1. Procession Badshah Mela, Beawar (close to Ajmer). It celebrates holi with colours (red gulal) but has a unique reason and way of celebration as you will see. It is celebrated one day after Holi. Beawar was the financial capital of the Merwara state of Rajputana. It lies in a mineral region & is located at the tri-junction of Jaipur, Jodhpur & Udaipur.
2. In this picture we can see The Badshah (descendant of king) sitting on the roof top of a truck. He throws gulal, many keen to take from the king`s hand. Locals believe that whoever gets this gulal considers himself blessed. He keeps it in his family for the year. It symbolically means that peace and wealth remain in the house.
3. Left centre is character called Birbal dancing and surrounded by drummers. Unique thing is that king sits on top of truck & throws gulal on Birbal while he dances in front from the centre of the town to the Sub-division office. Town has fort of Shyamgarh, now abandoned. This region was ruled by Kathat (Chouhan Rajput, descendants of Prithviraj Chouhan) and Rawat Rajputs.
4. King throwing gulal at locals. According to some tradition, King Akbar gave his finance minister Todarmal four hours’ time to celebrate. To keep this remembered, locals play gulal and dance their way. Festival starts at around 1 noon till 8 in the evening.
5. Thousands of tourists come from far and near come to see this fair. They play with Gulal in the Badshah Mela. I clicked this album in 2018.
6. Badshah Mela started in 1851. In today’s world of smartphones people love taking selfies. U can see clothes coloured with gulal (red colour). No water is used.
7. The king`s ride continues with the public playing Gulal. In front of this vehicle, Birbal keeps dancing in the traditional costumes of Ghumar and Peacock. Inspite of colour everywhere photographers click pictures, need to protect the camera though.
8. To click pictures in the midst of so many people and with colour flying around is not easy. I covered my camera with polythene covers to protect them. The environment is electrifying, so much of energy in the air.
9. Immersed in red, these are amongst the few ladies whom I saw on the road.
10. King on top of the truck, simple intent throw colour spread joy.
11. Amongst the few who had yellow colour. Friends taking selfies to capture these moments for eternity.
12. Close up of current King. His partners help him throw Gulal on the crowd so that all are blessed and have get good luck.
13. Eventually the king’s procession arrives at the sub-district office. He is received by the Deputy Collector. The place is lit up. The king and deputy collector play with gulal for about half an hour which the public watch too. Between the king & the sub-magistrate, Birbal continues to dance the traditional mujra at the sound of drum drums & instruments.
14. Everyone has fun during the Badshah Mela.
15. The truck is filled with a tons of colour so there is no shortage to throw it. More the colour and sharing more the fun.