250 years Old Rural Fair of Gujarat: Must Visit Journey in a Lifetime

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Gandhinagar

Here is every detail for the attraction of Rural Fair which is held every year in August

Tarnetar Fair represents the most awaited day in the life of inhabitants of Tarnetar village in which they flock around the Trineteshwar Temple at Saurashtra. It is one of the most popular fairs of Gujarat which is organized in a village called Tarnetar, situated at a distance of around 75 kilometres from Rajkot. he fair is held for three days every year during the Hindu calendar month of Bhadarva Sud (during the Gregorian calendar months Aug – Sept)
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It takes place in Tarnetar Village, which is located in Surendranagar District, just 8 km from Thangadh Town in Gujarat. The fair is held at the grounds of Triniteshwar Mahadev temple. The old temple was ruined, but a new one was built in the 19th century and is situated on the bank of a rivulet and opens into a beautiful reservoir. The Triniteshwar Mahadev Fair is commonly called as the Tarnetar Mela.

Legend says that this fair has been held here since antiquity. Its origin is linked with the story of Draupadi’s swayamvar, where the great archer Arjun performed the difficult task of piercing the eye of a rotating fish with an arrow, by only looking at its reflection in the water. Through this feat he won his bride Draupadi.

Historically speaking, this festival tradition is believed to have begun 200-250 years ago. The fair is held on the grounds of the temple of Triniteshwar Mahadev, which means “the three-eyed God.” The old temple that used to stand in Tarnetar was ruined, but a new one was built by the Gaekwads of Vadodara in the 19th century, and is now the focal point of the festival. It stands on the bank of a rivulet and opens into a beautiful kund. It is locally believed that this site used to be the original course of the Ganga river at some point in history, so a dip in the temple tank is considered by pilgrims to be as auspicious as a swim in the holy Ganga.

The fair is a mixture of colours and lots of excitement. According to legend, the fair has been held here since ancient times and is linked with the tale of Draupadi’s Swayamvar, where Arjuna executed the difficult task of piercing the eye of a rotating fish with an arrow, by looking at its reflection in the water and with this accomplishment he won her heart. But historically, the festival is assumed to have initiated about 200 to 250 years ago.
The Kolis of Saurashtra initiated the custom of embroidering umbrellas, which are exquisitely elaborate in terms of embellishments. The embroidery of each is unique and rises from the edges all the way to the top, with beadwork and patchwork in the design as well. Small colourful handkerchiefs are attached all around the edge, to attract further attention. These men spend over a year embroidering their umbrellas. Their intention is to entice the girls with their art, cloths and head gear and impress them, so that they can propose them for marriage. It is not surprising that, before the fair is over, they usually meet the lady of their choice.

The fair is a celebrated in a lively and colourful way. Ethnic Gujarati folk-dances, music, glittering ornaments and costumes all combine to create an impressive and exciting atmosphere. Dancers flow in waves of circular movement, with the constant beating of drums. Music continues throughout the day and dancers keep changing from one group to another. Different kinds of folk dances are performed during the festival and many ‘Bhajan Mandlis’ (religious music groups) sing songs accompanied by various folk instruments.

A number of stalls are set up to sell local handicrafts, ethnic jewellery, figurine of deities and traditional attire embroidered with miniature mirrors. The fair also has amusement rides, magic shows, photo stalls and tattoo artists. The fair is based around young tribal men and women who are seeking suitable marriage partners. The young tribal men gracefully dress in colourful dhotis, waistcoats and eye-catching turbans waiting to be chosen by young village belles who are also dressed in fine colourful clothes.
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These year the fair is going to organised between August 12 to August 15. Being the most important fair of Saurashtra, Tarnetar is attended by more than 50,000 people. The main castes that have been participating are the Kolis, Rabaris, Bharwads, Khants, Kanbis, Kathis, Charans, the Harijans and the Desh-rabaris. With its growing reputation, visitors from rest of India and many different parts of the world are also seen here.