Friday

13


September , 2019
‘Land of festivals’ promoting tourism
15:34 pm

Ankit Singh


Abhishek Dwivedi, a 27-year-old, Jaipur-based manage-ment trainee has already registered to attend the grand Jaipur Literature Festival next year. For him it is a coming together of two distinct features of human identity- literature and culture. He told BE, “Both culture and literature are intertwined. The latter takes the former to a journey of limitless reach.”

In the last few years, travellers have thronged to different places in India to experience the magic of seasonal festivals. The trend of ‘Festival Tourism’ has grown especially among the millennials in India, who continue to look for authentic cultural experiences.

India, a land of several cultures, witnesses the largest number of festivals in the world. Every small occasion, from welcoming the spring or rain and the harvesting of crops, to seeing the full moon, is celebrated with great fervour combining colourful dresses, music, folk dances and songs. This makes festival tourism one of the significant branches of Indian tourism. The market for travel and tourism in India is expected to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of around 7.23% during 2016-2021 and festival tourism is a major contributor.

Fairs and festivals are part of the intrinsic cultural fabric of the Indian society as well as a continuation of our glorious heritage. Through these festivals, tourists and visitors are spending money within the community, which strengthens the local economy, supporting not only the hospitality industry, such as restaurants and hotels but also businesses surrounding the festivals.

Major festivals boosting tourism in East India

The most important and largest religious event in the country, the Kumbh Mela is a festival of mammoth proportion. The festival is held in Allahabad, Banaras, Haridwar, and Ujjain. For the 2019 Ardh Kumbh at Prayagraj, the Uttar Pradesh government spent around `42,000 million, constructing temporary city over 2,500 hectares with 122,000 temporary toilets and a range of available accommodation from simple dormitory tents to five-star tents, arranged 800 special trains, Artificial Intelligence (AI) video surveillance and disease surveillance.

In West Bengal, every year on the seventh day of the Bengali month of Poush, Shantiniketan hosts the Poush Mela. A unique festival which signifies the end of the harvesting season in Bengal, this fair is the celebration of the farmer’s life within Bengal’s rural lifestyle. The mela sees the celebration of Bengali culture through Bengali folk music - especially Baul Sangeet – and through folk dances. The mela attracts thousands of foreign tourists to Santiniketan.

In Odisha, the Konark Dance Festival held in February is the epitome of India’s classical dancing heritage. The festival is held in the backdrop of the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Sun Temple. Dance forms as varied as Odissi, Bharatanatyam, Manipuri, Kathak and Chhau are part of this festival.

Major festivals boosting tourism in North east India

Festivals in North east India flaunt its rich culture. There are many festivals that extend over a number of days and include folk/tribal dance and music. The Red Panda Winter Festival is one of the popular events in Sikkim that provides an amazing time to both locals and foreign visitors. The festival primarily aims at increasing the influx of tourists during the leaner tourism months of the year thereby, also promoting the state’s economy, rich culture and cuisine. The festival starts with a cultural parade led by the festival mascot, Red Panda. Following the parade is the nine day long itinerary of cultural programmes, adventure sports competitions, photography contests, handloom and handicraft exhibits and flower shows, which are some of the major highlights of this festival. An extravagant food fest, offering an elaborate spread of authentic Sikkimese cuisine including that of Lepchas, Nepalis and Bhutias is also an integral part of this winter carnival.

Similarly in Nagaland, the Hornbill Festival is celebrated every year from December 1-10. This festival is especially promoted by the tourism and art and culture departments of the state with the aim of protecting the rich cultural and tribal heritage of Nagaland. Hornbill festival attracts people from distant places owing to its spectacular celebrations. At the festival, one can try all kinds of Naga traditional food and participate in the Hornbill National Rock Concert.

Major festivals boosting tourism in West India

The experience of Rajasthan is never complete unless you have a taste of the myriad fairs and festivals that it has to offer. The Jaisalmer Desert Festival held in Jaisalmer is a fascinating celebration of Rajasthan’s desert life for three days. It is a festival that brings to life the folk culture, the music, the clothes and the traditions of the nomadic life of the Indian desert. The Fire and Gair dance remain major the attraction in addition to the longest moustache competition, the turban tying competition and the Mr. Desert contest.

The Pushkar Mela is an annual event that is a business fair and cultural extravaganza in equal measures. Arguably, the biggest livestock fair in the world, the fair is primarily a place for buying and selling of camels and livestock. In recent times, with its increasing popularity among foreign tourists, Pushkar has lived up to the demand and offers sumptuous cuisines.

Gujarat is a state that has made its mark on the international tourism map by predominantly promoting its fairs and festivals. Tarnetar Mela and Rann Utsav of Kutch are two of the biggest festivals in the state. The grounds of the old temple of Triniteshwar Mahadev are the focal points of the Tarnetar Mela. This festival is one of the largest ‘marriage marts’ (swayamvars) in India. Dance forms like raas and rahado by the Rabari women of Zalawad are among the major attractions of this festival. Similarly the Rann Utsav, organised by the Tourism Department of Gujarat, is a grand winter rendezvous that takes place when the moon is at its fullest. The festival serves authentic Kutchi cuisine in addition to myriad offerings of folk dances, handicrafts, star gazing and several other adventures.

Goa is synonymous with beautiful beaches and laid back vacations. The Goa Carnival, celebrated with the help of the state government, is widely popular. The cultural event is held in March and concludes with the famous red-and-black dance held by the Clube Nacional in Panjim. More than 2.5 lakh tourists have been participating in the carnival every year.

Major festivals boosting tourism in South India

South India, a beautiful region dotted with a number of wildlife sanctuaries, exotic beaches, plush valleys and dense forests, continues to be a favourite festival spot with tourists from near and far. In Kerala, the Nehru Trophy Boat Race is celebrated generally every year on the second Saturday of August. The festival is celebrated in the backwater town of Alappuzha in the Punnamada Lake. The drum beats along with the chanting of the boat songs known as Vanchipattu creates the environment for a perfect event. The celebration of this event also includes music and folk dance performances.

In Tamil Nadu, Mamallapuram, a beautiful beach town organises the Mamallapuram Dance Festival every year against the backdrop of the breath taking rock sculptures of the town. It’s a festival with a huge foreign appeal. Also, the Float Festival of Madurai sees the god and goddesses of the Madurai temple being taken for a boat ride in the city lake. 

Major festivals boosting tourism in North India

In North India, festivals are now being developed with the primary motive of promoting them as tourism products. In Himachal Pradesh, a winter carnival is organized to celebrate the culture of the state. The Himachal Winter Carnival began in 1977 and presently it is celebrated on a big scale. During the festival, the snowcapped mountains of Manali are thronged by adventure enthusiasts.

In the northernmost corner of the country, amidst the cold deserts of Ladakh is held a festival of colours, beauty and worship known as the Hemis Festival. The festival is held in June or July in the famed monastery of Hemis Jangchub Choling in Leh. The festival’s highlight is the masked dance performed by lamas who dress themselves in colourful costumes and wear dragon masks. In Uttar Pradesh, the Vintage Car Festival is a one of a kind festival that is held every December during the Lucknow Mahatsov. The festival, which started in 1904, has been a part of Lucknow’s culture and heritage and attracts car lovers from across the country.

 

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