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The 'Maru Mahotsav' (Desert Festival) at Jaisalmer is usually held in:
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Answer: Option B — January-February
Detailed Solution
The "Maru Mahotsav", also called the Desert Festival, is held every year in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, in the Hindu month of Magha (January-February). It ends on the full-moon day (Magh Purnima).
About the Maru Mahotsav:
- "Maru" means desert, and "Mahotsav" means a great festival.
- It is organised by the Rajasthan Tourism Department.
- It lasts for about three to four days.
- It showcases the rich culture of the Thar Desert, with folk music, dances, puppet shows, camel races, camel polo, turban-tying contests, and acrobatics.
Its most famous event is the "Mr. Desert" contest, in which men with traditional Rajasthani dress and long moustaches compete.
There is also a "Moomal" contest for women.
The festival begins with a procession from the Jaisalmer Fort and ends with a cultural programme at the Sam sand dunes, about 40 km from Jaisalmer, on the full-moon night.
Folk musicians, such as the Manganiyars and Langas, perform at the festival.
About Jaisalmer:
It is called the "Golden City", because its buildings are made of yellow sandstone that glows like gold in sunlight.
The Jaisalmer Fort ("Sonar Qila", "Golden Fort") was built in 1156 by the Bhati Rajput ruler Rawal Jaisal. It is one of the few "living forts" in the world, because a large number of people still live inside it. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Hill Forts of Rajasthan" (2013).
It is famous for its "havelis" (mansions), such as Patwon ki Haveli, Salim Singh ki Haveli and Nathmal ki Haveli.
Gadisar Lake is an artificial lake built by Rawal Gadsi Singh.
The Desert National Park, home of the Great Indian Bustard, is near Jaisalmer.
Satyajit Ray's film "Sonar Kella" (1974) was set in Jaisalmer.
Other fairs and festivals of Rajasthan:
- Pushkar Fair: Kartik (October-November).
- Bikaner Camel Festival: January.
- Nagaur Cattle Fair: January-February.
- Gangaur: March-April.
- Teej: July-August (the monsoon).
- Marwar Festival (Jodhpur): October.
Why not the other options?
- ✗April-May is not the time of the Desert Festival.
- ✗July-August is the time of the Teej festival.
- ✗October-November is the time of the Pushkar Fair.
Quick tip
Remember: Maru Mahotsav (Desert Festival) = Jaisalmer, January-February (ends on Magh Purnima at the Sam sand dunes; "Mr. Desert" contest); Jaisalmer = "Golden City" (Sonar Qila, 1156); Pushkar Fair = Kartik.
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Festivals & Fairs of India — Preparation
This question tests your understanding of Festivals & Fairs of India, a key topic in the General Knowledge section. The detailed solution above uses a step-by-step approach to show the reasoning, and where available, a shortcut that helps you solve similar questions in under 90 seconds during the actual exam.
This topic covers the religious, harvest, tribal and cultural festivals of India, the fairs (melas) held across the country, and the states, communities and seasons linked to them. It also includes festivals listed by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage, such as Kumbh Mela and Durga Puja in Kolkata. Most questions ask which state celebrates a festival, which tribe it belongs to, or what event it marks. Harvest festivals are especially common: Pongal (Tamil Nadu), Onam (Kerala), Bihu (Assam), Lohri and Baisakhi (Punjab) and Nuakhai (Odisha). Fairs such as the Pushkar camel fair (Rajasthan) and the Sonepur cattle fair (Bihar) are also frequently tested. Revise festivals state by state. Practise the festivals and fairs questions below, written in the style of the general awareness sections of exams such as SSC, banking, railways, CUET GAT, MAH CET and CLAT. Each question comes with a detailed explanation that adds related facts, so every question helps you revise more than one point.