Rajasthan gears up to prepare for a ceremonious welcome to embrace tourists on the occasion of the 44th Jaisalmer Desert Festival 2023.
The 44th Jaisalmer Annual Desert Festival, 2023 is going to take place in the Hindu month of Magh (February) between the 3rd and 5th of February, three days before the full moon in the beautiful city of Jaisalmer. The festival will be celebrated in the scenic and rustic dunes of the Thar Desert and will exhibit a show of splendor and extravaganza that will showcase the inherently rich cultural heritage of Rajasthan that is woven into every detail of the city’s beautiful landscape. The fanciful dessert festival is an opportunity for tourists to soak in the majestic tradition of Rajasthan that is evident in every intricacy small or big of the event. The dunes come to life during the three-daylong event that hosts folk dances and folk music performances along with a plethora of other cultural delights.
The festival is going to house brilliant and enchanting performances by eminent musicians and playback singers. Indian maestros and artists like the composer duo Salim Suleiman, Ankit Tiwari, Salman Ali, Shanmukha Priya, and Raghu Dixit Project are going to set the environment ablaze with their surreal performances. The festival will also host one of the youngest and fastest-rising electronic acts by the Atrangi Project. The 44th Jaisalmer Desert Festival will begin at the Poonam Singh Stadium, with a ceremonial procession on the 3rd of February. This will be followed by Astro Tourism and Border Tourism. These secluded desert areas near the border areas are filled with tales of numerous war heroics and cultural heritage, which will likely attract tourists. The visitors will also be able to experience eminent photography on the same day by two noteworthy veterans which will be a memoir of a classic picture collection of Jaisalmer and the Desert Festival. The highlight of the festival is the helicopter ride through which visitors can get an eagle’s view of Jaisalmer’s beautiful decoration and experience the magnificence of Jaisalmer Fort which is a sight to behold.
Art camps with a live art activation by around 20-25 artists are an attraction that can be savored by art enthusiasts. The festival is an important platform to celebrate the skillful artistry of the handicrafts community and will see an exotic handpicked handicraft collection at the Handicrafts Bazaar by a self-help handicraft group from Jaisalmer at the Shaheed Poonam Singh Stadium. The ‘I Love Jaisalmer Foundation’ will organize the heartwarming ‘Dine with Jaisalmer’ initiative. The initiative will host guests at the homes of the people of Jaisalmer, for a divine and scrumptious local thali (plate) meal along with the families at the same table. The initiative was created as an ode and respect to tourists traveling from all over the world for the festival and to create bonds that last beyond a few days. Tourists attending the festival will be able to witness a beautiful sky with celestial bodies at the Sam dunes and Khuri dunes. Tourists can head to the Sam Dunes and Khuri Dunes to revel in the Camel Safari, Motor Paragliding, Helicopter Ride, Kalbeliya Dance, and Jaisalmer Folk songs.
While talking about the Jaisalmer Desert Festival, Rooparam Meghwal Member of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly said “Jaisalmer Desert Festival is an expressive way to celebrate or indulge in the glorious graphic heritage of Rajasthan. Guests at the festival will have appropriate moments to rejoice in the celebration with their loved ones. All the guests at Jaisalmer Desert Festival will be witnessing the traditional roots of Rajasthan in different forms, from local folk fare to other festive celebrations. Talking about the significance of the Desert Festival in Jaisalmer, its main objective is to showcase to worldwide spectators the artistic side of royal Rajasthan in the best possible way! It is all about spraying its colors, playing the local folks and dances, and whirring its heels from the hub of Thar Desert. In the folk fusion of Jaisalmer, tourists alike – whether domestic or international, will be taking a deep plunge into Rajasthan’s traditional colors like never before.”
Gajendra Singh, Owner of The Mamas, Resort & Camp adds “Jaisalmer Desert Festival is one of the most popular and colorful cultural events of Rajasthan, which is visited by several tourists. It is the best platform to portray the state’s culture and traditions through dance, music, and other art forms. Rafting through the pits and falling on the shimmering sands is the most sought-after feature of the Jaisalmer Desert Festival 2023. In this activity, one will be riding in a 4X4 vehicle on the dunes, alongside off-roading on the dunes under expert supervision. And apart from dune bashing, there’s quad biking in the Thar Desert, and parasailing to give tourists an incredible adrenaline rush!”
Jitendra Singh Rathore, President of the Red Cross Society, Jaisalmer said “During the desert festival, the sands around Jaisalmer are adorned with vibrant hues of music and dance, accompanied with sounds of laughter and joy. Musicians entice you with haunting ballads – a mixture of romantic verses weaved together with tunes of tragic pain. The fair has snake charmers, puppeteers, acrobats, and folk performers. Camels, also play a stellar role. This desert festival of India closes with an enchanting sound and light show amid the sand dunes on a moonlight night. Evenings are meant for the main shows of music and dance. Continuing till late into the night, the number of spectators increases by each night and on the final day, under the full moonlight night, the whole place is swarming with people who make it a point to be there to witness this mega show.”
About the Jaisalmer Desert Festival
The Jaisalmer Desert Festival takes place every year in the Hindu month of Magh (February) and is set in the backdrop of the beautiful dunes of the Thar Desert. The extravagantly beautiful festival is celebrated for three days with enthusiasm and fervor and is infused with high notes of the abundant Rajasthani culture and tradition. The event sees heavy attendance from tourists over the globe, who come to experience the regality of a culture so rich and abundant. The event is an exquisite and colorful mix of art, music, and cultural grandeur from one of India’s most possessed jewels- Jaisalmer.
About the Jaisalmer District
Jaisalmer was founded by Rawal Jaisal in 1156 AD and is the largest tourism district of Rajasthan. Jaisalmer means the ‘Hill Fort of Jaisal’. It is called ‘The Golden City of India’ because of the yellow sandstone used throughout the architecture of the town that exudes a gold-like shimmer. It is the largest district in the Indian state located in Marwar (Jodhpur division) and is around 289 km from the city of Jodhpur and around 559 km from Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan. Some of the common tourist attractions are Thar Desert, Jaisalmer Fort, Patwa Haweli, Mandir Palace, and Government Museum.
