals
| Festival | When | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Pushkar Camel Fair | Kartik Purnima (November) | A working livestock fair with a religious bathing festival attached — trading, racing, moustache competitions and a temporary city of tents. |
| Gangaur | Chaitra (March–April), 18 days | Women worship Gauri for a husband's long life or a good match; painted images of Isar and Gauri are processed to water on the final day. Jaipur and Udaipur hold the largest processions. |
| Teej | Sawan (July–August) | The monsoon festival — leheriya odhnis, swings hung from trees, ghevar, and a royal procession through Jaipur's old city. |
| Desert Festival | February | Jaisalmer's three days of Manganiyar and Langa music, camel events and dance on the Sam dunes, around Magh Purnima. |
| Urs, Ajmer | Rajab (varies) | Six days marking the death anniversary of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti, drawing pilgrims from across South Asia. |
| Nagaur Cattle Fair | January–February | One of India's largest cattle fairs, trading Nagauri bullocks alongside camels and horses, with tug-of-war and camel racing. |
| Baneshwar Fair | Magh Shukla Ekadashi to Purnima (February) | The largest gathering of Bhil and other tribal communities in the region, at the confluence of the Som and Mahi. |
| Makar Sankranti kite festival | 14 January | Jaipur's rooftops given over entirely to kite-flying, with cut kites called down by the whole street. |
The festival calendar of Marwar & the Thar — what is celebrated, when it falls and what happens. (8)