"Lok Mela Gujarat: Celebrating the Rich Culture and Traditions of Gujarat"

Thu Oct 5, 2023

ગુજરાતના લોકમેળા

Fairs are an integral part of Indian culture. Fairs are seen based on historical, cultural, economic, social, region or animal-bird basis.
Kumbh Mela can be considered special in India. This fair is held every three years in Prayagraj, Ujjain, Nasik and Hardwar. At Lok Mela, on a particular day, the community gathers together in large groups to celebrate its special features with gusto.
Most of the fairs held in Gujarat are month and date based.
As many as 1,521 fairs are held in Gujarat every year. Of these, 1,293 Hindu fairs, 175 Muslim fairs, 21 Jain fairs, 14 folk fairs, 13 business fairs and one Parsi fair are held.
The content of the fairs celebrated in Saurashtra is largely mythological or religious! Tarnetar Mela or Shivratri Mela.
- The fairs celebrated in South Gujarat or Mid-East Gujarat are largely associated with tribal culture. J –
Tribals celebrate their culture, food, customs, deities, nature etc. E.g. Donkey Fair, Dang Durbar Fair, Urs Fair etc.

- Melas of North-East Gujarat organize fairs that highlight tribal culture, historical matters or nature. Like, Shamlaji fair, Palli fair etc.

Vautha fair
This fair is held in a village named Vautha in Dholka taluka of Ahmedabad district. The fair is held at the 'Saptasangam Tirtha', the confluence of the seven rivers Sabarmati, Hathamati, Vatrak, Meshvo, Mazam, Khari and Shedhi. This fair is considered the biggest fair of Gujarat. The fair is known for its trade in donkeys and cattle.
This fair is held on Kartiki Purnima days to Kartiki Agiyaras. Devotees come here to bathe in the 'Saptasangam'.

In this fair, people who live in tents make a hole in the sand and put lamps on the day of Poonam, which is known as 'Vav' Gopavi Tari.
During the Mahabharata, the Pandavas visited Vautha in anonymity.

Dhranga fair
Dhrang is located in Kutch district. Where Dada Mekaran's tomb is located.
This fair is organized on Mahavad Teras day (Mahashivratri). Saint Mekarandada is worshiped as God in Ahir society of tribals. Dada Mekaran had two companions. Lalio the Donkey and Motyo the Dog used to find lost travelers in the Motyo Desert. Lalio used to carry water bottles and food arranged on his back to the passengers.

Fair of Stambheshwar
- This temple is located at the Stambheswar location on the banks of the Gulf of Khambhat in Kavi Kamboi village of Bharuch district.
- A fair is organized every year on the day of Mahashivratri. This place is called Somnath of the South.
- This temple is built by Lord Kartikeya.
- According to legend Tadkasura was killed by Lord Kartikeya.

Tarnetar's fair
- This fair is the most famous and largest Bhatigal fair of Gujarat. It is held from Bhadrava Sud Choth to Bhadrava Sud Chhath at the temple of Trinetreshwar Mahadev near Thangarh in Surendranagar district. According to legend, Arjuna fished here in Draupadi's swayamvara.
– Youths from Ahir, Rabari, Bharwad, Kathi communities come to this fair with colorful Bharata filled umbrellas, which is a special attraction of this fair. In this fair, shepherd youth Dhruwatis perform 'Huda' dance.
- Tourists from home and abroad come to this fair. Also here the women of the Koli community play three tali rasas.
– Rural Olympics are organized here by the state government every year.

Bhavnath's fair
- This fair is held during Mahashivratri Mahavad Teras on the banks of Suvarna Rekha river at the foothills of Girnar mountain in Junagadh district. Thousands of Aghori Bawa descend here in this fair. Bathing of Digbar monks is important here. Gujarat government started celebrating this fair as 'Minikumbh Mela' from 2019. Bhartuhari, Muchkund and Gurudatta caves are also situated in this place. People of Ahir and Mer Kom have special faith in this place. Folk music, ras-garba, bhajan-kirtan programs are held every night during the four days of the fair.

Green Circle of Girnar
Thousands of devotees descend from Kartak Sud Agiyaras to Kartak Sud Punam to circumambulate Mount Girnar.

Manekthari fair
– This fair is held in the temple of Ranchodraiji at Dakor in Kheda district. Dakor is one of the major Vaishnava pilgrimages. Bodano Dakor, a devotee of the idol of Ranchodharai, was brought from Dwarika. Since then the form of Shri Krishna started to be worshiped as Ranchodraiji in Dakor.
A fair is held every Poonam at the temple of Ranchhodraiji, but this fair held on Sharad Poonam has a different significance. According to legend, on this day, Ranchhodraiji appears and is presented with a bejeweled crown.

Note: Apart from this, a fair is also held in Dakor on the day of Poonam in the month of Phagan. The present temple of Ranchodharai in Dakor was built by Gopal Jagannath Tambavekar in 1772. It has twelve steps on each side, eight domes and twenty-four minarets according to the twelve zodiac signs.

Palli fair
On the day of Aso Sud Nom, this fair is held at Rupal village near Gandhinagar, in which the shrine of Vardayi's mother takes place. During this fair there is a desire to offer pure ghee to Mataji's palli, Devi's palli--a long horse carrying the palanquin is the specialty of this fair. A large crowd gathers in Rupal to participate in this fair.
This palli is started by the weaver brothers. The weaver brothers bring the wood of the nettle tree to make the palli. Then the carpenter brothers make the palli. The barber brothers tie the sota palli of foil. The potter brothers sprinkle the kunda and the whora (pinjara) brothers of the Muslim community plant cotton seeds in the kunda, the people of the Patidar community worship the Palli and light the fire in the kunda. Chavda brothers of the Kshatriya community stand in front of the palli with open swords. The brothers of the Panchola community prepare a savaman khichda for Mataji's offering. Thus begins the Gajate Gajate Palli.
Ambaji's fair
- Lakhs of devotees visit Ambaji Mata temple premises in Banaskantha district on Bhadrava Sud Punam. Here in these temples 'Shri Yantra' of Mataji is worshipped.

Varana fair
– This fair is organized on the day of Maha Sud Atham in the premises of Khodiyar Mataji Temple in Varana at Sami Taluka of Patan.
- This fair is known as Mini Swimmer's Fair. Especially in this fair, the culture of folk life of Vadiyar Panthak is seen.
– In this fair 'sani' made of sesame gourd and sugar is offered as prasad.

The fair of Katyok
– This fair is held on Kartiki Purnima on the banks of Saraswati river at Siddhapur in Patan district. A large quantity of camels are sold in this fair.
– Since sugarcane is traded in this fair, it is called 'Sherdeo Melo'.
Siddharpur is known for matritarpan. Here is the temple of Lord Shiva's eldest son Kartikeya Maharaj.

Aithor fair
- The temple of Ganapati Bapa is located in Aithor of Unjha taluk of Mehsana district. Where Chaitra Sud third to fifth fair is held. Lord Ganapati as well as Varuna and Agni are also worshiped here.
- Nayakbhai arrives in the village as a thief playing an instrument like a bungla in a good mood. And prasadi of cooked ghungra is offered.

Bahucharaji fair
– This fair is held in the premises of Chaitri Punme Bahuchar Mata temple at Bahucharaji in Mehsana district.
- As Bahucharaji is the main center of eunuch society, eunuchs especially come from all over India. This eunuch society considers Bahuchar Mataji as their Aghadevi.
Bahucharaji is one of the fifty-one Shakti Peeths of India and three of Gujarat.

Note: This temple was built by Suba Manajirao Gaikwad of Kadi. Besides, the Maratha Suba was created by Nana Fadnavish.

Bhadbhut  fair
Kumbh Mela is held every 18 years at Bhadbhut in Bharuch district. The temple of Bhadbhuteshwar Mahadev is located here. This fair is India's longest distance fair.

Palodar fair
This fair is held from eleventh to thirteenth at Phagan Vad temple at Palodar in Mehsana district. The specialty of this fair is that it predicts crops and rains.

Madhavpur fair
– This fair is held from Chaitri Sud Nom to Teras at Madhavpur in Porambadar district. In which the grand wedding of Krishna and Rukmani is stopped. According to the mythological belief, Shri Krishna abducted Rukmani at her request and married her in the temple here, the Madhavpur fair is held here every year to commemorate the occasion.
One of which is known. "Madhavpur no Mandwa, Ava Jadavkulni Jaan, Parne Rani Rukimani Jya Var Dulha Bhagwan" is famous.

Writer Raghuveer Chaudhary has called Mathavpur the Vrindavan of Saurashtra.
History of Madhavpur Fair
According to mythology, there was a king named Bhismaka in Arunachal Pradesh who had five sons and one daughter. whose name was Rukmani.
* Rukmani's brother Rukmi wanted to get her married to his friend Shishupal. But because Rukshmi Manoman loved Krishna, she wrote a letter to Krishna expressing her desire for marriage, after receiving this letter Shri Krishna reached the wedding venue with Sena. Shri Krishna took Rukmani to Madhavpur and got married there.
* The mythological name of Arunachal Pradesh was Vidarbha and Rukmani was known as Vidarbhi.
Madhavpur Mela: A symbol of national unity
Last year in 2018, this fair was celebrated as a festival of Chirantan Yatra from Arunachal Pradesh to Gujarat.

- In the year 2018, to realize Prime Minister Narendra Modi's concept of 'Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat' and to realize the integration of Gujarat with North India, Madhavpur's traditional fair was started to be celebrated as Rashtriya Ekta Mela every year. - Idu Mishmi dance is a folk dance of Idu Mishma, a tribal tribe of Arunachal Pradesh, in which the dancer wears tribal clothes with beautiful designs. The hair styles of those people are very different. On his right shoulder is a leather bag and a sword. They wear necklaces made of colored beads. They wear tiger and bear teeth around the neck.

"Gorus' folk fair
Saurashtra's largest Lok Mela was named 'Gorus Lok Mela'.
According to a recent announcement by the Gujarat government, the fair held in Rajkot, the capital of Saurashtra, was named "Gorus Lok Melo". Which has been declared as the biggest Lok Mela of Saurashtra.
From the year 2018, different names have started to be given to this fair. In the year 2018, this fair was first named Goras. Then in the year 2019 it was named Malhar.
– This fair is organized every year from Shravan Sud Chhath to Shravan Vad Dasham.

Ravechi fair
This fair is held at Rapar in Kutch. This fair is held on 7th-8th of Bhadrava sud This fair is called 'Talapadi Toran of Kutch'.
Fair of Sarkhej
The fair of Sarkhej is held on the banks of the lake near the tomb of Sant Sheikh Ahmad Khatu Ganjabaksh Sahib. Sant Ahmadkhat was the mentor and confidant of Sultan Ahmadshah, the founder of Ahmedabad. After his death in AD 1445, his tomb has been built on the banks of a beautiful lake in Sarkhej. Which is accepted as an ideal example of Indian Muslim architecture. More than 25000 people participate in this religious fair.

Fair of Shah Alam
– The famous fair of Shah Alam is held in memory of the legendary saint Shah Alam. After his death during the Sultanate period in AD. In 1475, the court of Muhammad Begda constructed a magnificent tomb here in memory of this saint. Since then Muslims visit this place as a holy pilgrimage.

Fair of Meera Datar
– Dargah of Hazrat Syed Ali Meera Datar is located at Unawa in Unjha Taluka of Mehsana District. As per Hijri calendar, the urs (fair) of this shrine starts on the night of the 29th day of the first month of Moharram, when the moon appears. This fair lasts for fifteen days. The fair is organized to commemorate his martyrdom on the 29th lunar day (date) of Muharram.
'Mira' means brave and 'Datar' means giver. Note: The grille and doors of this dargah are made of gold and silver. Sangemarmar stones are installed in the entire premises by Raja Sayajirao Gaikwad of Vadodara.

Khambolja fair
Roman Catholicism is a celebration of Christianity. Which is also known as 'Fair of Orphans'.
Khambholaj village is located in Anand district.
Jesus' mother's name was Mary. Who is established in Khambholaj as the mother of orphans. This fair is organized every Diwali.
Religious action is more important in this fair. During the fair there is a ceremony in the church, known as 'Mass'.
Note: Apart from this, 'Niradharoni Mata' fair is held at Vadodara and Arogyamata' fair is held at Mariampura (Petlad).

Naklang fair.
– Naklang fair is held in Bhavnagar. During the 13-year exile of the Pandavas during the Mahabharata period, Bhima installed the Shivlinga of Lord Bholanath in the sea to worship Draupadi, when they came to the coast of Saurashtra.

This Mahadev is known as Nikalanga (Nakalang) Mahadev. Every year on the day of Bhadravi Amas only the darshan of the sea oat is seen for a few hours. Apart from that, Lord Shiva is contained in the ocean waters. Hence a fair is held here on this day. On this day devotees come on foot in the form of Sanghas carrying colorful flags and reach the beach. As soon as the sea tide recedes i.e. oat comes, the water recedes and when Bholanath gives darshan, first of all there is a tradition of offering dhaja to him.
On this occasion, a crowd of people gather here and create a fair-like atmosphere. This fair is known as Naklang Mahadevna Mela.

Veer Vaital's fair.
- A folk fair of Harsiddha Mata and Agia Veer Vaital is held on Chaitra Sud Satam at Bhakhar village on the bank of Pushpavati river near Unjha. According to legend, it is said that the demonic power created a nuisance in this village. Hence he was killed by Agia Veer Vaitala.
- People used to strike with sticks to calm the severed bouncing head, hence this folk fair is celebrated by gathering in the temple courtyard on the day of this fair.

Meghwal fair
Palampiri Medi of Meghwal community is located near Hadmatia village of Tankara taluk of Morbi district. A religious fair is organized here from Bhadrava Vad Nom to Baras.
The fair is a unique attraction full of religious rituals without any pretensions. Religious rituals are very important. Some people walk from Gujarat to come to the fair, some people fast for 21 days before the fair.

Pilgrims from Gujarat and especially Mumbai are seen living in huts. In this fair, the people of Meghwal caste come in families and bring five days worth of raw food for dinner and live around the Medi temple of Palampir.

Hatiyathanthu fair
In Visanagar taluka of Mehsana district or in Valam village, Hatiyathanthun Lok Mela is organized in the presence of Suleshwar Mata.
- In this Lokomela, there is a special system of preparing Mataji's chariot, the Dalits of the village cut wood, make four chariots, the tailors of the village make chunddi, Nayakbhai wears the garb of a woman and stands in the 2nd. A village barber runs alongside the chariot with a torch in hand. Patidars provide bullocks to pull the chariot as Sutradhar of this chariot.

On the day of Chaitra Vad Chhath, the cooked khichda is filled in a matla and this matla is placed in a sundla and brought to the temple of Suleshwari Mata through the village chanting Mataji's Jay. By circumambulating the tank, Khichda is offered in it. Meanwhile, there is a belief that if the kantha of this matla is not broken, then the whole year will be fine.
This Lok Mela reaches its peak at dawn on the tenth day of the night of Chaitra Vad Nom. At night two carts are specially decorated.
A shape like the mouth-snout of an elephant is made in front of the trunk of one cart, which is known as 'Hathiya', while the other cart is known as 'Thanthu'. Known as 'Hathiathathu', this fair is held for the farmers to witness the arrival of the year.

Pavagadh Fair: This fair is held on Chaitra Sud Atham to visit the Mahakali of Pavagadh in Panchmahal district.
Shitla Satam fair -  This fair is organized in Rajpipla of Narmada district.
Gangaji fair - This fair is held on Kartak Sud Poonam day in Rampar Vekra of Kutch district.
Pankherapir Fair -This fair is held during the Urs of Pankherapir in Shikarpur village of Bhachau taluk of Kutch district.
Udwada Fair - The only Parsi fair is held at Udwada in Valsad district.
Ambod fair - This fair is held in Ambod village of Gandhinagar district. A horse race is organized every year. It is also called Ambode's Equestrian Fair.
Majadarna Mela This fair is held on the eleventh day of Bhadrava month in Banaskantha district,
Kaliya Bhoot fair is organized in Maha month by the Bhil Garasia caste people of Banaskantha district.

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