Shekhawati Festival

Shekhawati Festival of Rajasthan is famous for its fresco paintings, organic food, dances camel rides and many other activities. Read more-----

Dance at Shekhawati festival

The pictures given above and  below are part of the ancient frescoes, which found a place in the old hawelis  of Shekhawati. This culture was very popular, during the Mughal empire. Fresco is a painting technique through which a painting is drawn on a wet surface with plaster of Paris.  The themes are based on popular myths from mythology, illustrations of practices of horse riding, hunting and family scenes. Fresco is an ancient art, but in the Havelies of Rajasthan they are depicted perfectly. Before the use of chemical colors, the artists  depended on natural colors from nature, flowers and spices.   

Shekhawati festival was already popular before the frescoes made their appearance.It were a famous destination for rural tourism.  Every year in the month of February, the Shekhawati festival is held with great pomp and vigour. There is horse riding, camel safari, jeep safari and cultural programmes, rural games, Haveli games and very impressive fire works. They also have talks, discussions and  workshops.

                                         

The locals get an opportunity to exhibit their skills. Famed artists and craftsmen use this opportunity to display their talent to the world. They present their best in this festival. The tourists return with an indelible imprint of the festival. They go back impressed by the agricultural record of the area. Till recently the produce was hardly sufficient for local consumption, whereas now 80% of the produce is exported.  Cultivation of organic vegetables and grains is depicted by  organising lunch parties in the midst of farms. It is something unique for the tourists to take their meals, surrounded by plants growing organic vegetables, spices and cereals.    

The visitors return with an indelible stamp of events presented in the festival
Pics courtesy Google