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Elephant Festival (1 Day)
FACTS & FIGURES
Time of the year March (9 March 2001)
Places to Visit Jaipur (Rajasthan)
Duration One day
THE FESTIVAL
The Elephant Festival is a unique event held annually in Jaipur, the capital
of the north Indian state of Rajasthan. Groomed to perfection, glittering in
gold, row upon row of elephants catwalk before an enthralled audience. The elephants
move gracefully in procession, run races, play the regal game of polo, and finally
participate in the spring festival of Holi. It is festival time for the elephants.
TIME OF THE YEAR
This festival is celebrated on the day of Holi, the Indian festival of colors.
CELEBRATIONS
There are deadly and fierce elephant fights in the Jaipur Chaugan or polo field,
the venue of the Elephant Festival. During Holi, the Chaugan is brought alive
with elephants, dancers, musicians, and onlookers from the entire globe. The
festival starts with an impressive procession of the majestic animals lovingly
painted and tastefully attired with glittering ornaments and embroidered velvets.
The echoing sound of the bankiya (trumpet) fills the atmosphere. A ceremonial
procession is recreated with caparisoned elephants, lancers on horses, chariots,
camels, cannons, and palanquins. The large beast is the center of attraction
in the many races and beauty pageants.
Strangely, most of the participants are female elephants. The mahouts (elephant
keepers) take great care to decorate the elephants-painting their trunks, foreheads,
and feet with floral motifs and adorning them from tusk to tail with interesting
trinkets. The mahouts were employed in the Phil Khana, the department of elephant
in the royal administration. They played an important role until the princely
state was incorporated into the Union and the department because redundant.
They, however, have continued their association with the elephants.
The game of polo forms the highlight of the festival. Dressed in saffron and
red turbans, the teams try to score goals with long sticks and a plastic football.
Finally, the tourists are invited to mount the elephants and play Holi. Participants
dance with great vigor-the excitement rising to a crescendo.
HISTORY
The Jataka stories of Buddhism refer to the tradition of Hastimangala (the Elephant
Festival). A royal mount from time immemorial, the elephant has also been a
symbol of strength and wealth. For the Rajput kings, the elephants were of especial
significance not only during war but also during the royal festivities-a must
at royal pageant. Nishan-ka-hathi, the flag carrier, led the procession. The
king always mounted a caparisoned elephant. Special hunting programs and elephant
fights were organized to entertain the royal guests. Jaipur was a favorite with
the important personalities of the British Raj and the Maharajas always arranged
for their guests of honor elephant rides up to the Amber palace. Even today,
the mahouts take tourists up to the Amber Palace on elephant back.
Rajasthan Tourism revived the tradition by including the Elephant Festival in
the cultural calendar. The present-day pageant, originated only a decade ago,
was devised especially with the tourist in mind. The inclusion of the game of
polo is more recent, being inspired by a cartoon in Punch magazine that showed
the Indian polo team atop an elephant after it won all the international tournaments.
Every year on the day after Holi, the old stadium at Jaipur, the Chaugan (originally
planned for elephants), forms the venue for a spectacular jamboree.
PLACES TO VISIT
The elephant festival is the specialty of the state of Rajasthan. Like the Desert
Festival of Jaisalmer, the Elephant Festival of Jaipur has become a major draw
for the tourists. Given the importance of the elephant in the socio-cultural
milieu of the state of Rajasthan, tourists can rest assured that they are in
for some great Indian festivities and fun in Jaipur.
Elephant Festival, Reservation Form
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