IN PICS: Indian desert festival brings together camels, folk artists and an epic turban tying contest

Feb 18, 2019, 16:01 IST

Twitter/Rajasthan Tourism

India recently kicked off the annual International Desert Festival 2019 in the city of Jaisalmer in Rajasthan India, featuring hundreds of camels, folks artists, local craftsmen, and a record-setting turban tying contest.

Another feather in our turban.

The Desert Festival witnessed a record-breaking event with more than 5,000 people participating in the turban-tying competition. Congratulations to everyone who was part of this historic moment#FestivalSthan #MyRajasthan #PadharoMhareDesh pic.twitter.com/wX1ljujHiW
— Rajasthan Tourism (@my_rajasthan) February 17, 2019

Here’s a glimpse of the ongoing desert festival in western India:

68047492

The three-day festival began on 17 February in Jaisalmer. Thousands of tourists are expected to attend this year. Last year, around 8,000 to 9,000 people were at the festival at any given point of time, said the authorities.

Over 5,000 people participated in the turban tying contest and made a world record. While many locals were able to wrap a turban in just a minute, several tourists were seen struggling with the length of turban cloth

The festival is hosted every February by the Rajasthan Tourism and District Administration in Jaisalmer.

The festival includes variety of attractions including folk singers, puppet artists and local craftsmen among others.

The festival has been hosted in Jaisalmer since 1979 with an aim to boost tourism in the deserted lands of Rajasthan in Western India.

The festivities take place against the backdrop of the Golden Fort, which is believed to have emerged out of the desert, according to a local legend.

Colourful turbans are an integral part of the desert tradition.

Next Story Indians love food so much that most of them just won’t go on a diet: Survey