The desert that stretches for miles around is a bleached blond, its sands and scrub and arid landscape devoid of colours and its sun a merciless ogre. But it is the indomitable spirit of the Rajasthani people that fills in the colours and gives this desert land the distinction of being the most colourful desert in the world. Festivals and celebrations, music and dance punctuate its barrenness, turning this land into a fertile basin of creativity. The people here live their lives with such verve and passion as if to celebrate their domination of the harsh desert terrain. Festivals here are a source of lavish enjoyment and pageantry a part of daily rituals. These festivals and celebrations range from the religious to the popular and some are also linked with commerce such as the camel and cattle fairs. Rustic, unsophisticated, intricate, traditional and immensely creative art forms are practiced and performed at the festivals, truly showcasing the wealth of Rajasthan's culture and making the visitor not just a mute spectator but an equal participant.