Gujarat Tourism: Trinetreshwar Mahadev Fair

In the era of the legendary epic Mahabharata, Pandavas King Arjun pierced the eye of the fish above him by only looking at its reflection in the water in order to win Draupadi’s hand for marriage; this swayamvar was organized at the Trinetreshwar Temple at Tarnetar village of Gujarat. Such goes the regional folklore about one of Gujarat’s and India’s most famous Tribal festivals- The Tarnetar Mela or as it is more formally called Trinetreshwar Mahadev Fair.

This three-day “Tarnetar Fair” is held at the Temple of Shiva or Trinetreshwar popularly known as Tarnetar

This fair held every year in the Bhadrapad (August-September) month of the Hindu calendar, is attended by all of the nearby tribal groups of Koli, Bharwad, Rabari, Khant, Kanbi, Khati and Charan. About hundred thousand people attended the event in the previous edition.

The Tarnetar Fair

About 75 km from Rajkot, in the Surendragarh District of Gujarat, lies this small hamlet called Tarnetar, which is host to a magnificent festival that celebrates tribal art, dance and music, but that’s just the crux of it, the major motive of the fair is a big community wide Swayamvar where girls choose their prospective bridegrooms for an eventual marriage. The prospective bridegrooms wear rich, embroidered traditional tribal costumes and carry an umbrella with them. These umbrellas and the hair style of the young boys are the distinguishing factor, and end up becoming the decisive factor in winning the most beautiful bride. The youth of the tribal groups work for almost a year on designing, coloring and embroidering the umbrellas for this very day.

Unmarried Men stand under exquisitely embroidered ‘Chatris’ signifying their marital status while young Women go around the chatris hunting for their grooms

The most precious thing of the fair is the spontaneity with which everyone just breaks into dancing upon listening to tribal folk music, the atmosphere is so immersing that you feel as if you are bound to the place, its culture and people. The color, the beautiful folk costumes, dance, music everything seems like a celebration of being one with the other. 

The Dance at the Tarnetar Fair

The village is also host to a Kund or artificial lake called ‘Papanshu’, whose water is believed to be as pure as that of holy River Ganges. After the Uttrayan Kite Festival, this is the next major festival Gujarat offers to the people who come to be enchanted by it.

Spot an original ‘Hudo’ folk dance in Tarnetar fair

Journey to Shri Hemkund Sahib

Shri Hemkund Sahib is the sacred place where Guru Gobind Singh Ji spent a long time meditating in his previous birth, as mentioned in Bachittar Natak. Journey to Hemkund Sahib is a heavenly experience and full of lifetime memories because of its importance and adventure. Whole journey starting from Rishikesh is a travel along river Ganges.

-->

Shri Hemkund Sahib ji

Mesmerizing Onwards Journey

The journey  to Hemkund Sahib can be very comfortable if planned in advance and properly. I followed this itinerary from Delhi and found it to be most comfortable and time saving Delhi to Haridwar – By Train is ~4 Hrs. Haridwar station to Rishikesh Gurudwara – By road is ~45 minutes. You have 2 major options from Rishikesh Gurudwara to start the Yatra. One is Gurudwara Buses and other one is you can hire a dedicated Taxi.

Shri Hemkund Sahib-Route-Map

Rishikesh to Govindghat By Road  11 – 12 Hrs (This estimate is of travelling by Sumo Taxi). It is Via Joshimath, Joshimath to Govindghat is only ~2 Hrs. This time may vary significantly because of landslides on the way. All this route should be covered during day light, as otherwise it may be very dangerous because of landslides, narrow roads and steep valleys.  Ample Boarding/lodging arrangements available at Govind-Ghat in Gurudwara and nearby lodges.

-->

On-the-way-to-Joshimat

Govind-Ghat to Govind-Dham is ~ 13 KMs. You can to go Trekking or hire a Pony. Palki can be hired for aged people who cannot sit on Pony. For small kids  Pitthus  are also available.  Trekking time is dependent on your fitness level and Pony takes ~4.5 Hrs. This travelling also has to be completed in Day time and should be started as early as possible so that you get maximum rest for the final trekking to Hemkund Sahib next morning. You have ample Boarding/lodging options available at Govind-Dham in Gurudwara and nearby lodges. Luggage has to left here (Gurudwara Cloak room can be used for this if checking out from lodge. From here only Towels and essentials should be carried.

Gobind Dham

Govind-Dham to Hemkund Sahib Gurudwara is ~ 6 KMs. You can to go Trekking or hire a Pony. Palki can be hired for aged people who cannot sit on Pony. For small kids  Pitthus  are also available. You have to start Early morning and must return back same day. Pony takes around ~2 Hrs and Trekking time strictly dependent on your fitness levels. You have Langar available at Hemkund Sahib Gurudwara and a First aid Centre with a Doctor  is also available. Snaan and Darshan does not takes much time but you would like to spend anything less than 2 Hrs.

-->

Hemkund Sahib

Spell Binding Backward Journey

Hemkund Sahib Gurudwara  to Govind-Dham. You have to return same day after Snaan and Darshan and Trekking down is much more convenient. Trekking down to Govind-Dham takes  ~2.5 Hrs, Pony may take ~1 Hour. Govind-Dham to Flower Valley is ~ 3 KMs. Govind-Dham to Hemkund Sahib and Back requires one day and Govind-Dham to Flower Valley and back requires another day. You can go to Flower Valley from Govind-Dham next day and distance and conditions are similar to Hemkund Sahib Trekking. Flower Valley closes down at 2:00 pm.

Valley in Hemkund Sahib

Govind-Dham to Govind-Ghat - It will take ~3.5 Hrs on Pony. Trekking down would depend on your fitness conditions. In case health is good trekking should be preferred to hiring a Pony as it Pony comes down at a speed and is not a very comfortable experience. If returning by Pony you can consider of reaching same day to Govind-Ghat (On the day of Darshan  or on the day of Flower Valley Visit) Govindghat to Rishikesh   This Journey depends upon how have you come either by Taxi or By Gurudwara Bus you have both the options.

Inside-of-Hemkund-Sahib

Important Notes:

Delhi to Hemkund Sahib and back is ~6 days Journey but very much dependent on weather conditions which is impacted primarily by landslides. You must have 2-3 days in hand. Above details does not include travel by Jathaas which originate from most of the big Indian Cities and are well guided travels. Essentials to be carried apart from woollens is rain coat, cheap raincoats are available at Govind-Ghat also.

Shri Hemkund Sahib

‘Jhitku- Mitku’ - Art of Chhattisgarh

A large part of the folklore in India is based around heart touching love stories many of which seem to have an eternal appeal. This, though generally true of almost all the parts of the country has some really poignant examples in Punjab, Sikkim, Chhattisgarh and some other parts of the country with simple ways of living and a passion for living. The eternal love ballad of ‘Chhatisgarh’ revolves around ‘Jhitku’ and ‘Mitku’ a simple boy and girl who happened to be love struck in times past.

Tribal-Crafts-of-Chhattisgarh

Its is said that Mitku was the star of the eyes of a family of seven brohers and had so much of the love and affection that she felt free as a bird with sky her play yard and the world as the playmates. As time flies, she was ready to be married and the brothers invited a local youth ‘Jhitku’ as per the tribal tradition ‘Lampena’ of the areas as per which the groom has to stay for a year with the bride’s family and do all the chores related to bread winning so as to prove himself worthy of the bride to be. The ‘Jhitku’ came for a worthiness trial and as the luck would have it, fell in love with ‘Mitku’. The brothers though remained blissfully unaware of the matters of the heart.

Jhitku-Mitku

As it happens in the country with alarming frequency, the rains failed that year and the area was stricken with draught. The brothers went seeking counsel from village seer and he recommended a sacrifice to seek blessings of the God. The brothers did not really have anything else to sacrifice so late one night they whisked off ‘Jhitku’ and sacrificed him to the local deity. 

Bastar-Handicrafts-Chhattisgarh

Having discovered the truth, Mitku, grief stricken, took her own life. Though the timings are lost in the hoary past, the memory of Jhitku Mitku lives in tales and ballads and off course in the tribal metal casting art, in which it remains one of the most important image and can be found in any tribal art museum or an export catalogue.

Chhattisgarh-Art

Tribal art of Chhattisgarh has a very important element of metal casting in clay modeling using lost wax process and though ‘Jhitku- Mitku’ remain ever favourite, there are numerous other beautiful objects that are made by the process and can be found in numerous haats of Jagdalpur, Narainpur, Kondagram and Shipagram of Chhatisgarh.

Different Forms of Tribal Arts