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Gujarat is one of the diverse
and most beautiful state in India. These festivals are an essential
part of the state and observed with great enthusiasm and fun in
which the people of all caste and religion participate. Today, these
festivals are perhaps the only occasion that represents the true
tradition and culture of Gujarat. Some of the fairs and festivals which are celebrated in
Gujarat throughout the year are International Kite Festival,
Janmashtami, Kutch Mahotsava, Navratri, Shamlaji Fair, Modhera Dance
Festival, Tarnetar Fair, Bhadra Purnima and Vautha Fair.
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International Kite Festival |
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The International
Kite Festival is celebrated on 14th January, that coincide with
the festivals of Uttarayan or Makar Sankranti. The festival is
celebrated to mark the end of winter. On this day, the kites
flew all over Gujarat, including Ahmedabad and Baroda. The
people eat the special food on this day in the open field or in
the park or in the garden of one’s home. This festival marks the
movement of the sun into the northern hemisphere. The gods who
are believed to have gone in a long sleep for six long months
awake and the portals of heaven are thrown open. The visitors
visit the temples and alms are distributed freely. |
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kite-flying starts at dawn and continues without a pause
throughout the day. Friends, neighbours and total strangers
battle one another for supremacy and cries of triumph fill the
air when they cut each other kites. The thread which are used to
fly the kites are specially prepared by experts before the final
day. Special mixtures of glue and ground glass cover the thread
which are dried and then rolled onto reels known as “firkees”.
In the night, various illuminated box kites are known as tukkals,
fly in the sky. Today, the International Kite Festival is famous
all over the world. This festival enables the people of
Ahmedabad to see the unusual kites brought by the visitors, some
of which are truly works of art. |
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Modhera Dance
Festival |
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The Modhera
Dance Festival is held during the third week of January every
year, after the festival of Uttarayan. This festival is
celebrated at the Sun Temple in Modhera. The style in which
the temple was built bears a strong resemblance to that of the
Jain temples at Mount Abu. The decision to celebrate the
annual festival of Indian classical dances was taken by the
Department of Culture, Gujarat, and the West Zone Cultural
Centre at the Sun Temple. The idea was to present classical
dances in an atmosphere similar to that in which these were
originally presented. |
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Kutch Mahotsava |
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The Kutch
Mahotsava is usually organized during February and March each
year. This mahotsava is organized by the Tourism Corporation of
Gujarat Ltd. in order to promote tourism in Kutch. In this
festival, the visitors are taken on a six day tour to Kutch.
Kutch is a peninsula, lying between the Sir river, the Sir Creek
and the Great Rann of Kutch on the north-west, and the Gulf of
Kutch on the east. This tour is known as a mahotsava, or great
festival, because of the great variety of sights and scenes that
are offered to visitors. Kutch has everything to offer to its
visitors like the colourful people, historic towns and
remarkable handicrafts.
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Bhavnath Mahadev Fair |
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The Bhavnath Mahadev Fair is held for five days during
Mahashivratri in the month of February. This fair is held at the
Bhavnath Mahadev Temple, located at the foot of Girnar hill in
Junagadh. The events which are associated with the fair are very
colourful. The Mahapuja of Lord Shiva is held in this temple at
midnight, on the 14th day of the dark half of the month of Magh.
When the puja starts, naga bavas (naked sages) living nearby move
towards the fair on elephants, holding flags and blow conch
shells, that sound tungis and turis. It is also believed that Lord
Shiva himself visits the shrine on this occasion. During this
fair, the visitors are served free meals by the organizers. In the
fair there are special stalls that sell idols, saries brought by
vendors from Ayodhya and Mathura, utensils of brass and copper,
sweets and fruits.
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Janmashtami |
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Janmashtami, the
birthday of Shri Krishna, is celebrated with great splendour in
Dwarka. The main deity of Dwarka is Shri Krishna. During the
festival, the pilgrims visit the temple in Dwarka from all parts
of India and abroad and participate in the fair. In this
festival, the rows of lights are lit everywhere and kirtans and
bhajans are sung and sermons are delivered and Krishna is
worshipped in his infant form. After visiting the main temple,
devotees visit the Shankhoddhar Beyt.
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Bhadra Purnima Fair |
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The Bhadra Purnima Fair is held for three days in the month of
September, every year. This fair is held on the full moon of
Bhadrapad at the temple of the goddess Ambaji in Ambaji. Ambaji is
the principal shrine of the goddess Ambaji in Gujarat. The deity
is represented by a triangular Vishwa yantra, inscribed with
figures and the syllable ‘Shree’ in the centre and there is no
idol. This fact testifies the temple’s antiquity that the tourists
visit the temple during the fair as an essential part of their
lives. On this day, the various agriculturists and general public
visit the temple. In the evening the Bhavai and garba dances are
performed. The devotee attend readings of the Sapatashati, the
seven hundred verses in praise of the goddess, and visit the
temple for an auspicious view of the deity. |
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Navratri |
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Navratri, that means ‘nine nights’ is an ancient, colourful and
religious festival of Gujarat. This festival is celebrated to
honour the one Divine Shakti or Force which supports the entire
universe and is personified as the Mother Goddess. The Mother
Goddess protects her worshippers, destroys evil and grants boons
to her children. Navratri is celebrated with joy and enthusiasm
throughout the Gujarat, but in Ahmedabad and Baroda, Garba and
Dandia dances are performed. This festival is celebrated with true
devotion in the various temples which are dedicated to the Mother
Goddess. |
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In this festival, the women perform the
Garba dance or the circular dance around an earthenware pot called
a garbo which is filled with water. A betel nut and a silver coin
are placed within the pot, on the top of which a coconut is
placed. As the dancers whirl around the pot, a singer and a
drummer also accompanies them. The participants clap in a steady
rhythm. The dance usually starts slowly and gets fast with the
music. In large public areas, group of musicians sing the
traditional garba songs. The Dandia ras or ‘stick’ dance is also
performed during Navratra. Both the men and women perform the
dance in circle, holding small polished sticks or dandies. As per
the rhythm of the dance, men and women strike the dandies
together, adding to the joyous atmosphere. These dances are so
popular that sometimes competitions are held and prizes are given
to the best dancer. The dancers worn the traditional costumes,
alive with colour. The dances usually commence late in the night
and continue until early morning. A Bhavai dance is also performed
in the Ambaji temple at Baroda, during Navratri. |
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Shamlaji Fair |
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The Shamlaji Fair, also known as the Kartik Purnima Fair is held
during the month of November, every year. This fair is held in
Shamlaji, about 80 kms from Ahmedabad. The Shamlaji Temple is a
renowned Vaishnav shrine, and the deity housed therein is known by
various names as Gadadhar, bearer of the mace and Shaksi Gopal.
The Shamlaji Fair is celebrated for about two weeks. About 200,000
people of all communities and castes including the Garasia and
Bhil tribes visit the fair. The visitors come here from the
adjoining districts and from Rajasthan. Besides visiting the deity
in the temple, they also take a bath in the river Meshwo. The
visitors usually come in groups, and sing devotional songs,
carrying religious banners. |
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Tarnetar Fair |
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The Tarnetar Fair, also known as the Trinetreshwar Mahadev Fair is
held at Tarnetar, near the industrial town of Thangadh, Saurashtra.
This fair is one of the most important fair of Gujarat. The local
as well as the tribal people gather from all over Gujarat to
participate in the various activities that take place at the fair.
It is believed that the fair is held on this ancient site since
antiquity. The fair is also one of the most important matchmaking
melas as the tribal youths visit Tarnetar to find a suitable
match. Its association with the Mahabharat is underlined by the
fact that the area was known as Panchal Pradesh, the land to which
Draupadi belonged. |
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The
fair is linked with the story of Draupadi’s Swayamvar
and it is said that it was at this place that the great
archer Arjuna performed the difficult task that won him
his bride. Over 300 stalls are set up in the fair, that
sell numerous objects and offer various types of food and
refreshments. There are exhibitions of embroidery, a
cattle show, competitive sports, family planning stall,
merry-go-rounds and photographer’s stall. The folk music
and dances like the Garba ras and hodo are the main
features of the fair. |
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Vautha Fair |
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Vautha Fair is a magnificent fair that is held every year at
Vautha, where two rivers, the Sabarmati and the Vatrak meet. This
fair is considered to be one of the largest fairs in Gujarat.
According to the legends the Kartik Swami or Kartikeya, the son of
Lord Shiva, visited the site. This fair is held during Kartika
Purnima, the full moon night of the month of Kartik, corresponding
to the month of November for 2 to 3 days. The pilgrims who visit
Vautha during the fair come from several communities and include
farmers, laborers and people belonging to several castes. This
fair is visited by Hindus and Muslims in very large numbers. This
fair is also one of the major animal trading fair in Gujarat. In
this fair, about 4000 donkeys are brought every year for sale,
usually by Banjara traders. |
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