Ravechi Fair |
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Ravechi is a temple site near the town of Rapar, about 93km from Gandhidham's railway station and approximately 99kms from Bhuj Airport. The Ravechi fair near Rapar is one of the most colourful fairs of Kutch District. This fair of Kutch District. This fair sees Ahirs, Rabris and other pastoral communities at their colourful best, and these groups. The centre of focus is Ravechi Mata Temple that is worshipped by the Rabaris. |
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| Season : August - September |
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Air : Nearest airport is Bhuj (100kms) |
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Rail : Nearest Railway Station is Gandhidham (95kms) |
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Road : Ahmedabad (460kms) |
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Trineteshwar Mahadev Fair-Tarnetar |
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| The best known of Gujarat's fairs is held in August-September at the historic shrine of Tarnetar (Tirneteshwar) a holy site locally believed to have been the original course of river Ganga. The fair is held at Thangadh in Saurashta. The Tarnetar Fair is connected with Arjun, the Pandavas hero. It is believed that he won the hand of princess Draupadi in a swayamvar (an assembly of princes where a princess chooses her suitor.) Arjun showed his skill at archery to win Draupadi.
The fair is a blaze of colour. As matchmaking is an objective of the fair, women are brightly dressed and bedecked in jewellery, and men wear colorful turbans, embroidered jackets, heavy bracelets and embroidered shoes to attract a suitable bride. Eligible men also carry richly embroidered umbrellas/ Women select their partner as they would in a 'Swayamwara' or line-up, and families are involved for the arrangements after the selection. This fair is a showcase of folk dances like the Hudo and other traditions of Saurashtra. It is also a good opportunity to see the colourful costumes and attractive ornaments of pastoral groups like the Bharwad.
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| Travel information: |
| Season : August – September |
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Air : Nearest airport is Rajkot (90kms) |
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Rail : Nearest Railway Station is Thangadh (8kms) |
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Road : Ahmedabad (210kms) |
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Navaratri |
Navaratri festival is the most clourful and prominent festival in the state. Navratri or nine nights are a celebration in honor of the Mother Goddess, The festival is celebrated in September - October is probably the world's longest dance festival and is described as a cultural celebration .unparalleled in sheer size. The excitement of Navrati begins long for months to design, stitch, assemble or buy the best get-ups for Navratri. During these nights, ras garba are enacted to honour the goddess. The picture of goddess riding a tiger adorns every street corner in Gujarat. Men, women and children participate in the Garba dance to the accompaniment of chorus and beating of the drums with great enthusiasm. The best known is the Garba of the women and Garbi of the men performed in a circle with the dancers clapping hands, snapping fingers or striking small sticks to the tal or beat. The whole atmosphere is one of revelry and celebration for the nine nights leading to the eve of Dusserra when Durga is said to have defeated the demon Mahisura, and Rama is believed to have defeated Ravana who abducted his wife Sita. Navratri is celebrated through Gujarat and can experience in cities like Ahmedabad, Vadodara, and Surat where there are organized dance events during the festival.
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| Travel information: |
Season : September – October
Navratri is celebrated all over Gujarat. |
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Shamlaji Mela-Shamlaji(Kartaka Purnima) |
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The Shamlaji Fair is held I October-November with the night of Kartika Poorinma being the most auspicious. The fair attracts pilgrims in numbers beyond comprehension to Shamlaji, an important temple town, and tribal groups like the Bhil and Garasia of Sabarkanta and Banaskanta Districts, and even neighboring Rajasthan, Pilgrims carry flags and sing devotional songs as they approach the temple. The tank at Shamlaji is the site for ritualistic bathing during the fair.
Travel Information
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| Travel information: |
| Season : November |
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Air : Nearest airport is Ahmedabad (127kms) |
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Rail : Nearest Railway Station is Himmatnagar (47kms) |
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Road : Ahmedabad (127kms) |
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| Vautha Mela, The Grant Fair-Vautha |
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Kartik Poornima in November, one of the most important full moon days in the Hindu Calendar, is celebrated at Vautha with a large livestock fair, Ten thousands donkeys, lots of cattle and herds of camels are bought to the fairground, at the confluence of seven tributaries of the river Sabarmati, for trade. The donkeys are painted in an array of colours, and decorated to suit the occasion. Camels are also colorfully bedecked and sold on the sand dunes by the river shores. The fair offers opportunities to experience the culture of pastoral groups like the Jath and to watch trading of livestock like selection and auction. On the day of the full moon night, pilgrims take dips in the holy river confluence, give offerings to the river, and pray at the site that is associated with Kartikeya, the son of Lord Shiva. |
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| Travel information: |
| Season : November |
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Air : Nearest airport is Ahmedabad (55kms) |
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Rail : Nearest Railway Station is Meshana (15kms) |
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Road : Ahmedabad (60kms) |
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Rann Utsav |
The festival showcases the attraction of Little Rann of Kutch, sanctuary for the Asiatic Wild Ass and one of the important Bird Areas of India. This annually organized festival offers an opportunity for visitors to attend folk dance and music concerts, to watch artisans at work, to shop directly from NGOs crafts people and village cooperatives, to see the great historical monuments in the state of Jhinjhuwada, the colourful villages near Dasada. |
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| Travel information: |
| Season : November |
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Air : Nearest airport is Bhuj (60kms) |
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Rail : Nearest Railway Station is Bhuj (50kms) |
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Road : Ahmedabad (450kms) |
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Kutch Festival |
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The five-day Kutch festival is held in January/February. Kutch Utsav is a festival that features the folk culture of Kutch district. This provides an opportunity for the people of Kutch to show of their best. They are known for their skills at embroidery. Not only they decorate their dress, nut they decorate their surroundings too. The Bhungas, the traditional dwelling places of Kutchis, are plastered with mud and beautifully painted to relieve the boredom caused by the drab surroundings. also one can visit Kala Dungar, the shrine of Guru Dattatraya on auspicious occasion of Datta Jayanti. |
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| Travel information: |
| Season : Novembe |
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Air : Nearest airport is Bhuj (60kms) |
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Rail : Nearest Railway Station is Bhuj (50kms) |
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Road : Ahmedabad (450kms) |
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