Camel's milk cosmetics, coming your way

Tiviski, which is based in the Saharan state of Mauritania, in Western Africa, claims to be the world's first ever camel dairy and may soon broaden that claim to the world's first major line of camel milk-based beauty products.

Nancy Abeiderrhmane, director of the Tiviski business, said in an interview with Reuters that she was considering producing 'very upmarket' creams and soaps for the international market.

Abeiderrhmane says that she would like to gather the technical know-how to establish a cosmetics plant that could be run alongside her Nouakchott dairy operations.

Currently the business is mainly focused on exporting a variety of dairy-based products, including cheese. There had been a thriving market for these products in the EU, but in recent years that has been largely killed off by tighter European regulations for food imports.

However, it is hoped that a venture into cosmetics products might take off where the cheeses left off.

Currently there are several highly niche suppliers of skin care products made from camel's milk or its extracts. These include Camelk Sebailait, produced by Israeli company Lev-Bar Ltd.

The product is a highly moisturizing cream, aimed mainly at individuals suffering from dry skin conditions such as eczema and seborrhea dermatitis.

So what makes camel's milk such a significant beauty aid? Evidently it is rich in vitamin C - known for its anti-oxidant properties, as well as an abundance of vitamins A, B1, B2, B12 and carotene.

All of these components help towards improving skin health, but it is as a natural source of alpha-hydroxy acid where camel milk beauty properties really shine, as this component helps to keep skin supple and prevent wrinkles.

The spotlight on camel milk comes after recent publicity on skin care products containing donkey milk, following the death of the world's oldest woman, 116-year old Maria Esther de Capovilla from Ecuador.

She attributed her long life to the daily consumption of donkey milk, which bought attention to a number of niche producers of donkey milk skin care products, all claimed to have outstanding moisturizing and regenerative properties.

Camel Festival 2008

The Camel Festival is an event organized in Bikaner by the Department of Tourism, Art and Culture, Government of Rajasthan, every year in the month of January. Desert region's Folk dances and Music, add on to what is otherwise an exclusive camel affair. A festival when the ships of the desert are seen at their best. Camels fascinate tourists from all over the world with their movements, charm and grace. A spectacle of unusual camel performances: camel races, camel dances, and the bumpy, neck shaking camel rides.

Fair & Festivals (2008-2009)

Fair & Festivals (2008-2009)


Camel Fair, Bikaner
(21 - 22 Jan, 2008)
Kite Festival, Jaipur
(14th Jan, 2008)
Nagaur Fair, Nagaur
(13 - 16 Feb, 2008)
Baneshwar Festival
(17 - 21 Feb, 2008)
Brij Festival
(2- 4 Feb, 2008)
Sheetala Ashtami
(28 March, 2008)
Desert Festival
(19 - 21 Feb, 2008)
Elephant Festival
(21st March, 2008)
Gangaur Fair
(8 - 9 April, 2008)
Mewar Festival
(8 - 10 April, 2008)
Summer Festival
(18 - 20 May, 2008)
Teej Fair
(4 - 5 August, 2008)
Urs Ajmer Sharif
(Aug, 2008)
Dusshera Mela
(7 - 9 Oct, 2008)
Marwar Festival
(13 - 14 Oct, 2008)
Pushkar Fair
(5 - 13 Nov, 2008)

Activities

T The festival starts with the procession of beautifully decorated camels. The procession heads towards the open sand grounds. Here, the festivities begin in earnest. The Camel Pageant is held on the first day wherein the camel owners show off their Camels' decorations and jewellery. Camel dance performances are also held. A competition for best decorated camel, fur cutting design, camel milking and the best camel hair cut is organized The camels display amazing footwork, dancing gracefully to the slightest direction of their drivers. Colourful bridles, bejewelled necks, jingling anklets and long, lanky camel shadows on dusky sands, cast a magical spell.

In this festival tea and sweets prepared by camel milk are made available to the visitors interested in enjoying them.

On the second day, the fleetest camels of the region take part in the camel races. The competition is fierce as the best camels vie for the honors. Thousands of excited tourists and locals cheer the favorites.

On both days, the evening ends with a rendezvous with the renowned folk artists of Rajasthan. The jubilant, skirt swirling dances, the awe inspiring fire dances and many other equally interesting performances entertain the visitors. The grand finale is a magnificent display of fireworks which illuminates the desert city of Bikaner. he festival starts with the procession of beautifully decorated camels. The procession heads towards the open sand grounds. Here, the festivities begin in earnest. The Camel Pageant is held on the first day wherein the camel owners show off their Camels' decorations and jewellery. Camel dance performances are also held. A competition for best decorated camel, fur cutting design, camel milking and the best camel hair cut is organized The camels display amazing footwork, dancing gracefully to the slightest direction of their drivers. Colourful bridles, bejewelled necks, jingling anklets and long, lanky camel shadows on dusky sands, cast a magical spell.

In this festival tea and sweets prepared by camel milk are made available to the visitors interested in enjoying them.

On the second day, the fleetest camels of the region take part in the camel races. The competition is fierce as the best camels vie for the honors. Thousands of excited tourists and locals cheer the favorites.

On both days, the evening ends with a rendezvous with the renowned folk artists of Rajasthan. The jubilant, skirt swirling dances, the awe inspiring fire dances and many other equally interesting performances entertain the visitors. The grand finale is a magnificent display of fireworks which illuminates the desert city of Bikaner.

History

Situated in the heart of the desert belt, Bikaner was always an inaccessible land. Before the advent of modern motor vehicles, the survival of the people of this region depended on the 'Ship of the desert' - the Camel. The camels of this region were famous for their endurance as well as their strength and beauty.

In fact, the Bikaner army had an elite camel corps called the Ganga Risala which took active part in both the World Wars. The Ganga Risala was a Camel unit in the army even after the independence and it took part in Indo-Pak wars. Bikaner also boasts of the only Camel breeding center in India.

Camel can still be seen pulling heavy loads on carts in this region. With such a long association with Camels, it is but natural that the Department of Tourism, Art and Culture chose to hold the Camel festival in Bikaner.

Bikaner City Guide And Travel Information

Bikaner

Weather
In Summer: 45.8 C (Max) - 28 C (Min)
In winter: 23.2 C (Max) - 5 C (Min)
Rainy Season : July to Mid Sept, and very humid (upto 90%)
Our suggestion: Best time to come: Oct to March

Hot Attraction

Camel Festival

An enchanting desert city which comes alive with music and dance. It is fast gaining popularity as the visitor finds an opportunity to see some unusual folk performances, camel, race camel dance etc. here.

Bikaner History

Binaker’s history dates back to 1488 A.D. when a Rathore Prince, Rao Bikaji- a desendent of the founder of Jodhpur(1459 A.D.), Rao Jodhaji, established his kingdom here. Rao Jodhaji had five sons but Rao Bikaji was the most enterprising of them. Bikaji chose a barren wilderness called ‘Jangladesh’ and trandormerd it to an impressive city, called Bikaner after the founder’ name.

Culture

More popularly called the camel country, the city is renowned for the best riding camels in the world. The ship of the desert is an inseparable part of life here. Be it pulling heavy carts, transporting grains or working on wells, camels are the prime helpers. The wells of Bikaner: an important source of water are other attractions of the city. These are built on high plinths with slender minareted towers on each of the four corners and can be noticed even from a distance.

How to reach Bikaner
By Air
The nearest airport service travellers headed for Bikaner is at Jodhpur.
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By Bus

Rajasthan Roadways run very comfortable deluxe & air conditioned buses from Delhi (Bikaner House, Nr. India Gate) to Bikaner. The roads are very good, and it takes around 8-9 hrs from Jaipur. You can also come by taxi.

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By Train
Several trains link it to important cities like Delhi, Jaipur, Bikaner, Udaipur.

Getting around

The strategic location of Bikaner on the ancient carvan routes that came from West/Central Asia, made it a prime trade centre in the times of the yore. Bikaner stands on a slightly raised ground and is cirucmscribed by a seven km long embattled wall with five gates.

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