A Round-Up Of Jaisalmer Desert Festival; Managed by Percept One

by  EVENTFAQS Bureau Entertainment | February 23, 2016 | News

Percept One

Spread across three days, the Jaisalmer Desert Festival was a one-stop destination to take a deep dive into the colours, the sounds, the smells, the sights, the glory and that unadulterated bliss that is Rajasthan. Organised by Rajasthan Tourism Development Cooperation, the festival took place from February 20 to 22, presenting a melange of eclectic renditions and soulful melodies in a resplendent celebration of Rajasthani art and culture.  Romantic, remote and unspoiled, the festival was set against the backdrop of the majestic city’s forts, the Gadisar Lake, and then, the beautiful dunes of the Thar Desert.

Conceptualized and executed by Percept One, the Jaisalmer Desert Festival was a colourful extravaganza of the art, music and culture of Rajasthan with a strong message of revival of local arts and folk music together with women empowerment. Percept One’s 360-degree scope of work encompassed conceptualizing, planning and executing the entire three-day event inclusive of set production, theme and décor of the massive venue, entertainment capsules, security protocols, F&B management and guest relations.

“Jaisalmer Desert Festival is not an implant, but a home-grown coming together of Jaisalmer’s people in festivity and tradition. It is Rajasthan as Rajasthan is: pure, undiluted; a sensory overload. As partners and consultants, Percept One presented Jaisalmer and its historic Desert Festival at its pristine best,” explained Nupur Mahajan, CEO, Percept One.

“Jaisalmer Desert Festival presents Jaisalmer in its true glory. Not only is it the pulse of the locals but it also appeals to the well-travelled Indian together with international tourists. The Festival is a medley of culture, folklore, music, dance, traditional competitions and more, and attracts people across age-groups with a growing community every year. For every participant of this three-day fiesta the promise is an undiluted taste of Rajasthan and Jaisalmer,” said Shailendra Agarwal, Principal Secretary, the Department of Tourism and Federation of Hospitality and Tourism of Rajasthan.

Celebrated as one of the “must do” things in Rajasthan, the entire city, including the stretch of Sam sand dunes (42 km from Jaisalmer), was turned into a montage of vibrant colours, festivities and enthrallment.

The festival kick-started with a ceremonial procession known as ‘Shobha Yatra’, where local Rajputs and other clans dress up in their traditional attire. Men carrying swords atop horses, camels, and elephants were cheered on, as they entered the Dedansar Stadium, one of the main venues of the desert festival. The locals were dressed in traditional and bright costumes. They sing and dance depicting the tragedies and accomplishments of the desert. The Gair and the fire dance were the highlights of the festival among other Indian dance forms like Lavani and Kalaripayattu. The Kalabaz or the Nats, a group of local nomads are popular for their gymnastic acts. The Bhopa’s Langhas and Manganiars created an enchanting environment with their poignant folk music recitals and ballads.

Competitions like Camel Polo, Cheer for Camel Races, Gymnastic stunts on camel back and camel formation dancing were the crowning jewels of the festival. The Border Security Force Camel Tattoo followed these competitions. Tug-of-war, turban tying, Maru-Shri (Mr. Desert competition) and the longest moustache competition were other allures.

Folk music is at the very core of the festival and this year performers included the mellifluous Swaroop Khan and the celebrated folk singer Manganiyar Ghazi Khan. Kutle Khan - the voice of Jaisalmer, made the desert come alive during the grand finale.

The festival also took a plunge into rendition of old folklore Moomal Mahendra, wherein Princess Moomal set herself on fire (Sati) to prove her love for Prince Mahendra. This year, the highlights included ‘Jaisalmer’s Got Talent’ – a talent hunt and felicitation of local artistes & performers from the fields of art and music. Eclectic food, interesting stalls displaying artifacts, handicrafts and other souvenirs were also amongst the key highlights. Desert safari and camping were also a part of the festival.

The festival concluded in the Sam dunes with the ‘Sonar Qila’ Jaisalmer Fort in the background creating a fairy-tale ambiance with a promise to come back with even more fun and entertainment next year.