Bikaner Camel Festival Celebrates 'The Ship Of The Dessert' – SEE PICS

Life in Thar's harsh desert would not have been feasible without the Camel. Every year, Bikaner hosts the Camel Festival to honour this tough animal that helps the residents survive in the desert. (Image Source: Getty)

The celebrations of the Bikaner Camel Festival, an initiative of the Department of Tourism, Government of Rajasthan, are on par with the other festivals that Rajasthan hosts. (Image Source: Getty)

The Bikaner region's camels are famous for their strength, endurance, and beauty. The camel has long been an important component of Bikaner, as evidenced by the fact that the Bikaner army had a Camel Corps known as Ganga Risala that participated in both World Wars as well as engagements in Somaliland, Egypt, and China. Ganga Risala was the forerunner of the Indian Army's camel unit Ganga JaisalmerRisala, which saw service in the Indo-Pakistan War of 1965 before being decommissioned in 1975. (Image Source: Getty)

The camel is still used by the Border Security Force's Bikaner Camel Corp to police Rajasthan's long international border with Pakistan, and it is a popular feature at the Republic Day Parade. (Image Source: Getty)

This festival, which fervently celebrates the ship of the desert, is attended by thousands of locals and tourists, as it highlights not only the special relationship that the people of this region have with this sturdy animal, but also promotes camel breeding and the age-old tradition of camel taming and training. (Image Source: Getty)

The event begins with a procession of camels decked out in traditional necklaces and anklets, as well as brightly coloured bridles. This vibrant march begins at the beautiful Junagarh Fort and concludes at the Dr. Karni Singh Stadium. The Camel Festival begins in earnest as you reach the open ground. The camel pageant is held, with camel owners displaying their magnificent camels done out to the nines. There are also competitions for the finest camel milking and fur cutting design. The dancing competition, however, is the most anticipated. The jingling of anklets to the rhythm of music captivates the audience as the day concludes with a cultural performance by local performers. (Image Source: PTI)

There are also a variety of competitions for both tourists and residents. These events include tug of war for both men and women, as well as the water pot race for ladies. There is also a Turban tying competition for foreign tourists, as well as a villagers wrestling competition and a kabbadi showcase match. This is followed, as with the previous day, by an evening of cultural programmes in which the audience is enchanted by the colourful whirling skirts and music. The Bikaner Camel Festival concludes with a spectacular fireworks show. (Image Source: Getty)