Plan a quick trip to Marwar Festival in Rajasthan this weekend!

The Blue City of Rajasthan, Jodhpur, is ready to celebrate the Marwar Festival aka Maand Festival on Sharad Poornima which falls on Sunday, October 13, this year. It will be a two-day-long festival starting from October 12 and winding up on October 13. Given the fact that the fest is being held over the weekend, tourists have a good reason to attend this highly cultural fiesta.
Marwar Festival is the annual dance and music festival of Rajasthan. It is also meant to commemorate the erstwhile Rajput men and women, who turned into legends with their heroic deeds.

The fest is organised mainly at the Umaid Bhawan Palace, Mehrangarh Fort and Mandore. Folks dancers from Rajasthan dress up in colourful traditional attire to showcase the most spectacular dances. Musicians and singers tell the tales of bygone eras by using their skillful singing talent.
Here is a quick look at other features of this festival.


Ghoomar

This is the most popular and well-known folk dance of Rajasthan. Ghoomar is performed by the local women of Rajasthan, who form a circle and then dance in circular motions.

Bhavai Chari

To perform this dance, women hold pots and earthenware on their head and yet sway their hands, feet and body in catchy steps. The dance is actually a non-verbal and light-hearted way of telling how painstakingly the women go about the business of fetching water in a desert.

Kalbelia

Kalbelia is the snake charmer tribe of Rajasthan, and hence, a different community altogether. The Kalbelia women are usually seen adorned in gaudy black or dark blue traditional skirt, blouse and veil with heavy makeup and jewellery to complete the look. The Kalbelia dance is a famous attraction of the desert state.

Dandi Gair

The local tribe of Bhils perform Dandi Gair with sticks. Both women and men participate in this dance and whirl in circular motions to make an attractive visual treat for the audience. You just can’t miss it!

In addition, visitors can also sample the local cuisine and take home the handicrafts as souvenirs.