 The elephant festival is one of the most popular festivals of the past Raja Maharajas celebrated in the month of March on the eve of Holy (the festival of colours). During this festival, the whole city Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan looks in a multicolored association of elephants meant to represent the royalty of bygone era of Rajasthan.
In the elephant festival, the royal procession takes place where Maharaja sat on a gold and silver 'howdah' placed on the backwards of the most favorite elephant bedecked with conspicuous ornaments and gold broidered lenient Jhalars accompanied the royal elephant. During this festival the visitors as well as jury of authorities get hold of an opportunity to pick and choose offer a shield for "Best adorned Elephant". Elephant polo game, tug-of-war 'Gaj Shringar' exhibition are being organized to exhibit everything affixed to elephant ornaments.
During the festival of elephant, elephants, dancers, musicians, visitors and spectators reach to the Chaugan or the Polo Ground in Jaipur. The festival originates with the procession of elephants, horses, chariots, canons, camels and palanquins followed by performances of the folk dancers. The atmosphere is made lively with the sound of the bankiya or proclaim.
Most of the participants in the festival of elephant in Jaipur are the female elephants. The mahouts take utmost care and great fervor in beautification and grooming of the elephants, as there are prizes for the Best Groomed elephant as well. The elephants are painted on foreheads, trunks, foreheads and feet with flowery designs and adorned with ornaments and jewelry from tusk to tail.
The elephant has always been the Imperial Mount with kings and Maharajas members of the royal dynasty, nobles and dignitaries mounting it. Rajasthan Tourism has re-energized the age-old tradition of significance of elephants by consisting of the elephant festival in the list of the cultural calendar.
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