Bundi Utsav

In this article you are going to gram information about "Bundi Utsav" which is organised at Bundi, Dist. Hadoti of Rajasthan state of India. This festival mostly occurs in month of November every year. It is one of the important festivals of India and Rajasthan.

The program

As you heard name Utsav in India - this denotes some kind of social gathering of people at some holy place. As huge number of footsteps come to that place so market is ready for all the visitors. In this event you can shop for mix traditional art, Rajasthani royalty, handicrafts, attires, and home decors etc. During two days of this fair as like other fairs events like music, dance, sports and competitions are also become part of attraction for the tourists - specially for foreigners.

Rajasthan State Tourism Department organizes the this fair. The program includes a colorful Shobha Yatra, Arts & Crafts Fair, Ethnic Sports, Cultural exhibition, Lighting diyas and Classical Music & Dance Program, Sight Seeing, Traditional Rural Sports, Turban competition, Bridal Clothing, Musical Band Competition, Folk and Classical Music & Dance program, & sparkling fireworks display etc.

Image Credit: Rajasthan Direct

Tradition and spirituality

This fair is held at Bundi town in the Hindu month Kartik - in November month as per English calendar. It is a two-day fair organised after Kartik Purnima. Early in the morning after Kartik full moon day all the devotees get ready in colourful traditional dresses and light up diyas (lamps) made up of flour dough. The diyas are lighten at the banks of river Chambal at a place known as Keshoraipatan.

Bundi

Bundi is one of the most beautiful locations of the Hadoti district in Rajasthan. The palaces and forts of Bundi are the nice examples of Rajasthani construction art. The town is surrounded by rock gorges. Chambal river is perfect location for water activities. Also widespread jungles and wildlife make the place full of nature and adventurous. Bundi is famous for paintings at Chitrashala across the world.

How to reach?

Before planning any trip you should know how to reach that place. Bundi is well connected by roads to major Rajasthani cities like Kota, Sawai Madhopur and Jaipur. From Jaipur it is at 210 km by road. Nearest railway station is Kota which is on Delhi-Mumbai broad gauge rail track. Jaipur is nearest airport. Domestic and international flights are available to and from Jaipur.

Map Credit: Google map

Thanks for reading till the end. You may also like to read about Pushkar Camel Mela and more about Hindustan. All readers are requested to comment their opinion and special requests about some place in India in comment section below. The articles accordingly will be published shortly.

Pushkar Camel Mela

Pushkar is one the towns of Rajasthan, India. In this article you are going to read about the Kartik Mela held every year in the month of November every year especially after Dipawali.

Different names and information

Pushkar fair, Pushkar camel fair, Kartik Mela or Pushkar ka mela. It is annual multi day livestock (camels) fair and cultural treat is also part of this. This fair starts with Hindu solar month of Kartik and ends on Kartik Pournima - full moon day of Kartik month. As per christian calendar the fair overlaps October - November of every year. It is one of the largest cattle fair in India which leads to treading of camels, horses and other domestic cattle. During this fair as per Hindu belief bath in Pushkar lake is the ritual of getting rid on all bad things. Along with cooler atmosphere the fair has attractions of competitions like cattle races, tug of war, matki phod, dance competitions, longest mustache, bridal competition, and much more showing the cultural shades of Rajasthan. From Kartik Ekadashi (Devuthani Ekadashi) to Kartik Purnima are the peak celebration days. Many Hindus come to Pushkar to bath in Pushkar lake and worship Lord Bramha in temple. This fair is worlds largest camel trading fair.

Image credit: Maps of India

Geography of Pushkar

Pushkar is center-east part of Rajasthan. Aravali mountains are on the east side of the Pushkar. Sanganer airport, Jaipur is the nearest one at 146km. Reaching Jaipur by air or train is quite easy. Ajmer at 10km from Pushkar is nearest railway station.

Other attractions

If you want to attend Pushkar fair then you will enjoy a stay in old school camp type tents. These camps are having variety of non-luxury to high-luxury package. You can book these tents from your favorite travel website. 

You can enjoy most entertaining compositions, also watch and listen to India's famous fusion bands. Sunset safari is its kind of experience in Rajasthan.

At Shiplgram Handicraft Bazar you can shop for many accessories and other decorative things with a taste of Rajasthani culture.

Hot air balloon flight will give you pleasure of watching the aerial view of the fair. The booking can be done on the spot or advance booking is also available with your travel agent.

History

The term 'Pushkar' literally means 'to be born due to a flower'. It is stated in the Hindu mythology that once the deities released a swan with a lotus flower in its beak and made it drop on earth where god Brahma performed a huge yagna. The place where the lotus fell came to be known as Pushkar. 

Map Credit: Google maps.

Thanks for reading till the end. I hope this has given you pretty much knowledge. Other articles about Hindustan are also on this blog. You can read them also. Please comment any opinion below. If you want to know more about some other place in India then you can tell me about that in comment section. The requested subject article will be published in your service shortly.

Kolayat Fair

Introduction

Rajasthan is the perfect blend of tradition and modernity. The world class hotels reflect modern luxury whereas the historical tourist spots symbols of rich history of the place. In any state of India attending a fair is equally a short study tour of the culture of that area. The Kolayat Fair is one of the most famous festivals of Rajasthan. It is held in Kolayat, Dist. Bikaner and a large number of visitors from different parts of the world experience it. This fair is organised on the occasion of Kartik Pournima.

Image Credit: Astrosage

Kolayat

The historical significance of the place lures a large number of tourists. As history says, the place of Kolayat is also regarded as Kapilayatan. Moreover, these names are also found in the holy scriptures of Puranas. Kapil Muni meditated here for redemption of mankind here on shores of Kolayat lake. Kolayat lake never gets dry.

Kolayat is situated in an arid area (area which is being without moisture; extremely dry). There are many banyan trees around the Kolayat lake which is having 52 well constructed bathing areas called ghats. Visiting Kolayat has been considered to be a 'tirtha' or pilgrimage of great importance and it is believed that one day's stay at Kolayat benefits as much as 10 years spent at any other sacred place.

How to reach?

Kolayat is about 50km from Bikaner in the southwest area and well connected to the road. Nearest airports are Jodhpur airport and Sanganer airport, Jaipur respectively at 143km and 296km of distance. Also Kolayat is a having a railway station coded as KLYT which is well connected to the Jaisalmer, Lalgarh and Bikaner.

Beauty of the fair

The Kolayat Fair of Bikaner is also known as ‘Kapil Muni Fair’ and is greatly important for the people of Bikaner. They eagerly wait for this fair throughout the year. It has a great religious significance. A large number of devotees also visit the fair to take a holy dip in the Kolayat Lake. It is believed that a holy dip can provide them respite from all the sins they have done.

During the Kolayat Fair all the 52 ghats (bathing places constructed along banks of a water body) of Kolayat lake are beautifully decorated. Attractive lights impart a great look to these ghats. One ghat known as Kapil Muni ghat is dedicated to Sage Kapil and there is a marble statue of the saint. Some of the ghats are only reserved for women. All the ghats are having temples. On visiting the fair, you will also be able to witness the various rituals performed by the devotees. These devotees also offer prayers along with sweetmeats, milk pudding and sugar drops to the deity. All the devotees gather at a common point and leave oil lamps to float in the calm waters of the lake. It will be a great sight for the tourists to see hundreds of lighted lamps floating in the water of the lake.

GK about animals

In this article you are going to know about animal species which are lesser known means which are rare. All species are from India. 

Q1. What is the scientific name of Great Indian Bustard ?
ANS. Ardiotis nigiceps.

Q2. The Great Indian Bustard is endemic to what?
ANS. To Indian subcontinent.

Q3. Currently in 2017, how birds exist in the world outside India having no known breeding population?
ANS. Around 300.

Q4. In how many states Great Indian Bustard is found in India?
ANS. In 5.

Q5. Name the states.
ANS. Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Gujrat, Rajastan.

Q6. It is the state bird of which state?
ANS. Rajasthan

Q7. What s the main decline of their population
ANS. Illegal hunting.

Q8. Which is the tallest flying bird in India?
ANS. Sarus crane.

Q9. What is the height of  Sarus crane.

ANS. 155 cm.

Q10. What is the scientific name of Sarus crane?
ANS. Grus antigone.

Q11. Around how many Sarus cranes are there in India?
ANS. Around 8000 to 10000.

Q12. Sarus crane is state bird of which state?
ANS. Uttar Pradesh.

Q13. How many Sarus cranes re here in Uttar Pradesh?
ANS. Around 2000 to 3000.

Q14. What is the main decline in their population?
ANS. Loss of wetland.

Q15. What is the scientific name of red panda?
ANS. Alirus fulgens.

Q16. What is the nickname of red panda?
ANS. Firecat and lesser panda.

Q17. Where is firecat's most population in India?
ANS. Arunachal pradesh.

Q18. Why they are hunted?
ANS. They are hunted for their pelt by Chinese people for making traditional dresses.

Q19. What is the scientific name of  Nilgiri tahr?
ANS. Niligiritragus hylocrius.

Q20. Nilgiri tahr is endemic to what?
ANS. Nilgiri hills.

Q21. Nilgiri tahr is state bird of which state?
ANS.Tamil Nadu.

Q22. Adult male nilgiri tahr is called?
ANS. Saddleback.