Bikaner: The iconic Bikaner Camel Festival wrapped up its two-day celebrations this week having attracted a record 2.8 lakh visitors — including tourists from 47 countries — making it the most attended edition in the festival's 35-year history, according to the Rajasthan Tourism Department.
The festival, held annually in January at the Bikaner Polo Ground under the shadow of the magnificent Junagarh Fort, celebrates the central role that camels have played in the culture, economy, and identity of the Bikaner region for centuries.
Highlights of This Year's Festival
This year's festival was inaugurated by Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, who arrived on a decorated camel in a nod to the region's traditions. The event featured the popular camel races, in which over 200 trained racing camels competed over a 1.5-kilometre track, drawing thunderous applause from the packed grandstands.
The fur cutting competition — a unique event in which handlers demonstrate their skill in creating elaborate geometric patterns in camel fur — attracted 34 entries this year, up from 22 last year, reflecting growing interest from younger Bikaner residents in preserving the craft.
The folk performance arena featured artists from 16 different communities of Rajasthan, presenting a showcase of the state's extraordinary diversity of music, dance, and storytelling traditions. The late-night Sufi music sessions under the open desert sky became an unexpected highlight, with performances by celebrated singers drawing standing-room-only crowds.
Tourism Minister Vishvendra Singh said the record attendance would translate to approximately ₹85 crore in direct economic activity for Bikaner's hospitality, transport, and handicraft sectors.