Popular as the ‘the sun city’, Jaisalmer appears like a glimmering mirage in the desert. One of the important places of tourist interest in the state, Jaisalmer was named after its founder, Rajput King Maharawal Jaisal Singh. Owing to the abundance yellow sandstone and sand dunes, the city is often called ‘the golden city’, as popularized by a Satyajit Ray movie. Famous for its beautiful forts, gardens and lakes, Jaisalmer was an important point in the trade routes. The city still reflects a great heritage and colors of the state. Its festivals, which are amongst the best things to soak in the local culture, attract tourists from all over the country and world. If you’re traveling from other parts of the country, this easily accessible destination can be reached via taking a Jaisalmer to Mumbai flight or a bus from Delhi. Let’s know about some of its popular festivals.

1. Desert Festival – Held every year in the month of February, this colorful festival is quite specific to the location. Organized at the beautiful Sam Sand Dunes, about 40 kilometers from the main city of Jaisalmer, you can find variety of local cultural events taking place. From camel races, folk dance and singing performances and presentation of a prosperous cultural extravaganza, the festival lasts for three days. Attracting thousands of Indian and foreign tourists, who are in for a surprise of a lifetime, the festival is the best way to enjoy and explore the local culture of Jaisalmer. With the Rajasthan tourism board acting as the official sponsors, the festivals are a big booster to tourism in the state. You can try your hands at dune bashing inside a SUV or goes camel riding. Shopaholics can find interesting pieces of handicrafts in the stalls too.
2. Ramdevra Fair – Organized at a small village to Ramdevra near Jaisalmer, the festival is a way of paying tribute to famous saint Baba Ramdev. It is said that the saint used to reside in the village and belonged to the families of Tanwar Rajput. Today, you can find devotees and visitors from all religious backgrounds frequenting the festivals and paying their homage to the samadhi of the saint. The festival is celebrated in the months of August and September.
3. Basant Panchami – The festival of Basant Panchami is basically the celebration of the onset of spring season, and is celebrated all over the country with variations. In Jaisalmer, it is devoted to Goddess Saraswati and celebrated in February. You can find villages preparing for a big feast and enjoy the local delicacies.

If you’re planning to experience these festivals then opting for Jaisalmer Packages would be a great idea, which encompasses a tour of the best attractions in the city.