himmatgarh palace jaisalmer

cecile · Jan 18th, 2006, 19:59

hello,
we are just about to leave to india for the dersert festival in jaisalmer. does anybody know this festival ? how it is? we heard it is a tourist festival and nothing really traditionnal ? it is hard to find a hotel during the festival and we found a room at himmatgarh palace ? does anybody know something about this hotel ? many thanks for your answers.

Annett · Jan 18th, 2006, 20:06

looks expensive...

http://www.hotelsjaisalmer.com/himma...r_ima ges.htm

cecile · Jan 18th, 2006, 20:47

it is expensive. and the hotel is out of town and I wonder if it will be convenient to be out of the city. anyway, I am not sure to have choice anyway because all hotels are sold out at this period...

Annett · Jan 18th, 2006, 21:09

Well, a rickshaw shouldn't cost you more than 30 INR to get into town.

Even if the festival is very touristy - it's still absolutely worth to see it. It's incredible to watch the fire dancers. How they are falling in trance... Wish I could see it again...

cecile · Jan 18th, 2006, 21:55

when were you at the festival ? I am glad to hear that you liked it. I am going there with my dance teacher and we were very excited to get there untill we heard bad comments on it. what else interesting did you see in rajasthan ? did you go to pushkar ?

Annett · Jan 19th, 2006, 17:19

The last 10 years I always went to India on my holidays and the first time I got smitten with Jaisalmer was in 2003. This was the first time I went to the Desert Festival in the Sam Dunes and it was amazing!
This event definitely attracts many tourists to the desert area, but not only foreigners! In fact – there are at least 50 times more Indians (locals AND tourists) than Westerners.
I had a funny ride on a camel - for 24 hours - before we reached the festival. And so I was really thankful for the fact that tourists had a special area to sit down. It’s not to segregate the foreigners from locals it’s more necessary for your own safety and of course for your pleasure too - as you are sitting very near to the stage you can take amazing pictures!
Just make your way straight to the stage – there are enough people to guide you to the “right place”. ;o)

Go to the Tourist Information Centre or ask in your hotel for a program of the Desert Festival. The program will offer something for absolutely everyone.

As you wrote you are going to Jaisalmer with your dancing teacher I presume you are particularly interested in all the different kind of Rajasthani folk dances?
They present their dances not only in the desert. There is a big stadium in Jaisalmer where you can see a lot of folkdances as well.
It’s a huge event incl. a Mr. Desert Competition (not to be missed!!!), Ms. Desert Competition, Mr. Moustache (you will laugh your head off!), many different single and group dances; a Turban and Sari wrap competition, camel show and camel polo – sorry it’s just indescribably colourful, graceful… I absolutely say go for it!
The highlight of the Desert Festival will be the event in Sam Dunes, with Rajasthani dances and songs, including the Fire Dance (lasts for hours!), which is my absolute favourite. You can watch the dancers, how they are falling in trance and jumping over the fire, going through the fire and even though spitting the glowing charcoal!

Just be careful by the end of the event, the firework could run out of control – as it did in 2003 – I was running away from the stage as some kind of rocket exploded right behind my back!

Enjoy the festival and don’t forget to post some pics here on Indiamike!

Here you’ll find some more info about Jaisalmer and Mr. Desert as well… ;o)
http://www.rajasthantourism.gov.in/d...xcursions1.htm

cecile · Jan 19th, 2006, 23:14

many thanks for all informations you sent.
you are so enthousiast about the festival I wish I was already there...

in fact, I will stay only 2 weeks which is very short ; so I will not have time to do all things I want ! a friend told me about pushkar and said it was a great place to stay, that is why I was planning to go there. now I am not sure anymore... I will of course stay to jaipur and jodhpur, but not more than that. We will take the train to go from one place to another.

Where did you stay while you were in jaisalmer ?

I am really interested in indies dances as I learn oriental dance which is not exactly the same but quite similar. and I love all kind of dances anyway !
the hotel where we will stay propose us to stay in the desert for 1 night and I think I will love that ; but It is in the middle of the festival so I don't know if I'll do it as I don't want to miss anything of the festival.
I will try to get a program before to go.

I am so impatient to leave...

Jan 18th, 2006, 19:59	#1
cecile Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: france Posts: 4	himmatgarh palace jaisalmer hello, we are just about to leave to india for the dersert festival in jaisalmer. does anybody know this festival ? how it is? we heard it is a tourist festival and nothing really traditionnal ? it is hard to find a hotel during the festival and we found a room at himmatgarh palace ? does anybody know something about this hotel ? many thanks for your answers.

Jan 19th, 2006, 17:19	#6
Annett Refused Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Mera Bhaarat Mahaan - Bangalore Posts: 381	Go for it! The last 10 years I always went to India on my holidays and the first time I got smitten with Jaisalmer was in 2003. This was the first time I went to the Desert Festival in the Sam Dunes and it was amazing! This event definitely attracts many tourists to the desert area, but not only foreigners! In fact – there are at least 50 times more Indians (locals AND tourists) than Westerners. I had a funny ride on a camel - for 24 hours - before we reached the festival. And so I was really thankful for the fact that tourists had a special area to sit down. It’s not to segregate the foreigners from locals it’s more necessary for your own safety and of course for your pleasure too - as you are sitting very near to the stage you can take amazing pictures! Just make your way straight to the stage – there are enough people to guide you to the “right place”. ;o) Go to the Tourist Information Centre or ask in your hotel for a program of the Desert Festival. The program will offer something for absolutely everyone. As you wrote you are going to Jaisalmer with your dancing teacher I presume you are particularly interested in all the different kind of Rajasthani folk dances? They present their dances not only in the desert. There is a big stadium in Jaisalmer where you can see a lot of folkdances as well. It’s a huge event incl. a Mr. Desert Competition (not to be missed!!!), Ms. Desert Competition, Mr. Moustache (you will laugh your head off!), many different single and group dances; a Turban and Sari wrap competition, camel show and camel polo – sorry it’s just indescribably colourful, graceful… I absolutely say go for it! The highlight of the Desert Festival will be the event in Sam Dunes, with Rajasthani dances and songs, including the Fire Dance (lasts for hours!), which is my absolute favourite. You can watch the dancers, how they are falling in trance and jumping over the fire, going through the fire and even though spitting the glowing charcoal! Just be careful by the end of the event, the firework could run out of control – as it did in 2003 – I was running away from the stage as some kind of rocket exploded right behind my back! Enjoy the festival and don’t forget to post some pics here on Indiamike! Here you’ll find some more info about Jaisalmer and Mr. Desert as well… ;o) http://www.rajasthantourism.gov.in/d...xcursions1.htm

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Jan 18th, 2006, 20:06	#2
Annett Refused Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Mera Bhaarat Mahaan - Bangalore Posts: 381	looks expensive... http://www.hotelsjaisalmer.com/himma...r_ima ges.htm

Jan 18th, 2006, 20:47	#3
cecile Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: france Posts: 4	it is expensive. and the hotel is out of town and I wonder if it will be convenient to be out of the city. anyway, I am not sure to have choice anyway because all hotels are sold out at this period...

Jan 18th, 2006, 21:09	#4
Annett Refused Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Mera Bhaarat Mahaan - Bangalore Posts: 381	Well, a rickshaw shouldn't cost you more than 30 INR to get into town. Even if the festival is very touristy - it's still absolutely worth to see it. It's incredible to watch the fire dancers. How they are falling in trance... Wish I could see it again...

Jan 18th, 2006, 21:55	#5
cecile Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: france Posts: 4	when were you at the festival ? I am glad to hear that you liked it. I am going there with my dance teacher and we were very excited to get there untill we heard bad comments on it. what else interesting did you see in rajasthan ? did you go to pushkar ?

Jan 19th, 2006, 23:14	#7
cecile Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: france Posts: 4	many thanks for all informations you sent. you are so enthousiast about the festival I wish I was already there... in fact, I will stay only 2 weeks which is very short ; so I will not have time to do all things I want ! a friend told me about pushkar and said it was a great place to stay, that is why I was planning to go there. now I am not sure anymore... I will of course stay to jaipur and jodhpur, but not more than that. We will take the train to go from one place to another. Where did you stay while you were in jaisalmer ? I am really interested in indies dances as I learn oriental dance which is not exactly the same but quite similar. and I love all kind of dances anyway ! the hotel where we will stay propose us to stay in the desert for 1 night and I think I will love that ; but It is in the middle of the festival so I don't know if I'll do it as I don't want to miss anything of the festival. I will try to get a program before to go. I am so impatient to leave...

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