Rajasthan… Festivities Unloaded!

There cannot be a better time to visit Rajasthan than now. The winters are in full bloom as are the flowers of all conceivable colors swaying in the early morning breeze. It is an ideal time to get on the Royal Enfields and set out on a Rajasthan Motorcycle Tour to explore this majestic land of Royalty.

Indian Rides has designed the perfect itinerary for the season which allows you to bask in the glorious sunlight by the day enjoying the golden sights and changing scenery.  As night falls you have accommodations which tuck you into their warmth, draining away the fatigue and making you energized for undertaking your next lap of the trip.

When you do decide to pick up the Rajasthan Motorcycle Tour at this time of the year you will be able to experience the Kite Festival first hand. “Makar Sankranti” or the Kite festival is celebrated with great fervor all over Rajasthan especially in the capital city of Jaipur and the blue city of Jodhpur. The clear azure skies over the cities are resplendent with kites of all colors and shapes. Every now and then you will hear the triumphant calls of “Voh Kaata” which basically denote that a competitor has successfully cut off the string of the kite. The residents of the city can be seen enjoying the sun and the festivities on their terraces as goodies are served and music plays loud belting out the latest numbers.

The sweets of this festival are very typical too and available during this season alone. The sweets are made of jaggery and sesame seeds in two varieties called “Til ke Ladoo” and “Gajak”. Another sweet of the season is “Feeni”, a melt in your mouth delicacy made of thin fibers.

The popularity of this festival can be ascertained by the very fact that it is a government holiday and for the past few years the Government has been organizing a three day International Kite Festival which is attended by Kite Flying enthusiasts from all over the world.

Seeing the kites soar up in the skies is an ethereal feeling. A word of caution though, as you ride mesmerized on the streets it is very likely you may take your eyes off the road. There are children always running amok vying to catch the kite which they see descending from the skies above. Also you need to be careful about the strings (Maanjha) used for Kite flying which is known to cause cuts and injuries if you ride across these.

Being in Rajasthan during this exuberant and festive time, partaking in the festivities with the locals, enjoying the sweets of the season as the bright sun in the skies above lends the perfect ambience to a wintry day is an experience you just cannot miss out on.  Riding on your Royal Enfield Bikes on this Rajasthan Motorcycle Tour through the terrain that can change from golden hues to verdant greens within miles of the other, breathing in the fresh winter air and making stopovers for steaming hot tea and goodies along the roadside will be an experience you will cherish for a long time.

• feeni
• Gajak
• Kite Festival
• Rajasthan