Two-day camel festival to begin in Bikaner tomorrow

The two-day annual camel festival organised by the tourism department of Rajasthan government will begin in Bikaner city tomorrow.
The lively and colourful festival begins with a procession of bedecked camels against the red sandstone backdrop of the Junagarh Fort that will head its way to Dr Karni Singh Stadium.
The festival has a greater connotation this year with the ship of desert being declared as the state animal, an official spokesman of Rajasthan Tourism Department said today.
Many competitions have been planned for the event that draws scores of people from different places.
The ceremonial procession will be followed by formal inauguration, camel decoration and camel hair cutting competitions, camel dance competitions interspersed with band recital by Army and Rajasthan Armed Constabulary (RAC), the spokesman said.

Many beauty pageants, cultural shows by Rajasthani folk artists and fireworks display will also be there in the festival.

Free camel safari and camel rides for tourists at Raisar village, 15 kilometres from Bikaner on the Bikaner-Jaipur Highway are also planned.
Games like kho-kho, tug-of-war, wrestling, kabaddi, turban tying, camel dance, water pot race and musical chair for women are some of the activities planned for the second day of the festival.
The popular festival was judged the third best fair in the world by the prestigious travel magazine Lonely Planet in 2011.
The spokesman added that the special feature of the event will be the exhibition and sale of camel products by National Research Centre on Camel as well as the Craft and Food Stalls in Craft Bazaar opposite Junagarh Fort.