Elephant festival

The Elephant Festival is held every year during Holi, in Jaipur (Rajasthan). Here, as you would expect from the name of the Festival Elephants are the centre of attraction. During the festival, Jaipur comes alive with elephants, dancers, and musicians and draws visitors from all over the world. The elephants stride majestically parading their decorated trunks and tusks. The festival begins with a procession of elephants, camels, and horses, painted and tastefully attired with glittering ornaments and embroidered velvets, followed by lively folk dancers.


The elephants greet the visitors, offer garlands to the guests and walk past the ramp before a jury of experts and tourists to select the best amongst them for the "Best decorated Elephant" Shield. The elephants move gracefully in procession, run races, play the regal game of polo, and finally participate in the spring festival of Holi. It is festival time for the elephants.


Elephant races and elephant polo matches are special features. The tug of war between elephants and men is probably the most hilarious highlight of the festival. The unique "Gaj Shringar" exhibition displays everything connected with the elephant-ornaments, textiles (Jhoo), howdahs and carriages, paintings, medicines and food.

The tourists have an opportunity to mount the elephants and play Holi. Participants dance with great vigor-the excitement rising to a crescendo

Strangely, most of the participants are female elephants. The mahouts (elephant keepers) take great care to decorate the elephants - painting their trunks, foreheads and feet with floral motifs and adorning them from tusk to tail with interesting trinkets. The mahouts were employed in the Phil Khana, the department of elephant in the royal administration. They played an important role until the princely state was incorporated into the Union and the department because redundant. They, however, have continued their association with the elephants.