Rajasthan Elephant Festival -3rd March, 2007

[Guest guest]

Link:

http://www.rajasthantravelguide.com/rajasthan_fair_festivals/elephant

_festival.html

 

Elephant Festival:

The Elephant Festival is a unique event held annually in Jaipur, the

capital 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

 

Activities:

A festival where elephants are the centre of attraction. The

festival begins with a procession of elephants, camels and horses,

followed by lively folk dancers. Elephant races, elephant-polo

matches and a most interesting tug of war between elephants and men,

are all part of this spectacular event.

 

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.