General Information
Location : Bikaner
Activities : Best Breed Competition, Camel Dance, Acrovatics

The Camel Festival in Bikaner is an annual festival organized by the Department of Tourism, Art and Culture, Government of Rajasthan in the month of January. A festival when the ships of the desert are seen at their best. The enticing desert city of Bikaner comes alive with the Camel Festival, which commences with a flamboyant cavalcade of elegantly, caparisoned camels in the backdrop of red sandstone of the Junagarh Fort. The camels bewilder tourists from around the world with their charismatic persona and grandiose movements complimented by bridal decorations, bejeweled necks, tintinnabulating anklets and extenuated camel shadows on dusky sands leave you flabbergast.

The curtain closes with an altogether antithetic aura and cadence: a traditional congregation of legendary artistes of Rajasthan and the euphoric folk singers, dancers and musicians. The breathtaking fire-dance performed by the folk dancers amidst the glitzy fireworks truly brightens up the fortified desert city of Bikaner with unparalleled ethnic glory and joy.

Initially, Bikaner was not easily communicable because it lies in the heart of the desert land of Rajasthan. Camels served as the chief means of transport. The camels of this region were famed for their forbearance, stalwartness and pulchritude.

In fact, the Bikaner army owned an elite camel unit called the Ganga Risala that actively participated in various wars. The Ganga Risala continued as Camel unit in the Indian army even after independence and it took part in Indo-Pak wars. Bikaner prides of being the only Camel breeding center in India. Camels here can still be spotted dragging hefty loads on carts.

Activities
The Camel Festival commences with a vibrant parade of festooned camels in the red sandstone backdrop of the Junagarh Fort. Various events that unfurl in the golden sand dunes are exclusively camel affairs like the camel races, camel dances and acrobatics, best breed competition, the tug-of-war contest, and the bumpy, neck shaking camel rides, etc. Later in the day, the festivities palpitate with electrifying open-air presentations by the Kalbeliya dancers, fire-dancers and folk artists.

Getting There
By Air : The nearest airport service is at Jodhpur.
By Road : Rajasthan Roadways proffer very comfortable deluxe buses from Delhi (Bikaner House, Near India Gate) to Bikaner. The roads are very effective and it takes around 8-9 hrs from Jaipur. You can also opt for taxi services.
By Train : Several trains connect Bikaner to important cities like Delhi, Jaipur, Mumbai and Jodhpur.