Gorgeous Gujarat Showcase At the Tarnetar Mela

You must have heard of cattle fairs and rural Olympics, but this one beats them all – an actual modern day swayamvar of sorts held in the quiet hamlet of Tarnetar in the Saurashtra region of Gujarat! A swayamvar is a practice where a girl of marriageable age chooses a husband for from a list of suitors and it was widely prevalent in ancient India. The Tarnetar Fair is a one of its kind tribal mela that draws thousands of locals as well as tourists from other parts of India and abroad. Tourists observe the courting and flirting, an essential part of the festivities and to be inspired by the local flavours, colours, costumes and traditions of indigenous Gujarati tribes. 

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Celebrating a Local Legend

The Tarnetar Mela has its roots in the epic Mahabharata, in the classic swayamvar of Draupadi and her eventual marriage to Arjuna, to be precise. The Trineteshwar Temple, which is the actual venue of the fair, is said to have been the place where Arjuna married Draupadi. The fair is not only a celebration of their union, but also that of other young men and women who look for and find love and togetherness here. Young men and women belonging to various local tribes like the Bharwad community dress up in colourful traditional clothes and come here in search of a spouse. Their beautiful garments, joyous songs and exquisite dances are the mainstay of the fair.
 

 

The Search for a Suitable Boy

The one main thing on the mind of most young girls who attend this fair is finding a suitable groom. They will sing, dance and try and look their best in an effort to attract attention. Prospective brides also entertain the surging crowds with various traditional dance forms, particularly the garba, raas, rasada and rahado, some of the most elegant and graceful dance forms of Gujarat, which are performed to the beats of drums. The women of the Rabari tribe in particular perform the captivating rahado by forming intricate circles. Interestingly, these women make their marital status known by the kind of clothes they wear. Black skirts are worn by married women and those hopeful of finding a husband dress in red.

Men and the Tarnetar Chhatri

Likewise, the young bachelors are also here to find a suitable bride. Unlike the subtle hints by the women, who will only display their coquettishness by their garbs, the tribal men are more ostentatious, both in dress and behaviour. They come out in all their finery wearing traditional dhotis, beautiful embroidered jackets, colourful turbans and magnificent umbrellas. Yes, you read that right! The umbrellas in fact are yet another striking thing about this fair; these are no ordinary umbrellas, but huge canopies with intricate embroidery, mirror work and other embellishments. So famous and attractive are these umbrellas that they are referred to as the Tarnetar chhattri.
 

 

Local Flavours of Gujarat

This fair is the perfect opportunity to witness Gujarat in all its traditional and cultural glory. However, there aren’t just the songs and dances to gawk at but several other attractions that can keep any visitor busy for hours. Among the many attractions are the various stalls laden with local handicrafts, clothes, ethnic jewellery, figures and figurines. There are also other activities in progress such as magic shows, cattle fair, tattoo artists with their own stalls and tents, amusement rides and photo stalls. In short, the Tarnetar mela is a perfect village fair with all the accompanying wonders.

The Tarnetar Fair is a great time to visit Gujarat and explore its many wonders. So plan you trip and book flights and hotels only on MakeMyTrip.com!