Tarnetar

Tarnetar is a village in the Surendranagar district of the state of Gujarat in India. It is situated near the city of Thangadh.

The nearest national airport is 90 kilometres (56 mi) away at Rajkot, and the nearest international airport is at Ahmedabad, 200 kilometres (120 mi) away.

There perhaps is no better way to feel the essence of Gujarat’s folk than attending Tarnetar Fair, which is mainly based on the legends of Draupadi’s swayamvara. The festival spans for three days and falls every year on the dates of Bhadarva Sud (Hindu calendar in the months of August and September). During the festival traditional music, dance, costumes and arts of Gujarat form the major highlight.

It is mainly for young men and women in search of their significant other, but this is in no way mean that a person least interested in romance wouldn’t be able to have fun here. In fact, with the growing time the festival is only gaining more and more popularity and is attracting visitors not only from India, but beyond. Every year more than 50,000 people attend the festival.

Though there are many kinds of folks performed during the festival, but the most popular is raas. Also, many bhajanmadalis and sadhus sing in chorus. And some people indulge in shopping of local handicrafts that are rare in other regions. The shops sell ethnic jewellery, idols of gods, traditional attires etc. Children too have many slides, events, stalls and swings for their entertainments like merry-go-round, magic-shows and photographers stall. The Gujarat Tourism offer special packages and tented accommodation for people visiting Tarnetar Fair. So, make sure you keep an eye on them and grab the best of all.

History of the fair :

As mentioned above, the festival is associated with Draupadi’s swayamwar. To get the bride, Arjun pierced the eye of a rotating fish by just looking at its reflection on the water. The fair is believed to have started sometime 200 or 250 years ago. It is held near the Triniteshwar Mahadev (the Three-eye-god), which was rebuilt in the 19th century by 19th century. This temple is the focal point of the Tarnetar Fair.

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.

Interesting facts

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 colorful 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.