TARNETAR FAIR

The fair is held for three days every year during the Hindu calendar dates of Bhadarva Sud - 4th, 5th and 6th (during the Gregorian calendar months Aug.-Sept). Historically speaking this festival traditions believed to have begun 200-250 years ago.

If you think you are prepared to walk out of your mundane experience and free-fall into a whirlwind of colors, romance and music, then head for the Tarnetar Fair.

Based on the legend of Draupadi's swayamvara, this fair is a celebration of ethnic Gujarat’s folk-dance, music, costumes and the arts, centered around young tribal men and women seeking marriage partners. But even for those not interested in finding a spouse, the romance and excitement in the air  are captivating, and every year the fair seems only to grow in popularity, attrac  ting visitors and tourists from Gujarat, elsewhere in India, and even abroad. 

Here the many colorful costumes, glittering ornaments and free-spirited movements of folk dances, all combine to create a memorable scene. As the dancers surge in waves of circular movement, the i  ncessant throbbing of the drums keeps them moving in unison, and the drum beats continue throughout the day even as the dancers change from one group to the next. Many kinds of folk dances are performed; by far the most popular is the raas, in which dancers hold sticks to clack against those of other dancers. As many as one to two hundred women perform rasadas in a single circle. 

Rabari women of nearby Zalawad perform the famous circular folk dance called Rahado. Their marital status is indicated clearly by their costumes; a black zimi(skirt) means she is married. But if a woman is wearing a red zimi, it means she has not yet tied the knot, probably seeking a husband. The potential husbands seeking brides are elegantly dressed in colorful dhotis, artistically designed waistcoats and a head-cloth twisted at an angle, moving about the fairground at Tarnetar with striking umbre  llas, advertising the bachelorhood they are keen to relinquish.

Tarnetar fare (east from Rajkot) (Proposed Dates) - 22/24th Aug 2020 ( subject to change)** We are yet to get the final dates for Tarnetar as same is not available.  However these are most likely dates.

Disclaimer: You are requested to check the exact dates with us before finalizing your travel plans for this festival. Please note "these dates may vary according to Hindu Calendar"