Unique Camel Race at Jaisalmer Maru Mahotsav

The record for maximum camel race in a cultural exhibition during the Jaisalmer Maru Mahotsav, 2022 was set by Dr Pratibha Singh, IAS, District Administration, Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. A total of 75 beautifully decorated camels participated in the camel race on February 16, 2022 at Sam Sand Dunes, Jaisalmer. Thousands of locals and domestic tourists witnessed the colourful and glorious event.

Jaisalmer Desert Festival is an annual programme that takes place in the beautiful city of Jaisalmer in the month of February. The mega event was held amidst the beautiful dunes of the Thar Desert at Sam Tibba, 42 km from Jaisalmer. The venue came alive during the four-day extravaganza. The event was named as ‘Ret ke samandar par raftaar ka romance’.Basically, it is a sporting activity in which the participants ride a camel. Camel racing is popular in different countries like Bahrain, Jordan, Australia, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan etc. Racing is said to have originated before the Islamic period. Informal races and competitions continued in Arabia for the last three decades of the 20th century, and then later began the trend of holding formal competitions.

The district collector of Jaisalmer, Dr Pratibha Singh, IAS, decided to establish a national record in camel racing, hence special arrangements were done for the event. A total of 75 camels participated in the record setting event, which got recognition in the India Book of Records. The camels were decorated with handmade colourful ribbons and strings. A special racing track was made for the event. First three winners of the race were rewarded by the district administration.

The camel race has attracted worldwide attention as an international sport and has become a great tourist activity as well. It is also a part of many fairs and festivals in Rajasthan like the Pushkar Camel Fair and the Bikaner Camel Fair among others. The Pushkar Camel Fair is basically organized in the month of October-November, while the Bikaner Camel Fair is held annually in the month of January and is celebrated in honour of the camels and dedicated to them for surviving in the harsh desert conditions.

There is a historic background of the Jaisalmer Maru Mahotsav. It is believed that Lord Krishna told Arjuna that a successor of the Yadav community would establish his kingdom on Trikuta hill. In the year 1196, the prophecy made by Lord Krishna came true, when Rawal Jaiswal, a descendant of the Yadav dynasty, established his kingdom in Jaisalmer. Celebrations were held all over the state, when people came to know that the prophecy had come true. The ceremony soon evolved into a festival which is now held every year.