Barmer Tourism
 Pop
: 68,625
Distance : 153 Km from Jaisalmer
Barmer is situated at a distance of
224km from Jodhpur on the Luni-Munabao section of the Northern
Railways. Located atop a hill as so many of the cities of western
Rajasthan are, it houses the remains of an old fort called Garh right
on its peak. The name Barmer is derived from the ruler Bahada Rao or
Bar Rao who is said to have founded the town in the 13th century.
Initially called ‘Bahada-mer’ it was later shortened to
Barmer. To the immediate west of the city lie the remains of Juna or
Juna Barmer and to the south are the ruins of three Jain temples.
There is an inscription dated 1295AD on one of the pillars of the hall
of the largest temple at Juna. This mentions a Maharajakula Sri
Samanta Sinha Deva ruling Barmer at the time. Being a barren
wasteland, the people of Barmer have learnt the hard way that they
needed to develop exceptional skills in order to survive. Thriving in
this nothingness lies the town of Barmer in Rajastan state, famous for
its only asset – the dexterous and creative human skill, to
create art, where none was.
¤ Dance & Music
The Thar desert of Rajastan is nothing if not known for its soulful
melodies and dance. Like virtually all other districts in the region,
Barmer is known for its folk music and dance. Like in Bikaner, the
Bhopas (priest singers) are found in Barmer, who compose music in
honour of the deities of the region and its war heroes. The other folk
musicians come from a community called the Muslim Dholis (drummers)
for most of whom this is the only means of livelihood. They sing
mainly at festivals and other social occasions to the accompaniment of
the Kamayacha (a stringed instrument played with a bow). The other
musical instrument popular in Barmer is the algoza (two flutes played
together).
¤ Fairs & Festivals
There are several major festivals held in Barmer, the most famous of
which is a cattle fair held every year at Tilwara village situated on
the banks of the Luni river. The fair goes on for a fortnight in the
months of March April. The other major festival is the Barmer Thar
Festival of Rajastan, which was a creation of the tourist office,
started as a practice to enhance the tourism potential of this town.
This festival too is held in early March every year. A major yearly
religious fair is held at Khed on every Poornima (full moon) at the
Ranchor Rai Mandir there. Another fair is held at a village called
Nagar Meva which is about 8km from the town of Balotara. There is a
Jain temple there dedicated to the Jain prophet Parasvanath, and the
fair is held every year on Posh Badi (Dec-Jan) to celebrate his birth.
Major Circuits
|
