The Tarnetar Fair is held every year on the 4th, 5th and 6th day of the
Shukla Paksha (sometime in the month of August -September) in the village
of Tarnetar in Surendranagar district, 85 kms from Rajkot. It is also
known as the Trinetreshwar Mahadev Fair as it is held in the premises
of the 14th century Shiva Temple Trinetreshwar (translated it means 'three
eyed god' symbolizing Lord Shiva) also popularly known as Tarnetar
It is an important fair of Gujarat and it is attended
by various tribes like Kolis, Rabaris, the Bharwads, the Khnts, the Khanbis,
the Charans and the Kathis. The fair celebrates the legend of the marriage
of Draupadi to Arjuna, the third of the five Pandavas.
The Tarnetar fair is a melting pot of folk art, music
and dance. Folk dances like Rasada (a Gujarati folk dance) are performed
by scores of women, there are 'bhajan mandalis' which sing devotional
songs called 'bhajans' and 'kirtans'. They do so to the accompaniment
of folk instruments like the khartals, pakhawaj, dhol and tabla (these
are Indian percussion instruments).
Food stalls, cattle show, competitive sports and exhibitions
all lend a local flavour to the fair. The distinctive feature of the fair
is the Tarnetar Chhatri. This aspect of the fair is a sort of marriage
mart for the tribal youth who still visit Tarnetar to find a suitable
bride. This is an embroidered umbrella which is used by eligible bachelors
to attract unmarried girls. This again symbolizes 'Draupadi swayamvar'
- the marriage between Draupadi and Arjuna.
Gujarat Tourism makes arrangements for guided tours to
Tarnetar from Rajkot.
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