Marwar Festival in Jodhpur City

Event	Marwar Festival in Jodhpur City
Location	Jodhpur (The Kothi Heritage )
State	Rajasthan
Category	Fair and Festival
Date	28-29 January
Main Attraction	Rajasthani Traditional Dance, Kalbeliya Traditonal Dance...
Overview/History	The Blue city of Jodhpur celebrates the memory of the heroes of Rajasthan every year in the month of Ashwin. Ashwin is a Hindu month that falls between the months of September and October. Marwar festival is the most popular festival of this city. Marwar festival was originally known as the Maand Festival. 'Maand' is a traditional way of folk music that focuses on the romance and courteousness of the rulers of Rajasthan. Celebrated during the full moon of Sharad Poornima, the Marwar festival of Jodhpur goes on for two days. The state of Marwar was founded in 1459 A.D. by Rao Jodha who was the chief of the Rathore tribe of Rajputs who claimed to be descendants of Rama, the epic hero of legend Ramayana. This festival is especially devoted to the Rajasthani Rajput heroes because of the chivalric code of conduct they adhered to, which was one of their most distinguishable characteristic. These heroes were well known for qualities like courage and bravery, both on and off the battlefield, loyalty, self sufficiency, suppleness, military and strategic intelligence, and hard working nature. The Rajput class has made a mark for themselves in the national history, which is truly inspiring and motivating. Even though, some of these stories got lost, there are still many others that are carried forward from generation to generation through folk songs.
Celebration	Marwar Festival displays the art and culture of Jodhpur city and is fully dedicated to songs and dance of the Marwar region. The Mehrangarh Fort makes a great impression by transforming into one big stage where cultural programs and music and dance are the order of the day. Folk music, that in particular focuses on the romantic lifestyle of Rajasthan's rulers, is the main attraction of Marwar festival, with the music and dance being the main theme of the festival. Along with this, various fun activities such as the Camel Tattoo Show, Horse Riding, Magic Shows, Puppet Shows and Horse Polo also take place during it. Umaid Bhawan Palace, Mandore and Mehrangarh Fort are the venues of the Marwar festival. The talented folk dancers and singers assemble here, perform with excellence and entertain the audience with Rajasthani legends. These performers sing songs in remembrance of the courageous heroes and bring to life the myth and traditions of the region. The Marwar Festival is not only celebrated in Jodhpur but is also celebrated with great enthusiasm at Mandore, located just 8 kilometers at the outskirts of Jodhpur. Mandore is a place of great historical significance and was traditionally the capital of Marwar. Mandore's most important feature is the Hall of Heroes, where sixteen huge figures carved out of a single rock depicting popular Hindu and folk deities stand in bright colors and are very well organized. Jodhpur is well connected to major Indian cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Jaipur etc by rail, road and air. It has an airport of its own therefore reaching there and being a part of this grand event is a comfortable process. www.thekothiheritage.com