Bundi Fair

By Sanjeev Nayyar Sanjeev@esamskriti.com | 2009

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Bundi Fair is organized by Rajasthan Tourism in Bundi 5-7 Nov 2009 in Bundi and smaller towns of Bundi district. In Bundi it starts with a Shoba Yatra (procession) which has dancers, local ladies with Kalash, musicians, students and camels. You see dancers (did a good job) as part of the procession of day one of Bundi festival. There are cultural events in the evening.

This is the procession ie led by camels. Festival is yet to catch the imagination of Foreigners like Pushkar has. There were only a handful of foreigners to witness the opening procession.

These girls did a super job dancing, here are they are in full swing.

Musicians who played some great music - all local instruments. When the young boy saw me clicking he stood up and shook a leg for the picture.

This is the Kalash Yatra where local ladies in their colorful best walk as part of the procession with Kalash placed on their heads.

In this picture are sitting Hindu girls, a Christian girl seen in the white dress and a girl dressed in green on the extreme left of picture (Muslim). A classic eg of Indian Secularism. Religion has nothing to do with the festival. No other country in the world must conduct its festivals like this.

The morning procession ends at a huge playground where there is a shamiana (placed for people to sit as you see in next picture). Local performers at their colorful best.

You see women with Kalash on their heads with shamiana in the background. There was a horse race at the ground with some 5 horses, a waste of time. The evening program at the 84 pillared Cenotaphs was interesting however.

Day 3 went to Keshorai Patan festival. It is 45 kms by bus from Bundi. I returned to Kota from Bundi took a autorickshaw to Rangpur from where crossed the Chambal river in a boat (Rs 5). You see the Keshorai Patan Temple (dedicated to Lord Krishna) fully lit up. It is on the banks of the Chambal river. The table close to the water is where the Mahaaarti was performed.

A close up of main temple. Clicked the base of the temple against the setting sun''s rays. Note the intricate work.

This is the Shoba Yatra similar to what you saw in Bundi.

Several local residents form part of the yatra, sport a Safa (turban) and flowers round the neck. There were no foreigners here. I seemed to be the only photographer from outside the state.

School girls and women with Kalash on their heads. Clicked this picture from the second floor.

As part of the festival is Deepdan where local women (whom you see in the picture dressed in their colorful best) place diyas in the river Chambal. They get into boats and place diyas in the water. Quite a pretty sight. The festival needs a larger number of women to participitate though.

A close up three women placing the diyas in the water.

As I took the boat back across the river clicked this lovely picture of the temple fully lit up. This one sight was enough for me to thank God for having got me there that evening. A musical program followed in the evening. The Govt needs to get more local involvement in the festivals. Also have boat races in the Chambal and camel races on a bigger scale. This would attract tourists.

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